Today we’d like to introduce you to Angela Redden.
Hi Angela , can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Some of my earliest memories are of hiding in the boxwood shrubs at the edge of our yard, completely lost in a book. My elementary school librarian introduced me to series like Henry Huggins, Romona Quimby, and the Wizard of Oz. I could spend hours completely immersed in those stories while hiding from the rest of the world.
After graduating from Dickson County High School, I spent 3 years at the University of Tennessee Martin before transferring to Georgia College and State University where I earned my BS in Middle Grades Education with endorsements in math and science. In my first years of teaching 5th and 6th graders, I kept running into the same problem: too many students couldn’t access the content because they were struggling to read and comprehend the textbooks themselves. I found myself spending more time teaching reading skills and comprehension than the subjects I’d trained to teach. That realization changed my trajectory. I became involved with the West Tennessee Writing Project Invitational Summer Institute, eventually serving as a teacher consultant and in-service provider. I spent four years as an instructional coach, working with other teachers on literacy instruction. Even after returning to the classroom for three years, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I wanted to reach students – and families – differently.
In 2018, I bought Reading Rock Books. Now, instead of fighting against students’ struggles with reading, I get to foster the love of it from the beginning. Every time I see a child discover their new favorite book, I think of that little girl in the boxwoods – and I know I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It hasn’t been a smooth road. My teaching background prepared me well in many ways, but I still had a steep learning curve on the business side – not just general retail concepts like cash flow and inventory management, but book industry-specific knowledge I’d never considered. Remembering the names of the major publishing houses and their imprints, keeping up with release dates, learning how and when to report sales to The New York Times and USA Today, and getting used to the daily surprises that came through the door. For instance, I never imagined how much time and energy I’d spend navigating self-published authors who would just show up expecting me to buy their books. There were so many aspects of running a bookstore that caught me completely off guard.
And then there’s Amazon – I’d be lying if I said competing with one-click ordering and next-day delivery wasn’t daunting. But I decided early on that my mantra would be: ‘When you think books, don’t think Amazon, think Angela.’ And it worked. I’ve exponentially increased the number of people who special order books from Reading Rock Books. What I offer is something Amazon can’t replicate: the experience of browsing and discovering books you didn’t know you were looking for, personalized recommendations based on real conversations, and a community gathering space where readers of all ages connect. My store has become a place where people come not just to buy books, but to talk about them, to get advice, to feel part of something larger than a transaction.
The isolation surprised me most. Going from a school full of colleagues and students to working alone was harder than I expected. And while I’m grateful to be part of a small retail community, I’ve learned that building the collaborative culture I was used to in education takes intentional effort. In teaching, we naturally supported each other because we understood we were all working toward the same mission. I try to bring that same mindset to my business relationships – knowing that a thriving downtown benefits all of us, and the businesses next door aren’t my competition. And I’ll admit, there are moments when balancing passion with profit keeps me up at night – when I have to make business decisions that don’t always align with my heart’s desire to just give every kid every book they want. But each challenge has taught me something valuable, and I’ve built an incredible community of customers who understand that supporting local bookstores isn’t just about buying books – it’s about building a more literate, connected, and thriving community.
We’ve been impressed with Reading Rock Books, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Reading Rock Books is a general independent bookstore offering everything from children’s books and YA to adult fiction, non-fiction, and new releases. We also make it a priority to spotlight local, Tennessee, and Southern authors – voices that reflect our community and region. We carry both new and used books, and we buy and trade used titles, which allows us to make reading more accessible.
We’re more than just a place to buy books. The heart of Reading Rock Books is community. We have a large table in the middle of the store where writers gather to work on their craft and readers pull up chairs to discuss what they’re reading. It’s not uncommon to walk in and find someone deep in their manuscript or a spontaneous book conversation happening.
We host regular events that bring people together: book clubs, author signings, storytimes, open mic nights, and writers’ groups. Our book clubs are led by community leaders who bring unique perspectives – like our Faith in Literature book club, which meets every Monday at noon and is led by local pastor Chuck Ramseur, and The Open Book Society, our LGBTQ+ book club led by the President of the Dickson Love Initiative, Jane Moore. We’re also launching a business book club led by Kirby Davis, owner of Petal & Crumb Provisions.
We partner with our local Chamber of Commerce and Arts Council to host the Arts, Reads, and Tunes Festival, and we’re regular participants in the monthly Artsy First Thursday event organized by the Dickson Artist Guild. We’re even working to pop up at more events in rural areas of Middle Tennessee to bring books directly to communities that might not have easy access to a bookstore.
I’m especially excited about some new initiatives we’re launching. Our buy a book, give a book campaign will allow customers to purchase books for others in our community who need them. And we’re creating a community partnership program with local businesses – Kirby Davis is our first partner, curating a bookshelf of gardening and baking books at Petal & Crumb Provisions while we feature his business on our community bookcase in the store. It’s a way to extend the reach of books beyond our walls and support other local businesses at the same time.
What I’m most proud of is what our customers tell us over and over: that Reading Rock Books feels welcoming. That’s intentional. I want everyone who walks through our door – whether they’re looking for their next favorite book, a quiet place to write, or just a community of fellow readers – to feel like they belong here.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
If I’m being honest, it’s a combination of three things: community-mindedness, resilience – which my family lovingly calls stubbornness – and vision. I’ve always seen Reading Rock Books as something bigger than just a business. I have a clear picture of what it can become and the role it can play in building a more literate, connected community. But vision without the resilience to push through challenges wouldn’t get me very far, and neither would matter if I wasn’t genuinely committed to serving the community rather than just running a store. Those three qualities work together – the vision gives me direction, the resilience keeps me moving forward, and the community-mindedness ensures I’m building something that truly matters.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bookshop.org/shop/RRB
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/readingrockbooks/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/ReadingRockBooks
- Twitter: https://x.com/readingrock
