From Beloved Refuge to Bygone Era: The Decline of Joseph-Beth Booksellers
Bookstores hold a special place in my heart. I fondly recall the days when Walden Books graced every mall. As the industry evolved, Borders and Brentano’s emerged and eventually faded away. It was in 1996, the first time I moved to Lexington, Kentucky, that I stumbled upon Joseph-Beth Booksellers, an independent gem. Established in 1986, this bookstore used to stand as a testament to the enduring spirit of the literary world.
Nestled in the heart of Lexington, Joseph-Beth Booksellers boasts an architectural marvel that exudes the Kentucky horse theme like no other. Over the years, I’ve spent countless hours exploring its vast shelves, immersing myself in the world of books and attending author events. Among the renowned authors I’ve had the privilege of meeting are Joe Hill, Lisa Scottoline, John Grisham, Neil Gaiman, Alix E. Harrow, Erin Morgenstern, Greg Iles, and Josh Malerman, to name a few. The books I’ve acquired from conversations with knowledgeable booksellers have become cherished additions to my collection.
Over the years, I’ve enjoyed the perks of their Gives Back Member program. It offers an immediate $25 coupon for their in-store restaurant, Bronte Bistro, and the opportunity to earn a $10 coupon for the bookstore for every $200 spent. Additionally, the bookstore actively participates in donations to local charities, provides member discounts, and hosts special events for members. I’ve also savored many delightful meals at Bronte Bistro, where dining at a restaurant within a bookstore creates a truly unique and enchanting experience.
However, the recent decline of Joseph-Beth Booksellers has been a source of immense frustration and disappointment. My disappointment began with the renovations that took place in 2019, which resulted in the construction of a wall between the bookstore and the restaurant. This wall, while intended to enhance privacy and separation for diners, has unfortunately lost its appeal for me. The once-captivating view of the bookstore, framed by a window overlooking a man-made pond, has been replaced by a barrier. Despite this setback, we continued to visit Bronte Bistro occasionally, but the absence of the bookstore’s view has left an indelible mark on my experience.
The menu at Joseph-Beth has always been a bit upscale, but in recent years, the prices have skyrocketed, and the portions have dwindled. Since I receive a $25 coupon for the bistro when I renew my Gives Back membership annually, we only visited the restaurant once a year to use the coupon. This year, we decided to stop dining there altogether and use the $25 towards specialty coffees.
The decline within the bookstore began in the last couple of years. The first thing I noticed was the deterioration in customer service. Booksellers used to actively engage with readers while shelving books, appearing to be passionate about their jobs. Now, they seem preoccupied with tasks and don’t interact with customers. The interaction between booksellers and book buyers has become minimal, making me feel like my presence doesn’t matter to them.
Joseph-Beth has always been a store divided—one half dedicated to books and the other half to merchandise. Over the years, they have carried various name-brand products like Vera Bradley and Life is Good. However, I’ve noticed that these well-known brands don’t last long, and the store frequently swaps them out for the latest popular brands. For the longest time, I accepted this as the store’s usual operation. I believe their goal is to be a place where bookshoppers can also buy gifts for the non-readers in their lives.
While they currently carry some Natural Life and Simply Southern products, they also have a section of couture women’s clothing. It’s frustrating that the majority of their products are not even book-related. If they’re going to sell clothing, I would appreciate more book-related items. Don’t get me wrong, they have a few Simply Southern t-shirts with a book theme, but that’s about it. I also wish the emails I receive were more focused on books and less on random products. It’s disappointing that what used to be my favorite bookstore has transformed into a department store that also sells books.
Their email subscription, which I signed up for, focuses more on non-book items in the store. They send weekly emails on Tuesdays about new book releases and upcoming events. However, I also receive numerous emails throughout the week that contain department store content. I’ve been subscribed to newsletters from other independent bookstores that I love reading because they are exclusively about BOOKS! The Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale, Arizona, sends frequent emails about author events, book news, and signed books for preorder. Barbara Peters, the owner, writes detailed and thoughtful emails. You can sign up for their email list here.
My next favorite newsletter subscription is Carmichael’s Bookstore in Louisville, Kentucky. The owner, Fisher, often opens the newsletter with a personal note before providing book recommendations and upcoming events. When I read an email from Carmichael’s, I can tell they genuinely care about their customers. You can sign up for their newsletter on their homepage here.
Lastly, I subscribe to Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi. I started subscribing to their newsletter when I learned they sold signed first editions of John Grisham and Greg Iles. Their emails announce upcoming author events, new releases, and signed books. You can join their mailing list by visiting their homepage here and waiting for the pop-up window.
I’ve noticed that many Indies, including Joseph-Beth, are using the company Indie Commerce to host their websites. Personally, I’m not a fan of the Indie Commerce sites because they are generic and cookie-cutter. It seems like they offer enough functionality to sell books online but lack personalization and fail to showcase the unique characteristics of an independent bookstore.
I was initially excited about Joseph-Beth’s monthly Silent Book Club, which I discovered through a Tuesday email that featured new book releases and upcoming events. While shopping in the store, I inquired about the club and was informed about its meeting location and the basic structure: attendees introduce themselves and the book they’re reading, then sit around and read quietly for an hour. It sounded like the perfect book club for an introvert like me, especially since I was preparing for retirement in September and wanted to connect with fellow readers.
However, my first meeting left me feeling uncertain about whether I’d return. The group consisted of both returning and new members, and everyone seemed cautious and unsure of how to start the meeting. I had hoped a bookseller would initiate the discussion, but a woman next to me explained that they had been directed to run the meeting themselves the previous month. Despite the large number of attendees, no one took the initiative for introductions, and everyone simply started reading their books. As the allotted time ended, attendees quietly closed their books and left. I left feeling confused and discouraged, as the club didn’t meet my expectations or what I understood a Silent Book Club to be.
Despite my initial disappointment, I decided to give it another chance the following month and attended six to eight meetings. Unfortunately, the booksellers never assisted the group, the attendees varied each month, and the number of participants dwindled quickly. I eventually stopped attending because I found little joy in the experience, barely engaged in social interaction, and the club was never properly organized as it should have been.
The Kentucky Book Festival, organized by Kentucky Humanities and hosted by Joseph-Beth, is an annual event that I’ve been attending since 2017. It’s an absolute delight, with a plethora of authors, books, and engaging discussion panels.
Back then, the bookstore would provide informative programs months in advance. These programs provided valuable insights into the authors, their books, and the schedule of the discussion panels. It was a fantastic opportunity to delve into the details and plan my day meticulously. Even a map of the authors’ seating arrangements was available, allowing me to make the most of my time.
I used to leave the festival with stacks of books, thoroughly enjoying the experience. However, some years were less exciting, with fewer authors that piqued my interest. In 2021, the festival relocated from the Kentucky Horse Park to Joseph-Beth’s bookstore. Joseph-Beth has always been a benefactor of the festival, providing books and benefiting from the sales. The first year at the bookstore was particularly enjoyable, as I had the chance to meet many authors and attend several author panels.
Sadly, the quality of the Kentucky Book Festival has declined each year. In 2025, I chose not to attend because there were no authors I was interested in. The festival’s advertisement was weak, which I attribute to both Kentucky Humanities and Joseph-Beth. The scheduled authors were announced much later than usual, and the panel discussion schedule wasn’t announced until the week before the festival.
As a planner, I rely on the festival’s schedule to plan my life accordingly. However, when I asked a bookseller about the authors’ announcement date about a month before the festival, they deflected responsibility, saying they only host the event and don’t control when the announcements are made. While I understand they were hosting, I expected them to show more responsibility, especially since they benefit from the sales of all books at the festival. Wouldn’t they be interested in who was coming to their store? Aren’t they readers too?
Joseph-Beth used to host renowned authors throughout the year for author events, and I’ve met some of my favorite authors. I recently attended an event with Paula McLain for the release of Skylark, which was my first disappointing author event. You can read my blog post about my experience here.
In the past couple of years, Joseph-Beth has not been hosting authors I read frequently. Before the Paula McLain event, I last attended an author event in March 2024, and before that, it was in September 2022. Their focus seems to be on romance and fantasy genres, which are the two I read the least. It’s disheartening that they haven’t been able to attract the renowned authors I’ve encountered there in the past.
Joseph-Beth, once my go-to bookstore, has gradually lost its charm over the past few years. As evident in this blog post, my dissatisfaction has grown, leaving me frustrated and disappointed every time I visit. It’s ironic that they proudly claim to be “Lexington’s Premier Independent Bookstore,” but their actions don’t align with that claim.
I’ve decided to significantly reduce my support for Joseph-Beth. While I’m open to attending author events if they feature someone I enjoy reading, I won’t be renewing my Gives Back Membership. I’ll gladly give my loyalty to other bookstores that have earned it. I’m not willing to be loyal to Joseph-Beth simply because they’ve been around for a long time and I have fond memories of spending time there. I understand there are people willing to overlook the mediocrity and continue patronizing this bookstore. However, I believe companies need to actively work for customer loyalty, and Joseph-Beth has fallen short of that effort. I hope their management takes action to turn things around and restore the quality bookstore I once loved. I’ll stay engaged with them from a distance, hoping to observe positive changes.
Fortunately, there are many independent bookstores locally and across the country that I support. Here’s a list of some of my favorite bookstores, where I love shopping in person or online. Their websites are linked for further information.
- The Poisoned Pen - Scottsdale, Arizona
- Square Books - Oxford, Mississippi
- Water Street Books - Exeter, New Hampshire
- Carmichael’s Bookstore - Louisville, Kentucky
- Poor Richard’s - Frankfort, Kentucky
- The Kentucky Bookstore - Lawrenceburg, Kentucky (They specialize in Kentucky authors and books set in or about Kentucky)
I’m just a devoted reader, collector of books, and lover of bookstores. I hope my concerns about the decline of a once-favorite indie bookstore can be taken as a voice for change. At this point, why would I continue to be a customer when other bookstores are actively working to earn and retain my loyalty?
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