Publishers Weekly announced the shortlist for their annual Bookstore of the Year award during the American Booksellers Association Winter Institute in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Avid Bookshop of Athens, Georgia, is one of five finalists for this prestigious award which includes The King’s English Bookshop (Salt Lake City, Utah), Parnassus Books (Nashville, Tennessee), Prairie Lights (Iowa City, Iowa), and Wild Rumpus Books (Minneapolis, Minnesota). Winners will be announced in March with the award presented in June at BookExpo in New York City, New York.

When asked about this honor, Avid Bookshop owner and founder Janet Geddis said, "To say I'm thrilled about this is an understatement. PW is one of the most well-respected publications in our industry world-wide, and to be named one of the top five bookstores in the United States is just astounding. We have worked so enthusiastically, continually looking for ways to engage readers near and far, and it's immensely rewarding to know that the book world at large is taking note of our success."