Step into the welcoming embrace of the fantasy-themed Fable Hollow Coffee & Bookshoppe located at 2910 Tazewell Pike, Knoxville, TN 37918. Knoxville residents and co-owners Casey Jessen and Alyssa Stewart have transformed the shop into a place of comfort and warmth.
Both Jessen and Stewart are unpublished authors who share a love for reading. When Stewart was furloughed from her corporate job, she began thinking about Fable Hollow. She had thought about opening a bookstore since college, but didn’t have the funds or “the missing piece to the equation,” referring to Jessen.
The co-owners met in 2020 through Stonesmith Writing Group, run by Stewart and her husband. Jessen attended the last group meeting before the COVID-19 pandemic and continued to attend online meetings into the lockdown.
Stewart says that after spending time with one another through the writing group, “we realized that we were both the perfect fit for where we wanted to go for the future, and thus we started working together on Fable Hollow.”
Their 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. schedule accommodates for the morning rush and the afternoon study crowds. With the combination of books and beverages, Fable Hollow is a prime location to begin the morning with a comforting cup of coffee or relax after a stressful day. The bookstore carries new releases and books by local authors, but they can special order other books for customers as well. In the coffee shop, they have homemade syrups and themed coffee drinks. For those who don’t like coffee, they also have chai tea, hot chocolate and pastries from local bakeries.
In the shop, there is a dedicated room for children’s books and a section in the main room for middle grade books. Additionally, there is a wide variety of genres to choose from– biographies, nonfiction, fiction, YA (Young Adult), and many more– but the fantasy section is the largest.
Fable Hollow is filled with mystical decor that is inspired by fantasy books and the walls are painted like an enchanted forest with fairies, trees, and moss. Not only do they sell books and coffee, they also have a variety of merchandise such as book and character themed candles, gift cards, as well as other items including scarves, jewelry, and journals. They said, “we want it to feel like you’re walking into your favorite story.” Jessen and Stewart have transformed the store into a whimsical wonderland to give their customers a feel of comfort that correlates with their books.
Through the long process of making the store and the hectic opening, Jessen and Stewart say that their customers have been very patient and supportive. They have had a large turnout and a successful first few months of opening the store. When asked about the possibility of growing the business, Stewart said, “we want to grow it in this community… [but] one thing we are really passionate about is keeping it within our vision.”
After sharing their journey of creating Fable Hollow, Stewart and Jessen provide advice for young entrepreneurs who are looking to start their own business: “Find your cheerleaders. You need to surround yourself with people who are going to give you encouragement.”
The community that has been built through Fable Hollow is apparent in many aspects of the store. From sharing a reading nook with strangers to bonding over the love for reading, Fable Hollow has become a space to socialize and find people who have similar interests.
For those looking to contact Jessen and Stewart, the bookshop has several platforms of communications to announce any sales and upcoming events held at the shop. You can follow them on Instagram and Facebook to stay up-to-date on new announcements. There is also a Fable Hollow Website where you can find merchandise and purchase more books where shipping and curbside pickup are available.
Don’t miss out on Fountain City’s newest small business!
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