Meet Kendra Gayle Lee | Owner & Bookseller Extraordinaire

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kendra Gayle Lee and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kendra Gayle, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
People ask all the time if owning a bookstore was a lifelong dream. I hate to disappoint… but, no. It wasn’t even on my radar, until I co-ran the Scholastic Book Fair at my daughter’s elementary school for 3 years. And then I fell madly in love with helping kids that thought they didn’t like to read find the book that finally ignited their fire for stories. I figured if I could help reluctant kids find books to read, I ought to be able to help adults do the same.

We moved to East Atlanta in 2018. It only took me a month or so to realize 2 things: 1) East Atlanta didn’t have a bookstore, and 2) they used to have one that was beyond beloved. I started asking a lot of questions and engaging with the community (because it’s never wise to just go into a community and tell them what they want) and found out that a bookstore would be embraced and celebrated here.

I’m typically really risk adverse. But things just kept falling into place once I decided to pursue opening a bookstore. I got one nudge after another that YES this was the right thing to do. And it’s been a joy every step of the way–even through the pandemic.

Filling a need in the community was my way of laying down roots in East Atlanta and being of service. It’s a pretty brilliant moment when passion lines up with need. I created a job for myself that’s really become a calling. And the Bookish community is stronger, more vibrant, and more enthusiastic than I ever could have imagined.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I started Bookish 6 months before COVID-19 hit. The original plan was to be a used bookstore exclusively. I wanted to offer books that were financially accessible to everyone–because everyone should be able to have books in their home that they love.

I quickly had to bend & begin to order new books. The first holiday season taught me that folks want to support local business. But they also really want to give very specific, new books for the holidays. It seemed foolish to miss out on that marketshare because I was being stubborn about an inventory choice I’d made before even opening. And then there was also the pull of diverse books: I didn’t want to rely on being able to hunt down used copies of books by LGBTQ, Latinx, Black, Asian, Indigenous, and/or differently-abled authors. Ordering new books allowed me greater control over the inventory, so I could make sure everyone who entered the store found themselves reflected in some way by the books on our shelves.

I love being a bookstore where people feel comfortable asking for book recommendations or simply chatting about what they’ve read. We’re getting a lot of folks lately who are out of the habit of reading and want a book to get lost in, to get them back in the habit of reading. It’s vulnerable to walk into a bookstore and admit you haven’t read in years. I’m very proud that Bookish is a place where people feel comfortable giving voice to their desire to fall back in love with reading.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I am 100% in love with Argosy. We take every single person who visits us to eat there. The food is phenomenal. The atmosphere is really chill and cozy. And the owner is a great guy who does a lot for the community. It’s a joy to be able to support that business.

I love coffee–and Joe’s, Hodgepodge, and Bellwood Coffee are all great.

Ponce City Market & the Beltine are good fun–I’m also way in love with Botiwalla (Indian food) and St. Germaine’s (brilliant pastries). The Beltline is just kind of a circus. Who knew a sidewalk could bring folks so much joy?

One more: Beetlecat in Inman Park is some of the best food I’ve had. Hands down. People should absolutely go to there. Right away. No delay.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Sarah Price at Neon Cardigan* was instrumental in teaching me to dream bigger than I ever imagined I could. She’s a tremendous role model for dreaming things up and then making them happen. She taught me to listen to the subtle nudges I was getting from the Universe, the ones where I could just feel the YES. I also learned not to force what isn’t working. Not to panic when things looked a little cattywampus–just to reset & start listening again. All of which freed me up to take risks and to play to my strengths in big ways. (*Full disclosure: Sarah was never technically my consciousness coach. I wrote for her in another capacity–but all her coaching magic just kind of rubbed off).

Website: BookishATL.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookishatlanta

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nerd_bookish

Facebook: https://www.facebooks.com/bookishatl

Other: bookshop.org/shop/BookishATL (Bookshop handles all our online fulfillment & delivery. If folks want a book delivered to their house, or if they want to ship a book to someone else, this is the way to go. And, yes, we get almost as much if you order through Bookshop as we do when we sell in store).