Series 2, Post 3: Growing Up and Growing Independent

By Sara E Thompto

There tends to be a common debate - what is better: small independently owned bookstores or big box bookstores. More and more people are slamming large bookstores (or large stores, overall) because large stores can buy in such large quantity that their prices are able to be much lower and can put smaller stores out of business. When you add online stores such as Amazon into the mix where used books can sell for as cheap as a penny, people get even more boisterous with their opinions.


Big Box Stores

Barnes and Nobel, Rochester, MN - Photo by jessicaburkhart.blogspot.com/

When I was young I lived in a small town in Northern Iowa called Northwood. There wasn’t a bookstore in town and the closest place to buy a book was the Walmart or Target, about 30 minutes away in Mason City. I used to love that small section of books. But one day I entered a Barnes and Noble in Rochester, MN and my literary world exploded wide open.

See… this wasn’t any Barnes and Noble… this was magical. The ceiling was a deep blue and lights twinkled all round me, engulfing me in a starry night sky. There was a castle and it was grand. This is the first bookstore I fell in love with. Big box? Yes. But I didn’t care - I was little, it was the 90’s, and I didn’t even know what a big box store was. This was the end all, be all, of bookstores.

After moving to Cedar Rapids my love of Barnes and Noble carried on. Especially throughout middle school and high school where my idea of a good time consisted of curling up on the couch with a good book. I could spend hours sifting through their bookshelves. Barnes and Noble was the catalyst for my love of books.

But then I moved to Chicago for college and my love for Barnes and Noble came to a screeching hault. Because, if there's one thing missing from downtown Chicago it is a decent Barnes and Noble.

Through as act of desperation I “cheated” on Barnes and Noble and stepped foot into a Borders For the first time. The Borders that once existed on State Street in Chicago was my new found infatuation. I could choose a book and people watch from their second or third story windows for hours at a time. The windows were so deep you could curl up next to the glass, book in hand, and be comfortable for hours.

However, as it goes, I was a typical college student and lacked great amounts of money. And if there is one thing Borders lacked, it was decent prices, which lead me to discovering Amazon.

The World of Online Shopping

I never shopped online until college. But, a friend, Sarah, was always receiving packages from Amazon and I became intrigued. I decided “why not” and gave it a go. What I found? Amazon was a brilliant place where I could buy a book for a cheap as a penny! Well… plus shipping and handling of course. As someone who consumed books steadily and always seemed to need a ready supply on demand, Amazon was a God send. Especially during my poor college student phase.

However, just as Borders had their pros and cons, so did Amazon. I missed the smell of a good book store. I missed the atmosphere of roaming around the isles endlessly, lost in a world of people and print. I couldn’t get this with the digital wonderland that is Amazon. No way, no how.

On the other hand, I was growing up and I no longer needed a store I could get lost in. I wanted my bookstore experience to be more authentic. I wanted to be somewhere I could get to know people, and develop more of an experience. This lead me to my next bookstore experience.

Independently Owned Bookstores

After college I moved back to Iowa City, Iowa where the best bookstore around is Prairie Lights; a small, intimate bookstore with a cute cafe included! It was easy to pop in for a book with it being small and conveniently located. It was local, I knew some of the employees, and it just was a “good fit.”

Since experiencing Prairie Lights, I’ve pretty much stayed loyal to independent and locally owned bookstores.

Although I still visit Barnes and Noble from time to time, and occasionally look for a better deal on Amazon (if I really want something I couldn’t otherwise afford)… my main place of book purchases today still happen at small bookstores owned by locals. Not only is it more fun, for myself, to discover little gems that pack small bookstore and boutiques, it also is a nice feeling knowing exactly to whom your money is going.

About a 20 minute drive from my apartment in sacramento is a small bookstore with used and new books call Beatnik Books. Not only are there books, but also small trinkets and old furniture to purchase. Dimple books, another Sacramento area bookstore, has inexpensive books, both used and new. The store is new to Sac. but the owners have been here for years. These type of bookstores not only offer great reads, but also cultivate a sense of community - something I like and appreciate more today.

What I’ve Learned

When it comes down to it, people should be getting their hands on books however it’s possible for them. I started my love of literature with big box stores, was able to afford to continue it with help from online stores like Amazon, and am enjoying it in a whole new way today through independent and locally owned bookstores.

But that’s just my personal journey.

No matter what your arguments are for your preference, the choice is simple: whatever brings you connection with books, is what’s right for you.