Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1498135
T HE YEAR IS 2007. Nearly 50 million people are rushing to movie theaters to be disappointed by Spiderman 3, Beyonce's "Irreplaceable" tops the music charts, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows makes (and maintains) the Guinness World Record for most novels sold within 24 hours of release, with 8.3 million in the U.S. alone. For Harry Potter, bookstores across the nation hosted midnight book release parties for the first, and perhaps only, time. Not only did the phenomenon of the book series make reading cool to kids, it also brought nerd culture front and center. Readers ruled the world — or at least the $3.1 billion book industry. But a er robed teenagers with wands went home with their final book in the series, bookstores had something to worry about, and not just the end of Rowling's sales-bolstering tale. A few months later, Amazon released Kindle, the e-reader that sold out in just over five hours. Within four years, printed book sales would fall nearly 36% while e-book sales rose year over year by roughly 100%. As the beloved film You've Got Mail so charmingly predicted, independent bookstores faced many threats and were closing at a quick rate. Meanwhile, in the heart of Georgia, newlyweds and recent Mercer University graduates Shane and Abbey Gottwals decided to open a used bookstore. In 2007, the inaugural Gottwals Books opened in Warner Robins. Within a few years, more opened in Byron, Perry, and Macon. Seemingly counter to the national conversation dooming independent booksellers, Gottwals Books expanded faster than anyone could have predicted. Reflecting on what factors may have fortified them from the shi ing economy, Shane wondered if the culture itself catalyzed people to seek out a good old fashioned paperback. "Everybody is looking at screens all day for work and play," he observed. "People value the book in hand. You feel like you're conquering something; you can physically see your progress. A book is something you have a relationship with as you read it. You build a bond with it, one you get to hold onto." And when a book may not be one you want to hold onto forever, Gottwals buys it back. Their business model keeps books in circulation, from one reader to another. Even the buildings that house Gottwals Books across the state are a testament to the stewardship at the heart of their enterprise. From a former bank building to an old clothing store, Gottwals Books locations exemplify adaptive reuse as a viable approach to preservation. In any building, it is the reading community that matters most to Gottwals Books. "We owe a lot to Macon for keeping us successful," Shane said. "When we opened in 2007, everyone thought print was dead. The community around us and the wonderful team working here are what keep us going strong." For many readers, there is a thrill to wandering aisles filled with possible worlds, a thrill unattainable through a screen. Each book store develops its own personality, and sometimes it is the only place you want to be on a rainy day. There is a charm to discovering a bookseller — who seems to be part mind-reader and part human encyclopedia — who can help you find a book whose title you cannot recall by an author whose name you never knew. Another used bookstore in Downtown Macon thrives against the odds. Golden Bough Bookstore opened in 1989 and has offered a niche treasure trove for sci-fi lovers, philosophical explorers, romance addicts, and every reader in between. Current owner Eric Wakefield took the helm in 2007. At that time, Downtown Macon was a hub for counterculture. Hipsters young and old gathered at Golden Bough on First Fridays to find their people. In the back room, listeners (like this 17-year- old wannabe, yours truly) would sit on the floor, shoulder-to-shoulder, to hear a local artist sing their heart out. Between sets, the eclectic crowd would peruse the shelves for nothing in particular, waiting for a book to choose them. Some reading communities formed over popular titles, others over the black and white tile floor of a small store in an all but deserted downtown. Both created bonds that endure. Today, reading communities take all shapes and sizes. Whether it be the monthly book selection of a high-profile media mogul, a virtual book discussion by your favorite podcaster, or your neighbor's back porch book club, chances are you have crossed paths with one of them. "We are looking for ways to connect," said Margaret Harrington, founder of Bear's Books Book Talks. "For me and for a lot of people, being quarantined became a reflective period of time. The people who attend Book Talks come to listen to each other and to build relationships on a deeper level." Inspired by her own desire to connect with others over a shared reading experience, Harrington began hosting monthly book talks in August 2022 at The Web Clubhouse. Open to anyone, book selections range from classics to nonfiction to modern novels. Each book choice FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: SHANE GOTTWALS, GOTTWALS BOOKS. GOLDEN BOUGH BOOKSTORE. 112 maconmagazine.com | APRIL/MAY 2023