When Dr. Lakeysha Hallmon opened Village Books on Mitchell Street this year, the decision was not driven by market trends or retail expansion plans. It was a response rooted in urgency and care.
A native of Batesville, Mississippi, Hallmon, 44, has spent much of her adult life creating spaces that are grounded in community, culture, and accessibility. The bookstore, which opened in the second week of October, emerged amid rising book bans and renewed national debates over whose histories and voices are preserved and whose are pushed aside.
“This year, it felt necessary,” Hallmon said. “When books are banned, and stories are erased, especially Black and brown stories, we have to build safety within our community.”
Hallmon is also the founder of Village Retail, a storefront at Ponce City Market that she opened during the pandemic, highlighting Black-owned brands. She views Village Books as an extension of that work, one that goes beyond retail to create a space for learning, reflection, and cultural connection.
“The synergy has already been beautiful,” she said. “People expect thoughtfulness and excellence when they walk into our spaces. Not perfection, but intention.”
Inside Village Books, shelves reflect that philosophy. The store offers a diverse selection across genres and age groups, with a strong emphasis on Black authors and thinkers, alongside works by writers from diverse backgrounds. Literary figures such as Toni Morrison and James Baldwin are also honored through apparel displayed alongside their books, allowing customers to engage with culture in multiple forms.
Hallmon, an avid reader, personally curated the bookstore’s initial inventory. Her selections were informed not only by publishers and literary agents but also by conversations with family members, including her 17-year-old and 10-year-old nephews, as well as friends who are authors.
“I wanted depth,” she said. “Books that help people expand their awareness of themselves, of history and of culture.”
Her relationship with books began early. As a child, Hallmon often spent hours in bookstores while her sister shopped elsewhere. She remembers reading late into the night, tucked under her bed with a flashlight, so absorbed that her mother would have to remind her to eat.
“It would not surprise my mother at all,” Hallmon said. “I have loved books since I was a kid.”
Hallmon is one of four siblings, with two sisters and a brother. Her mother, Carolyn Hallmon, died in 2011. Her father, Roger Hallmon, still lives in Mississippi. Hallmon earned her master’s degree from the University of Mississippi and later completed her doctorate at Liberty University.
Choosing downtown Atlanta, and specifically Mitchell Street, was both strategic and deeply personal. Hallmon’s first experiences in the city came nearly 15 years ago during a visit to the National Black Arts Festival near Underground Atlanta, when she was considering furthering her education at Clark Atlanta University.
“Downtown holds history and legacy,” she said. “Mitchell Street feels like a neighborhood with promise.”
While the area lacks the built-in foot traffic of more established retail corridors, Hallmon said she was drawn to its potential, particularly as South Downtown redevelopment continues.
“Small businesses help define what a city becomes,” she said. “I am drawn to places that do not have to be perfect yet.”
Opening a bookstore in 2025 amid economic uncertainty, competition from major online retailers, and cultural pushback was a calculated risk. But Hallmon said those conditions only reinforced the urgency of the moment.
“Either we operate from fear, or we build what our community needs,” she said. “If you build from a place of purpose, people will find you.”
Looking ahead, Hallmon hopes Village Books becomes a destination for Atlanta readers and thinkers, hosting book talks, signings, and convenings while maintaining its intimate and welcoming feel. Expansion, she said, will focus on deepening quality rather than rapid growth.
Beyond business, her vision is broader.
“My hope is that we understand our collective power,” Hallmon said. “That community becomes our default, not just in moments of crisis, but in how we live every day.”