SOON, issue 32: Visiting Every Bookstore #004
A sparkly new(ish) bookshop, plus a dusty one hidden inside of an antique store, AND an enormous store overflowing with used books.
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.
Visiting Every Bookstore is a regular series about supporting independent booksellers wherever I go. We’re back in Richmond and the surrounding region for this entry. **If this issue gets cut off in your email, be sure to click through to access the whole thing!**
Let me start this off by mentioning the Richmond Public Library is having their fall book sale soon (Nov 7-9). Here’s a shot of the sale last spring, where I lost my mind over the over-sized art and history book selection. (As a heads up, they also sell other media, like music & movies.) With most items between $1-3, it’s hardly a splurge and all for a good cause.
Looking for a library book sale in your area? Using my subscriber list, I’ve put together a quick and dirty (and absolutely not exhaustive) catalogue of upcoming library book sales around the country. In no particular order:
Seattle. Burlington. New York. (Plus Brooklyn). Austin. San Diego. Port Townsend. Jacksonville. Minneapolis and the suburbs. (If your spot isn’t on this list, I ran out of time and/or a sale near you has recently passed.)
Bookstore #1: ILYSM Books
Where? About fifteen minutes from the Fan on the North side of Richmond, you’ll find ILYSM Books as one of several vibrant storefronts on a busy-ish stretch of Brookland Park Boulevard. At just under a year old, this is very likely the newest bookstore in the city. It’s a deep, narrow space with curated shelves lining both sides of the room, comfy seating, and a long, vintage elementary school cafeteria table down the middle. Selection was new and old, across genres and price points, plus I love that it’s a woman-owned shop. Get in there and make your holiday purchases!
What did I buy? Some vintage Peanuts books for my godson and this absolutely trite (and terrific for it) romance novel from the ‘80s that I wanted (and ultimately read) against all logic. Do you ever get unreasonable attractions to ‘bad’ books? It was a slog and a joy!
Bookstore #2: Ex Libris Books
Where? Also north of the city proper, Ex Libris Books is located inside of an antique store, in a little shopping strip with similar vintage & antique purveyors. Plus! It’s all right around the corner from Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. So you can get your dusty book & tchotchke fix then head over to the gardens for a gorgeous stroll in the fresh, fall air.
What did I buy? It’s been a minute since this visit. I don’t *think* I found anything, but if I did, then I’m sure it was a dusty old book with the kind of value only my whims could comprehend.
Bookstore #3: Bargain Books
Where? About fifteen minutes south of Richmond proper, on the no-toll route headed for the suburbs, you’ll find Bargain Books off a well-worn thoroughfare in a shopping plaza. The big blue signage is bright and positive among the traffic and older businesses. My first visit, I was floored by the sheer number of books, separated generally by subject matter and sorta/kinda, once-upon-a-time alphabetical. I picked an aisle and slowly strolled with my head cocked to read the spines of avalanching books on overfull shelves.
This bookstore is my dream because it has the cluttered hodgepodge manner of a thrift store. If that doesn’t sound dreamy to you, then I’m not sure you’ll settle into this experience, though with each ensuing visit it does appear the space is growing slightly more kempt. (And, actually…there is a thrift store inside this bookstore. Quick research reveals the huge retail space has been partially sublet to a community thrift shop.) I have yet to check out the other media on offer (CDs, movies, magazines, comics) but there’s always next time. And the time after that.
This place—what a delight. What a mess. I love it! And the folks at the counter and straightening the shelves are nothing but kind. (Tip: Ask about the teacher discount on book purchases. They may offer other discounts, too, like military or senior, so be sure to inquire.)
What did I buy? So much. The below haul is only partial, as I also bought books for some of the little kids in my life (I’m a book pusher), and I didn’t document the second (or third) visit to Bargain Books, but I assure you every visit has been a success.
RELATED READING
SOON, issue 26: Visiting Every Bookstore #003
I drove 4,800 miles this summer, round-trip, visiting family in Montana. Here’s a couple bookstores from that part of the country, plus a bonus bookshop from the drive.
SOON, issue 17: Visiting Every Bookstore #002
Back in November, I started this ‘visit every bookstore’ journey after discovering that the Richmond region has well over twenty indie bookstores.
A mess and a delight has to be the best definition of the best thrifty bookstores! Also, I absolutely love it when my local library is culling the stacks--very happy to take books and cds off their hands for a bargain. 20 RVA-area indie bookstores is pretty impressive (and also dangerous). Fun post!