The Novel Nest Bookstore has become a cherished local business in Wilson since opening in August 2023, as evidenced by the bookstore’s recent First Place selection for “Best Bookstore” and Third Place selection for “Best New Business” in The Wilson Times’s Readers’ Choice Awards.
The bookstore’s owner, Zoe Taylor, began her bookselling venture by selling books from her own collection in a Facebook group. Nearly a year later, she opened a store in downtown Wilson.
“I never expected to have an actual storefront,” she explained. “When I saw the space for the first time in person, I cried and called my mom saying that this was my store. I could see everything coming together and it was a perfect size to start.”
Taylor said she strives to create a space “where everyone feels welcome and at home” and is honored by the bookstore’s placing in The Wilson Times’s Readers’ Choice Awards.
“It is truly an honor,” she said. “I never expected to actually win. The community has been so supportive and helpful. I wouldn’t be here in this position without them.”
If you’re in the Wilson area, you can check out The Novel Nest at 120 Goldsboro Street Wednesdays – Fridays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.