Words by Elizabeth Gillott | Images by Justin Hunter
Paper Places Bookshop is a jewel located in historic downtown Jasper. Founded in January of 2022, Paper Places is a local bookstore for dreamers, created by Jasper locals Crystal and Josh Odom.
“I always knew I wanted to open a bookshop in our small town,” Crystal says. “It originally was a retirement plan, but I heard through a friend that there was a spot in what is now our previous location, and I knew then that it was time to make my dream a reality.”
Now located at 229 19th Street West, Paper Places has secured a prime spot on Jasper Main Street. Coupled with The Blend coffeehouse, the pair makes an excellent combination for the Jasper locale.
“We are excited to have this location on Main Street. I hope that more people will know that we are here and what all we have to offer,” Crystal says.
Their best-selling genres are Romance and Fantasy, but the bookstore has far more to offer, including non-fiction, Christian fiction, and a great children’s selection.
Paper Places not only has new books but also includes a used book section where customers can trade in their gently loved books. Furthermore, the shop has a Book Club that meets regularly and a Kids’ Summer Reading Challenge that is currently ongoing.
A special touch to the store is that they can order almost any book you would like. If you visit Paper Places and do not see a particular book you had in mind, no worries. Kindly ask the staff if they can order it, and it will be in the shop shortly for you to pick up.
Paper Places Bookshop is excited about their new location and the opportunity to flourish with the growing Jasper community. The shop’s hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday through Saturday. WL
