Key Takeaways

  • McKay’s began in 1974 with a mission to make education more accessible through its “free enterprise library” model.
  • The chain now has five locations across Tennessee and North Carolina.
  • To celebrate its 50th anniversary, McKay’s hosted a 570-mile road trip challenge.

When I was younger, I had a nearly endless hunger for books. So my absolute favorite thing to do on a hot summer day was to spend the afternoon in McKay’s, a used bookstore that was just down the road from our house where I could not only be surrounded by that comforting old-book smell but take advantage of the air-conditioning too. For a long time, I thought that McKay’s was special to Chattanooga. I’d never run across one anywhere else, and it just felt so unique that it didn’t feel like it could be replicated. Sure, other used bookstores exist, but none of them ever came close to McKay’s in my eyes. 

Then a few years ago, my husband and I took a day trip to Nashville and drove a little out of our way to visit Loveless Cafe. It was an impromptu add-on to the trip and so worth it—especially when I spotted a McKay’s sign on our way downtown afterward. I made my husband pull over right then and there. Stepping inside the Nashville store, I was floored by the instant hit of nostalgia.

50 Years And Counting

After this surprise run-in with a second McKay’s location, I got curious and started looking into its history. I learned that it was actually started in North Carolina, but the fact that it was a Southern-born company came as no surprise to me given the warmth and hospitality I’ve experienced every single visit. 

Established in 1974, the original idea behind the store was to make education more accessible. As a “free enterprise library,” the inventory was built from customers’ personal bookshelves. For any books they brought in, they got a credit to use in the store. This is the model that is still used today but now with a wide-ranging inventory. The company has grown to have five locations: two in North Carolina (Winston-Salem and Mebane) and three in Tennessee (Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Nashville). 

How It Works

You don’t have to bring in your own books to participate in the shopping, but it’s a great way to unload the novels you’re done with. If you’re planning to sell to McKay’s, especially if you go on a summer day like my family used to, you’ll likely have to wait a while as the employees sort through everything. But honestly, the wait is kind of the best part. It’s an excuse to browse—you might as well make the most of your time after all! At the drop-off counter, you’ll be issued a ticket number, so until your number is called, the store is yours to explore. 

More often than not, my mom and I turned around and spent all the credit we received. But that’s the beauty of McKay’s. We got to make room on our bookshelves for new reads, and we knew that our books would soon be in the hands of readers who’d get more use out of them than we would. In my opinion, the point of a book is to be read not to sit on a shelf and get dusty, so I’d much rather pass my copy on to the next interested party. But if I get to trade for a new one entirely? That’s the best of both worlds. 

Credit:

Susan Polcari

The Atmosphere

I know it might sound odd that one of my favorite places from childhood was essentially a warehouse, but the interiors of McKay’s feel like anything but. Every inch of the space is put to use, with rows upon rows of shelves that are stuffed top to bottom—plus sections for gaming, musical instruments, movies, and toys. 

The volume of items they process is so large that it would be nearly impossible to organize every title perfectly. Once you find your preferred genre in the maze of shelves, the books are mostly alphabetized by the authors’ last names, but there might be several sections just for those whose last names start with “M.” From there, you’re on a treasure hunt of sorts. And one author might fit into multiple genres, so if you’re serious about finding a particular book, you may have to start your search all over again in another part of the store. But that’s the charm of McKay’s. It’s just as much about the chase as it is the reward.  

The shelves are also pretty close together, so each aisle feels like its own alcove. When I was a kid, I would set up camp in the YA section to scour over all the offerings. I’d pull a little footstool over to my corner to serve as my seat as I read different passages and tried to narrow down what I was taking home with me. It truly felt like I was in my own world until my mom came to collect me. 

The Ultimate Road Trip

During the summer of 2024, I suddenly started seeing my McKay’s pop up all over my social media feeds. While I have always thought they deserved this kind of recognition, I’d never seen such fanfare for the store before. It turns out, for McKay’s 50th anniversary, they decided to host an unprecedented challenge: If participants could make it to all five locations (across Tennessee and North Carolina) on July 9, then they’d receive $500 in credit. This road trip covered 570 miles, which required 10 hours of driving at the very least. 

Believe it or not, so many people decided to take part in this challenge that McKay’s had to pivot and loosen their requirements. Between standstill traffic on the highways and lines that wrapped around each store, it was impossible for most people to make that journey without seriously breaking some traffic laws. Those dedicated enough were able to walk away with the grand prize, and many, many others received souvenir McKay’s passports and T-shirts for their efforts. While there was no official challenge or prize this year, several customers did the trip again in earnest—no skipping locations—and actually got to stop to shop or relax along the way too. People genuinely drove nearly 600 miles just for the fun of it. If that doesn’t go to show how beloved this Southern chain is, I’m not sure what will.