September is shaping up to be a very busy, very bookish month for Erin’s Bookshelf, and I could not be more excited.
One of the things I’ve loved most about building this little bookstore is getting to take it out into the world. Selling books online is wonderful, but there is something completely different about setting up the shelves, watching someone spot a book they’ve been wanting to read, talking through recommendations, and getting to know the people who follow along here.
This September, there are going to be lots of chances to do exactly that. I’ll be popping up at six different events around Charlotte, and each one has its own personality.
Starting the Month at the Farmers Market
We’ll kick things off on Saturday, September 5 at the University City Farmers Market.
I love the idea of starting the month at a true neighborhood market. I’ll have a broad mix of Erin’s Bookshelf favorites with me, including new fiction, discounted like-new books, and bookish gifts.
It’s a great stop if you want to browse without a specific theme in mind and just see what catches your eye.
Fall Festival Season in NoDa
On September 12, I’m heading to FestiFALL NoDaHood Market at Divine Barrel Brewing.
This one is going to feel like a full fall festival, with local vendors, food, music, art, and plenty happening throughout the day. I’m especially excited to be part of an event that celebrates community and local shopping.
And yes, I’ll absolutely be leaning into fall reading season.
A Cozy Movie Night Market
On Friday, September 18, I’ll be at Fall After Dark at CHNO Coffee, a cozy evening market paired with a movie.
Shopping, food, fall weather, and a movie after dark feels like a pretty perfect way to ease into the season. I’ll be bringing plenty of books that work well for a fall TBR, along with the usual Erin’s Bookshelf mix of fiction and bookish finds.
A Grown-Up Book Fair
Then comes a stretch of events that are especially fun for a bookseller. On Sunday, September 20, Erin’s Bookshelf will be at Sip & Shelf Care: A Grown-Up Book Fair at NoDa Brewing.
I was fully on board with the grown-up book fair concept from the moment I heard about it. There will be indie authors, bookish vendors, local makers, and lots of reasons to make an afternoon of it.
This one feels like it was made for readers. Scholastic book fair vibes, amirite?!
A Heated Rivalry Trivia Night
The very next evening, September 21, I’ll be at Vaulted Oak Brewing for A Heated Rivalry Trivia Night.
I’ve been pulling together a special selection for this event that includes books from the Game Changers series, sports romance, and plenty of mainstream romance favorites too.
The goal has been to have enough books that fit the theme to make the table feel special without turning my entire bookstore into a hockey romance section for the night.
I want someone who loves Heated Rivalry to find exactly what they’re hoping for, but I also want someone who simply loves romance to walk away with a great book.
Welcome to Stars Hollow
And finally, on Saturday, September 26, I’ll be ending the month with one I am especially excited about: Stars Hollow Library, a Gilmore Girls-inspired book fair.
Preparing for this event has honestly been one of the most fun parts of my September planning.
Rather than simply gathering books that vaguely fit the Gilmore Girls aesthetic, I’ve been building actual curated collections for the event. I wanted the table to feel playful and nostalgic for fans of the show, but also thoughtful and genuinely shoppable.
The collections include:
- Books From Rory’s Bookshelf
- Stars Hollow Romance
- Cozy Fall Reads
- Friday Night Dinner Fiction
- Gilmore Girls Memoirs
Each collection captures a different piece of the Gilmore Girls world.
Books From Rory’s Bookshelf includes titles connected to Rory’s famously extensive reading life. Stars Hollow Romance brings in charming, heartfelt, and sometimes quirky love stories. Cozy Fall Reads leans into that crisp-air, coffee-in-hand, curl-up-with-a-book feeling that makes so many people associate the show with autumn.
Friday Night Dinner Fiction might be my favorite collection name of the bunch. It gives me room for books with complicated families, sharp dialogue, social dynamics, drama, and all the tension that can come with gathering around a dinner table.
And Gilmore Girls Memoirs gives fans a chance to browse nonfiction tied more directly to the people and world surrounding the series.
Curating these collections has been such a fun exercise because I’m constantly asking two questions: Does this fit the theme? And is this actually a book someone will want to buy and read?
Come Say Hi
That is really what I’m most excited about this month as a whole. Every event gives me a chance to curate the shop a little differently while still bringing the mix of books and gifts that feels true to Erin’s Bookshelf.
But more than anything, I’m looking forward to meeting more of you.
If you follow Erin’s Bookshelf online and stop by one of my pop-ups, please tell me! One of my favorite parts of doing these events is putting faces to names and getting to connect in real life.
Bring a book-loving friend, stop by the table, and come say hi. I have a feeling September is going to be a really good month. 💗📚
September Pop-Up Schedule
-
Saturday, September 5
University City Farmers Market
10 a.m.–2 p.m. -
Saturday, September 12
FestiFALL NoDaHood Market at Divine Barrel Brewing
12–5 p.m. -
Friday, September 18
Fall After Dark Movie & Night Market at CHNO Coffee
6–9 p.m. -
Sunday, September 20
Sip & Shelf Care: A Grown-Up Book Fair at NoDa Brewing
12–4 p.m. -
Monday, September 21
A Heated Rivalry Trivia Night at Vaulted Oak Brewing
6:30–9 p.m. -
Saturday, September 26
Stars Hollow Library: A Gilmore Girls-Inspired Book Fair
1–5 p.m.