Who we are
The Hive Bookshop is an independent bookstore opening in the Bearden neighborhood of Knoxville, Tennessee. We are a home for book lovers of every age - from bedtime rebels to campus bookworms to lifelong readers. Whether you’re chasing new ideas or escaping into a great story, The Hive is where readers thrive.
If you want to support us before our big opening in Spring 2026, please visit our Bookshop.org site found here. Purchases benefit independent bookstores everywhere, and we are always happy to make recommendations for your next great read.
Sara Holladay is the owner of The Hive Bookshop in Knoxville, Tennessee. Originally from Arlington, Virginia, she has called Knoxville home since she and her husband, Scott, moved here in 2011. Sara earned her bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University and her Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Denver.
Before opening The Hive Bookshop, she spent nearly 20 years in the world of books, first in academic publishing and later as a librarian, careers that deepened her belief that stories build connection and community. Bonus fun for sports lovers: Sara also spent roughly a decade blogging as the Fantasy Football Librarian and will happily talk fantasy sports any time!
Sara lives in Bearden with Scott, their three children (15, 12, and 7), and three cats.
Jill Van Beke is a partner in The Hive Bookshop in Knoxville, Tennessee. Originally from Columbus, Ohio, she has called Knoxville home since 2003, when she and her husband, Chris, moved to the city they now love deeply.
Jill earned her bachelor’s degree from Columbia University and lived in New York City, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C., before settling in East Tennessee. Her professional background spans real estate development and finance, public service, the start-up world, and emergency financial relief.
Across all of those chapters—and long before them—books have been a constant. Jill believes reading offers both escape and connection, and The Hive Bookshop grew out of that belief: that bookstores matter, communities thrive when stories are shared, and there should always be a welcoming place to wander the shelves.
Jill lives in Sequoyah Hills with her husband, Chris, their two children (ages 15 and 13), and their yellow lab.
