Independent bookstores are the heartbeats of their communities. They provide culture and community, generate local jobs and sales tax revenue, promote literacy and education, champion and center diverse and new authors, connect readers to books in a personal and authentic way, and actively support the right to read and access to books in their communities.
Each week we profile an independent bookstore, sharing what makes each one special and getting their expert and unique book recommendations.
This week we have Colton Cauthen, owner of Jack’s Books in Florence, South Carolina.
What’s your store’s story?
Jack’s Books began in spring 2024 as a vision to open a unique, independent bookstore in Florence, South Carolina that would promote community while bringing people into contact with a wide variety of great, tangible books in an atmosphere that matches the magic of reading. We are also striving to reinforce our city’s wonderful and growing historic downtown where our store is located.
What makes your independent bookstore unique?
Our goal was for people to come find stories they can’t wait to enter, in a store they won’t want to leave. Since opening, our customers have described our store as the most magical bookstore they have ever been in with frequent references to the “Beauty and the Beast” library. Others have said they wish they could come live in the store.
What book do you love to recommend to customers and why?
I love recommending “The Count of Monte Cristo” by Alexandre Dumas because it is such a rich and beautiful story and a highly enjoyable classic for people of various interests that deals with a variety of important themes relating to the human condition.
C.S. Lewis’ science fiction trilogy, The Space Trilogy, is unknown to many – even C.S. Lewis fans – and yet is a fantastic series with great world-building, deep symbolic meaning and timeless relevance to society.
A more recent release I was anticipating is “2084” by John C. Lennox, a book regarding Artificial Intelligence which has been updated and expanded since its original publishing prior to the widespread success of large language models.
Why is shopping at local, independent bookstores important?
Local, independent bookstores are an important third space for communities and can play a role in promoting reading, creativity and the arts more generally. They pose a meaningful and intentional contrast to the hyper-transactional, digital and increasingly (and ironically) disconnected world.
What are some of your store’s events, programs, or partnerships coming up that you would like to share?
We will be hosting a variety of local author signing events in the spring, as well as establishing and hosting book clubs, with details on all of the above to be announced later this year.
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