The cozy winter months are the perfect time to dig into a new book (or three). Whether you’ve set a reading resolution for the year or you’re a devoted book lover year-round, today’s article is for you. We’re spotlighting seven bookstores in Birmingham, AL that are making it so easy to shop local!
Little Professor Bookshop
Neighborhood: Homewood
More info: littleprofessorbookshop.com
Little Professor Bookshop opened in 1972 and has been a mainstay in Homewood since the early 1990s. When Meredith Robinson and her husband Jonathan took ownership of Little Professor in February 2020, they were determined to reenergize the store and ensure it remained a hub for book enthusiasts.
With the help of LP’s marketing director, McCall Hardison, the Robinsons have multiplied the shop’s impact on Birmingham Metro’s literature-loving community. First, the shop opened a second location in Pepper Place in November of 2022. Next, Little Professor’s Homewood location got a glow-up — it moved down 18th Street into a brand new, spacious, two-story building.
Little Professor sells a wide variety of books and stationery and hosts various community events, including author talks, book clubs, story time for kids, and socials for readers. The shop also offers a membership program with discounts on purchases, priority access to the store’s often sold-out events, free local delivery, and more.
Thank You Books
Neighborhood: Crestwood
More info: thankyoubookshop.com
Thank You Books opened its doors in the heart of Birmingham’s Crestwood neighborhood in December 2019, just before the pandemic. But COVID couldn’t stop this bookshop. Owners Laura Lilly Cotten, Elizabeth Goodrich, and Kristen Iskandrian stayed committed to their mission of creating a community for authors and readers. During the pandemic, they hosted author talks via Zoom and offered curbside pickup for book purchases.
Now, Thank You Books gets to be what Laura, Elizabeth, and Kristen dreamed of. Along with a wide variety of books for readers of all ages, the shop hosts author events, book clubs, and story time for kids. And the buzz about Thank You Books has gone beyond Birmingham. The store has been featured by Book Riot, Garden & Gun, and The New York Times.
Church Street Coffee & Books
Neighborhood: Mountain Brook
More info: churchstreetshop.com
You may go to Church Street Coffee & Books for the shop’s famous Breakup Cookie, but this Mountain Brook gem offers much more.
Church Street sells various books for adults and children — including works by local authors — and gives you a nice, cozy space to sit and get lost in a great story. Church Street’s baristas know books as well as they do coffee, so if you need a reading recommendation to go along with your caffeine and sweets, they’ve got you covered.
The Alabama Book Smith
Neighborhood: Homewood
More info: alabamabooksmith.com
The Alabama Book Smith is for the reader who knows a book is much more than paper and glue. If you enjoy collecting autographed copies or first editions of your favorite reads, head down to the Alabama Book Smith. Every book in the store is signed!
You can also join the Signed First Editions Club to receive carefully curated picks all year long that you can either keep for your own collection or give as gifts for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, or other special days.
Burdock Book Collective
Neighborhood: Forest Park
More info: burdockbookcollective.com
If you’ve ever wondered if you can make a difference in the world with a book, the Burdock Book Collective is here to answer that question with a resounding YES.
The Burdock Book Collective is a self-proclaimed intersectional feminist bookstore and community space. Burdock is home to the Queer Lit Book. In addition to selling books and hosting events that promote diversity and inclusion, Burdock also helps to spearhead Alabama Books to Prisons. This program strives to bring hope and a sense of self-respect and self-determination to incarcerated people by fulfilling book requests to increase access to educational material. To address the isolation experienced by many prisoners, Alabama Books to Prison also facilitates a pen pal program.
Jim Reed Books
Neighborhood: Downtown
More info: jimreedbooks.com
If you enjoy the thrill of finding rare, antique books, you’ll love Jim Reed Books. More than a mere bookstore, this shop is also a “museum of fond memories,” selling old magazines, newspapers, movie posters, and other blast-from-the-past items.
Store owner Jim Reed, a noted columnist and gothic humorist, has authored several books. Signed copies of his works can also be found at the shop.
You can also keep up with Jim through his podcast, Red Clay Diary.
Bookmarked Paperie & Accessories
Neighborhood: Trussville
More info: bookstoretrussville.com
Meet the new kid on the book block — Bookmarked Paperie in Trussville. Open since November 2023, Bookmarked is not a traditional bookstore. Yes, you’ll find a curated selection of nonfiction, fiction, cookbooks, and coffee table books. But Bookmarked also has plenty for paper lovers, such as notebooks, journals, wrapping paper, and gift tags. Bookmarked even has pens and puzzles. The store is furnished and decorated with found items that have been given a second life. And guess what? Those items are all for sale, too!
Throughout the shop, you’ll find reading nooks calling you to get cozy and read the next selection on your list. Plus, Bookmarked has a room dedicated to children’s literature, too.
Happy reading, Birmingham!
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