Parnassus Grand Opening Set for November 18

When Davis-Kidd Booksellers — Nashville, Tennessee’s iconic bookstore — closed in 2010, it left a void in the city’s literary landscape. Now, author Ann Patchett and former Random House rep Karen Hayes are ready to fill that void with next month’s opening of Parnassus Books, a general bookstore with an emphasis on the arts and music.

Davis-Kidd “was really beloved,” said Hayes. “And this city still really wants — really needs a bookstore.”

Despite experiencing a few minor delays, Hayes plans to have the store up and running by the second week in November, with a grand opening celebration set for Friday, November 18, the weekend before Thanksgiving.

After an 18-year career at Random House, where she called on independent bookstores across the country, Hayes said, “This was the next logical thing for me to do.” She originally thought about opening a co-op bookstore to ensure funding, but she eventually talked to Patchett, who had a similar desire to open a bookstore in Nashville.

“We both have the same vision,” said Hayes. “And we both feel strongly that the future of bookstores is in cities like this. There is such a need for local neighborhood bookstores.”

As a way to raise start-up money for fixtures and inventory, Hayes created a “Founding Members Program,” for the store. Members choose from levels — which range from “Basic” membership at $75 to “Mountain top” at $5,000 — and receive rewards, discounts, and store privileges depending on their level.

Though both Hayes and Patchett have deep-seated roots in the book industry, they have been holding discussions with many booksellers and former booksellers to gain information and advice. Hayes has talked to former owners and managers of Davis-Kidd, as well as the owners of Greenlight Bookstore in Brooklyn, who have been an inspiration to her.

“The response has been really, really great,” said Hayes. “So many people have been supportive.” The store already has 2,000 friends on Facebook, and the Founding Members Program has 120 contributors.

Though a general bookstore, Parnassus Books’ inventory will also highlight music and the arts. “We are, after all, a music city,” said Hayes, adding the bookstore had received a donation of an upright piano. Through a partnership with a local gallery, Parnassus will showcase the area’s artists and artisans. And to accommodate as many events as possible, the majority of the store’s fixtures are on wheels, so they can be easily moved to create an appropriate space. For larger events, the store plans to work with local businesses and institutions.

Nashville, a city steeped in music and arts, is often referred to as the Athens of the South, which is partly how Parnassus got its name. Mount Parnassus, in Greek Mythology, is the home of literature, poetry, music, and learning, “and that’s what we hope to be,” said Hayes. “It just fit the store so well.”

Ann Patchett will share highlights of Parnassus Books’ development and launch as well as her thoughts on the survival of indie bookselling at the opening plenary session [1] on Wednesday, January 18, at Winter Institute 7.