Book Tour: Spokane, Washington and Portland, Oregon

By Melissa

Auntie's Bookstore
402 W. Main Ave
Spokane, Washington

Powell's Books
1005 W. Burnside
Portland, Oregon

This tour could be called lots of things: Pacific Northwest (though I didn't stop in Seattle), the Fox Family Reunion tour (my husband hails from Spokane, and he has siblings and friends in Portland), but I think the best name for it should be: The Battle of the Independents. I hit the two extremes of independent bookstores on this trip: a small, struggling-yet-somehow-making it store in a mid-size community; and a massive bookstore in the middle of a bustling big city, and the only independent bookstore to give the big box stores a run for their money (at least in Portland).

In Spokane, we stopped in at Auntie's Bookstore, a Spokane staple for the past 30 years. My husband remembers frequenting the store as a child, but at a different location farther away from the center of the downtown area. Seven years ago, however, they moved to their current location a block away from the Spokane River and Riverfront Park. It's a prime location, not only to catch workers downtown, but the tourists and other locals heading to the park, especially in the summertime. And Auntie's has a lot to offer. Open, airy, yet incredibly cozy, it's the perfect place to browse as well as sit and leaf through a book or two. The staff was incredibly helpful and friendly, searching for all our book requests and (mostly) having them in-stock, much to our delight. The children's section, while a bit sparse on books, was beautifully decorated and an incredibly welcoming place for kids to be. In addition to supplying all the independent bookstore needs in Spokane (by all counts, they are the only one), they offer venues for regional authors -- including book promotions and signings -- as well as a myriad of book groups and programs. Another nice bonus was the adjacent Uncle's -- specializing in board, card and role-playing games for all ages. My children (and husband) did as much browsing in there as they did in Auntie's, and (of course) we made several purchases there as well. The only thing that was truly missing was a cafe/coffee shop adjacent to the store, but I did notice some construction near the back, so perhaps that will soon be remedied. Though I suppose that speaks to an important point: independent bookstores--unless their unique demographic appeal or particular economic situation within the community makes it unnecessary--have been obliged to offer the same sort of things which Borders and Barnes and Noble have shown that all us customers want in order to survive. Of course, it was small, local, independent bookstores that were offering places to sit and read and listen to authors and drink some hot cocoa long before anyone else; the big stores simply hit upon a marketing strategy which combines those intimacies with a huge inventory of books. And plainly, it is a strategy that works. I don't know how independent bookstore owners are going to get through this dilemma, but at the very least, I'm grateful that stores like Auntie's are still going strong.

At the other end of the spectrum, there was our pilgrimage to Powell's Books in Portland. I'm not sure if I've ever been in a bookstore that immense before -- not having explored bookstores in other large cities; perhaps it is common for a bookstore to take up three floors of a building spanning an entire city block. Perhaps not. I can also say that everything that you've heard is true: it's huge, they do give you a map when you walk in, everything is impeccably categorized (and logically, too), and they have everything. Literally. There wasn't a book I -- or my husband, whose tastes run a little more obscure than mine -- looked for that I couldn't find. (Though that's not entirely true: my husband, who is a college professor, also attempted to track down some just-published academic titles, and they didn't have a single one. So, I guess Powell can't quite compete with Harvard University's campus bookstore, if that's the sort of things you're looking for.)

And as for the diversity...well, they had an entire section on the Kama Sutra (which I found amusing); travel books to satisfy my every whim; aisles and aisles of graphic novels; rooms full of science fiction and fantasy and fiction and politics (and everything else in-between, including a nice Portland/Pacific Northwest regional section); plus book kitsch galore. I did notice later, however, as I walked around downtown Portland, several other independent bookstores, and I wondered if they hate Powell's as much as independent bookstores in other towns hate Borders and Barnes & Noble. Its size is one of its main draws, but it's also a drawback -- we were there for nearly three hours, and exhausted ourselves before we even managed to wander through the entire store. And it was difficult to leave too, because even in approaching the check-out counter, there were shelves and shelves you have to pass by, all of them crammed with books, begging to be quickly scanned before you go out the exit doors. (I had to drag my husband out--"I have to take a look at these...wait, I just remembered one more book I need to look for...it'll only take a minute!") I hate to say it, but I think it was almost too much to process in one trip. The other downside is the lack of seating. Because the space needs are all taken up with books, there is no real place to sit and peruse books. There are a couple of wooden benches, but they are few and far between, and not exactly the most comfortable place to immerse oneself in a good story. But, perhaps that's the point: Powell's is a place to go and find something -- possibly something hard-to-find, possibly something rare, possibly the new best-seller -- and not to kick one's feet up and chill with a latte. That said, it was completely worth it to make a stop there. The hard part was just figuring out what to buy.

But isn't that always the case, no matter what size the store is?

Book Tour: Salt Lake City

By Melissa

When one thinks of Salt Lake City, two things usually come to mind: skiing and Mormons. But while Salt Lake City can boast of world-class ski resorts (the 2002 Winter Olympics were there after all; a fact that they are still proud of), and while it is the headquarters of the Mormon Church, Salt Lake City is also more than that. It is home to a world-class arts scene -- including ballet, symphony, museums, and the Sundance Film Festival, the Utah Jazz (if you're into basketball), beautiful canyons for hiking and camping, and a plethora of fine dining experiences. So it's not surprising that in Salt Lake City I found two of the best independent bookstores that I've ever been in.

I first came across Sam Weller's Zion Bookstore (informally known just as "Sam Weller's") during college. If you were a serious bibliophile in Utah, then you had to know of Sam Weller's; it was the best place to get books. Since I was 45 minutes (by car) away in Provo, though, I didn't get to the store much, but I did longingly wander through the stacks on the rare occasions I was up in Salt Lake. Conveniently located on Main Street in downtown Salt Lake, it looks relatively unimposing upon first glance (in fact, my husband drove right by it a couple of times before we found, completely by chance, the alleyway that leads to the back entrance). Another busy urban store, perhaps, nothing special. But walk inside, and you are confronted with towers of books. Sam Weller's not only carries recent releases, but specializes in used and rare books, particularly Mormon and Utah history books. Still, Sam Weller's--a family-owned business since 1925--prides itself in being able to find just about anything for just about anyone. (For a more extended, and quite fascinating, store history, see here.) I dropped in for a look on a Friday afternoon while on vacation recently. I couldn't stay long -- sleeping kids in the car -- but I did stay long enough to wish that I had more time. I was greeted by a friendly staff member (which is saying a lot, since I came in the back door), and I spent the precious minutes I had looking through the stacks. I didn't get through a hundredth of it, and if I had the time, I could have spent all afternoon there.

The only downside of Sam Weller's, in my opinion, is that there wasn't enough comfy places to sit and browse. It seemed like a place where you'd go, get what you need, and leave. It wasn't quite inviting enough for me. Still, it's a staple in downtown Salt Lake, and worth the visit.

While The King's English, the other independent bookstore in the Salt Lake City area, isn't located downtown, it's well worth the drive. Located in the Sugarhouse area (a neighborhood on the hills of eastern Salt Lake) since 1977, it's a bit off the beaten path for the average tourist. Situated in a lovely little strip-mall -ish area, for lack of a better word (it looked like a bit of bohemia in an older suburb, surrounded by coffee shops and art stores), and in an old house rather than a box store, it oozes charm. My girls were thrilled when we drove up ("We get to go inside, Mom?!"), and made a beeline to the fabulous children's section. I didn't see them again until we were dragging them out so we could make it to our next event on time. Which was fine, since I was lost in the seemingly endless (well, eight) rooms stacked with books. I liked how they organized the books: there was a mystery room, a nature/history room, a fiction room, a Western author's room... it made browsing more interesting. And there were many inviting comfy chairs (children-sized ones in the children's room), for sitting and reading. The staff were extraordinarily nice people, more than happy to help us find what we need as well as gift wrap our purchases. My only regrets were that I hadn't discovered it before this visit, and that I was only visiting and wasn't able to be a frequent customer there.

The other thing that impressed me while in Salt Lake was the local first movement. Everywhere I looked, especially wandering through downtown, there were "Buy Local First Utah" stickers, encouraging consumers to buy the local product and to patronize the local store first. I think that's a terrific idea, and well worth imitating in other areas.

Book Tour: Wilmington, NC

By Andi

When I moved to North Carolina in 2003, I immediately fell in love with Wilmington for its history, creativity, and general sense of artsiness. Located on the Cape Fear River and the North Carolina coastline, it’s the perfect getaway for families, students, beachcombers or landlovers with a taste for culture and cuisine. As I continue to settle back into life in North Carolina, I took some time to re-visit Wilmington, this time with a particular goal in mind: to find the best of the best bookstores.

A quick glance through the yellow pages revealed several independent booksellers in the downtown area, as well as several outside downtown and nearer the campus of the University of North Carolina – Wilmington. With my trusty camera in hand, I set out to see what these booksellers had to offer, and although I had high hopes for these literary hovels, they managed to surpass even my wildest expectations.

Two Sisters Bookery is located in the historic Cotton Exchange at 318 Nutt Street, right downtown at the edge of the river and downtown’s quirky shopping scene. Downtown is a shopper’s dreamscape, and Two Sisters Bookery is no exception. The store reminded me a bit of a hobbit hole and a medieval castle all at once, with its brick walls, wooden arches, comfy chairs and bulging stacks, I immediately felt my bibliophile’s heart go all aflutter. The store is jammed with interesting books and assorted goodies like bookmarks, bags and other pretties. Of all the sections of the store, I was most intrigued by the gorgeous Children’s area, which left me all but helpless to snap away with my camera and nose through the offerings.

In addition to the Children’s section, Two Sisters offers a special section on Southern authors and the shelves are peppered with handwritten staff recommendation cards. While I usually have no trouble finding something to buy in a bookstore, I know Two Sisters’ recommendations would keep me buying on even the darkest, dankest, poorest grad school salary day.

While I wasn’t able to meet the owner, Cathy Stanley, I did take a few minutes to read her account of how she came to own the store in, “I Never Meant to Own a Bookstore…”

My next stop on a bookish tour of Wilmington took me just down Front Street from Two Sisters to Daughtry’s Old Books on Front Street, and what a treat! I have been inside the store many times over the years because the pull of an authentically bookish bookstore is too strong for me to resist. Old Books on Front Street is not fancy. You won’t find any candles or greeting cards—or those comfy chairs that we all love—because that would take away from the available space for books! Mr. Dick Daughtry, the store owner for over a decade, sits just inside the doorway behind an old wooden desk and greets every customer who enters the shop. At age 87, with over a decade of bookselling experience under his belt, this is a man that loves people, loves books and has found a perfect balance of both. Mr. Daughtry is quick to tell the patrons that over 30 motion pictures have been filmed inside the store, including A Burning Passion: The Margaret Mitchell Story. When I asked him why people are so attracted to Old Books on Front Street, he replied, “Because it looks like a book store!” And indeed it does. With books piled as far and wide as the eye can see, it certainly does look like a book store. The kind where you have to hunt and scramble and discover treasures—and that is part of the fun.

Mr. Daughtry and his wife Lucy recently chose long time patrons, the Rohler family, to carry on the legacy of Old Books on Front Street, so be sure to visit their spiffy new website.

Finally, after a leisurely lunch and a multitude of shopping, I left the downtown area and made my way past the UNC-W campus to a truly delightful gem of a bookstore, Pomegranate Books, located at 4418 Park Avenue. Owner Kathleen Jewell, a former physician, describes her foray into bookselling as her “midlife adventure.” A progressive bookstore, this shop has much more than just books to offer. Pomegranate Books is strikingly active in the Wilmington community as an active supporter of the Cape Fear Literacy Council, Dreams of Wilmington and NC Arts for Health just to name a few. Pomegranate also sponsors a new charity every month. When you donate to the Charity of the Month you receive a free book from the designated stacks.

As if this socially conscious, community-oriented attitude was not enough, the store is a feast for the eyes and the wallet. Located in a little white house, the store boasts lovely décor and an extensive collection of books and merchandise in its limited space. The store offers membership to patrons at household and student rates, which means discounts of 10% off of all titles and 25% off of books on the bestseller tables. Additionally, book groups ordering five or more copies receive a 15% discount off of the chosen title for all members.

There is no end to the offerings of Pomegranate Books, from the book-friendly atmosphere to the socially conscious currents running through the establishment, Pomegranate Books is full of treasure. To learn more, visit their website.

My bookish tour of Wilmington yielded all of the things I adore most about the city: history and tradition blended with an overarching sense of creativity. I can only say that my already high opinion of Wilmington was further heightened by the discovery of its independent bookstores. These establishments enrich the city, its residents and those of us lucky enough to pass through.

Book Tour: Wichita, Kansas

Most people don't associate Wichita, Kansas with anything literary. But then, many people don't really associate Kansas with anything in particular. Usually, when I tell other book-minded folks I'm from Wichita, all I get is semi-blank stares.

"Kansas?" they say. "Isn't that the place where Dorothy's from?"

Well, yeah. It is set in Kansas, but L. Frank Baum wasn't actually from here.

"Okay, I know. Truman Capote wrote that book right? The one Capote's about?"

Uh-huh. But that's not Wichita, and we really don't want to be known for a book about a serial murderer, no matter how good it is, do we?

They think and think, but nothing springs to mind. "Okay, I give. What is there that is literary in Wichita, Kansas?"

The answer: not much, at first blush. Our current connections with the famous are that the current Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, hails from here, as does Phil Stacey who's on the current season of American Idol (but interestingly, he doesn't say that he's from Wichita). In fact, in a perusal of interesting people from Wichita as listed in I found that there was not a single literary person on the list.

Undaunted by these facts, I set out to see if I could prove that Wichita is indeed a literary town. If we can't produce notable authors, at least we can appreciate them, right?

I looked up bookstores in the Yellow Pages (always a good place to start), and after winnowing out the box stores, explicitly Christian stores, and adult bookstores (who lists adult book stores under books? If I were going to buy that stuff, I wouldn't look for it under the book listing), I was left with nine stores to visit. Of those nine, there are three that are worth mentioning (the rest? two were typical big-city used bookstores, three didn't exist -- being private houses on back roads, and one was a new-agey bookstore with limited hours).

The first store, Delano Book Room is not your typical used book store. Sure, they have the usual used-book fare: mostly horror, sci-fi, romance and mystery, with a smattering of really good books (ones that I wonder why on earth people would want to get rid of). Even though their children's section left something to be desired, my children (all four of them) each managed to find something to curl up with in one of the many cozy chairs scattered around the store. But the store is so much more than that. It's located in the historic Delano district in Wichita, a local hot-spot for clubs, live music, and cafes. Admittedly, being there on a Monday afternoon with my kids, I wasn't able to experience all that. But the number of community events offered through the store impressed me, and shows how well integrated they and the Delano neighborhood are. The store has both an open-mic poetry night and a "No Podium Poets" night for those microphone-shy every week. There's a mystery book club, an American history book club, and a story time that each meet once a month. In addition to all that, the store puts on several special events over the course of the year. Most recently, they had a Shakespeare's 443rd Birthday celebration (alas, I wasn't able to attend). I've never seen a used-book store that is so involved in the community. Very cool.

Next is Wichita's biggest independent bookstore, Watermark Books and Cafe. Watermark is one of those places where you just feel hipper walking in to -- the buzz of conversations at the cafe, the welcoming atmosphere, the staff's friendly smile -- and I immediately wanted to be a part of it. It's been a fixture in Wichita for 30 years, originally part of the downtown area. They moved to their current location -- on the east side -- in 1996 and expanded to include a cafe. It's a welcoming place; there are comfortable chairs scattered throughout the store, and the cafe has ample places to sit and enjoy a coffee while perusing books. My daughters (only the youngest two this time) made a beeline for the children's section, mostly to play with their Schleich princess toys. While they played, I wandered. Watermark has an amazing collection of reader-oriented stuff: glasses, bags, dolls, cups, footnotes, magnets, all of which I wanted to buy. Their books are an eclectic collection: not much of the hot-new-bestseller ones, but rather tables of staff-recommended books, books for their store-sponsored book groups, and a few best-sellers. Not only do they sponsor book groups (to be expected), but they put forth the effort to be Wichita's link to the wider literary world, bringing in authors, sponsoring lectures, and connecting the community to books. I was surprised and impressed with the number of authors they've had in: Lane Smith, Tomi DePaola, Jan Brett, Linda Sue Park, T.A. Barron have all signed the wall in Watermark's basement meeting room. They've got Anna Quindlen scheduled to do a reading and a signing for the paperback release of Rise and Shine as well as a visit from Khaled Hosseini during is book tour for A Thousand Splendid Suns. It's not only the biggest independent bookstore in town, but the best one I've visited in a long time.

The last store worth mentioning, and possibly the most unique, was Eighth Day Books. It's situated just east of Wichita's downtown in a lovely old house. Once inside, it's like nothing I've ever seen before. It's a cozy, crowded place: all available wallspace is covered in bookshelves and religious icons. There's benches, tables, and chairs to sit that look inviting for reading or discussing. There are books everywhere: rooms full of classics, poetry, religious studies, philosophy, and Kansas authors. I chatted for a while with Josh, one of Eighth Days' three employees, who told me that the store has been part of the Wichita literary scene for 18 years. They sell both used (labeled "recycled") and new books, specializing in good literature, Christianity (though there's a world religion section) and philosophy. While they don't have any book groups, and only occasionally have author signings (they hosted Scott Cairns a recent weekend), they do open up their space to anyone who wants to meet and discuss books. We were even more pleasantly surprised when Josh said that there was a children's room in the basement. We headed past the "hobbit hole" sign (love that!) to find a little space filled not only with an extensive collection of picture books on saints, but assorted other picture and chapter books. While my girls enjoyed the books, I think the best part for them was going down the stairs to get them. We didn't have the time to thoroughly browse the stacks (that would take hours), so I'll definitely be heading back there.

So, there. I have presented the evidence for Wichita's literary status. Personally, I was disappointed that there weren't more stores for a city of 300,000 people, but I found that their small numbers are more than made up for in quality. There are both readers and owners working to build a literary community here, and I respect that and want to be a part of it. Come and see for yourself sometime.

Book Tour: Oxford, Mississippi

By Nancy L. Horner

Some of us are weak enough in an average town with a run-of-the-mill bookstore or two. Plunk us down in a place like Oxford, Mississippi and it’s a given that we’ll end up perusing for hours in the local independent bookstore and its branches, more than likely carrying home a bag full of pastry and an armload of books. And, who wouldn’t want to soak up the bookish atmosphere, rub a gentle store cat’s sleepy head, walk where famous authors have walked on the sidewalks of a town square awash with brilliant spring sunshine? Surely no bibliophile can resist the charms of Oxford.

With a population of approximately 14,000, it’s surprising that Oxford, Mississippi has such a rich literary history. William Faulkner’s Yoknapatawpha County was modeled on real-life Lafayette County, the fictional city of Jefferson on Oxford itself. Barry Hannah, author of Airships, teaches at The University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). Larry Brown and John Grisham called Oxford home, and Donna Tartt attended Ole Miss for a short time. In 1980, Willie Morris served as a writer-in-residence at Ole Miss.

The annual Oxford Conference for the Book draws a stunning array of well-known writers. This year’s conference was dedicated to the writings of Larry Brown. The Annual Faulkner and Yoknapatawpha Conference takes place in July. There are frequent readings and book signings in Oxford; author readings and funky local musicians can be heard on Thacker Mountain Radio.

William Faulkner’s breathtaking Rowan Oak estate is in Oxford, masked by large stands of trees. One would never have the vaguest idea that he or she is actually within the city limits, such is the privacy and tranquility of Rowan Oak. You can walk the brick paths, view the outline of the Pulitzer-prize winning novel A Fable, written on his office wall, peer into his library, dining room and bedrooms and stroll the grounds. You can view a virtual tour of Rowan Oak, here.

On a recent trip to Oxford, where my eldest son works and attends Ole Miss, my family stopped at Rowan Oak. We came in from a rather odd direction; Rowan Oak is no more obvious from the road than the city is from its grounds, so we ended up walking across a grassy area, stopping to photograph flowers. We sauntered around the house, admiring the outbuildings, and then rounded the corner and started up a brick path. At that moment, a beautiful border collie by the name of Huckleberry appeared. He dropped a Frisbee at my feet and hunkered down, waiting for the toss. I threw his toy and then snapped a few photos as my son took over.

Huckleberry was a visitor to Rowan Oak, as were his owners, but he seemed to fit the place. I could easily imagine William Faulkner tossing a stick for his dog to fetch, patting its neck and sitting outside to type beneath the trees.

In town, we walked the town square, as we always do when visiting Oxford. First stop is always the irresistibly inviting Square Books. Oxford’s beautiful town square lends its name to the lovely independent bookstore, established in 1979. With frequent book-signings and readings, Square books is a happening place. Upstairs, a section dedicated to William Faulkner - both works by Faulkner and those written about him - fills an entire side of one shelving unit. Southern writers have a special section dedicated to their works near the cozy coffee bar. Walls are covered with autographed photos of authors and comfy chairs are scattered throughout. Tall windows flood the store with light and quirky touches keep the eye moving. Even if you happened to be a confirmed book-hater, Square Books would be an interesting place to visit. Mugs with fun, book-related quotes are available as souvenir items and a wide range of autographed books are always propped up, here and there.

Just down the block is Off-Square Books, my personal favorite of the three independents under the same ownership. Off-Square is warm and inviting with dusty wooden floors, gift items, and used and remaindered books. The store cat, Mamasita, spends her time sleeping in a window basket or on the chairs, sometimes even on top of the books, chasing a little red rubber ball around the store or lapping up the attention store customers love to lavish upon her.

On another side of the square is Square Books, Jr., a store dedicated entirely to children’s books. Painted on the front window are the words, “Teacher’s Rule!”

The food in Oxford, alone, would be worth the trip. A stop to enjoy good food and unique atmosphere is part and parcel of the Oxford experience; my husband uses food as an excuse to stop the book gluttony but I think of the excellent dining as a way to recharge between bookstores. In the town square, Ajax restaurant sells traditional Southern fare; and, waiters will mix guacamole to your specifications from a rolling cart with a drawer full of ingredients at Madre. Around the corner, fresh bread, soup, sandwiches and pastry are available at Bottletree Bakery. The atmosphere alone is worth the visit, but their soup is to die for. And, if you’re in search of a fantastic catfish dinner, head down the road to tiny Taylor, Mississippi for good food and live music. Alton Brown stopped for a visit in Taylor and gave their catfish a big thumbs-up. You can get a t-shirt with their cute slogan on the pocket: “Eat or we both starve.”

A visit to Oxford is inexpensive, in comparison to a trip to just about any large city and definitely a great place for a weekend jaunt. I advise timing visits to steer clear of football games, unless you like a crowded party atmosphere.

For more pictures of Oxford, click HERE.