The Author Shoppe delivers an unique value: a welcoming space where being yourself is encouraged, setting it apart from other bookstores.
Before you ever smell the coffee or browse the shelves, The Author Shoppe in Hattiesburg has already worked its magic on you.
Maybe it’s the towering bookshelves, the warm window glow, or just curiosity—a bookstore, coffeehouse, and haven for story lovers? Sign me up.
Either way, most people walking past slow down for a reason–and that’s exactly what happened to me.
During the holiday season, my husband and I passed The Author Shoppe’s original location in downtown Hattiesburg. I stopped mid-conversation, drawn by its glowing lights, cozy furniture, and people sharing laughter—a scene straight from the coziest movie bookstore.
Naturally, my curiosity took over.
Thinking they were open for the evening, we wandered toward the door only to realize — somewhat awkwardly — that they were actually hosting a Christmas gathering. Oops.
But even then, they were warm and welcoming, and honestly, that brief interaction told me almost everything I needed to know about the place.
Now located inside a charming blue Craftsman-style home at 709 Hardy Street, The Author Shoppe has carried that same inviting energy into a new chapter.
Inside, coffee aromas mingle with old pages and polished wood. Vintage chairs, typewriters, local art, and literary treasures set the scene. Music hums, soda fizzes, and conversations spark among friends and community members.
The Author Shoppe has quietly become a unique gathering place in Mississippi; its hand-curated selection of regional literature, welcoming atmosphere, and regular community-focused workshops and readings attract writers, artists, professors, students, and readers seeking more than a typical bookstore.
The shop is owned by husband-and-wife duo Murph and Erin Little, along with William Carey University literature professor Allison Chestnut, who had dreamed of opening a bookstore since childhood.
“We all wanted to open a bookstore and believe this is good for Hattiesburg,” Murph shared. For Allison, it was a childhood dream; for Erin and me, it was about creating an outlet for artists to gather outside the university.
That creative spirit is woven into every inch of the shop.
The shelves are thoughtfully curated with everything from Southern literature and contemporary fiction to used classics and Mississippi authors. Local writers are heavily featured, and the shop regularly hosts book signings that give emerging authors a welcoming place to connect with readers.
Murph designed much of the interior, building the shelves by hand to create the now-iconic look people admire through the windows. Their mascot, “Hemingbear”—a bear in a Hemingway turtleneck—adds charm to the eclectic space.
Coffee greets guests immediately, but what stands out are the homemade sodas—colorful, creative drinks rarely found in bookstores. These drinks have become part of The Author Shoppe’s charm.
It’s the kind of place where you order an old-fashioned soda, settle into a vintage armchair with a novel, and completely lose track of time.
After the sale of the downtown building, moving to Hardy Street gave the owners something new: a space all their own, even if foot traffic was lighter.
Guests now discover cozy nooks, art-filled walls, and a fantasy tavern-inspired sunroom for gaming nights and creative gatherings.
“Our motto is ‘Be cool,’” Murph said. “We want the shop to feel welcoming and to make reading cool again.”
That philosophy has resonated far beyond Hattiesburg’s literary circles.
Twice monthly open mic nights unite musicians, poets, students, professors, and newcomers. Some perform, others listen, and sip coffee as creativity fills the room.
Many customers come not just for books or drinks, but for connection—a sense of belonging and comfort. That’s The Author Shoppe’s unique value: a welcoming space where being yourself is encouraged, setting it apart from other bookstores.
“We try to provide a creative space for everyone,” Murph shared.
Nobody seems to be in a hurry here, which is refreshing.
Places like this are getting harder to find — somewhere you can linger over a homemade soda, hear professors debating books in one corner while someone tunes a guitar for open mic night in another, and nobody rushes you out the door.
In a world built around scrolling, The Author Shoppe has created an intentional environment of acceptance and contemplation.
-- Article credit to Meredith Biesinger for the Magnolia Tribune --
