SMALL BUSINESS OWNER LISA MISOSKY
Lisa Misosky was nominated for the Athena Leadership Award for 2023 and here are the good things they said about her business and community service: “Misosky has been a small business owner in Blount County since purchasing Southland Books in 1999. The business has grown substantially after several moves from the first location in West Maryville to the present location on East Broadway Avenue and now includes Southland Books and Café; a downstairs event space, The
Bird and The Book; and a media center, The Dungeon at Southland. She is a strong advocate for early childhood education and literacy. As a Friends of the Blount County Library Board member, Misosky helped start an eBay shop to get more value from sales of donated books, generating over $100,000 in gross sales; supported education in Blount County by raising funds to purchase whiteboards for pre-K classrooms; and donated books and raised funds for a bookmobile in Walland. Drag Queen Bingo was started in 2019 and hosted in The Bird and The Book to raise funds for local nonprofits, most recently assisting Blount County foster children. Misosky is committed to providing a community gathering space at Southland where all people can exist in a safe place, free of judgement. For that, she received the Community Advocacy Award from the Blount County Democratic Party in 2019 ‘in recognition of her unwavering commitment to equality and justice.’”
Inspiration: Laura Cavin; Pledge/Four Way: Mary Thompson; Fellowship: Laura Cavin; Zoom: Bob Beasley
