 |
|
| Avid's future home | |
Avid Bookshop, Athens, Ga., will relocate this spring from its Five Points space, which opened in 2016, to the Atlas II building at 625 Barber St., Suite 150, between Hidden Gem and ReBlossom. In a letter to customers, owner Janet Geddis wrote that although a specific opening date has not been set, "we're moving as fast as we can and will let you know when we've established a timeline."
The new space is approximately one and a half times larger than the Five Points store, and more than twice as large as Avid's original bookstore on Prince St., which was founded in 2011 and closed at the end of 2019. The new location will have a parking lot, as well as off-street parking spots directly in front of the shop's entrance, including an accessible one.
Noting that there are several reasons for making the move, Geddis wrote: "But suffice it to say that we've loved our time in Five Points and that, for the business to remain sustainable long-term, a move to a bigger space in a different location is necessary."
Geddis told the Red & Black that even with the relocation, she hopes to preserve Avid's purpose: "It's like the third place you can go and feel comfortable being yourself and run into other people and chat. Those kinds of spaces are extremely important, but especially in a time when people feel really divided." She also noted that the selection of the Barber Street location was also prompted by the chance to be "in a concentrated area of local businesses" that is more walkable.
Geddis said she believes the bookstore--and its customers--are ready for the change: "I think that if I had opened my store and decided this is the perfect formula, it's going to be this way forever, I know I would have gotten really bored, but I think the customers probably would too."