By: Ben Strickland, Fall Marketing Intern
Chamblin’s Bookmine strives to invoke a sense of wonder and discovery for everyone who walks through its handmade wooden shelves. Pairing a fresh and cozy café within its walls, this Downtown Jacksonville bookstore creates the perfect environment for anyone with a passion for reading, from the casual peruser to the dedicated collector. Cari Singson, manager of the Uptown location, works to ensure everyone who walks through the doors feels safe, enchanted and ready to explore.
Many visitors comment on the maze-like layout of Chamblin’s, often finding themselves lost among the shelves and stories within. With an overwhelming inventory across both locations, finding a specific title can be a challenge. But that challenge encourages exploration and discovery, an adventure Cari and the Chamblins’ staff are eager to assist with.
“It’s not what we want to offer them, it’s what they want,” says Cari. “We want to help them find what they’re looking for.”
A commonly overlooked service Chamblin’s provides is its bartering system for used books, CDs, vinyl and other media. Whether it’s an antiquated, gold-engraved leather-bound book or a fresh-off-the-press paperback, Chamblin’s offers in-store credit or cash to keep titles circulating and ready for the next curious mind. The store also prides itself on promoting local authors, dedicating shelf space to books by Jacksonville-based writers.
What goes better with a good book than a warm cup of coffee? Chamblin’s also runs a full café next to its book area. Once you’ve picked your next read, you don’t have to go far to find the perfect spot to start turning the pages. The café offers a wide variety of drinks and foods and a comfortable sitting area to complement any reading experience.
“We want customers to feel like this is their place—to browse, to feel safe, to be exposed to things they weren’t necessarily aware of before walking in the door,” says Cari.
To cater to dedicated readers and collectors, the store lists its more valuable volumes on its website. There, you can find autographed copies of rare books, works by local artists and new titles that have just arrived on the shelves. This service helped sustain the store during the pandemic, when in-person community spaces were difficult to maintain.
Chamblin’s serves as a catalyst for Downtown’s development, bringing a friendly and welcoming space that encourages citizens to explore one of Jacksonville’s most historic areas.
“Downtown is super important,” says Cari. “There is so much history Downtown. It’s extremely important to keep it as robust as possible; bring in local businesses and get the foot traffic back.”