Why I Love Indie Bookstores

From the start, let me admit this: my vocation is helping independent bookstores. That’s what I do forty plus hours a week. I work eight hours a day to drive customers to local stores. My efforts begin with releases from dozens of publishers and end with catalogs and emails that drive people like you to local stores, where those books are prominently displayed on endcaps and with compelling sale prices. I’ve been doing this, one way or another, for more than half my life.

So, the “Shop Local” aspect of this blog is sort of what I get paid for. But, I do what I do for a living because I believe in it. A desire for people to buy books from local stores is in my DNA. Do I buy from Target and Barnes & Noble? From time to time, yes, I do. Do I buy from Amazon? I have, but mostly for out-of-print books. But here are a handful of reasons that buying books from your local bookstore is a good idea. (And I believe this can be applied to just about any local business…)

1.      Personalization – When I visit an indie bookstore, I am greeted by people who showed up to work to help me find exactly what I am looking for. When I know what the book looks like but can’t remember the title? (“It was green with yellow words and some stars on the cover.”) When I love an author and want to read someone similar? (“I’ve ready everything Nick Hornby wrote; who else should I read?”) Indie booksellers can help me find what I need, even a book I wasn’t particularly looking for. They make shopping for my next read personal and fun and memorable. It’s not like buying a book from a manager or an employee; I buy books from readers when I buy from an indie.

2.      Relaxation – Sure, online shopping allows me to buy a book in my underwear. But the online experience pales in comparison to walking into a bookstore and picking up whatever catches my eye. It’s easy to scroll online; but not browse. Relaxing in a bookstore, surrounded by stories and ideas and fellow fans of the written word is a totally tactile experience. The smell of the books, the warmth of a cozy chair, the quiet excitement, the genuine escape to another world… that cannot be replicated online. Browse, relax, shop, chat… That’s an experience you’ll only find in an indie.                     

3.      Curation – The newest and the bestselling books are great, but that doesn’t always mean they are good reads. The shelves in an indie bookstore are filled with books that connect with their customers. A careful selection is made, offering books and other items that connect with the community. Local authors, niche interests, and those hidden gems find their place. Sure, this can make an indie bookstore “quirky,” but who needs a cookie-cutter approach when unique personalities can create a one-of-a-kind bookstore.

4.      Circulation – Indie bookstores are local business. When you shop there, you are keeping your money in your community. One study revealed that, on average, 48% of your purchase at a locally owned business is recirculated into the community versus just 14% when your purchase is made at a big-box or chain store. And next to nothing impacts your town when you buy online. If you want to invest in where you live, increasing the value of your community, shop local.

5.      Conservation – It is very easy to buy online and have things shipped to your home. But it is wasteful beyond belief. The boxes, the packaging, the delivery trucks, the freight truck and airmail… That’s a huge carbon footprint! The less transportation required to get your hands on a book the lower the environmental impact. Why have something shipped from hundreds or thousands of miles away when the item you want is available just a few miles from your home? If you really like to shop online, though, most indie bookstores offer the option to buy online for in-store pickup. All you have to do is drop-in when you are already out shopping for groceries or whatever, grab your book, and off you go.

6.      Dedication – The people who own indie bookstores have a lot on the line. Often, a second mortgage on their home or a business loan to provide them with the resources to serve your community with an essential part of living. The owners and their employees are your neighbors, your friends, trying to make a small business succeed. You are not padding the wallets of a corporation or an investment group, not helping someone buy a second home or a houseboat or vacation on a private island.  You are helping a local Girl Scout leader or baseball coach. You’re helping someone buy their kid some glasses or braces. People just like you who are trying to get by, by working at your local bookstore. 

7.      Subsidization – Many incredible businesses were lost during the pandemic. Local businesses suffered, and dreams were shattered along with the lives of the dreamers. Meanwhile, Amazon flourished, setting sales records. Even if everyone you know stopped buying books from Amazon, they’ll be fine. But the doors of indie bookstores cannot remain open if you don’t walk through them when you are looking for something new to read. See it local - buy it local - keep it local. Support your indie bookstores every single time you get the chance.

I love bookstores! When my wife and I get a weekend away, I find the local bookstore and peruse their shelves. When I travel for business, I find where the readers are. So, yes, I work for bookstores full-time, and then I try to support them in my spare time. I mentioned earlier that bookstores are vital parts of communities, even using the word “essential” in describing them. They are essential for me, anyway. Life wouldn’t be worth living without the impact of a good book. Books change lives! So, I always try to support the indie store as often as I can. Wanna join me in that endeavor?

What’s your favorite indie bookstore or locally owned business? What makes it so great?

What book has had the biggest impact on your life?