A Good Bookstore Could Be a Joy Forever

It cannot be said enough – if you like books, support your local bookstores! In other words, buy stuff from them. Go to book signings. Go to their cafe. Don’t go in to find something and then buy it online (really, people – that’s rude). Yes, buying online is nice. That doesn’t mean you have to get all your books there. If we don’t want our local bookstores to close, we have to buy from them fairly regularly. Not only when they have sales. Not only at Christmas.

I know I probably sound crazily intense, but as a writer and reader, this is a big deal.

I have this terror that bookstores will go out of business, and we’ll only be able to order books online. Or worse, print books will disappear, and we’ll only be able to find them at antique stores or flea markets. Although digital books can be convenient (especially when you’re traveling), they can’t compare to a printed book in your hands. Or the atmosphere of a bookstore.

I’ve heard plenty of people who agree with me. It’s time to show it. And, really, it’s a win-win situation. The bookstore gets money to help keep them open, and you get a book. Or a movie. A journal. A coffee cup. A bag. A calendar. There are so many ways to support them. Give yourself a bookstore budget. Make regular trips. Go there for your morning coffee. Whatever it takes.

When it comes to business, money talks. Use it to tell them how much you appreciate them and that you want them to stick around.