By Marin McGrath
As soon as a customer walks through the door, they hear the chime of an old fashioned bell and they are met with a rolling library ladder that takes after the one seen in “Beauty and the Beast.”
Whether it is the forest green shelves filled with books, or the comfortable chairs dedicated to reading, Pearl’s truly provides a peaceful environment and a space for readers of all kinds to come together.
The charm of Pearl’s Books comes from more than just being one of the only book stores in the heart of Fayetteville.
The catalyst of opening a bookstore was the dream of a career reset after the pandemic Co-Owners Daniel and Leah Jordan said.
“Our whole mindsets around our careers and our goals for our careers kind of changed a little bit,” Daniel Jordan said. “At the time there wasn’t a bookstore in Fayetteville, too, so those two things kind of combined to help me at least think about it as a realistic option.”
Visiting bookstores in each town the couple travels is something else that inspired the opening of Pearl’s.
“It’s where you can find out about what the locals are all about and what they like and what the vibe is of the town,” Jordan said. “We’re big readers too so we never really thought about any other kind of retail store.”
“I think books really have a way of bringing people together and book people connect really well,” Leah Jordan said. “It’s funny how if there’s a book that you and someone else like together, it’s just fun to see how naturally and organically you spark a conversation with someone and just get to know them very quickly.”
Although literature has always had an audience, there is a new renaissance of reading occurring with the popularization of the hobby on platforms such as TikTok.
With the growing influence of social media, the store owners take into consideration their younger audience’s preferences and what they purchase for the shop due to the growing hashtags such as, “booktok.”
“It’s a challenge because sometimes things just get viral so fast and by the time we catch up to it, the book is on backorder because everyone else is ordering it,” Jordan said. “That’s happened to us a few times and we try to stay on top of it as best as we can, but some things are just totally unexpected.”
Along with the opinions of readers, the couple also values the importance of involving the community into their small business, the Jordans said.
The store hosts book clubs and works with local authors to host events to promote their new work, they said. Pearl’s Books also hosts a silent book club the first Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. in Graduate Fayetteville, just a short walk from the store.
“You just go to the little bar lounge area at the Graduate hotel and read, you know, whatever (you) take with you, whatever book you’re reading at the moment and sit and read,” Leah said. “There is no forced earner interaction. It’s just kind of communal– it’s a book club for introverts.”
Extroverts and introverts alike go to Pearl’s books for the nostalgic allure that can only come from being around books.
What started out as a dream for Leah and Daniel Jordan, became a reality that celebrates the community and inspires avid readers of all ages to enjoy the timeless activity that is reading.