Celebrate Independent Bookstores!

~ Becky Ross Michael

indie books

On the last Saturday in April (and every day!) celebrate and support those wonderful, independent bookstores. My mind floods with memories of shops I have known and loved, with many of them now being too many miles away for a quick visit. What factors are most important to you in a bookstore? I certainly have several thoughts on the matter, but also wondered what some of you look for in your “tome travels.” Leave a quick comment about what you think makes a great place to shop, or about your favorite “finds,” on your way out the door to load up on books!

TIP OF THE HAT: Among my all-time favorites is Snowbound Books in Marquette Michigan…

snowbound

23 thoughts on “Celebrate Independent Bookstores!”

  1. I’m also familiar with Snowbound Books and can second your approval of it. Two of my favorites are no longer around, Serendipity Books in Naperville, IL and a small one that I can’t remember the name of in Woodstock, IL. A new discovery for me is Prairie Path Books in Wheaton. It’s a real gem with lots of author signings and other events. As far as what I like in a bookstore, I like a cat or a dog wandering around, owners or staff who are knowledgeable about mysteries, and good prices.

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  2. The first that comes to mind is The Book Lady in Monroe, NC. https://www.facebook.com/The-Book-Lady-1883229271817775/
    She used to have a permanent stall in a building at the local flea market but moved to a brick and mortar store where she has been for many years. She knows her books and can tell you off the top of her head if she has the one you are looking for. I brought her a couple of large boxes full of books and it took her less than a minute to pick out the ones she wanted.

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  3. I love a well organized and comfortable environment. I always compare the bookstores to the one in the old movie You’ve Got Mail. I have been lucky enough to be in one like that, I didn’t want to leave. It was truly a magical experience.

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  6. Since I have moved around a lot, I have several ‘favorite’ Indie book stores–Yellow Book Road ( a children’s book store, now closed in San Diego), Warwick’s Book Store in La Jolla, Over the Moon Bookstore in Crozet, VA (near Charlottesville), Kramerbooks and Afterwards Cafe in Washington, DC, Dominion Book Store in Charlottesville, and Powells in Portland, Oregon. I like a bookstore with knowledgeable staff, lots of variety, staff picks, book signings, and comfortable places to sit and read. A coffee shoo in store or nearby is a plus.

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    1. You have moved around quite a bit, as have I. Sure wish that I’d kept a list of all the cute store names and their locations, although I do remember quite a few. Yes, those are all characteristics that I like in a bookstore, too, and had overlooked the important coffee shop aspect!

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  8. I love Independent shops and more so if there is a cat:) I think bookstores and cats go together, but that might just be me. I love to find books that are not carried by chains. You can find them in the Independents. Local authors and storage books from I don’t know where but I love them. I just like to be comfortable and feel at home, never rushed but able to wander and find wonderful treasures that are always there waiting for me.

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  9. One other thing…I like Independents because most of the time the people who work there actually READ and know about books. You can actually have a conversation with them…as opposed to the chains where the people there just have a job. I asked a man who worked in a big chain if he read a certain book they were highlighting, and he said, “Oh, I don’t read. I work here because it’s close to where I live.”

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