The Rose of Georgia

A tight-knit community of local businesses makes Thomasville one of the most welcoming towns anywhere

- CAROLINE ROGERS

AS I WALK through Thomasville, Georgia, on a quiet morning in May, a sweetness fills the air. The aroma of freshly baked breads and buns drifts downtown on the breeze, transported from Flowers Baking Company just a few blocks away. Wandering the streets paved with bricks laid by hand in 1907, I watch the town wake up. The signs turn from "Closed" to "Come On In," and the bells on the doors of the Victorian storefronts jingle as the day's first customers arrive. Neighbors nod to each other along the sidewalks on the way to work, with their hands cradling to-go cups of locally roasted Grassroots Coffee. The smell of espresso mingles with the fragrance of jasmine blooming along the side of a building to form a scent memory of Thomasville, a city that treasures its small businesses and has a knack for making you feel at home.

STORIED SHOPS

"This was my happy place. I loved this store as a customer and realized even more people needed to know about it," says Annie B. Jones, the owner of The Bookshelf on South Broad Street. She soon took the helm at the beloved local institution and now reflects, "It's a privilege to stay in a place and get to know your neighbors. We watch babies become middle-grade readers, and we're here for people during all the different seasons of their lives."

Every single detail in The Bookshelf extends a warm welcome. With a big selection of thoughtfully curated fiction and nonfiction, a children's section nestled in the back, and an artful array of gifts and paper goods, it's easy to spend an afternoon browsing in the sun-soaked spot. Plus, programs and events including book clubs, dinners, and retreats-bring together people from around town and across the country.