(From Lexington, Louisville… or Anywhere in the Bluegrass)

I’ve always believed the best places in Kentucky aren’t the biggest… they’re the ones tucked into a Main Street somewhere, glowing a little warmer than the rest of the world. You don’t stumble across them by accident — you find them because someone told you, “It’s worth the drive.”

That’s exactly how most folks discover The Kentucky Bookstore.

We sit right here on 126 South Main in downtown Lawrenceburg, a short walk from the courthouse and a quick hop from the traffic light. If you blink, you might almost miss us — but once you step through the doors, you’ll see why people from Lexington, Louisville, Frankfort, Versailles, and all across the Bluegrass keep coming back.

You’ll smell the bakery first.

Then you’ll see the books.

And then you’ll understand why we say this little shop is pure Kentucky charm.

We’re not a big-city bookstore.

We don’t have escalators or corporate playlists.

What we do have is something that feels real — shelves full of Kentucky authors, Kentucky history, bourbon stories, horse tales, ghost legends, and local voices you won’t find stacked on a table in a chain store.

Most people who visit for the first time say the same thing:

“This is exactly what a Kentucky bookstore should feel like.”

And honestly, that’s the best compliment I could ever get.

For folks in Lexington and Louisville, we’ve become a favorite little day trip.

It’s close enough for convenience,

far enough to feel like a getaway,

and just the right size to slow you down for a minute.

People tell me they love browsing Kentucky books, wandering the gift shelves,

and taking home something they can’t find back in the city. Some come for bourbon books. Some come for Kentucky ghost stories. Some come because they want their kids or grandkids to grow up reading stories from their home state instead of wherever the big publishers happen to shine their spotlight.

Every reason is a good one.

We’re a family-run shop — and if you’ve lived in Kentucky long enough, you know that means something. When you walk in, you’ll probably see me, or my son, or my husband, or maybe all three of us if it’s a busy Saturday. We talk books with people, we help pick out gifts, and we love hearing which Kentucky authors you’re reading.

This bookstore grew from a simple idea:

Kentucky stories deserve a home.

And Kentuckians deserve a place to come find them.

Whether you’re driving in from the big city or just popping in from down the street, I hope you feel what so many others do when they step inside:

That warm, quiet little feeling that says,

“This place belongs in Kentucky.”

So if you’re looking for a bookshop that feels like home — one filled with Bluegrass history, bourbon heritage, horse racing magic, Kentucky authors, and the simple charm of a small town — come see us.

It’s an easy drive from Lexington, a straight shot from Louisville, and right in the heart of the Bourbon Trail.

Turn on Main Street.

Park by the sidewalk.

And walk into a bookstore that’s proud to be part of Kentucky’s story.

Gail

The Kentucky Bookstore
126 South Main – Lawrenceburg, KY

I don’t know what it is about Christmas in Kentucky, but it has its own feel… its own pace… its own kind of magic that doesn’t need a single thing extra added to it.

Maybe it’s the way the cold settles in, not sharp, just enough to make the windows fog and the coffee taste better. Or how a simple string of lights on a small-town tree somehow feels more meaningful than any big city display. Kentucky doesn’t try too hard, and maybe that’s exactly why it feels so good this time of year.

Around here, November and December slows down just enough that you start noticing things again. Frost on the grass. Those low morning fogs that hover over the hills. Porch lights glowing on houses where the same families have lived for decades. There’s something familiar about it… something steady.

And honestly, the holidays in Kentucky are stitched together with the same things they’ve always been:

a little bourbon, a little basketball, and a whole lot of stories.

You hear folks telling the same old family tales for the hundredth time and you still laugh. You see that one bottle of bourbon someone dressed up with a ribbon they found in the junk drawer. And there’s always a game on somewhere, because if there isn’t basketball playing in the background, is it even December?

And then there are the quieter stories, the ones sitting on our shelves. The Derby, our frontier towns, the wild history tucked into every corner of this state. All the pieces that make Kentucky… Kentucky.

That’s probably why seeing a stack of Kentucky books tied up in a big red bow just feels right. It’s not just a pretty picture — it’s everything we are wrapped up together. History, pride, tradition, and that deep-down sense of home you can’t explain to anyone who didn’t grow up here.

Christmas doesn’t have to be fancy around here. It’s warm rooms, good smells, familiar voices, and that feeling you get when the tree lights hit just right. Kentucky carries its magic in simple things and honestly, I think that’s why it sticks with us.

So if you find yourself sitting in the quiet one evening, with the tree glowing and maybe a game humming in the background, take a second and soak it in. This is our kind of Christmas. Gentle. Rooted. A little old-fashioned in the best way.

Kentucky knows how to slow you down and remind you what matters… especially in December.

And really, that’s the best gift of all.

Every year seems to get shorter and shorter. Feels like just yesterday the temperatures were in the 80s, actually, they were just a few weeks ago, and now I’m dragging out Christmas boxes.

There’s no slow build-up to the holidays when you’re in retail. One day you’re dusting off pumpkins, and the next, it’s full-blown Christmas whether you’re ready or not. Boxes everywhere, garland tangled, and lights that worked perfectly last year now refusing to turn on.

Justin rolls his eyes when he sees the first red ribbon come out, but he knows it’s coming whether he likes it or not. For retailers, Christmas isn’t the cozy, cocoa-sipping season everyone else gets. It’s long days, sore feet, and endless “where did we put that display” moments. We love the spirit of it — we really do — but we also feel the weight of it. The exhaustion, the pressure, the late nights. Christmas, for us, isn’t rest. It’s survival mode… with twinkle lights.

Still, every year, once I plug in that first working strand of lights, something inside me softens. Maybe it’s habit, or maybe it’s that deep-down reminder of why I started all this in the first place. When the store glows just right and the first Christmas customer walks through the door smiling, I remember, it’s worth it.

There’s a quiet kind of beauty in those early mornings before the doors open and the chaos starts again. The smell of cinnamon candles, the coffee brewing, and the shelves lined with books that’ll end up under someone’s tree. That part still feels good. That part still feels like Christmas.

So yeah, I’m tired already, and it’s barely November. My hands are sticky from tape, my back’s sore, and there’s glitter on the floor. But the store looks beautiful tonight, and I know what’s coming, the busy days, the laughter, the familiar faces I’ve come to count on.

And that’s what keeps me going. Not the songs, not the sales, just the people.

– Gail

Every so often, an author comes along who reminds us why we love what we do, someone who doesn’t just write about Kentucky, but lives it. Today, that person was Medina P. Dean, M.Ed.

Medina is the author of From Wilderness to Commonwealth: 1750–1792 — Kentucky’s Early Story Through Today’s Historic Sites, a beautiful, research-rich journey through the early years of our state’s history. What makes her story so special is that this project wasn’t written from behind a desk, it was discovered one trip at a time, as she and her daughter set out to explore Kentucky’s landmarks firsthand.

Together, they visited historic homes, battlegrounds, cemeteries, and courthouses, uncovering the people and places that shaped our Commonwealth. Along the way, Medina turned those experiences into stories that connect the dots between our past and the world we live in today.

Her love for history began through genealogy, tracing her family roots back to the early 1800s and even to the American Revolution. That connection inspired her to dig deeper, travel farther, and share her discoveries through her website, Kentucky Historic Travels, where she continues to explore and write about the fascinating stories hidden in every Kentucky town.

We first met Medina this past summer when she stopped by The Kentucky Bookstore during a trip through Anderson County. From the moment she walked in, we knew she was something special. She spoke about her work with such enthusiasm that we couldn’t wait to feature her books and today’s signing proved why. Medina has that rare gift of turning history into something you can feel. She greeted every visitor with a smile, sharing her adventures like old friends swapping stories around a kitchen table.

And now, Medina is continuing the journey with her brand new book, The Growth of Kentucky: From Frontier Taverns to Farming Estates, 1792–1862. Picking up where her first book left off, this second volume explores Kentucky’s first seventy years as a state from the early capital debates and frontier taverns to the family farms that built the foundation of modern Kentucky.

Her writing reminds us that history isn’t just something in textbooks, it’s right here, all around us, waiting to be rediscovered.

Having Medina here at The Kentucky Bookstore was more than just a signing. It was a reminder of what makes Kentucky’s stories so powerful: the people who love them enough to keep them alive.

We have more of the From Wilderness to Commonwealth books available in the store fand her newest release, The Growth of Kentucky, will be on our shelves next several weeks.

Gail

The Kentucky Bookstore
126 South Main – Lawrenceburg, KY

Let’s start this off with a little Halloween… and what better blog to share this week than a touch of spookiness from one of our favorite local authors and ghost hunters, Jeff Waldridge.

When most folks are winding down for the night in Lawrenceburg, Jeff is usually just getting started. He’s a historian, author, and paranormal investigator, a man who’s spent years chasing Kentucky’s haunted past, one story at a time.

We first met Jeff back when we started our very first business in Downtown Lawrenceburg — an online news and social media company that kept Anderson County up to date on local happenings. At the time, Jeff was just launching his Lawrenceburg Ghost Walk, and we were lucky enough to work with him right from the start.

He showed us around some of the area’s most legendary haunted spots  including the Anderson Hotel and the Ripy Mansion, each one filled with eerie stories and strange history. When we later opened the Lawrenceburg Visitor Center, Jeff began starting his ghost tours right from our store. Crowds would gather out front, the streetlights glowing, ready to follow him into the dark corners of Kentucky’s past.

Over the years, Jeff has become one of the most respected paranormal storytellers in the Bluegrass. Through his book, The Haunting of a Bourbon Town, he’s documented ghostly encounters, local legends, and bourbon-soaked mysteries that give our region its unique character.

But what makes Jeff’s work so special isn’t just the ghosts, it’s his heart for history. He listens, researches, and preserves the stories that might otherwise be forgotten. His ghost hunts connect people to the past, reminding us that every old building and Main Street has a memory that still lingers.

Jeff has been involved in so many incredible projects over the years, from ghost tours and documentaries to media work and local collaborations and he’s always finding new ways to share Kentucky’s haunted heritage. And the latest news? He’s currently working on his second book, so there’s plenty more spookiness still to come.

Here at The Kentucky Bookstore, inside Tastefully Delicious in Downtown Lawrenceburg, we’re proud to carry Jeff’s book and share his stories with readers who want to explore the haunted side of the Bluegrass. Whether you’ve been on one of his ghost walks or are just discovering his work for the first time, Jeff’s passion for Kentucky storytelling is something worth celebrating all year long.

SHOP LOCAL – READ LOCAL

— Gail

The Kentucky Bookstore
126 South Main Street – Lawrenceburg, KY

When we first opened in 2016, our shop was known as the Lawrenceburg Visitor Center — a cozy place to welcome travelers and locals alike. A year later, it grew into Tastefully Delicious, where books, gifts, and baked goods all found a home together. And tucked inside those early shelves was one of our very first authors: Ann H. Gabhart.

At the time, I didn’t know that carrying Ann’s books would lead to such a special friendship — or that her stories would become such a big part of our journey. Ann’s novels capture Kentucky better than anyone I know. Her Heart of Hollyhill series feels like sitting on a front porch with your neighbors, listening to stories that could have happened right down the road.

So, when we hosted our very first author signing, it only felt right that it was Ann sitting at that table, surrounded by her books, her readers, and the sweet smell of baked goods drifting over from the kitchen.

Over the years, we’ve been lucky to welcome her back many times — especially during her spring releases — and each event has felt like a reunion of old friends. In 2017, when we had a little extra space, we even hosted a “Breakfast with Ann” where she spoke to a full room while I served a buffet of homemade treats. That morning was pure magic — a mix of laughter, stories, and the warmth that only a small Kentucky town can offer.

Ann isn’t just an author to us anymore. She’s part of our family here at The Kentucky Bookstore. She stops by to shop, visit, and share what she’s working on next — and every time, she reminds us why we do what we do: to celebrate Kentucky stories and the people who write them.

Thank you, Ann, for being part of our story since the very beginning. Here’s to many more signings, more books, and more memories shared right here on Main Street.

— Gail

The Kentucky Bookstore

126 South Main – Lawrenceburg, KY

Why I Opened The Kentucky Bookstore

Some people collect postcards when they travel. I collect stories and somehow, most of mine led me right here to Kentucky.

I wasn’t born in this state, but I’ve come to love it like home. The people, the small towns, the pride, there’s something special about Kentucky that stays with you. For years, I poured that love into my first passion: baking. Most folks around here know me from Tastefully Delicious, where the ovens start before sunrise and the smell of cinnamon rolls sneaks out the door before I’ve even had my cup of hot tea.

But somewhere along the way, I started listening to audiobooks while I baked  and it completely changed my world. One story led to another, and before long, I was falling in love with the voices of Kentucky: the authors, the history, the humor, and the heart. I realized our state is full of incredible storytellers who deserve to be read, shared, and celebrated.

So that’s how The Kentucky Bookstore was born, right inside my little shop on Main Street in Lawrenceburg. It’s a cozy corner where you’ll find books by Kentucky authors and stories set in this beautiful state, each one handpicked to remind us why these hills, towns, and people matter.

Whether you’re a lifelong Kentuckian or discovering it for the first time like I once did, I hope you’ll find a story that makes you fall in love with this place the way I did, one page at a time.

— Gail, Baker & Bookstore Owner
126 South Main – Lawrenceburg, KY
Inside Tastefully Delicious
Tue–Sat 10–6