All About The Stacks
Written by Avery Melhado. Photos by Avery Melhado.
I moved to Savannah in the middle of the summer, when the city was quiet and the students were sparse. I was searching anywhere and everywhere for things to do, and a community to be surrounded by. I found that community in The Stacks, a local independent bookstore on Waters Ave.
That summer, I had walked into the write-in event quite early, being the first one there. I was greeted kindly by the lead bookseller, Juliet Rosner. We chatted about SCAD and Savannah and all things reading and writing, a conversation I was happier than ever to have. As the write-in started and she went to leave, she handed me her business card and told me to text her if I ever needed anything. This gesture of kindness and community-building was so special to me, not knowing anyone in Savannah at the time, and I have never forgotten it.
I spoke with Juliet today about all things The Stacks. Juliet is a SCAD alumna and has worked at the bookstore since its opening. She met the owner working at the Deep Young Author Project and they instantly clicked. They opened the store together, and Juliet joined when construction had just begun. Juliet describes the pairing as a “match made in heaven”.
The Stacks is the epitome of a small, independently run business. There are just a few staff members- the owner, Juliet and two other booksellers. Juliet told me that her favorite thing about working with such a small staff is that they can all be humans together- they don’t have to play the game of being corporate coworkers. She said it’s a blessing to be able to “maintain [her] humanity” at work and simply be friends with the people she’s surrounded by. “You’re basically coming into our living room to hang out with us when you come to buy a book.” Juliet feels that the small staff and independent nature of the bookstore sets them apart from other businesses, as it allows them to work to the standards of their own personal morals.
A primary pillar of The Stacks and their mission as a bookstore is accessibility. Being the only wheelchair-accessible independent bookstore in the city, and one of the few in the state of Georgia, is just as much a sense of pride as it is a sense of concern. We discuss how it isn’t possible to preach true inclusivity without full accessibility, and how other bookstores continue to uphold this double standard. The owner, a wheelchair user, and Juliet having experienced accessibility ignorance in prior jobs, felt that their concerns had gone ignored. They saw the accessibility issue of bookstores and spaces for writers in Savannah and knew there needed to be a change. “If Venice is wheelchair accessible, there’s no reason why Savannah can’t be.”
Neighborhood and community are other vital parts of The Stacks’ business model. Existing outside of the downtown hustle and bustle, they really are the community’s neighborhood bookstore. “This is the neighborhood that we live in,” Juliet speaks of how she walked to work this morning. “This neighborhood is full of the kindest, most wonderful people I’ve ever encountered in Savannah.” The community is a family- the businesses on the block all helping and supporting each other. The bookstore has regular customers that come in each week. For their year anniversary celebration, the staff hosted a potluck with these regulars that Juliet recalls with excitement. She mentions that they’ve even hosted a wedding at the bookstore. It is clear that The Stacks is not only the neighborhood’s bookseller, but a pillar of the community.
With events every week, The Stacks stays busy. They host nine different book clubs, as well as other events like open mics and writers’ nights. The Stacks places an emphasis on including writers just as much as readers. “Our writers are our friends, we are writers at the shop.” Juliet notes how writers are the reason we have bookstores- “They’re the soul of it.” The Stacks has created a space where everyone belongs and feels included, readers and writers alike.
So how can you support The Stacks? Obviously, you can stop in and buy a book. They offer blind book packages, or custom book packages tailored to what you like to read. If you can’t find the book you want, don’t worry, they can order it for you! Or, if you’re unsure of what to read, you can join one of their themed book clubs. If physical books aren’t your thing, you can support them when you buy ebooks or audiobooks through bookshop.org and libro.fm. If you have a box of old books to get rid of, you can bring them into their free book cart. Still, you don’t need to buy anything to be a part of the community. Take a free book, show a friend around or just come hang out. And remember, you belong in The Stacks.
