Sharp Opens Nightbird Books

After 20 years of bookkeeping for her husband, architect Robert Sharp, Lisa Sharp described herself as “ready to do something on my own.”

So she launched one of Fayetteville’s newest businesses, Nightbird Books, a 1,900-SF bookstore that opened on April 8.

Sharp said that she spent $90,000 on initial inventory.

While the Fayetteville area has big-name sellers such as Barnes and Nobles Booksellers and Hastings, Sharp said her small-store atmosphere offers benefits that larger stores cannot, such as personal service and the ability to fill customers’ orders quickly.

She said she is taking a “wait-and-see” approach before deciding to what market her store will cater. Sharp described Nightbird, which carries 8,000 different titles, as having a good selection of children’s books, fiction, history and biographies.

Graphic novels are selling well too, Sharp said, and she may look into getting more of that genre.

Sharp has programs and events to help promote Nightbird such as book clubs for kids. Author visits are also on tap. Roy Reed, former University of Arkansas professor and writer for The New York Times, is slated to visit in June though Sharp said a date has not been finalized. The award-winning Kevin Brockmeier (“The Brief History of the Dead”) is scheduled to come to Nightbird on July 8.

The store is located at 557 S. School St., Suite 103. Its operating hours are Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sunday noon-6 p.m.