Bookstores cannot become a thing of the past!
Oh, am I excited about this one? To say the least, yes, I sure am!
If you have read my welcome page, you know that I love checking out bookstores. There is something about the smell and atmosphere that I have yet to find in any other place, including libraries (let me tell you now, I have spent my fair share of time in the library, I wish it was only for pleasure but that is not the case).
This past weekend I went to Chicago to meet with a friend to go watch the Packers and Bears game, I know I know! Go Lions!! Anyways, I was downtown on the Magnificent Mile just wandering, normal when I’m not on a time crunch. After a few hours I realized that I had not stumbled across a singular bookstore! I was just as shocked as you are. Tons of shops and malls but not one bookstore? I was flabbergasted.
I did what anyone in my place would do. Googled bookstores near me. Thank goodness I did because there was so many only a block or two from me. It then came down to which one to choose. Most people are thinking well you can probably hit a few if they are little. You will come to find that I can spend a ton of time in the smallest of shops. Always looking for the diamond in the rough. Plus, if I do come across a new title, it will need to be started immediately!
I started looking over the number of reviews each one had. Seeing which one had the least amount. I found one that said 1 review, and it was only a few blocks away. To be safe I decided to read that one. Good thing I did because it was actually an unmarked door in a basement of a building. That was enough for me to decide it probably wasn’t the best option, although I was very intrigued. My tracker, aka my sister, would not have been impressed, thanks Apple!
I came across one called Barbara’s Bookstore with 172 reviews. It was only one block off the Mile and from the hotel. It was settled and I was off. I’ve always liked a scavenger hunt but finding this one was a little tricky. It was inside Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The only signage was on the side window by the door along with all the other businesses and floor designation. If I had come from the other direction, they did have a big sign on the window. But I had found it.
The picture above is the entrance into the shop. It was a small front but don’t let that fool you. They had many different titles that I was a bit stunned. All the walls were lined with shelves and then they had 2 tables and 2 free standing racks with books. There were other freestanding racks but those were cards and journals. I walked into the store at 3:30pm and I didn’t leave until almost 5pm. What you can’t see in the picture is to the right is the checkout area. That spans about the same length as what you see above.
There were very few duplicate titles on the shelves. Only a handful of books facing out, so no space was wasted. I loved it! I went through each section to make sure that nothing was missed. They had every genre, infant through classics, and a magazine corner. There were a few people that came and went, but it was not crowded at any point. This was a Saturday afternoon. The gentleman that was working the counter let me browse. He was not pushy and answered any questions I had.
Before you get upset, I am a music person except when I’m reading. The fact they had no music going was another huge win! I catch myself humming along when reading covers and not really focusing on what I’m reading, so it was helpful. I found a book that I decided needed to come home with me, “Life is Hard” by Kieran Setiya. This months’ self-development choice. The checkout process was easy, no issues, and they gave me a free bookmark, WIN!!
Overall, it was a cute front with tons of titles. They have done a good job making sure that anyone that walks in has a good selection of their genre of choice. So, if you find yourself on the Mile in Chicago make sure you take a step off the main street to see Barbara’s Bookstore (Also there is a coffee shop adjacent to the entrance, that’s another post though)! Let’s all make sure bookstores cannot become of things of the past.
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2 responses to “Bookstores: Cannot Become a Thing of the Past”
How fun! I mean I love all bookstores yet there is something about finding that little diamond in the rough, family owned with history and passion for all things book 📚 Walking into a good bookstore can transform me to a different world in a matter of seconds. ❤️
Yes, there sure is! They just have a coziness about them!