Book Store Boom

This summer, not unexpectedly, the independent bookstore in my small town closed. It was sad, because I love the idea of small book stores, but the truth was that business conditions made it difficult for the owner to keep an inventory that attracted customers.

It wasn't long, though, before Sacred Circle opened. It's a very small store on our town's main street, specializing in books of a spiritual nature. It's a nice little store and it's niche is one that appeals to me, so I'm always happy to go in there to browse and buy.

Then I heard that Barrister Books was going to open. I managed to get a sneak peak by stopping by one day while the owner was working on the space, and last week the store finally opened. It's a used and collectible book store, which is always a fun place to browse. I stopped in there today for the first time since it officially opened and the space is beautiful. The fiction section seemed too small, but maybe that will change over time.

And as if that were not enough, a new independent book store has opened: Book Works. It's also on the main street of town and it is smaller than the old Book Stack, but I was impressed with the number of recent releases among its titles.

For a book lover, this is remarkable. Three separate stores, three separate owners with a love of books, three unique spaces in which to gaze at the titles. I wish that the original store had not closed, but having three stores in its place seems like a good thing.