Since September, Olivia Doyle has been pulling up to festivals, coffee shops and other events in an unconventional vehicle: a hearse. It has served as her pop-up bookstore, The Grim Reader, for the past several months as she brings her love of the horror genre to different areas around Atlanta.
“We met a lot of enthusiastic, passionate people who really spoke to us from the heart about wanting a third space where we can celebrate this love and passion for those darker stories while also giving people that community they were really aching for,” Doyle told What Now Atlanta.
As she learned about the demand for a horror-inspired bookstore, Doyle began to make plans for a brick-and-mortar location where horror lovers can congregate and enjoy community. Now, that dream is coming to fruition. The Grim Reader will open in a 1,000-square-foot space at 1082 Huff Rd NW, Suite C, in Blandtown. Fittingly, the spot plans to open its doors on Friday the 13th in March.
The space will have plenty of moody, gothic elements with art on the walls that celebrates horror and mystery. The front section of the store will feature design elements inspired by the 1994 book “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,” while the back of the store will offer a more “dark academia” vibe. Customers can expect to see plenty of areas to gather, play games, talk, write and read. There will also be an area where Doyle plans to have a food and clothing pantry for the community to access.
Even those who shy away from scary novels can enjoy The Grim Reader. Doyle emphasizes that the shop is designed to have books that appeal to everyone, not strictly those who love horror. They also offer a popular kids’ books section with a diverse array of options.
Doyle plans to spotlight various small local artists at the shop, and she is looking forward to having a physical location to host events ranging from game nights to craft events.
“I really want it to be a celebration of Atlanta and to be a space for people to come hang out and feel like they can be unabashedly themselves and celebrate things they love with a community that wants to celebrate them as well,” Doyle said.
And even though Doyle will be moving into the new location, she will not be retiring the hearse. Expect to see it heading out for events as usual, just a bit less often. Customers can check their website to see what events it will head to next.
