Author Ann Patchett and publishing veteran Karen Hayes opened Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee, in the fall of 2011. Patchett stated, “It was never my dream to open a bookstore. When our bookstores closed, I waited a respectable period of time, certain that someone more qualified or interested would show some initiative, but it didn’t happen. I opened a bookstore because I didn’t want to live in a city without one.”
The store has become known for its friendly atmosphere, partly thanks to its canine staff members. Hayes noted, “Not only do we have lovely human booksellers, but we have canines on staff! Our shop dogs are very cute, and everyone loves being able to bring their dogs to work. Books and puppies, you can’t go wrong.” The dogs even have their own blog, Shop Dog Diaries, on the store’s literary journal MUSING.
Among the store’s most enthusiastic regulars are toddlers. Hayes recalled, “They get really excited about the books they like and really vocal about the things they don’t like. Sometimes they have so much fun at the train table that they don’t want to leave and we have to help the parents lure them to the door with stickers.”
The grand opening in 2011 was a memorable event, with close to 3,000 people visiting the small 2,500-square-foot store. Hayes described the day: “We opened with a puppet show; we had a YA signing in the afternoon by multiple authors; and in the evening, we threw a cocktail party with 30 or 40 local authors. At one point, we looked around and thought, ‘Has the whole city come through this little store today?’”
Patchett drew inspiration from her childhood bookstore, Mills, which was less than 700 square feet. She recalled, “The people who worked there remembered who you were and what you read, even if you were 10. If I wanted to re-create that kind of bookstore, one that valued books and readers above muffins and adorable plastic watering cans… then maybe I was the person for the job.”
Looking ahead, Hayes expressed a desire for more event space and a bookmobile to reach different neighbourhoods. She emphasised the importance of the people, saying, “This really is a family—my bookselling family. And I’m always amazed at how far people are willing to travel to come to the bookstore.”
