Why You Should Support Your Local Bookstore

It can be tempting to choose the speedy option of ordering books online in the era of Amazon Prime’s next-day shipping, but nothing will ever truly replace the experience of entering a carefully curated bookstore and knowing that you are helping a local business. Whether it be through the lense of a woman author, a German children’s author or something else super unique, local bookstores offer selections that chains and online selling options do not or cannot.

The majority of locally owned bookstores are carefully curated by the owners and staff. This suggests that those who work there have a thorough understanding of the majority, if not all, of the books, including their subject matter, authors, and historical context. This is especially useful if you’re looking for a certain kind of book, writer, or genre. They can offer great suggestions if you’re just looking for a book that’s similar to one you’ve already read or if you’re looking for a certain mood rather than a particular genre. Such in-depth knowledge is a huge resource that you undoubtedly won’t find online or in major book chain stores.

The opportunity to browse so many specially curated books can lead to an incredible opportunity: finding your new favorite book. It can be easy to get overwhelmed when shopping in spaces that aren’t focused on bringing you quality content, but that’s not something you will find in your local bookstore. They are keenly aware of the fact that more is not always better, and they would rather provide quality over quantity.

Local bookstores enjoy the rare luxury of highlighting any author or collection of authors they choose. They can choose particular books to display in a way that sheds a special light on authors of a particular ethnicity, female authors, young authors, or others. When it comes to the issue of the author’s gender, the book world can be a difficult world to break into as a female authors. Because of the industry’s disproportionate number of male authors, it can be easy for them to be overlooked.This ceases to be an issue when local bookstores come into play. They can select not only specifically female authors but also female authors of color, young female authors, and more. This adds a huge diversity of voices to an industry that can greatly benefit from them.

Finally, one of the greatest reasons to support your local bookstore is because they provide an incredible “third space.”  Third spaces are a place between work and home. They serve as unofficial social gathering places where people can unwind, get to know one another, and just be. These places free us from the obligations of home or work, allowing us to relax, rest our minds and focus on the things that fuel us as individuals. These places can be anything, a local park, a neighborhood bar, the gym, etc. Local bookstores are an excellent type of third space, especially for the folks who aren’t much for bars or gyms and prefer a quieter social outing. Bookstores often have welcoming staff, cozy seating, and other customers who share your interests.