When you hear “bookstore” in a college town, you typically picture one of those mega-corporate university stores filled with fan gear and running light on actual books. I was so pleasantly surprised to discover Ernest & Hadley Booksellers in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. This shop is everything you could want in an indie bookstore (including our absolute favorite thing: shop pets!).

The adorable cottage houses several rooms of books of all genres, so no matter your taste, they’ve got what you’re looking for. Just browsing the books in the first room, I spotted several #BSG past and future picks, including our most recent book, Goodbye Vitamin by Rachel Khong, which I picked up while I was at E&H. This is also where I met the shop doggos, Petey and Liza, who were friendly and just the right among of lazy for a cozy little bookstore.

E&H has been open since early 2017, and it’s clear that they have already become an important part of the Tuscaloosa community, offering several book clubs, book signing events, and an event I really want to attend called “Other People’s Poetry,” where guests recite poems that are not their own. In December, they are hosting their second Fall for the Authors Festival supporting local writers and artists from the Tuscaloosa area and beyond. The author registration filled up quickly this year, but you can still attend as a guest.

Speaking of book clubs (because you KNOW we love book clubs - ahem, squads - of all kinds), E&H is the go-to place for your club. They host meetings at the shop (and even stay open late for this!), and if your club meets there, you can get a 20% discount on the club’s current read if you purchase it from E&H. Pretty sweet deal. But what if you’re like BSG and can’t all meet at the same place? You can register your book club through E&H, and your members can enjoy a 10% discount on current and upcoming club reads if you purchase from the shop (in-store only)!

E&H is also just a great place to hang out and read. There are several cozy reading spots in their various rooms, and there’s even a great children’s room for the kiddos to explore. And they’ve got another of BSG’s favorite things: cool merch. So you can support local bookstores by sporting your E&H swag wherever you go.

As an added bonus, E&H has an annex of rare and signed books in the backyard. It’s yet another great space in the shop where you can find some truly unique books. First edition Jane Austen, anyone?!

I highly encourage you to visit Ernest & Hadley Booksellers if you’re in Tuscaloosa, or even if you’re just passing through. It’s well worth your time. If you don’t live in the region, you can always shop online through E&H’s website, where you can find books, ebooks, audiobooks, music and even movies.

If you visit or buy a book from E&H, show us your shop pics and use the hashtag #enhbooks to share on social media. Don’t have your next Book Squad Goals book yet? Buy it at Ernest & Hadley!

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Special thanks to Avery, the Store Manager at Ernest & Hadley Booksellers.