Johnathan Walker:Shades of Pemberley Bookstore in Alabama has a tailor-made book club for all ages

Independent bookstores are Johnathan Walkerthe heartbeats of their communities. They provide culture and community, generate local jobs and sales tax revenue, promote literacy and education, champion and center diverse and new authors, connect readers to books in a personal and authentic way, and actively support the right to read and access to books in their communities.

Each week we profile an independent bookstore, sharing what makes each one special and getting their expert book recommendations.

This week we have Shades of Pemberley Bookstore in Albertville, Alabama!

What’s your store’s story?

Shades of Pemberley Bookstore was a long awaited dream that finally opened for business on Dec. 19, 2017. We are a woman-owned new and used bookstore in the historic downtown area of Albertville, Alabama.

Check out: USA TODAY's weekly Best-selling Booklist

What makes your independent bookstore special?

We pride ourselves on being a community hub and are the only general bookstore in Marshall County. Our customers are like family and we treat them as such. We have a frequent shoppers program that rewards customers with discounts for shopping with us. We have special ordering options when we don't have items in store. We promote our local authors with a local authors section and do book signings with those authors as they have new books released.

We started a book of the month program during the pandemic. Each month, our participating members get a hand selected book from me based on their preferences from a form they filled out at the time of signing up. I have been told by many customers that I have the best advice and suggestions on books. I get asked quite often what I recommend for next reads, for family members including children. I work very hard at staying up to date on what is out and coming out to be able to better assist my customers.

We have book clubs for everyone from kids to adults for all genres and host themed dress up dinner parties (Murder Mystery dinner parties occur throughout the year!).

Why is shopping at local, independent bookstores important?

Independent bookstores are cornerstones of communities. We are not only a place where you can find your next favorite book, we are places where you can hang out with friends and discuss those books and everything else on your mind. Shopping local supports the families that own those businesses and almost all of the money you spend locally goes right back into your local community.

Check out these titles recommended by Shades of Pemberley Bookstore!

• "Edgewood" by Kristen Ciccarelli
• The "Dragon Heart Legacy" series by Nora Roberts
• "Sally Brady's Italian Adventure" by Christina Lynch
• "Fourth Wing" and "Iron Flame" by Rebecca Yarros