(Photos/Sarah Kofman)
Tucked away on South 13th Avenue, there is a used bookstore that has been in the city for nearly fifty years.
The Book Rack is inside a yellow house-turned-store full of overloaded shelves of mystery, romance and science fiction books, including a section dedicated to books for twenty-five cents.
The amount of selection is fierce and vast. Readers can find any given book written by John Grisham, what it’s like to coach an NFL team from John Madden, or, more importantly, find work from local authors.
Kathy Cook, the owner of the store, says the thrift-like style of the store such as trading in half-priced books gives the store its variety. The Book Rack also receives books from walk-in trades, estate sales and even buy new books themselves.
The convenience of ebooks often caused readers to get rid of their physical copies, which ironically gave the Book Rack a place for more books, but fewer customers seeking them out.
Nowadays, the prowess of the ebook demand has slacked off and a demand for physical books has come back.
The intimacy of sitting down and reading from a real paperback in a stable environment could be a reason for the decline of ebooks and an overlooked aspect of the influence a bookstore’s atmosphere can have on a reader.
The store holds a calm air accompanied by a jazz soundtrack. The environment is reminiscent of a lounge, allowing potential readers to sit on a chair and relax as time passes by.
The peace seems to travel even outside of the store. A lively tree resides next to the building, with the occasional encounter of a friendly stray cat on the tiny front porch.
The store has resided in the house for 45 years after originally being located on Hardy Street.
Despite the store being a part of a franchise that began in Memphis, Tennessee, there is a sense that it has been an anchor in the Hattiesburg community.
This feeling is represented by how Cook interacts with her customers.
“Nothing makes me happier than people bringing books in and saying how much they love it,” Cook said.
These interactions add to the comfort of books that have been instilled in her life, to begin with. Cook’s father always loved books, so a family connection and bond were built through the art of reading an impactful story.
Borrowing from this feeling of passion, there is a sense that any aspiring author or passionate reader has a place in the Book Rack. Cook has a supportive streak that can help any writer or reader find a book just for them.
Customers can find work from local authors, too. Among the notable works is a poetry book written by an attorney and a “coffee table” book that details recipes and a history of the first 100 years of Hattiesburg. To support the Book Rack, visit their store at 105 S 13th Avenue in Hattiesburg. Customers can find Cook inside, ready to help and talk about any book.