The Wanderlust Bookstore hosted a grand opening celebration on Saturday at 115 N. Fillmore St., Corinth, Miss. "Thank you so much to everyone that came out today!" owner Ashley Bowen posted on Facebook. "I was so overwhelmed at all the people being so happy that we now have a bookstore in our small little town. I appreciate all your comments and for making this first day an unforgettable one. I hope to continue to give everyone a good atmosphere and fun books for years to come!!"
Before the event, Bowen told the Daily Journal that, as a voracious reader from an early age, her love for books had led to her desire to work at a library, but those plans changed as she discovered there weren't many opportunities available. This did not, however, deter her plan to work with and around books.
"My husband and I decided that we needed to open a bookstore because we didn't have one," she said. "Books-A-Million is gone; Spice of Life is gone; so we saw this as a perfect place to open one.... These are overstock books, which means they've been previously sitting on shelves or have been somewhere else like a backroom that didn't get put out, didn't sell well, things like that. Instead of going back to the publishers, they allow you to buy them, and you can sell them at discount prices."
New releases are also included in the inventory. The shop's biggest categories are mysteries and romance novels. "I also found out once I started this, I started getting messages from people who had book clubs, so I do have a section here for book club classics," said Bowen
She explained the origin of the shop's name: "With my husband being in the military, we traveled a lot, and it got to where we loved hiking and loved roaming around and looking at places," she said. "We wanted to incorporate where we've been all these years. I saw the word 'wanderlust' and it clicked; it all felt perfect."
The Wanderlust Bookstore occupies about 900 square feet in the front part of the building, with an as yet unopened back section that adds about the same amount of space.
"Eventually I'd like to expand the back," Bowen said. "I'd love to have a place where we could bring in authors for a book signing and have a whole section devoted to local authors who really want to get their books out there and have an opportunity to do that here."