Lemuria Books
Historic Bookseller in Banner Hall
4465 I-55 North
Jackson, 39206
- Phone: (601) 366-7619
![A storefront featuring a a bronze sculpture atop that depicts a hand and book.](https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/main-images/20190107-lemuria-book-store-29-Pano-Edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=180&q=80&w=320&s=768eeaf15192ea9f69e5637a32187f5b 320w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/main-images/20190107-lemuria-book-store-29-Pano-Edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=304&q=80&w=540&s=9e259885b43c97f2a450eb6ebf293145 540w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/main-images/20190107-lemuria-book-store-29-Pano-Edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=432&q=80&w=768&s=66a0dd4973280fd37b6e85168eaaf133 768w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/main-images/20190107-lemuria-book-store-29-Pano-Edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=576&q=80&w=1024&s=1af47498f41e1bb57b352c838960724a 1024w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/main-images/20190107-lemuria-book-store-29-Pano-Edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=675&q=80&w=1200&s=966a715692f332bf67225c2111c5aafd 1200w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/main-images/20190107-lemuria-book-store-29-Pano-Edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=810&q=80&w=1440&s=4938bf0547cccc7dcf7b540e185261c8 1440w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/main-images/20190107-lemuria-book-store-29-Pano-Edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1080&q=80&w=1920&s=3da35065eed63246c9ac2eea0f854fcd 1920w)
Lemuria Books
4465 I-55 North
Jackson, 39206
- Phone: (601) 366-7619
Lemuria Books4465 I-55 North
Jackson, 39206
Being independent anything is tough.
Ask a singer, artist, writer or retailer: without large-scale backing, there are places you want to go — but must fight for… claw for, every step in the journey.
The independent book business? Let no one tell that is easy.
“We’ve been going sideways for years,” said John Evans, owner of the nearly 50 year-old Jackson indie bookstore, Lemuria Books in Banner Hall. “We’ve tried a lot of different ways to make the business grow but there’s so much pure competitiveness out there.”
In light of the behemoth online prowess of national brands, book stores like Lemuria are trying to set themselves apart.
“We’re a destination book store,” Evans said. “We always have been. I think we are winning the existence battle, the contributing battle. And we’re doing a lot to do that.”
![Rows and rows of books](https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/lemuria-OZ.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=65ccdfd485a1b96ef14f20a12a9e5f2d 320w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/lemuria-OZ.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=bdd6cb291b87c0ba74f1b3b64e6bced4 540w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/lemuria-OZ.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=2320f41f4ad6411974b32eaf6daa7873 768w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/lemuria-OZ.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=2012e0f7d4ef1151416e1bc4e583eac7 1024w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/lemuria-OZ.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=0f5f48d594ad79aaebc34d3b3bfc2be5 1200w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/lemuria-OZ.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=ea4393920f4dd26279c938af7b24dc38 1280w)
From author signings and readings — many standing-room-only occasions in the book store’s “Dot-com” annex — to Lemuria’s leading-edge participation in the Mississippi Book Festival held each August, Evans noted his staff as a driving factor to that success.
“Realistically, it’s the dedicated young booksellers we have. The art of bookselling is still something you don’t get in other places. You can save a lot of time and energy if you read a lot to have a bookseller you interact with, someone that knows your tastes. It’s like a doctor… hardware… a mechanic. Interaction adds to the experience.”
Publishers play a big role, too, in recognizing the power of the independent bookseller.
“To get them to go downstream to Jackson and send the writers we want to work with… it takes a lot of effort. Your community has to respond or you don’t get many chances with the same publisher.”
Evans said his store’s work with the Mississippi Book Festival has helped raise awareness and appreciation for literature in the state, but it goes beyond that.
“It can’t just be local or regional,” Evans explained. “It has to have a national element to it. (The festival has) already got an excellent reputation. Maybe, three or four more years, we could get in the position the publishers are coming to us and wanting to send their ‘pick-of-the-litter.’ We’re winning enough battles that we’re catching attention.”
Back at Lemuria, Evans is driving forward, adding to the fabric of his community.
As travelers stop in, on their way to New Orleans or Memphis, or loyal locals come by, his enthusiastic young booksellers have their finger on the pulse of what’s next to read.
“You’ve just got to not go backward. That’s the change in the marketplace. But I think the (local) vibe is growing — and that’s good.”
Visit lemuriabooks.com for upcoming online author events, for gift cards or special orders.
Amenities
Amenities
- Wheelchair Accessible
- Retail
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