I have a feeling that almost every book lover dreams of owning a bookstore. Quitting the 9-to-5 and spending all their time between the stacks, spending their days coming up with book displays and talking to people about their favorite authors.
While most of us won’t have a chance to run a bookstore (probably because the fantasy above does not include any of the hard parts of owning a business), all of us can certainly become connoisseurs of bookstores.
In the age where more people are buying books from a large corporation who can afford to sell books for cheaper because they have lots and lots of money, I think it is so important to support the local independent bookstores. These places are so important for the community and deserve to be there.
Hence, the independent bookstore map. I wanted a space where we could share our favorite spots, so that others passing through or even who live nearby but haven’t discovered it can experience the joy as well. As I was thinking of my rating system for the Independent Bookstore Map, I thought I would share my thoughts of what I look for in a bookstore so that my ratings make more sense.
1. Price
Lately I have been trying not to buy new books. It is sometimes avoidable, those new releases from an author you love. But I have been making more and more trips to the library lately, mostly because my bookshelves are bursting and my wife gives me a stern look every time I mention adding to them.
What I don’t feel too bad about is going to used bookstores, something about these well loved books needing a good home is akin to the cat adoption at the pet store, I just can’t help but look. And what a more affordable way to sustain your itch to have some new books on your nightstand. So I will always give bookstores that have used books better ratings in this category. This might not be everyone’s jam, but it sure is mine!
2. Seating/Layout
I grew up in a town where there was not much to do. Especially when you were a teenager without a car. So, one frequent outing for my friends and I was spending hours in Barnes and Noble. My friend Rachel and I once put on our summer bucket list to spend the whole day in B&N, but surprise surprise, we did not have the fortitude for that, plus it turned out to be way less fun than envisioned. While the independent bookstores I now want to support do not usually have the same area as B&N (well, besides maybe the Strand and Powell’s, which I WILL visit one day), I do look for a place that you could spend some time in.
I must make a confession here. I sometimes do feel a bit strange in small bookstores. Let me set the scene: you are in a tiny, cute bookstore that is one little room. There are beautiful books around you, and no one but the booksellers in sight. Dream, right? Wrong. Instead, this set up makes me feel intensely perceived. I don’t really want all of the attention of the cashier on me! I don’t want the only noise in the place to be my footsteps and awkward attempts to appear like a completely normal person who knows what to do with all of their limbs. Why? I’m not sure. If you feel the same way, for my sanity, please let me know.
And what does that require? Somewhere to sit. Unless you are one for the stand and read, which in most circumstances makes me feel very silly. I’m looking for hidden corners, my introverted self wants to settle down and be perceived as little as possible, thank you.
3. Parking
This one is pretty self explanatory, I am an anxious person who likes to plan ahead. If I need to park two blocks over, I need to be mentally prepared.
4. Vibes
I left this one for last, in the same way I eat things on my plate in the order of how much I enjoy them: leaving the one I am most excited about till last. This is a more amorphous category, but one of the most important.
This is how comfortable you feel in a space, which is where it can overlap with the layout. How good of a browsing experience do you have? The books are easily accessible, there are a good amount of books but I don’t feel completely overwhelmed that I don’t know where to start. Or, if they do have lots and lots of books, they are organized in a way that it is still pretty easy to find what you are looking for.
And of course, aesthetics play a part in this. Do you gasp when you enter because of how cute and homy it looks? Are you drawn in by atmosphere? This, of course, is part of the vibes.
Let me know what things you look for in a bookstore, and of course, if you do have an independent bookstore you want to share, please add it to our map!
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