Covered Bridge Books

08/13/2026

Happy to see and support another small business in Elizabethton! ❤️

We’re opening soon, come check us out and get your dawgs!!! From 11-2:30

08/11/2026

A little thank-you to everyone who has already supported Covered Bridge Books through Bookshop.org! 🤎📚

Every order means so much to us as we continue working toward opening our doors in Historic Downtown Elizabethton. Here are some of the titles purchased this summer! Each purchase helps us grow our inventory, support our independent bookstore, and bring this dream a little closer to life.

A special thank-you to Lora Griffey, Kayla Hensley, Emily Harrison, and Patricia Gardner for your purchases! We are so grateful that you chose to support Covered Bridge Books and be part of our story before we’ve even officially opened our doors. 🥹🤎

You can shop with us anytime at bookshop.org/shop/coveredbridgebooks 📖

One order, one book, one chapter at a time. 🤎

07/31/2026

✨ Help us decide! ✨

One of the next big decisions for the bookstore renovation is the downstairs customer bathroom, and we need your opinion!

We've narrowed it down to five vanity options to pair with our magical wallpaper (see the last picture for wallpaper), and now it's your turn to vote. Which vanity would you choose?

We want something that feels timeless, easy to clean, and fits the cozy, historic charm of Covered Bridge Books. We also keep going back and forth on needing one with storage or not for extra toilet paper and cleaning supplies. Tell us which one is your favorite—and why! Your comments really do help us make these decisions.

07/27/2026

POV: You finally find the wallpaper that makes your dream bookstore feel like a storybook. After months of searching, I finally found the first two wallpapers for Covered Bridge Books & The Bookseller’s Suite. 📚✨ I wanted every room in our historic 1930s building to feel like stepping into a story—not just another bookstore or Airbnb.
📖 One is going in the bookstore bathroom.
✉️ The other will add a literary touch to The Bookseller’s Suite.
These are just the first two... I may have a few more wallpapers planned. 🤫 Which one is your favorite? Pottery Barn Pottery Barn Teen

07/24/2026

A day in the life of renovating our dream bookstore... 📚🏛️
Today was a busy one! We picked up some incredible book donations and new books before the weekend, checked in on the renovation, met with our engineer, and had both the plumbers and electrician hard at work. This weekend we’ll finally uncover even more of the original brick, and we’re making progress on the ceilings and floors too! Not every renovation day goes as planned... there was even a little accident that left me bleeding. 😅 Thankfully, nothing serious—just another story to add to this adventure.
A huge thank you to everyone helping bring Covered Bridge Books to life. We also want to give a special shout-out to Pooner’s for letting us keep our dumpster longer than expected at no extra charge. Renovations always seem to take longer than planned, and their generosity and support have meant so much to us. Every day brings us one step closer to opening our doors, and we can’t wait to share this place with all of you. ❤️

07/19/2026

What should we do with this little grassy space beside our bookstore? 📚🌿
It gets beautiful shade throughout the day, and we’re dreaming about turning it into a cozy outdoor reading area for our community. We’re picturing comfy seating, flowers, maybe a few string lights, and a place where you can sit with a good book after browsing the shelves.
If this were your favorite independent bookstore, what would you want to see here? Adirondack chairs? Bistro tables? Porch swings? A little free library? Book-themed gardens? We’d love your ideas!
We’re so excited to keep bringing this 1930s building back to life, one project at a time. ❤️

07/16/2026

This week, we received a much-anticipated delivery from Tub & Bath 🛁 Our cast iron clawfoot tub has officially arrived for The Bookseller’s Suite, the Airbnb above our bookstore in historic downtown Elizabethton.
We can already picture guests ending the day with a long soak, a great book, and the charm of a historic building all around them. We can’t wait to see this beautiful tub installed—it’s one of those timeless pieces that feels like it was always meant to be here and is going to add so much character to the space.

07/15/2026

UPDATE: We wanted to share what happened during our meeting with the Elizabethton Postmaster regarding our request to relocate the blue USPS mailbox.

We went into the meeting hoping to have a constructive conversation about moving the mailbox to a safer, more practical location nearby. We have never asked for it to be removed from downtown—only relocated.

During the meeting, we were told our request would be denied. We were also told that because of what was described as our "forceful" approach, the request would not be approved. We were surprised by that characterization, as we believed we were simply asking for an explanation and advocating for our business and our community.

When we asked why the mailbox couldn't be moved, we were told that the Postmaster has the final say on the decision. We also asked whether there could be a public meeting or petition so the community could weigh in, but we were told that would not be an option.

After the meeting, we reached out to several neighboring businesses ourselves. Based on those conversations, we were left with more questions than answers. We also spoke with Representative Diana Harshbarger's office, and our understanding is that the request is still under evaluation.

We're sharing our experience because we believe public services should be open to public discussion. This isn't about creating controversy or attacking anyone personally. We simply want to see the mailbox relocated to a nearby location that improves safety, accessibility, and the future of our historic downtown property while continuing to serve the community.

If you're a resident or business owner in Elizabethton, we'd appreciate hearing your thoughts. We were especially surprised to learn our postmaster wasn’t even a local or Tennessee resident. This issue hits really close to home for us. Thank you to everyone who has supported us and taken the time to follow this issue.

07/15/2026

We received a much-anticipated delivery for our bookstore Airbnb suite! What could it be?

07/13/2026

Sometimes, dreams become reality because of the kindness of others. ❤️ When the city required engineered plans for the exterior of our historic bookstore renovation, we learned they would likely cost between $3,000 and $5,000 (or more). As a small business, that was a major hurdle. Then something incredible happened. Robert Wright’s wife believed in our bookstore dream so much that she convinced her husband to come out of retirement to help us. Robert generously drafted the plans we needed for just $100. We’re beyond grateful—not only for his expertise, but for his belief in what Covered Bridge Books will become. Moments like this remind us how fortunate we are to be part of such an incredible community. Thank you, Robert and family, for helping make this dream possible. We can’t wait to share the finished exterior with all of you! 📚🤍