Something I’ve recently decided I want to try to do when I visit a town is find an indie bookstore there, visit it, and buy something from them. I did this with Sundog Books in Seaside, FL a year and a half ago, so when my husband and I planned a little impromptu trip to Chattanooga (about an hour and a half from us), I Googled for an indie and learned about Starline.
Starline Books is in downtown Chattanooga on Market Street, right across from the historic Chattanooga Choo Choo. In case you’re ever looking for it yourself, know that it is inside a larger building. We actually circled around trying to find it because we saw a sign but not a storefront, and then when we came back around my husband realized it was inside a building that had a few businesses inside. Also, it has both an uptsairs and downstairs, and downstairs is where the YA section is.
Oh how I wanted that illustrated Harry Potter, but wasn’t ready to fork over that money quite yet! However, both my husband and I each picked out a book to take home (plus free bookmarks!).
Ruta lives in middle Tennessee and she’s coming to my town in March, so I thought buying one of her books would help move her up my TBR, as I’ve been saying for ages I need to read something by her! My husband has been reading the Mary Russell books ever since we read the first one for our college English class, and he was glad to finally see this one out in paperback. In case you’re curious about the mug, this photo was taken at The Hot Chocolatier, an AMAZING place just a couple doors down from the bookstore.
I had the S’mores hot chocolate, he had the classic hot chocolate, and we shared this eclair, and there were so many other tasty looking treats. Guys, that S’mores hot chocolate may have been the tastiest drink I have ever put in my mouth. This place exceeded my expectations. We sat in the back of the shop by ourselves and it was so chill. It was exactly what I needed on this little getaway.
So if you ever find yourself in Chattanooga, TN, do yourself a favor and check out these gems!
Do you have a favorite indie bookstore you’ve visited in another town?
A bookstore and a hot chocolate shop? Sounds perfect! Thanks for sharing!
It was perfect! I just wish I could visit there all the time!
This looks so fun! I love visiting indie bookstores on vacation. 🙂
It’s a fun thing to do!
Love this idea! It’s great to explore a new place by checking out the little bookstores. From the pictures it looks really cute. The food photos have me drooling though – that eclair! So pretty! 🙂
The bookstore was cute! And The Hot Chocolatier had so many pretty/tasting looking treats!
S’mores hot chocolate sounds so good! I always hunt out bookshops when I visit a new place but it’s a good idea to do your research in advance. Of course most places I’m visiting are so small that there are probably only a few indie stores anyway so that makes it easier. I love the caption ‘come and be literated’, it’s very eye catching. Sounds like a fun few hours Amy.
I loved that quote too!
Love this post!! When we go to the coast there’s one I usually look through.
There was one on the San Juan Islands a couple spring breaks ago I could have spent all day in. #heaven
Fabulous article! There’s always more personality to this type of shop … thanks for sharing! 🙂
How fun! I like your idea of buying something from each bookstore as a souvenir of your trip to that city. Don’t feel bad about not buying the illustrated HP… I bought it the week it came out and I’ve hardly even cracked it open yet! Craziness! My mouth was watering over your hot chocolate picture. Does the place just serve cocoa and pastries? It sounds perfect!
They sold other chocolate goodies as well! I kind of wish I had bought something else to go, but maybe next time! 🙂