Featured Bookstores
Elliott Bay Book Company: 50 Years of Bookselling and Still Growing
By Zoe Perzo
Elliott Bay Book Company is a landmark of the Seattle indie scene and is undoubtedly one of the more well-known indie bookstores in the country. With more than 150,000 titles across some 20,000 square feet, Elliott Bay is massive by indie standards.
Reading in Public: Seasonal Menus and Social Advocacy
Linzi Murray is the founder and owner of Reading in Public, a bookstore and cafe located in West Des Moines, Iowa. Murray drew on her graphic design background and her lifelong love of reading in order to build the beautiful and welcoming shop she has today.
Clover Daydreams: Tacoma's Safe and Inclusive Book Space
By Zoe Perzo
Dr. Clover Tamayo (they/siya) is the founder and owner of Clover Daydreams in Tacoma, Washington. As a queer, disabled, Filipino American, Tamayo created Clover Daydreams with the goal of being a safe and inclusive book space and curates a collection that centers queer, trans, BIPOC, disabled, and marginalized voices. Tamayo sat down with me to discuss the origin of Clover Daydreams and the store’s unique environment and services.
The Novel Neighbor: On Ten Years of Operation and Open Door Romance
By Zoe Perzo
You’ve probably heard of The Novel Neighbor. The shop in St. Louis, Missouri, first opened in 2014. In the ten years since then, they’ve expanded, added a nonprofit arm, and recently announced their latest project — Open Door Romance. I sat down with Holland Saltsman, Owner; Kassie King, Director of Social Media and Marketing; and Stephanie Skees, Director of Events and Curated Collections; to learn about the past and future of The Novel Neighbor.
The Mother-Daughter Trio Behind Mavey Books
By Zoe Perzo
Mavey Books, the new indie bookstore in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, will host their grand opening this Indie Bookstore Day, April 27! Owner Nadia Alawa sat down with me to share her origin story and vision for the store.
Alawa comes to bookselling over a decade of nonprofit work. (She also homeschooled all her children.) So, what drew her to bookselling?
Stanza Books: A Welcoming Space for Writers and Thinkers
By Zoe Perzo
Andrea Talarico runs Stanza Books with her partner Mark Harris. This cozy general bookstore in Beacon, New York, covers about 900 square feet and offers all manner of books and events. I sat down with Talarico to learn more about Stanza’s origin, operation, and goals.
Though Stanza Books only opened last year, Talarico is no stranger to bookstores.