Charis Books & More

Name

Charis Books & More

Legal name

Charis Books & More

Website

https://charisbooksandmore.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Bookstore Retail

NAICS

Book Retailers and News Dealers (4592), Office Supplies, Stationery, and Gift Retailers (4594)

SIC

Retail-Variety Stores (5331)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Genre Bookstores (e.g., Sci‑Fi, Mystery, Poetry) (CRALAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

General Bookstores (New Books) (CRALAAAA), Children’s Books & Educational Readers Retail (CRALAAAD)

Keywords

• Independent bookstore retail
• Feminist literature sales
• Queer community bookstore
• Social justice bookselling
• Community event programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Decatur

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Book Sales: Retail sales of new and used books across multiple formats including physical books, audiobooks, and ebooks. Operates own e-commerce storefront and sells via Bookshop.org marketplace.
2. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including t-shirts, crop tops, tanks, sweatshirts, hoodies, sweatpants, pajamas, shorts, drinkware, hats, gloves, scarves, bags, ties, decals, magnets, key chains, stationery, and journals.
3. Gift Certificates: Sale of gift certificates for books and merchandise.
4. Donations/Charis Circle: Accepts donations to support Charis Circle, their nonprofit programming arm focused on feminist community building.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Charis Books & More operates an independent feminist and queer bookstore selling new, used, and rare physical books along with audiobooks, ebooks, branded merchandise, gifts, and gift certificates through a single retail storefront in Decatur, GA and an e-commerce website. The business also runs recurring community programming—multiple book clubs, Trans & Friends support groups, author readings, and open mic nights—alongside its affiliated nonprofit Charis Circle, which channels donations to feminist community-building initiatives.

Product overview

Charis Books & More is an independent feminist and queer bookstore serving the Atlanta metropolitan area. The company operates a unified offering combining an online bookstore with physical retail operations, built on the IndieCommerce platform. The core products are physical books, audiobooks, and ebooks distributed through integrated platforms. The business extends beyond retail through Charis Circle, a nonprofit sister organization hosting community programming including book clubs, trans support groups, author events, and workshops. The product portfolio includes a robust selection of curated thematic booklists (feminism, LGBTQ+ fiction, reproductive justice, Palestine, Atlanta/Georgia history, social justice for youth) and Charis-branded merchandise/apparel through the ASC (Apparel, Souvenirs & Collections) sub-brand. The store offers experiential retail through in-store and virtual events, author appearances, and community gatherings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Physical Books

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Bookshop.orgminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner marketplace for ebook distribution. Charis Books & More has a branded storefront on Bookshop.org where customers can purchase ebooks.
• Network for GoodminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDonation platform used for Charis Circle fundraising, enabling community donations to support feminist programming and events.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• The Ripped Bodice: Specialty romance bookstore with locations in Los Angeles and Brooklyn. Comparable as a niche-genre specialty retailer building a distinctive brand around a curated, identity-forward category.

Broad incumbents

• Powell's City of Books: Iconic independent bookstore in Portland, OR with massive used and new inventory. A much larger independent operator with broader assortment but similar community-anchor role and curated depth.
• Strand Bookstore: Historic New York independent bookstore famous for rare and used books. Comparable as a mission-driven independent bookseller, though Strand operates at significantly larger scale and broader inventory scope.
• Barnes & Noble: Largest U.S. bookstore chain with broad assortment, frequent author events, and community programming. Represents the scale incumbent whose pricing and convenience Charis competes against through curation and specialization.

Direct peers

• Women & Children First: Long-running feminist bookstore in Chicago with comparable focus on feminist, LGBTQ+, and children's literature, plus active event programming. Closely aligned mission and customer base to Charis.
• Malaprop's Bookstore: Independent bookstore in Asheville, NC with strong author events, staff picks, and curated selection. Comparable in operating philosophy as a programming-heavy single-location indie.
• Greenlight Bookstore: Brooklyn-based independent bookstore with strong community programming, diverse curation, and author events. Operates with similar neighborhood-anchor model and emphasis on building literary community.
• Bluestockings Cooperative: Worker-owned feminist and radical bookstore in New York City with a similar activist orientation, community programming, and curated focus on social justice literature. Directly comparable in mission and operating model.
• Book Soup: Independent general bookstore in Los Angeles known for curated selection, frequent author events, and specialty categories. Comparable as a single-location independent bookstore with strong programming-driven traffic.

Regional players

• Avid Bookshop: Independent bookstore in Athens, GA operating with similar community-event-driven model in the broader Georgia/southeast U.S. market that Charis also serves.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@chariscircle
• Xx.com/chariscircle
• Facebookfacebook.com/CharisBooksAndMore

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Charis Books & More