Bayou Booksellers & Gift Shoppe Celebrates Grand Reopening in Downtown Hammond
By Katie Overby
Hammond Downtown Development District Intern
Tangipahoa Parish Chamber of Commerce, agencies in Downtown Hammond, along with family and friends of the Turner Family came Tuesday, September 22, 2026 for the Reopenning Ribbon Cutting of Bayou Booksellers. Photos Credit Hammond Downtown Development Staff.
HAMMOND, Louisiana — A local gem of Downtown Hammond is continuing its story and beginning a brand new chapter. On September 22nd, Bayou Booksellers of Downtown Hammond, alongside the Tangipahoa Chamber of Commerce, celebrated its grand reopening with a ribbon cutting ceremony.
Michael and Katie Turner, residents of Hammond, acquired the business from past owners, Leann and Aaron Miller. Located in the heart of Downtown Hammond at 201 W Thomas Street, Bayou Booksellers has been given new life with indoor renovations, a variety of gifts, and a brand new gift basket bar.
Originally founded in 1996, Bayou Booksellers has seen multiple owners throughout the years. Michael Turner shared his deep appreciation of the local community, “Downtown Hammond has been something special to us for a long time. You all started an incredible foundation for us to build on, and made it easy in a lot of regards. We were just thankful to be able to keep this going, we’re thankful to keep it in Downtown Hammond because it is so dear to us.”
Hammond Downtown Development District Board Member Mary Guitreau expresses her excitement for the reopening, thanking Michael and Katie for continuing Bayou Booksellers’ legacy, “On behalf of the DDD, we want to thank you all for continuing this legacy. Obviously, Bayou Booksellers is a huge asset to Downtown Hammond, and we thank everyone who has kept it going for all of the years before. We are very excited to come in and shop, spend our money, and to keep this legacy alive.”
Bayou Booksellers is now open to the public and business is in full swing. For more information, you can visit Bayou Booksellers’ Facebook page for business hours, upcoming events, and other news.
