SOON, issue 11: Visiting Every Bookstore, Part 1
The never-ending journey, hopefully. Join me! We begin where I live: Richmond, VA & the surrounding region.
Welcome to Something Out of Nothing, a newsletter about meaning—making it, finding it, offering it. I talk about the writing life, teaching, thrifting, books, travel, obsessions and idle interests, and much more.
Several weeks ago, I did a search for all the independent bookstores in Richmond, VA, and the considerable suburbs and exurbs that encircle it. I’ve lived here for thirteen years, but was shocked to realize there’s twenty-something independent bookstores in our midst, and I’ve only patronized three or four of them. I’ll visit every single one, I thought. That type of consumerism will feel honorable and good.
Of course, so few things feel honorable and good right now. But I still believe in books, forever and always, and their power to compel, challenge, and change our minds. I came up with this ‘visit every bookstore’ goal before the election, but it feels even more necessary now. It feels like a balm. It feels like communing.
Bookstore #1: Classic Coffee, Tea, & Books
Located in the small college town of Ashland (home to Randolph-Macon College), about twenty miles north of Richmond, this tiny book shop is the only one around. As my first stop, it was sweet and curiously like a third space, as it’s mostly a coffee shop with three large bookcases (and a few odd shelves in corners) displaying an easy-going hodgepodge of genres, used and new, classics and mass paperbacks and local authors all shelved together.
I stayed for about a half hour, writing a bit. It’s a clean, bright space, right on a quaint sidewalk street in a town with no other bookstores (aside from the campus one), and there’s two counters with low stools and a small table for gathering. I was one of two customers and the place was mostly silent, apart from chit-chat between the owners behind the counter. It felt like a place that really needed music playing in the background, but there wasn’t any. Still, this multi-use space is doing good work for a smaller community. I chatted a bit with the owners, too, and they seemed like sweet people.
What did I buy? Only a cup of coffee. I tried hard to find a book, but the selection wasn’t speaking to me. If there’d been more used options, then maybe, but they did mention special orders are an option.
Bookstore #2: Small Friend Records & Books
You can find this shop in the popular Fan neighborhood of Richmond, down a set of cement stairs in the basement of a stately brick building. New and used books lined the walls, while a cozy seating area and a hefty record selection floated in the middle. Lots of classic and eclectic reading material, including zines, and though I can’t speak to the record collection, people did seem to peruse those options as much as the books.
An intentional, curated, and tidy space with people moving around easily despite the small quarters. And it had background music! Easy on the ears melodies, perfect as a conversation buffer among chatting strangers, and you know—most importantly?—it added to the ambiance.
What did I buy? My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh and The First Wife by Paulina Chiziane, translated by David Brookshaw. Plus a couple of tiny buttons.
Bookstore #3: Book People
Located in a shopping plaza about twenty minutes west of the city, this impressive indie shop is bookended—sorry—by a hair salon and a sports-themed restaurant. Again, I wished for pleasant background music. The place was *silent* and I was the only customer, but I wandered shelf to shelf across the store and back again, really taking my time, and I don’t think I fielded a single inquiry about what I was looking for (I wouldn’t have been able to say—in a bookstore, I’m just searching and enjoying it). But this is not a customer service criticism, rather a high compliment: I was given space and privacy to peruse.
Spacious floor plan, with shelves floor-to-nearly-ceiling, offering a broad selection of new and used copies, plus a seating area for making yourself comfy and paging through your latest TBR. Lots of compelling stuff, including a considerable history selection, cookbooks, and a children’s and YA section with graphic narrative options. The owner and I chatted a bit at checkout, and he was a friendly guy.
What did I buy? Manhood for Amateurs: The Pleasures and Regrets of a Husband, Father, and Son by Michael Chabon.
Visit your indie bookstores and shop local. They can often place special orders and offer unique book suggestions for gifts, plus you’ll be supporting the health of your local community by supporting their small business. The tour picks up with our next bookstore visits in a few weeks!
This is a great idea, April!