Scuppernong Books is an independent literary bookstore located right in downtown Greensboro. This fall the local bookstore plans on hosting several events and inviting talented writers across the country to share their work and experiences with the community. 

Along with curating special events that unleash young talent, Scuppernong also supports independent authors of North Carolina by promoting an entire section of obscure works ranging from fiction to indie bestsellers.

Emily Chilton, an employee at Scuppernong Books, says that the store is a home for the works of notable authors like “Little Fires Everywhere,” author Celeste Ng and Jodi Picoult who is most famous for “My Sister’s Keeper.”

With a broad range of titles to explore, the store itself is more than a bookstore. Inside is a cozy cafe serving organically brewed coffee, espresso, beer and wine, sourced primarily from small local wineries, fostering the value of downtown Greensboro. 

Brian Lampkin, owner of Scuppernong Books believes that independent bookstores play a crucial part in a neighborhood. 

“We want to foster an openness to ideas, respect for all the people that live in our Greensboro community, and a willingness to have fun while doing it; by holding events for aspiring authors,” Lampkin said. 

Write Now Guilford is a year-long literary program that Scuppernong Books is hosting to showcase writers under the age of 25 in Guilford county. Its purpose is to highlight the young talent in the Guilford community.

Steve Mitchell, co-owner of Scuppernong Books, says this program was created to shed light on young talented writers looking for representation in the downtown Greensboro area. 

“Our Write Now Guilford program is one that we are the most excited about, as we hope to attract more students in the surrounding area with talent that is waiting to be discovered,” Mitchell said. “Since starting this program at the beginning of September, we have hosted several events for poets, songwriters, and people who are generally interested in joining a book club.” 

Candidates must submit a three to five-minute video showcasing an unpublished piece of either short fiction, poetry, or performance. 

Lampkin believes that book clubs hosted by the store are a great way to establish a sense of community with those who are readers at heart and enjoy having meaningful conversations about great authors and their books. 

“We hosted a book club on the title “Jazz Fan Looks Back,” by Jayne Cortez on Oct. 17,” Lampkin said. “We also had a Sci-Fi book club on the title “The Impossible Us” by Sarah Lotz on Oct. 20. Both books are still available to purchase on our website.”

Aside from selling great books and serving delicious drinks, Scuppernong also serves as a small publishing house. 

Scuppernong Editions is an appendage to the bookstore that focuses on publishing hybrid memoirs and essays. They actively try to connect with the people by publishing the works of residents around the state with interesting stories.

Scuppernong Editions is passionate about publishing works that capture social justice, politics, and the environment of North Carolina. They aim to bring awareness to these issues by showcasing various books on these topics. 

“As of right now, we publish personal essays, and memoirs. We feel strongly about stories from those who have been wrongfully accused, and have ended up on death row,” Mitchell said. 

Their passion has led them to publish the stories of death row inmates called, “Inside Voices From Death Row: Michael J Braxton, Lyle C. May, Terry Robinson, George T. Wilkenson.” 

Lampkin believes that “Inside Voices From Death Row” goes far beyond publishing the unheard stories of those impacted by racial disparities.

“To keep these important conversations, we decided to host a

nine-event series where everyone in the community could come to Scuppernong Books to discuss the death penalty, the prison abolition movement, and so on,” Lampkin said. 

Scuppernong hosted an event series called “Carceral County” in October. This event series brought awareness to those who were falsely accused and incarcerated. 

“These events brought authors, journalists, and activists from a variety of disciplines together to discuss policing and incarceration in North Carolina and across the country,” Lampkin said. 

“We wanted to reconsider how we might shift the way we approach policing, the criminal justice system, and incarceration.” 

Scuppernong Books is located in downtown Greensboro at 304 S. Elm St. They are open Monday to Wednesday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday noon to 6 p.m. 

Visit the Scuppernong Books webpage to learn more about the events and opportunities happening this month.