According to the event’s website, “Bookstore Romance Day was created to celebrate Romance in independent bookstores…” They also offer online events for those who can’t attend in person.
Please visit the website for more details, including a list of participating bookstores. (https://bookstoreromanceday.org/ )
I’m so excited!!!
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| JAN'S |
Why do I love Jan’s?
Besides the excellent, friendly customer service and great
selection, plus the ability to order anything they don’t have in stock?
I love the unique brick building with arched windows, a
spacious interior and lots of natural lighting. Jan’s has a warm and welcoming
atmosphere. There’s also plenty of parking and places to sit.
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| Welcoming and Pet-friendly |
The selection of gifts and local craft items makes it easy
to pick up a card or gift for that special someone (or for yourself!) Jan’s
is pet-friendly, as evidenced in these photos.
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| Lori and Friend |
Jan’s hosts frequent, fun events and
supports local authors…The list goes on and on.
I hope, if you live near me, you'll visit Jan's on August 21st. Or visit another Indie bookstore near you, maybe one you've never set foot in before.
Or check out those online options on the Romance Bookstore Day website.
What is your favorite Indie bookstore where you live? What do you like about it?
Please share in the comments.
10 comments:
Someday, I'll get to Jan's after hearing about this store for years from Judith. I have a Jan's mug sitting where I can see it and I follow Jan's on Instagram. Alas, I live on the wrong coast. We have one indie store in my town (which has been in operation for many years) and another (that now has expanded to 4-5 stores throughout the state) that is about 10 miles away. Alas, many of the nearby indie stores went out of business years ago--so very sad. The one where my romance writer's group me, had a lovely cafe and a meeting room, plus tons of romance. I still miss Bookland.
Deb, if there was a "portal" between Portland, ME and Portland, OR, we could easily visit each other! Your description of Bookland is reminds me of Borders. Jan's used to have goodies from a nearby bakery that were scrumptious. Now, in the goodie department, great chocolate. Wish I could remember the name - maybe Thao?
Sarah, I drive across town to do my book shopping at Jan's. Why do I drive by other indie book stores? The main one is customer loyalty and the fact that when I was newly published, Jan's carried my books; I've had signing events there since the beginning; and then all the reasons you've mentioned above. I never know who I'll find there and a little doggie love is always an added plus in my book.
I also love Jan's Paperbacks, though I no longer live in the Portland area. Everything you shared is absolutely true and I would drive there to participate in an event if asked.
I'm fortunate that in smaller Corvallis, we have three independent bookstores. Grass Roots Books & Music, Book Bin, and Browsers. Grass Roots is more the community event store, doing both new and used books. Book Bin and Browsers are primarily used book stores with large collections. Browsers is the depository for William Stafford books, who was the poet laureate of Oregon for a number of years.
Successful independent bookstores are learning how to compete in a book economy that is both digital and paper. I know that Grass Roots Books has done a good job of this. I will be checking in with them this month.
Oh, Deb, I'm sorry you don't have an Indie bookstore you love near you! Judith and I are (obviously) on the same page about Jan's.
I miss Borders, too, Judith. They weren't an Indie store, but they were a nice place to shop and meet.
Thank you both for commenting.
I loved this! I had the good fortune of being contacted by the Rippe Bodice bookstore in Culver City, California, in the L.A. area, that they are carrying my wildland firefighter romances! They're an all romance bookstore on the west coast and they interviewed me for their newsletter. That was SO exciting! I love that bookstores have been so receptive to Indie authors!
We have some great indie bookstores in Alaska. I love going to The Writer's Block in Anchorage, which also has a great cafe and hosts lots of readings and concerts. The Homer Bookstore (in Homer), Black Birch Books in Wasilla, and Fireside Books in Palmer all support local authors, too.
We are now living in Paradise, CA. There aren't any bookstores here. I have been to Chico once and found Barnes & Noble. I know there must be an independent book store and I will Google next time I go to town. The other direction is Stan Beecher and Book Worm book stores in Oroville, CA . Both are used and rare book stores. I'll visit one day.
I love the support Indie bookstores give to up and coming authors as well as the seasoned authors. Forever grateful that some continue to survive. Jan's looks so warm and welcoming.
Diana, I used to do consulting work at Chico State University (back around 2013 and 2014, sometimes staying for a couple weeks at a time. One of my fave bookstores was ABC Books, primarily a used bookstore but also very supportive of local authors giving them a display section of their own. Also, tends more toward genre fiction than most bookstores. They really remind me a lot of Jan's Paperbacks in that way. They have books for children, adults, teens, etc. At the time I visited, I think they'd been around for longer than 30 years. Can't remember exactly.
Another one, that has been written up in Sunset Magazine, is called The Bookstore. I think it's on Main Street and has been around since the 1970s. Primarily a used bookstore, with an eye toward more literary works and nonfiction, carrying a "curated" list of books. I think their collection is even larger than B&N because when I visited they said they had an entire warehouse offsite with more books than were in the store. They don't tend to carry new books unless they are very popular (meaning primarily literary or nonfiction and from mainstream publishers). I don't know what their stance is on local indie authors.
After losing so many bookshops in my home city of Bristol (UK), I had started to believe that there was no future for bricks and mortar book stores. However! Just this last week I attended the opening of BOOKHAUS, a new independent on the harbourside in the centre of town.
When the pandemic is over, come and visit. It sometimes doesn't rain!
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