Golden Bough has cats, books and Macon history

When you first walk into Golden Bough, a used bookstore on Cotton Avenue, you are struck with the nostalgia and historical interest that can only come from books.

Eric Wakefield, the store owner, has done his best to preserve and improve the building that began as an antiquarian bookstore in 1989.

Peter Garcia

Wakefield first came to Macon as a Mercer student and remained after he graduated with an art degree in 1996, and it shows with the shop’s decor: along the walls of the store, local art is hung above the shelves.

Wakefield was working at Golden Bough when it was about to go out of business.

“I thought if [the books covered] a more general interest, it might have a chance,” he said.

Wakefield bought it, fixed it up and added more modern books to the inventory.

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Types of books that can be found include books that are out of print, local publications, and some of the collectibles that remain from Golden Bough’s earlier days.

Some of these are what Wakefield calls “pieces of Macon history” and were published as far back as the 1870s.

The store has always had a role in community involvement, and they are planning to begin a small remodel this winter: the back room, where groups could go to have meetings or do theater rehearsals, will soon be a children’s area.

“It would have tables and toys and just be completely filled with children’s books,” Wakefield said.

He said he hopes the new section of the store will continue to grow their involvement within the community.

“We can have story times, and we can have other events in the space in the evenings,” Wakefield said.

In addition to used books and a children’s area, you can enjoy spending time with the store’s three resident cats: Siren, Titan and Trinity.

They were all rescued and love getting attention, although they’re not much help around the store.