What is Ginkgo Bookshop?
Ginkgo Books is a student-run, non-profit bookstore and community space that began in January 2026. Run by University of Virginia students, we seek to build a literary community linking the University and Charlottesville, offering a space where literature invites the collective imagining of a better future.
How did Ginkgo Bookshop begin?
Ginkgo Bookshop began with Heartwood Bookshop, which has operated on Elliewood Avenue since 1975. Learning of Heartwood’s closing, our group saw the value of a bookstore on the Corner and decided to fight to keep one there. We worked alongside faculty and community members to preserve the space and its role in Charlottesville’s literary life. With the support of Paul Collinge, Heartwood’s owner, we acquired Heartwood’s stock and location, applied for nonprofit status, and formed a student coalition to continue that legacy as Ginkgo Bookshop.
Why Ginkgo Bookshop?
Aside from literary programming, Ginkgo’s additional proceeds will go towards supporting literacy across Charlottesville, through Literacy Volunteers of Charlottesville/Albemarle (LVCA), WriterHouse, and Jefferson-Madison Regional Library.
