I have the privilege of living only five minutes away from “the South’s oldest independent feminist bookstore,”[i] though it pains me to say that the oldest independent feminist bookstore in the South has only been around since 1974.
Walking into Charis Books and More is like coming home, whatever “home” means to you. For me, it’s not a place but a feeling—a feeling of warmth, of belonging, of being seen and accepted and loved. The cozy little house that has been converted into a metro Atlanta staple welcomes you with its warm purple doors and purple shutters. Purple, the color of rarity, royalty, luxury, ambition, magic, mystery, piety, and spirituality. The perfect color to represent one of the most special places I know. The front porch is always filled with books and comfy furniture, inviting you to hang out and stay a while.
Indie bookstores are essential to building community. “Independent bookstores connect readers to ideas and stories, and they are the rare physical place in our communities where we can connect with each other.”[ii] In fact, I discovered Charis (pronounced KA-riss, which comes from Greek and means “grace” or “gift”)[iii] not long after I moved to Decatur, and my partner and I discovered their Trans and Friends group and decided to attend. Trans and Friends is “a group for people 18+ and is welcoming to people who are in any stage of their journey including people who are in their 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond, who are questioning their gender or just now coming out as trans in adulthood. The space is open to aspiring allies, spouses, and partners as well. We provide a facilitated space to discuss gender, relevant resources, and activism around social issues. Whether silently or aloud, please come ready to consider your own gender in a transient world.”[iv] And this is just one of the many events they offer the community. Charis offers so many opportunities to connect with like-minded people seeking social justice, acceptance, and community. Just check out their event calendar.
More than anything, what strikes me about Charis is its dedication to feminism, civil rights, and activism. It’s one thing to call yourself a “feminist bookstore”; it’s quite another thing to actually live up to it and go above and beyond for underrepresented communities. Most notable are its sections devoted entirely to queer and sapphic romance; Black and Indigenous people’s studies; cultural studies; sex work and sex worker activism; race, racism, and anti-racism; restorative and transformative justice; organizing and activism; and the list goes on. Looking for diverse and unique children’s books? They’ve got you covered there, too.
Charis carries such an amazing selection of books that it can be a little overwhelming. The first time I visited, I thought, Holy shit, where do I even start?? But I’ll save you that stress. The best place to start is with their staff picks. You can find some of them on display in the store, and they are also listed under “Charis Staff Picks” on their website. My favorite way to discover new books, though, is through their #NewTitleTuesday posts on their Instagram account (which is also a great way to keep up with all the events happening at the store).
But it’s not just books you’ll find at Charis. One of my favorite things is their gift-shop selection, specifically their queer-specific greeting cards, which I have never seen before. That’s not to say queer greeting cards don’t exist anywhere else; I’m just saying, I have never seen that before and I love it. It’s nice seeing representation in something as small as a greeting card. My partner and I also love their selection of socks. You definitely need to go check those out.
If you’re interested in social justice and finding new ways of thinking, I highly encourage checking out Charis. In the metro Atlanta area, definitely give the shop a visit. The staff are lovely people and always willing to help. You can also support them from afar via their website or through bookshop.org.
Friendly reminder to support your local indie bookstore and not Jeff Bezos this holiday season.
[i] https://www.charisbooksandmore.com/
[ii] Trevor Noah, Indie Bookstore Ambassador 2024-2025, https://www.indiebound.org/
[iii] https://southernspaces.org/2009/atlantas-charis-books-and-more-histories-feminist-space/#Section1
[iv] https://www.charisbooksandmore.com/event/trans-friends-adult-group-46
Robyn Weaver 