Please Support Independent Bookstores
March 21, 2022 | Dara Marie | @thornfield_lane
If you’re here, it’s safe to say you love books. Reading books, buying books, talking about books.
I needn’t tell you–I’m sure you already know!–but one of the amazing things about books is how there are so many! Each one unique. And there will always be new ones coming out. A blizzard’s snowflakes covering the mountains. It can be overwhelming to think about, honestly.
With this ever-constant ebb and flow of books, bookstores are necessary.
Of my friends, I know I am far from the only one who adores independent bookstores. They always have a level of charm as unique as the books they carry. Many of these stores started years ago from literature-loving people like me. I have met numerous people while perusing the shelves and had so many wonderful discussions about how heartbreaking Tolstoy is and Jane Austen’s immortality. It breaks my heart every time I hear of these businesses closing. With the rise of commercial bookstores, e-books, and audiobooks, independent bookstores have become an endangered species. COVID-19 certainly hasn’t helped. One of my favorite little shops in Manassas, Virginia had to close because of a pandemic-induced bankruptcy.
While working on my podcast (releasing this summer!), I have had to buy several books. All were purchased from independent bookstores and thrift shops in Utah, Tennessee, or online because I truly believe what I am preaching.
Wherever I travel, I love finding small shops off the beaten path. Currently, my favorite is Weller Book Works in Salt Lake City, Utah (near where I’m currently at college studying English) because of its retro feel and sliding shelf ladders that make me feel like a Disney princess. This post’s cover photo is of it.
Despite this, I cannot claim to be sinless. My favorite Jane Eyre edition is from ‘Barnes and Nobles’ (I know: the horror). And sometimes, it’s easier to go to a chain establishment because they are often larger with wider selections. I’m not asking you to never use mainstream book services, just be sure to give love to the underdogs.
Book lovers, I implore you to please, please support independent bookstores near you as often as possible. Keep them going. Don’t let these beautiful establishments go extinct.
While in the shop “Book No Further” in Roanoke, Virginia, I learned about an online database for independent bookstores: Indie Bound. At this site, you can enter any zip code or city and find a list of stores near you.
The next time you’re dying to get your hands on a book, consider using Indie Bound to find a local store near you to support: https://www.indiebound.org/
Please, friends: let’s keep these stores alive!
What's your favorite independent bookstores? What's your best thrifstore book find? I'd love to hear from you! You can connect with me through thornfield.lane@gmail.com or on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter: @thornfield_lane. 