Locals Flock to Main Street Books in Hattiesburg

Jerry Shepherd, Principal of Petal Middle School

Someone should tell the 800 kids at Petal Middle School in Petal, Mississippi, that they can now buy their required reading directly from their principal, or his wife. PMS Principal Jerry Shepherd and his wife, Diane, have opened a bookstore and café in Hattiesburg, which is fewer than three miles from Petal. A city of 50,000, Hattiesburg is located at the fork of the Leaf and Bouie Rivers in south Mississippi. The city was without an independent bookstore, and there was a lot of excitement when Main Street Books opened on November 14. The store held its grand opening on Friday, November 29.

The Shepherds were looking to start a business that they could run together after Jerry retires. When they found the storefront in the historical part of the downtown, they signed a three-year lease and set about becoming booksellers. The Shepherds visited other Mississippi independents, including Square Books in Oxford and Bookends in Bay St. Lewis. They also attended the September Mid-South Independent Booksellers Association trade show in New Orleans.

Diane handles the store's daily operations, and Jerry works around his busy school schedule. Diane buys the new books, and Jerry buys loads of used books.

The downtown area of Hattiesburg is undergoing revitalization, and Main Street Books is in the middle of it. A survey commissioned by the downtown merchants' association found that the town could support an independent bookstore. Both a Walden Books and Books-A-Million are located a few miles out of town, but, with a concerted effort to encourage people to visit and to shop downtown, the Shepherds are optimistic about the business.

The landlord renovated the 2,000-square-foot store according the Shepherds' specifications, and Diane placed an initial order from Baker & Taylor. "The order was huge, there were so many boxes. Then, I put all the books out on the shelves, and it was a drop in the bucket." Diane decided to add used books to the inventory mix and to place the selection of new books together toward the back of the store. The in-store café serves coffee, lattes, and baked goods.

Diane told BTW of her determination to get things done. She anticipates luring major national authors to Hattiesburg but is starting out with prominent local authors. Robert Evans, editor of The 16th Mississippi Infantry: Civil War Letters and Reminiscences (University Press of Mississippi) appeared at the grand opening and signed dozens of the $40 cloth-bound book. "We sold 77 copies with 30 more reserved," Diane reported happily.

She is using all the tools at her disposal, including the Book Sense 76 lists, as well as Book Sense stickers, shelf-talkers, and fliers. Diane is enthusiastic, but realistic, about the community and the store: "It's great to be opening a bookstore here. I lived in town for the first few years of my life, until my father moved us out to a farm. I wanted to give something back to this area. It's quickly being revitalized. I realize that it's not always going to be fine. There will be lean times. But for right now, things are going great." -- Nomi Schwartz