I feel most at home when I’m surrounded by books. Add in a fluffy dog and a warm beverage and I may never leave. Buildings filled with books where you can get lost for hours in the stacks are these beautiful liminal spaces where I both lose and find myself. After all, writers are just readers with a story to tell.
Mostly when I think of places like that, it’s a library that comes to mind. But as much as I love libraries, this post is about bookstores. Sometimes you just need to own a book. Or ten. Or endless shelves of them with one of those ladders that rolls along the shelves. Wait, maybe this post is actually about how to use bookstores to make your own library… No, no. Back on track.
Bookstores. Not all categories of them are built the same. There’s those Big Box Chains, flavorless as a rice cake, and the massive Online Retailer That Shall Not Be Named that’s not technically just a bookstore, but it started as one. It’s a place where lots and lots of people buy their books, and I get it. They may not have character, but they’re convenient, and I’m just as guilty of using them in a pinch as anyone is. Convenience aside though, they cannot rival the feeling of a small, independent bookshop.
These indie stores have moxie. They have vibes for days. Every one that I’ve been in has its own pulse—a reflection of the store’s owner, its customers, and its community. They aren’t meant to be a convenient way to impulse-buy the latest Colleen Hoover while you’re multitasking six other things. Independent bookstores are an experience.
These are places that not only sell books, but they curate them. Indie bookstores provide a more personalized shopping experience than any big box store or online retailer ever could. Every time I go in one of these stores, it’s so easy to spot either the owner or an employee who is willing and eager to talk books with enthusiasm. These stores serve as gathering places—they host book clubs, they hold author signings, and they serve as a hub for various local interests. They can be the epicenter for community activism or education. They, in turn, support local authors and artists and can help you discover stories an algorithm would never suggest, because they aren’t mining your data. They’re run by people who connect with you through conversation and community.
And have I mentioned the vibes? Some are moody and mysterious. Some are bright and cheerful. Others are cozy and comforting. Some have wide open spaces between shelves that set you off on an adventure and others feel like you’re combing through a vintage estate teeming with treasures waiting to be discovered.
If you love books (and if you’re here reading this, I’m guessing you do) I can’t recommend enough that you become a regular at one of these incredible places. Giant retailers aren’t going to notice if you bought the latest bestseller from them, but an indie bookstore certainly will. Money spent in these stores stays in your community. If you value convenience over vibes, no shame there. I multitask too. Did you know that you can buy books with convenience online through bookshop.org and choose which indie bookstore you want to support?
If you’re in the same corner of the world as me, check out the independent bookstores I’ve linked below. They’re locally owned, and each one brings a unique personality to book selling that I really enjoy. And as a bonus, they stock our books! Do you have your own favorite indie bookseller? Comment below and tell us about them!
The Raven’s End: Books and Fine Art
Sparrow Books
Tattered Corners New & Used Bookstore
Fulmer House Books and Collectibles
