by John Fleming
For the record, a tombolo is a sandy isthmus that links an island to the mainland, and if we are all “islands shouting lies to each other across seas of misunderstandings,” as Rudyard Kipling wrote, then Tombolo Books in St. Petersburg is the antidote for both our isolation and our lies.
Sandwiched between Black Crow Coffee and the St. Pete Opera Company’s “Opera Central” with a SunRunner transit stop directly in front, Tombolo is a book lover’s loveshack in downtown St. Pete. If you’re not arriving by bus, skip the 1st Street entrance and enter through the lush courtyard next to the “Love Your Neighborhood” mural on (no joke) Poetry Alley. You’ll be greeted by the caffeinated breeze of Black Crow and restorative lungfuls of fresh-pressed lit inside.
Tombolo’s success starts with good pedigree. Alsace Walentine, shop owner along with her partner, Candice Anderson, mastered bookstore craft as the longtime events director at Malaprop’s in Asheville. What began as a pop-up in St. Pete eventually found its brick-and-mortar home in 2019.
I spoke with Kelsey Jagneaux, the Events and Marketing Manager at Tombolo, who gave me the scoop on the Tombolo recipe. It begins with the people—not only the owners and staff, but the authors, activists, journalists, and artists who make Tombolo events a success. “I get to work with some of the coolest, most interesting, intelligent people on the planet,” says Jagneaux. For her, it’s a dream job.
Community engagement drives Tombolo’s mission. The store hosts a dozen book clubs for readers of romance, horror, middle grade, sci-fi, queer comics, social justice, and others. For a small bookstore, Tombolo is big on events, most weeks featuring anywhere from one to three book releases, author conversations, poetry readings, and kids’ writing and comics workshops, on-site and off. Tombolo also partners with community organizations and leaders to create events around the city, including the African American Heritage Association, the Poet Laureate of St. Petersburg, and Florida Humanities. “Our community can count on us to provide a space where they can explore, learn, be curious, and gather,” Jagneaux says.
Tombolo is for kids, too. Sales Floor Manager Amanda Hurley curates a beautiful and diverse children’s book section, guided by the simple and beautiful principle that “every kid and family that walks through the section should see themselves on the shelves.” Kids visit often to read in the nook and pack the house for Thursday morning storytime.
Tombolo’s orderly layout invites relaxed browsing and a rich and expansive vibe. The friendly and knowledgeable booksellers, many of them pursuing (or already holding) advanced degrees in literature or creative writing, operate with joyful enthusiasm and unsnobbish good taste. They remind you why independent bookstores matter, and their recommendation cards draw your attention to the best reads for every taste and genre.
For authors looking to schedule an event at Tombolo or other independent bookstores, Jagneaux recommends engaging by email or social media. “It goes a long way when we know that the author is as enthusiastic about us and the event as we are. Helping to market the event also goes a long way to show our audience that the author is engaged.”
Whether you’re a local or a visitor, an author or reader, you’ll find a warm reception at Tombolo, as well as a literary link to the mainland.
John Fleming is the author of Wonders of Shadow Key, The Legend of the Barefoot Mailman, and Songs for the Deaf. He has been awarded two Literature Fellowships from the State of Florida and an International Book Award for Songs for the Deaf, which was also short-listed for CLMP’s Firecracker Award. He holds a PhD in Creative Writing from The University of Louisiana-Lafayette, a Master’s in Creative Writing from The University of Southern Mississippi, and a BA in Psychology from The University of Virginia. He is the founder of the literary magazine Saw Palm: Florida Literature and Art.
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