Today is National Independent Bookstore Day, and regardless of what you may think about made-up days to fill up your events calendar, independent bookstores are definitely something to celebrate. I can hardly begin to tell you how many local bookstores I’ve had wonderful experiences with, both selling books and buying them. Here’s a picture of my most recent visit, to Enchanted Books in Quincy, Illinois.
But it must be admitted, some folks like to support their local small businesses in the abstract, while not supporting them in practice. No judgment here, but let’s remember that local small businesses, bookstores included, succeed in the same way that all businesses do. By making money.
So if you want to be a friend to your local bookstore year-round, and not just on the last Saturday in April, here are a couple of ideas.
If you love the convenience of online shopping, hunt for the books you want on bookshop.org. You get to pick a local bookstore to support, and you can still shop in your pajamas. Not that I haven’t seen some people shopping in their pajamas at the local store anyway.
Audiobook lover? Then bookmark libro.fm. Same deal: online convenience, local support.
Independent bookstores are responding to marketplace trends in their home communities, and they love to serve local customers. So stop by, hang out, get some recommendations, sit in the comfy chairs, and take in the atmosphere. Treat yo’ self, as the saying goes.
stevewiegenstein 