BOOK STORE ROAD TRIP

UPDATED: March 25, 2023

 

Many of you who follow me on Facebook know that I post Kindle specials on a regular basis. Why you might ask am I encouraging more dollars into the pocket of Amazon and Jeff Bezos when independent bookstores struggle every day?

First, there’s the bargain hunter in me I cannot quell. When I see an amazing deal, I want to share it. Second, not everyone has the means to buy recently released hardcovers nor paperbacks at $10+ or want to wait months for a library copy. Third, a high number of purchases (because the price is low) helps an author’s ranking in sales. Amazon looks at volume with their algorithms. This pushes authors higher on lists and gains more exposure for them.

However, when I splurge and treat myself to a hardcover or paperback to hold it in my hands and be able to pass along to a friend, I shop local. Even better, when I’m traveling, which I do often with our nomad life, I love discovering hidden gems of independent bookstores. Over the past two years, I’ve gathered recommendations from readers across the country of their favorite local indie bookstore. Is yours on the list?

How wonderful to see the passion so many have for their local store. If you’re planning any travel, I’ve got plenty of book recommendations in my favorite genre, historical fiction, before you check out one of these shops – owners and authors will thank you! P.S. You can ask any indie bookstore to order THE UNLOCKED PATH.

While you’re traveling around, don’t forget Little Free Libraries. They are also a fun way to discover new-to-you books. There’s a handy online map to help you find these hidden gems.

LOCAL BOOK STORES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES

Local Book Store Store City Store State
Alabama Booksmith Birmingham AL
Ernest & Hadley Booksellers Tuscaloosa AL
Mostly Books Tucson AZ
Peregrine Books Prescott AZ
Black Bird San Francisco CA
Book Passage Corte Madera CA
Copperfield’s Books Calistoga CA
Pages Manhattan Beach CA
Vroman’s Pasadena CA
Book Barn Niantic CT
Syds Book Shack Guilford CT
Browseabout Book Store Rehoboth Beach DE
Hockessin Book Shelf Hockessin DE
Back in the Day Books Dunedin FL
Story & Song Bistro and Bookstore Fernandina Beach FL
The Book Loft Fernandina Beach FL
Tombolo Books St. Petersburg FL
Writers Block Winter Park FL
Book Love Senoia GA
E Shaver Savannah GA
FoxTale Book Shoppe Woodstock GA
Pretty Good Books LaGrange GA
Story On the Square McDonough GA
The Bookshelf in Thomasville Thomasville GA
The Bookworm Bookstore Powder Springs GA
Love’s Sweet Arrow Tinley Park IL
Brain Lair Books South Bend IN
Rainy Day Books Kansas City KS
The Green Door Overland Park KS
Carmichael’s Louisville KY
An Unlikely Story Plainville MA
Books By the Sea Centerville MA
Eight Cousins Falmouth MA
Harvard Book Store Cambridge MA
Jabberwocky  Newburyport MA
Market Street Books Mashpee MA
Tatnuck Booksellers Westborough MA
The Brewster Book Store Brewster MA
Titcomb’s Book Shop East Sandwich MA
A Likely Story Bookstore Sykesville MD
Curious Iguana  Frederick MD
Rudolph Girls Westminster MD
The Ivy Bookshop  Baltimore MD
The Last Word Mt. Airy MD
Ballyhoo Books Alma MI
Saturn Booksellers  Gaylord MI
Content Bookstore Northfield MN
Zenith Book Store Duluth MN
Lemuria  Jackson MS
Square Books Oxford MS
Bookmarks  Winston-Salem NC
Page 158 Wake Forest NC
Page After Page Bookstore Elizabeth City NC
Gibson’s Bookstore Concord NH
Innisfree Bookshop Meredith NH
Riverrun Bookstore Portsmouth NH
Toadstool Peterborough NH
Books and Greetings Northvale NJ
Sparta Books Sparta NJ
Town Book Store Westfield NJ
Collected Works Bookstore Santa Fe NM
The Book Nook Saranac Lake NY
The Book Revue Huntington NY
Gramercy Books Bexley Bexley OH
Joseph-Beth Booksellers Cincinnati OH
Powell’s Books Portland OR
Let’s Play Books Emmaus PA
Reads and Company Phoenixville PA
The Kennett Bookhouse Kennett Square PA
Towne Book Center & Café Collegeville PA
Barrington Books Barrington RI
M. Judson’s Booksellers Greenville SC
Mr. K’s North Charleston SC
Parnassus Books Nashville TN
Bookpeople Austin TX
Fabled Bookstore Waco TX
Interabang  Book Store Dallas TX
Texas Star Abilene TX
Scrawl Books Reston VA
Northshire Bookstore Manchester VT
Literary Leftovers Battle Ground WA
Village Books and Paper Dreams Bellingham WA
Novel Bay Bookstore Sturgeon Bay WI

Even if these stores are hundreds of miles away, you can still support them through on-line ordering, or Bookshop.org.

I’m sure there are tons of other stores out there to support. What’s your favorite? Add it to the list.


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7 Comments

  1. Mitzi Keithly on April 17, 2022 at 4:47 pm

    I’ve stopped at Haslams in St. Petersburg before. It’s the largest bookstore in Florida. I think it’s temporarily closed. I did start the 22in22 challenge in January! It’s so fun. I’ve enjoyed seeing all the bookstore pictures!

  2. Mitzi Keithly on April 17, 2022 at 4:48 pm

    Thank you for sharing this list! I love stopping at bookstores on the road. Here are a few that I’ve discovered:
    Pages in Manhattan, CA
    Square Books in Oxford, MS
    Back in the Day Books in Dunedin, FL
    Black Bird in San Francisco, CA
    Ernest & Hadley Booksellers In Tuscaloosa, AL
    Collected Works Bookstore in Santa Fe, NM
    Story On The Square In McDonough, GA
    FoxTale Book Shoppe In Woodstock, GA
    The Bookshelf in Thomasville, GA
    Book Love in Senoia, GA

    • Janis Robinson Daly on June 1, 2022 at 10:14 pm

      Just saw your adds! Updating the list now. Will definitely check out Back in the Day Books. We spend two weeks in the Clearwater area every January and have friends in Dunedin. Fun spot!

  3. Karen Brandin on April 17, 2022 at 4:48 pm

    Thank you for the Indie bookstore list, it’s wonderful. So many books, so little time, as they say. Happy reading (and writing)!

  4. Gail Olmstead on April 17, 2022 at 4:49 pm

    This is fabulous!!

  5. Deb Kiley on April 29, 2022 at 9:55 am

    Two more local bookstores for me: Rudolph Girls in Westminster, MD (former teachers begin this store in 2021) and The Last Word in Mt. Airy, MD (new and used books).

    • Janis Robinson Daly on April 29, 2022 at 10:09 am

      Thanks Deb! I’ll be updating the list. Do you know if Rudolph Girls does any author events? I’m adding to my outreach list as well 😉

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