
by Jackie Nunnery
When one walks into The Bookshelf on Church, it is a welcoming vibe. The shelves, filled with a kaleidoscope of colors and artwork, beg to be examined. There are comfortable chairs to encourage a thoughtful perusal of finds and a helpful staff of booksellers—avid readers themselves—who are both eager and able to recommend the next title in case the choice becomes overwhelming.

Add regular events designed around books and it becomes a hub for a book-centered community. For owner and bookseller-in-chief Lisa McLaughlin, that community piece was essential to the business plan. Book people “are those kind of people that are always looking to connect through….







