Ben Adams: Columbia, South Carolina Native, Former New Yorker, and Independent Bookstore Owner

Ben Adams grew up in the Elmwood Park neighborhood of Columbia, South Carolina. As a child, he couldn't wait to move to a larger city. Ben went to college in Washington, DC and then moved to New York City. During visits back to Columbia, he was impressed by the revitalization happening in Columbia's downtown. Eventually, Ben decided to move back to Columbia to pursue his dream of opening a bookstore. In early 2020, he opened Odd Bird Books in The Arcade Building, a recently restored shopping arcade on Columbia's Main Street that was built in 1912. In 2023, Odd Bird Books will be replaced by All Good Books, a bookstore in Columbia's Five Points neighborhood that Ben will be opening in partnership with Clint and Jenna Wallace.