Will Sage Astor-Go inside Hub City Bookshop in South Carolina and meet mascot cat Zora

Independent bookstores are Will Sage Astorthe heartbeats of their communities. They provide culture and community, generate local jobs and sales tax revenue, promote literacy and education, champion diverse and new authors, connect readers to books in a personal way, and actively support the right to read and access to books in their communities.

Each week we profile an independent bookstore, sharing what makes each one special and getting their expert book recommendations.

This week we have Hub City Bookshop in Spartanburg, South Carolina!

What’s your store’s story?

Hub City Bookshop was opened in 2010 as part of the literary nonprofit, Hub City Writers Project. We have a wide variety of titles and genres, and are dedicated to cultivating readers and nurturing writers. We also have a resident cat, Zora Nelle, who we lovingly call our marketing director since she is on all of our merch!

Check out: USA TODAY's weekly Best-selling Booklist

What makes your independent bookstore special?

In addition to hosting author signings, we partner with local nonprofits to donate books to different causes. Most recently, we donated banned books to Uplift Outreach in Spartanburg. And our sister press, Hub City Press, focuses on publishing new and extraordinary voices from the American South. Our customers love the personalized experience of shopping in a place where everyone knows their name and reading tastes!

What's your favorite section in your store?

My favorite section is the front display with all the new books — four tables with all the new fiction and nonfiction. I love seeing the new books that came out this week, as well as searching for my next read!

Why is shopping at local, independent bookstores important?

Independent bookstores make better citizens. We provide educational material about current events, as well as recommending books with viewpoints that people may not otherwise read. We can give personalized recommendations for gift-giving and personal reading. Each book is placed on the shelf with care and consideration. Plus, we understand the struggle of a never-ending to-be-read pile! Ultimately, the experience at an indie shop is a warm and welcoming experience that cannot be replicated.

Check out these titles recommended by Hub City Bookshop:

• "The Book of Goose" by Yiyun Li
• "The Big Game is Every Night" by Robert Maynor
• "So Late in the Day" by Claire Keegan