Normal Books

Normal Books opened in December 2017 on Prince Avenue in the Normaltown neighborhood of Athens, GA. Owners Chris and Mary Eaton had always dreamed of running a community bookstore, and they made it happen in retirement. The shop stocked over 20,000 titles spanning fantasy, history, cookbooks, and children's literature. What set Normal Books apart from other booksellers was pricing. The store specialized in overstocked and remainder books, so most titles sat at $7.99 or less. That made it easy to walk out with an armful without guilt. The shop became a gathering place for local organizations and book lovers who appreciated the Eatons' warm, unpretentious approach. Normaltown already had the independent spirit to support a place like this, and Normal Books fit right in alongside the coffee shops and record stores on Prince Avenue. The store closed its doors on July 20, 2020, after two and a half years of operation. Chris and Mary announced the closing on Facebook, and the Athens community mourned the loss. While the physical shop is gone, the Eatons have continued selling curated book subscriptions online through normalbooksathens.com. For a town that values its independent retailers, Normal Books remains a fond memory and a reminder of what a good bookshop can mean to a neighborhood.