Read Shop by The Merchant: Coffee, Culture, and the Coolest Pages in Town
Atlanta doesn’t do boring bookstores. We’ve got indie havens, radical zine dens, traveling bookmobiles, and now—one of the slickest coffee-meets-culture concepts in the city: Read Shop by The Merchant.
If you haven’t wandered into this little temple of taste yet, let me paint you a picture: the air smells faintly of espresso and ambition, every surface looks like it could star in a lifestyle magazine spread, and the books practically beg you to judge them by their covers (because, let’s be real, the covers are gorgeous).
The Origin Story: Dan Collier’s Design-First Dream
The shop was founded in 2016 by Dan Collier, the Atlanta retail whisperer behind The Merchant and Archer Paper Goods. If you’ve ever strolled through Ponce City Market and thought, wow, this store feels curated within an inch of its life—that’s Dan.
With Read Shop, Collier fused two essential Atlanta hobbies: drinking artisanal coffee and collecting beautifully designed things you may or may not ever use. Books included. The result? A store that looks like your dream apartment if your dream apartment had impeccable lighting and smelled like single-origin beans.
Coffee First, Questions Later
The coffee bar inside Read Shop is not an afterthought. It’s the kind of counter where the barista knows the difference between “I need caffeine before my 9AM Zoom” and “I’m here to pretend I’m working on a screenplay while scrolling Instagram.”
They’ve got all the classics—lattes, cappuccinos, flat whites—and, yes, they’ll froth that oat milk like it’s their calling. It’s the kind of place where you order a pour-over not because you actually taste the difference, but because it looks so damn good when you post it on your story with a book beside it.
And here’s the kicker: the coffee doesn’t just fuel the reading. It curates the mood. This is the kind of spot where sipping a macchiato somehow makes you believe you’re about to stumble into your meet-cute with an equally caffeinated stranger.
Books, But Make Them Chic
Most indie bookstores operate on the “more is more” philosophy: stacks of novels teetering toward chaos, used paperbacks jammed in with bestsellers. Read Shop? Not so much.
Here, less is more. The selection is curated, edited down, and highly photogenic. It’s a lineup of buzzy new releases, timeless favorites, and coffee-table tomes you’ll flip through when your friends come over.
It’s not overwhelming—it’s aspirational. You don’t just buy a book here. You buy into a vibe. A lifestyle. A version of yourself who definitely wears perfectly distressed denim and probably hosts dinner parties with string lights.
A Social Club in Disguise
What makes Read Shop magical isn’t just the coffee or the books—it’s the energy. This place is a social club in disguise.
You’ll see the whole spectrum of Atlanta life unfold here:
- The couple on their second date, pretending to be into literature while secretly hoping the other one orders a pastry to split.
- The mom with a stroller, balancing her latte like a pro while picking up a picture book that actually doesn’t make her want to scream.
- The WFH warrior staking out a table like it’s WeWork, headphones in, “writing” their novel (aka answering Slack messages).
Everyone belongs, and yet everyone looks just a little cooler for being here.
Collier’s World: Retail With a Point of View
Part of what sets Read Shop apart is Collier’s knack for branding. He doesn’t just sell products; he sells universes. Walk into Archer Paper Goods, and you’re in snarky-stationery heaven. Step into The Merchant, and you’re surrounded by gifts you didn’t know you needed but now can’t live without.
Read Shop slots perfectly into this ecosystem. It’s where words meet lifestyle, where books double as décor, and where a latte is as much a fashion accessory as it is a beverage.
Why Read Shop Matters in ATL
Atlanta is a city that thrives on its contradictions: tradition vs. innovation, grit vs. glamour, sweet tea vs. craft cocktails. Read Shop slides into that mix effortlessly.
It’s a reminder that bookstores don’t have to be dusty relics or echo chambers of intellectual elitism. They can be cool, accessible, design-driven spaces that make you want to stick around.
And in a city where “third places” (those magical not-home, not-work spots) are disappearing faster than parking at Ponce, Read Shop feels like a cultural lifeline.
AFK Approved (Obviously)
Here’s the thing: you don’t go to Read Shop just to buy a book. You go because you want to be part of the atmosphere. Because the latte art will definitely make it into your feed. Because you know you’ll walk out with a book you may or may not finish, but at least it’ll look good on your nightstand.
And that’s okay. That’s the point.
Read Shop by The Merchant is the rare place that nails both sides of the bookstore equation: cozy enough to make you linger, stylish enough to make you brag about it. In short?
Offline, but fully plugged in.
AFK Approved.
📍 Find It: Read Shop by The Merchant, Vinings Jubilee, Atlanta, GA
☕ Pro Tip: Pair your paperback with a flat white and a seat near the window. Pretend you’re the main character. No one here will judge.