Blogger: Wendy Lawton
Location: Books & Such Central Valley Office
First,congratulations to the winners from yesterday! I assigned a number to each comment and asked my husband to pick six numbers. Here are the winners: Stephanie Hovland, Morgan L. Busse, Diane Storz, Ava Pennington, Christina Lindsay and Michael K. Reynolds. Please send me your mailing addresses (Wendy[at]booksandsuch.com) and I’ll get your book out to you. You’re going to love it.
Today, we’re talking bookstores. I had the most wonderful bookstore, Garcia-Garst Booksellers, here in our town for twenty of the thirty years I’ve lived in this valley. How I miss them. Bev Garst used to keep lists of the authors or illustrators we loved and as soon as a book was released, she’d call. During those years I never missed a release from my favorite authors. Plus it was a great place to go to browse the antiquarian books. Bev is the one who introduced me to many of the books I now treasure. When I walked in she’d always greet me with something like, “You are not going to believe what I just bought. I was able to get the entire Honey Bunch collection in matching binding.” And I knew I was adding another series to my collection. Where does one get that kind of attention and service today?
The movie, You’ve Got Mail, dealt with the conflict between the big box bookstore and the small independent bookstore. Since that movie released things have only gotten more grim for the owner-operated stores in our country. And I mourn their demise.
Yes, we love the superstores with coffee bars that have miles of bookshelves but where are the owners or salespeople who were passionate about books? The people who know everything about our favorite authors? Who know our reading habits and can recommend the perfect book for us? (Besides Amazon who does it with amazing precision based on past preferences.)
What I want to know is:
- Where is the bookstore that serves its community as a waterhole– a place to gather?
- Where is the bookstore that understands that reading is a social activity? The bookstore that has reading groups and employees ready to discuss a book with a customer?
- Where is the bookstore that looks like 84 Charring Cross Road and the employee who is willing to maintain a lifelong relationship with a customer?
I know they must still exist. Wouldn’t it be a great road trip across America to try to visit all the fine independent bookstores from sea to shining sea?
Your turn: If you were to open a bookstore of your own, what would you do differently? What would it be like? Or just tell us about your wonderful bookstore.
I love independent bookstores as well. I have found that it seems like for these stores to stay afloat now, many have new books as well as used and then also have a “gift” section for art or knick-knacks.
Your description of a bookstore is like my dream store to frequent.
There’s a little bookstore in the downtown area of my town that wants to create that feel. I’m not sure if they have successfully done so yet, but they try to become a gathering place and participate in a lot of community events. They hold book signings, writing contests, and participate in the town’s downtown events. I would imagine all of these efforts add to their business and possibly to return traffic.
As a youth pastor cutting my teeth in Chicago, I made many trips to various Christian bookstores. I’ve forgotten the name of this particular store, but it stood out above the rest. Located 1/2 block from the Jefferson Park Station (Chicagoans know what I mean), it was an oddly shaped, super long, super skinny storefront.
The bookseller was an ancient man named Charles (?). He always took the time to discuss books with me. He taught me why a leather-bound Bible would last far longer than any other binding (not bonded leather, but genuine calfskin). He taught me how to correctly open a new Bible, to avoid breaking the spine. He held out J. Sidlow Baxter’s “Explore the Book” and suggested I read it through once a year (I haven’t kept up, but what a great book). He listened to what God was teaching me thru life, and always had just the right book to offer. Usually a Christian classic.
The store is gone now, replaced by a bank or fast food joint. Few people remember the spiritual oasis that once stood on Milwaukee Ave. But God does. I do too.
I too mourn the passing of the independent bookstores. I found something there I’ve never found since.
Charles wasn’t just a bookseller, he was a mentor — a spiritual guide through literature.
Amazonians don’t know what they’re missing.
Totally not what you were going for but…
HONEY BUNCH!
No one I have ever mentioned them to [except one used book store guy] has ever known who Honey Bunch and Norman were! [And my library doesn’t even have any Bobsey Twins either!] I have a Rubbermaid under the bed type tub with a bunch of them in it – 3 or 4 HB/N and several BT. I need to find it as my kids are old enough to enjoy them now.
My 9yo is getting ready to start Encyclopedia Brown :). I love it!
Carol
We were blessed a couple years ago to have a new bookstore move into our area, called Mardels. It is a Christian bookstore. It is a good size store that offers a lot of variety of Christian products including, books, music, school supplies, clothing and jewlery. I usually find the book I am looking for in there but do not feel overwhelmed like I do in some large chains of bookstores. The staff is also friendly which adds to the environment that makes it the perfect store for me.
I think that it is easy for a bookstore to offer a good selection and still have a small store feel to it.
The only independent book store in my town is a used book store, which is great, but not the same as a new store.
I’ve wanted to take a field trip to the other side of Michigan just to check out Schuler’s, a highly recommended indy book store in Grand Rapids. One of these weekends…
I remember our hometown Christian bookstore. It was located in a renovated old house next to the mall. When you walked in, you were automatically greeted by name. Everyone knew everyone inside that little store.
Probably one of the best memories is when my husband needed a job. I asked the owner if they needed anyone and a couple days later, my husband had a job. The staff in that little store became our family. Good memories 🙂
Another bookstore I love is the DTS Bookstore. It is located in an old renovated Greek Orthodox church (hmm… seems to be something about old renovated buildings and memorable bookstores lol). The building itself is unique and of course stocked with great books. My husband landed a job there shortly after starting seminary and I remember waiting for him to get off work, perusing the aisles to see what was new.
I would open a children’s bookstore. At each of the schools I’ve worked at in the past 7 years, I invite kids to match them to a book. I find it thrilling! I ask them which books they like and why. Then, I try to give them a list of books that they can try out.
At my previous school, one boy who I never thought warmed up to me, sent his mom to buy a book from our bookfair one year. I was in another room, so she didn’t know I heard her. She told the secretary, “I don’t know what this book is about, but he said if Mrs. Hovland recommended it, it was good!”
I smiled and will hold that memory forever. I love matchmaking.
I read mostly kids’ stuff, though, so I’ll have to stick to the under 16 crowd (a little YA, but mostly younger.)
In my bookstore, we would have story hours for every age. Older kids love to be read to, though they might not admit it. Lots of lounging areas, and maybe even a couple of cats (even though I’m allergic, I’ve got to admit they’re a great feature at my local independent bookstore.)
My all-time favorite independent bookstore is Vroman’s in Pasadena, Calif. If you check out their website, http://www.vromansbookstore.com/, you’ll see what an active spot it is. And I love how personal the site is, introducing each of their booksellers to you.
Plus Vroman’s is lovely, a visual jewel, full of book accessories, fine pens, handsome stationery.
I used to live near Vroman’s, and I still miss it.
Thank you, Wendy. Looking forward to receiving Andy’s book, Rainy Day Games.
I always wanted to have a bookstore with a quiet loft designed for writers. It would have a resource library with great books and cubbies for people to write their great American novels. It would have a room for homeschooling students, too, and storytimes. I don’t think people have places they can gather today to enjoy books together.
We had a really grand bookstore in a neighboring community that I frequented. Crossroads Books. The owners (surname Cross) knew everyone who came in, had a marvelous selection and were most accommodating about getting you anything you wanted. When Ron decided to retire, I wept for days. Nothing is the same when your bookstore changes.
Unfortunately, there is a business side to the bookstore. It needs to create a viable living for the proprietor. Can we figure out how to do that?
For over 30 years, Book Passage in Corte Madera, CA (Marin County) has flourished. They always have top authors visiting, and writing classes, events and conferences. I’ve taken a few travel writing classes there, and when I visit my aunt and uncle, I always stop by. They also hold events at the Ferry Building in San Fran. Several year ago, they went up against the Barnes and Nobles that moved in nearby, and they’re actually still doing well (at least as far as I know).
http://www.bookpassage.com
My dream beyond that, I can envision it perfectly — coffee/tea house bookstore with a cozy atmosphere, fireplaces in the winter, outdoor sitting garden in the summer, quiet reading and writing areas, know staff, but also goodies and gathering areas to meet a friend. I’d be there every day! 🙂
Trisha, you are talking about a library. They are still out there. I love them AND independent bookstores.
Kid’s Ink in Indianapolis. The owner credits her success to being next door to an ice cream store.
My most favorite book store is Western Edge in Medora, ND. Mary and Doug have become god friends and supply a lot of my research materials. The store is a log building with all things western in books, audio, art and music. I love to sign books there and they have a group come in to play whenever I am there. I want to go back.
We have a good store here in Tehachapi too. Sells the best coffees, teas and syrups. Has both new and used books, sells lots of my books, hmmm both these stores do that. orders anything you want and has comfortable places for sitting and reading. Our reading group met there until we outgrew the space. Called Books and Crannies.
I always stop at the store in TRuckee CA too. Bookshelf does a marvelous job of putting up cards with people’s opinions of books. Wonderful staff that also recommends books and searches for titles you ask for.
The Four Eyed Frog in Qualala sp, is another. I always find books to buy there too. the two men that own and run it are delightful and fighting to keep it open b/c it is a meeting place for the town and they believe in books.
I love places that like to talk about books, recommend books and are proud of their area and their clientel.
I guess I carried on long enough.
I love independent bookstores, also. Thankfully, there’s a couple decent bookstores kind of close to me. Constellation Books, Ukazoo Books, and A Novel Idea are all within driving distance of my house and are excellent bookstores.