Georgia Bookstore Celebrates Its 115th Anniversary

Opened in 1892, Horton's Books & Gifts in Carrollton, Georgia, has sold invitations, bibles, men's wear, tables, office supplies, organs, pianos, sewing machines, rugs, coffins -- and books. The 115-year-old store has phased out the coffins and pianos, kept the bibles and invitations, added a cafe, and, of course, it still sells books. "We've always sold books," said owner Dorothy Pittman. "And we've always evolved to try to take advantage of the changing market."

Pittman grew up visiting Horton's and eventually became a librarian in the 1970s. She remembers Hewling "Hap" Horton, son of founder N.A. Horton, as a constant fixture in the store until his death in 1969. Then Doris Shadrix, who had partnered with Hap, ran Horton's until 1987, when Larry Johnson took over. In 1997, Pittman visited the bookstore to talk with Johnson about working there. That conversation turned into a sales deal, and Pittman became the fifth owner of Horton's.

Pittman told BTW that she had long wanted to own her own bookstore. "I've said that all librarians secretly dream of becoming booksellers."

The coffee bar.

Horton's is in a one-story 1880s building constructed with bricks from a local brickyard. "You can see how thick the aggregate is," said Pittman. During its 115 years, the store's owners changed its location numerous times, but Horton's has come full circle and now occupies its original building. The 2270-square feet of retail space houses a "reasonably strong fiction section and a pretty good section on Georgia and Carrollton," Pittman said. The bookstore also maintains an excellent children's section and plans to increase the number of story hours.

In an adjacent building, via a connecting door, Pittman also owns a cafe and newsstand. "You couldn't get a candy bar anywhere near here," said Pittman. "Now you can." In addition to coffees and teas, the cafe serves cakes and muffins and other prepared foods.

To honor its longevity and service to the community, Horton's has been recognized with a Proclamation from the City of Carrollton and a resolution in the Georgia State Senate is in the works. Later this month, Horton's is scheduled to receive a preservation award from the Carroll County Historical Society for its restoration work, which included exposing and refinishing the original heart pine floors and restoring the outside of the building to resemble the original facade.

The bookstore joined Book Sense when the program launched in 1999. "When that happened, to me it was the most wonderful thing," said Pittman. "Those [Book Sense Picks] fliers go home with everyone. Customers can't wait for the new list. Many come in, look at the list, and say, 'I'll take this and this and this.'"

To properly mark the bookstore's 115th anniversary, staff will be celebrating all year rather than limit themselves to the month of March, which is when Hap Horton said the store opened. Among the celebratory plans are readings by authors Dolores Wilson (Barking Goats and the Redneck Mafia, Medallion) and Mary Kay Andrews (Savannah Breeze, Harper Paperbacks).

Of course, a 115-year-old bookstore in its original 1880s building needs a resident bookstore spirit. Horton's has named its Mary Malinda, in honor of the first wife of the founder who died in childbirth. "She is a very peaceful ghost whose only vice is moving the books around downstairs," said Pittman. "No one has actually seen her, but several customers have reported feeling her presence." --Karen Schechner