Today I'm thankful for bookstores!
The first bookstore that I frequented was Bill Edward's Bookstore in my hometown of McAlester, OK. It was really more of an office supply, but Bill carried a few books, and since my brother and I loved school supplies too, we spent many a wishful afternoon in Bill's store.When I married and moved to Tulsa, a favorite Sunday morning activity was watching Lewis Meyer's Bookshelf on TV. His bookstore was in Brookside, next to the old Brook Theater. His signature sign-off for the show still rings in my head - "The more books you read, the taller you grow."
When we moved to Houston, I was fortunate to be within walking distance of Half-Price Books, and two wonderful children's bookstores, Munchkin's Mablies and Stop, Look, and Learn. It was at Stop, Look, and Learn that I met Tomie de Paola, one of my favorite children's writers!
Our next move brought us to the Seattle area and my favorite independent bookstore, Island Books. I know the owner and most of the booksellers. Island Books hosted an evening at the bookstore for my former students who shared their genre brochures and ideas for reading by genre with my current sixth graders. After the event the bookstore carried my student's brochures in the children's section of the bookstore.
When I travel, I love to spend time in bookstores. I'll never forget the rainy afternoon I spent in Paris at Shakespeare and Company, and my discovery of Blackwell's in Oxford where I spent several hours exploring new (to me) authors in the children's section.
While the internet has made procuring books from the comfort of my home a breeze, I make time to support my local independent bookstore. It's a treasure that I don't want to lose in my community.
You can't leave out Powell's or Tattered Cover or Bookstop (was the name of the old theater turned bookstore in Houston?) I have so many wonderful memories in bookstores with you.
ReplyDeleteSara is right. We love Powell's in Portland and we stopped at Tattered Cover in Denver on family vacations to Snow Mountain Ranch. Uncle Karl mentioned Bookstop on his Facebook comments. There are many bookstores down my lane, and I skipped a few in my rush to finish this post.
DeleteI love the quote at the top of your page and how fitting for your post. I think stories and compassion--that's what independent bookstores are made of. So many of these types of stores have closed down--must check next time I'm in Athens, GA for the amazing bookstore downtown--ah, the smell of books old and new.
ReplyDeleteBookstores have a magical feel the moment you walk in. You never know what gems are hidden there. It is so sad to see many of them disappearing. What a rich history you have with bookstores!
ReplyDeleteIt was great to take that walk with you. I'm remembering my passion for the place of books but now, I'm happy to click on Amazon and download something new in seconds. I'm a traitor, I know,
ReplyDeleteBonnie
So many great memories of Shakespeare and Company...but also of the Strand in New York City. Thanks you for this walk among books!
ReplyDeleteAh yes....I can pass up a clothing store any day...but a good bookstore? No way. I cried when I left Borders the last time. Almost bought a chair as a memory but could not figure out how to get it home!
ReplyDeleteYour memories reminded me of my memories if bookstores! You also gave a great idea for a blog post in the future. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI can't resist a good bookstore either :) And now I have more to add to my list!
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