Louisville's oldest independent bookstore, Carmichael’s has been in business in Louisville for 45 years. It was started in spring of 1978 by Carol Besse and Michael Boggs (the store name is a combination of their first names.) It is a family business in the best tradition. As the business grew, so did the number of family members involved, and the staff now includes a second generation and employs more than 30 staff members at 3 locations. In 2019, Carol and Michael's daughter, Miranda, and niece, Kelly, took over ownership of the stores with hopes of allowing Carmichael's to be Louisville's bookstore for many years to come.

In 2014, Carmichael’s opened Carmichael’s Kid’s at 1313 Bardstown Rd., just a stone's throw from the original store location. A long-time dream to have a store dedicated to children with the hope to put a book in every child’s hands, Carmichael’s Kids is a whimsical escape for any child to read, learn, and grow. 

As a founding member of the Louisville Independent Business Alliance, Carmichael’s is actively committed to Keeping Louisville Weird and spreading the word about the importance of buying from locally-owned businesses.

Please visit us here to buy directly from Carmichael's and sign up for our newsletter.