A mother’s love of reading inspired this Macon local to open a new bookstore downtown
A love of reading and stories inspired a Macon local to start a website with the goal of creating community around books. That website is turning into a new bookstore set to open in downtown Macon.
Margaret Harrington, owner of Bear’s Books, plans to host a soft opening of the new bookstore at 835 Forsyth St. on Oct. 20 and a grand opening Nov. 3-5 to coincide with downtown Macon’s First Friday festivities.
“Because there’s so much to discuss and for people to relate to in books and stories, I feel like that’s one way that people can find that meaningful connection that they’re seeking,” Harrington said.
Harrington started the website Bear’s Books about a year ago as a way to build community around writing and reading. She started hosting monthly events, such as book discussions, at The Web, a membership work club, in downtown Macon.
Harrington, who has taught for around 20 years, said she was at the point in her work where she was looking for something different.
“I wanted to connect more with the writing and the discussion of books that I enjoyed when I was in graduate school working on a master’s in creative writing,” she said.
Harrington, who holds a Master of Fine Arts from the Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing at Spalding University, started the blog as a way to share her writing as well as connect with other people who had a passion for literature as she did.
Opening the storefront in downtown Macon will be Harrington’s first opportunity to sell books and continue to host events to find ways to connect people through reading and writing.
A mother’s inspiration
Harrington’s love for reading was inspired by her mother. Her mother, who also has the name Margaret, worked in children’s literature, and she loved to be the first person to give a newborn its very first book.
Despite Harrington’s connection with Mercer University having taught there in the past, the name Bear’s Books comes from Harrington’s nickname that her family calls her.
Harrington received the name from her next-door neighbor, Glover Hudson, who started calling her that when she was a child, and her parents followed suit.
However, one of Harrington’s parents has passed away, and her mother was diagnosed with dementia.
“I thought, ‘Gosh, there’ll come a day when nobody calls me Bear anymore,’” she said. “I thought, well, this will be a neat way for me to keep that nickname and keep that connection to my parents who inspired so much of this.”
Harrington wants to create a space where people feel comfortable to enjoy reading and community, she said.
“I want people to feel empowered to not feel like there’s a one correct way to read or authors that are acceptable and authors that are not,” she said. “I feel like it is something to do for pleasure and enjoyment. You shouldn’t have to worry about being ashamed of what your reading if that makes sense.”
Contributing to the renaissance
After 2020 and the start of the coronavirus pandemic, bookstores across the U.S. have made a comeback, and for some, their sales have risen above pre-pandemic levels, according to a New York Times article.
Harrington believes the pandemic might have created an atmosphere where people want to find a connection in a meaningful way, which promotes reading and discussions surrounding books.
Harrington has lived in a historic neighborhood for almost 20 years and has served on the board for the Historic Macon Foundation.
“I’ve been passionate about the revival that’s taking place in downtown Macon for a long time,” she said. “I’m very excited about the renaissance that is taking place downtown, and I’m really happy to be a part of that and a part of that community that’s growing.”
Bear’s Books will have books for children through adults, and Harrington hopes to expand her events and find new ways to connect people to discuss what they are reading and thinking.
Harrington will host a book discussion Oct. 17 6-8 p.m. on “Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus.
After the soft opening on Oct. 20, the middle-grades author Hope Stark will do a reading and book signing at Bear’s Books on Oct. 21. Proceeds from her book sales will be donated to Book ‘Em, a local nonprofit dedicated to putting books in the hands of children in Macon-Bibb County.
“That’s part of my mother’s legacy that I want to continue is making books accessible to children,” Harrington said.
