Knoxville independent bookstore launches with focus on community ties, book clubs

Knoxville’s independent bookstore scene is leaning into relationships as much as inventory, according to a report from Louisville Public Media on July 6, 2026. The piece describes how booksellers in the city are trying to keep physical storefronts relevant by turning them into gathering spaces where customers can talk, form opinions, and reconnect with others.

The report highlights The Hive Bookshop, a new independent store opened last fall by friends Sara Holladay and Jill Van Beke. Holladay said the pair wanted to “give to other people what we have had amongst each other,” framing the business as a place where people could “hang out and just… talk to each other.” Van Beke described the store’s discussions as a “safer space” than saying the same things in real life, reflecting a focus on structured conversation rather than casual shopping.

Since The Hive opened its doors, the report says the owners have used events to build regular participation, including the store’s inaugural book club in June. Readers connected over themes in Christina Baker Kline’s newest novel, “The Foursome,” demonstrating how the store’s programming is designed to draw people back for repeated interactions instead of single purchases.

Across the broader Knoxville market, the report ties the booksellers’ approach to economic and community pressures. It notes that, in recent years, retail giants and online shopping have driven closures of small businesses, leaving some communities without traditional brick-and-mortar gathering spaces. In that environment, local independent booksellers are working to fill the gap by creating routines and social norms around reading.

The report also argues that books themselves can be a common reference point for conversation. Holladay said that when someone reads the same book as another person, they can come away with different perspectives, and the store’s role is to help customers find “people who enjoy the same books as you,” turning a shared hobby into an in-person network.

The timing comes amid ongoing changes to the physical book retail landscape in the region. Separate local reporting in Knoxville described how McKay’s, a long-running used bookstore, announced its Knoxville closing for May 3, 2026, with the store drawing last-minute customers and deep discounting as it prepared to end operations. That closure has also prompted coverage of where shoppers can buy or sell used books in Knoxville after McKay’s leaves the market.

For Kentucky readers, the Knoxville examples illustrate how independent stores are adapting to a changing retail environment that is affecting nearby communities as well. With national online competition compressing margins for small retailers, owners are using community programming, moderated discussions, and consistent in-store interactions to preserve foot traffic and maintain local demand, even as the region continues to see store closures. The next test will be whether those relationship-centered strategies translate into long-term stability for independent shops as they compete for both spending and attention in the same physical space.