Star Line Books to Open in Chattanooga, Tennessee

The south side of Chattanooga, Tennessee, a city of more than 167,600 people, will soon welcome a new indie bookstore: Star Line Books. For owner Star Lowe, the idea to open a bookshop began after she moved to the area with her family three years ago, only to discover there were no independent bookstores in the vicinity.

Lowe, whose storefront is located right across from the famed Chattanooga Choo Choo, has scheduled her store’s soft opening for August 28. As a graduate of Paz & Associates’ “Owning a Bookstore” workshop, she believes she has a good idea of what to expect. “You lose your rose-colored glasses really quickly with [Donna Paz Kaufman and Mark Kaufman], and if you still want to [open a store] by the end, then you know what you’re getting into,” said Lowe. “…And I still did.”

Last year, Lowe found her choice location at 1467 Market Street: a 1,300-square-foot space with two floors, located in an area surrounded by upscale condos. Those who live in this small city nestled in the Appalachian Mountains lead active lifestyles and love to explore, said Lowe.

“We’ve got a really cool demographic around here — a lot of young families and newly retired couples tired of the suburbs who want to be in the city,” said Lowe, a former journalist, teacher, and literacy advocate.

As dictated by demographics, Lowe said her children’s section will dominate a large part of the first floor, while the second will feature a large literary fiction section. Lowe, who is ordering her books through Ingram, will also sell a diverse selection of non-book items including cards, journals, book-related gifts, and plush toys.

“Chattanooga is also very green. There are lots of things to do outside, so we’re looking to flesh out our science and nature section with local hiking guides and nature books,” said Lowe. The store will also carry a selection of Civil War history books, since Chattanooga was on the route of General Sherman’s March to the Sea, she added.

Lowe’s staff comprises her daughter, Hannah; her own best friend, Mary Lou Reed; and her friend’s daughter, Betsy, who will serve as the bookstore’s manager. The Star Line Books website is still in production, but the two younger women are currently using social media like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to spread the word about the opening, she said.

Star Line Books owner Star Lowe (left) and best friend/co-worker Mary Lou Reed

Star Line is funded by a substantial amount of Lowe’s own money, but is also supported by an SBA loan from Pathway Lending, which will be used to purchase inventory and to subsidize store build-out, she said.

“We didn’t have to do so much build-out, but I did have to redo the lighting and change out the fluorescent bulbs to LEDs,” Lowe said. “I’ve got this great exposed brick wall that I’ve had shelves built for, which will become our ‘wall of fiction.’ There will eventually be a library ladder for it, although I haven’t sourced that for retrofitting yet.”

Going forward, Lowe said she is specifically looking to feature local authors at signings and events. While her store does not have the space to host larger author events in-house, Lowe said she will still have the ability to do so. She and two other women who own businesses next to hers have reached an agreement to share an event space located in one of the other stores.

“I don’t know how the dollars work with the bigger authors when it comes to where they stop on their tours, but I like to think that, ‘Ok, I’m sort of right in the middle between Malaprop’s [in Asheville, North Carolina] and Parnassus Books [in Nashville, Tennessee], and Square Books [in Oxford, Mississippi] is below me,’” she said. “I want to bring in as many authors as I can get once I get going and once I establish my customer base and see what books are selling.”

Lowe’s experience at Winter Institute 10 in Asheville, North Carolina, this year also left her feeling very encouraged. “Something happened that I never expected when I would walk up to an author’s table and he or she would ask me where the shop is: It turns out some of the authors I talked to actually lived in the area and were willing to come down.”

In addition to hosting author signings, Lowe wants to establish book groups and a weekly story time, and eventually plans to reach out to the schools to do book fairs. She also wants to work in concert with other local businesses on Chattanooga’s south side, she said.

“Any time that I can work with a local restaurant or another local business and tie into the whole Buy Local idea [is great]. We have a Buy Local program here in Chattanooga, but there is also one specifically on the south side, where we are located,” she said.

Lowe said she could not be more excited to open on August 28, and has high hopes that the store will become a destination for booklovers. 

“I just want it to be a place for ‘bookies’— that third place where likeminded folks can come together and where I can offer them as many reading experiences as I can,” said Lowe. “I want to grow here.”