Bestselling author's call to help beloved Franklin bookstore draws over $50,000 in sales in one day

On Tuesday morning, owners of Landmark Booksellers in downtown Franklin were praying for a miracle.

And by the end of the day — thanks to their relationship with a bestselling author — many of their prayers had been answered.

Like many downtown businesses, the iconic bookstore nestled at East Main Street and Second Avenue depends on the foot traffic of tourists to maintain a robust business.

Located in a historic antebellum landmark building built in 1808, the shop serves as the local hub of historic literature in downtown Franklin, offering 35,000 new, old, hard-to-find and rare books ranging from $10 to $10,000.

The bookstore and its owners the Tomlins made such an impression on Williamson County author Karen Kingsbury that she wrote a New York Times bestselling book, "The Bridge," in 2012 about the place. The book was later made into a Hallmark movie.

But sales had been declining as the coronavirus spread and nonessential businesses closed, Carol Tomlin said, even though their merchandise can be bought online. 

"We thought 'what are we going to do?'" said Tomlin, who owns the bookstore with her husband, Joel.

Local author Kingsbury steps in to help her favorite bookstore

Kingsbury stepped in to help without being asked.

At 3 p.m. Tuesday she posted a call for help on Facebook and by 10 p.m., Landmark Booksellers had made over $50,000 in online sales, or 1,200 books, and rising by the hour.

She later posted her plea on Twitter.

"Help me save Landmark Booksellers!" Kingsbury wrote. "This is the beloved bookstore that inspired my novel & hit Hallmark movie ... The coronavirus pandemic has hurt them."

"This is truly a miracle for us," Tomlin said. "That never happens. Even on the best day."

On the bookstore's best sales days, such as when large festivals are held in downtown Franklin, the bookstore usually makes approximately $10,000, she said.

"I am overwhelmed and grateful. This does mean we stay open for the time being," Tomlin said.

"We have been blessed by Karen for years. People from all over the world have come into the bookstore wanting our autograph or a photo because they have read her book and know us."

Patrons visit the bookstore to absorb the ambiance and sit in comfortable leather chairs to peruse pages written by local authors and brush up on Franklin's rich history. Some locals stop in just to say hello to the Tomlins on their way to work or to grab a coffee.

The Tomlins are cautiously optimistic that business will resume to what it once was.

A goal is to sell 5,000 books, Tomlin said.

"I don't want to be pessimistic, but I don't want to be too optimistic either. What if it doesn't get back? We are heavily dependent on tourism," she said.

"Every small business is struggling right now."

In the meantime, Tomlin said their deep worries about the longevity of their business have dissipated.

"This is a gift from God. This will help us get through the pandemic."

Kerri Bartlett covers issues affecting Williamson County. She can be reached at kbartlett@gannett.com. 615-308-8324 or @keb1414 on Twitter.