5 Independent Bookstores We Love
In the digital age, the idea of visiting a brick-and-mortar bookstore might seem outdated or old-fashioned to some. However, there’s something so special and personal about going to a small, locally owned bookstore. Whether it’s the smell of new and gently used books arranged side-by-side, the intimacy of book readings, the sometimes dusty bookshelves, or the resident bookstore cat roaming the aisles, independent bookstores have character and personality of their own. That’s something that the online book shopping experience just can’t replicate!
We are spotlighting a few independent bookstores around the country. So grab a cup of coffee, your keys or walking shoes, and head to your favorite local bookstore and show them some support.
1. Buxton Books, Charleston, SC
Located in Charleston, SC, Buxton Books was built on the dream of creating a space to spark creativity and conversation while supporting the writing and reading community in downtown Charleston. Husband and wife Julian and Polly Buxton opened the bookstore in 2016 and since then, the warm and inviting bookshop has become a staple of the community. It truly is a place for authors and book lovers to dream again and again.
2. The Last Bookstore, Los Angeles, CA
If you are visiting Los Angeles and make your way downtown, The Last Bookstore is a must-see. Housed in the Spring Arts Tower at the corner of 5th and Spring, this Los Angeles staple is in its third incarnation and doing pretty well as it is the largest used and new book and record store in California. Its unique name was birthed out of the owner’s urgency to save physical bookstores from dying out in the face of e-books and Amazon.
3. Astoria Bookshop, Astoria, NY
Created in 2013, the Astoria Bookshop offers a variety of books for book lovers of all ages. They offer a list of staff picks if you need recommendations on what to read next. Also, to increase reading in 2021 (and build off the increased book sales numbers of 2020), they launched a 2021 Reading Challenge to expand their customers’ bookshelves.
4. Wilson Book Gallery, Jackson Hole, WY
Located in the West Bank area of Jackson Hole, Wilson Book Gallery is truly a bookstore for the community. The owners sought to create their very own “version of Arcadia — an idyll actualized,” and they succeeded. The bookstore is known as a safe haven for local book lovers with book recommendations intentionally selected based on the Wilson Book Gallery team’s intuition as readers. While you are there, be sure to check out their sister bookstore, the downtown Jackson Hole Book Trader!
5. A Capella Books, Atlanta, GA
A Capella Books first opened its doors in 1989 before there was Amazon Books or the boom of book chains like Barnes & Noble. Now almost 32 years and three locations later, the local shop is still thriving and giving a voice to authors in the local literary community. They specialize in hosting in-person appearances from authors as well as offering a varied selection of hard-to-find, collectible, and antiquarian books.
What is your go-to independent bookstore? Share your tricks with us @meetcopper so we can share them with our Copper Community.
Photo by Marialaura Gionfriddo on Unsplash
