As Independent Bookstore Day approaches I think about the countless works of literature that go unread every year because of marketing, timing and a whole host of reasons that cause a book to fall between the stacks. 

As an independent bookstore owner, I am passionate about supporting local businesses, the community and authors. By shopping at an indie bookstore, you are not only supporting small businesses like mine, but you are also investing in the unique

culture and character of your neighborhood and investing in the vision of the bookstore owner to bring a specially curated collection to readers.

Amazon’s Impact on the book industry has been huge. While some say they bring cheaper books to the market, what they don’t realize is that by undercutting competitors the pressure on retailers who have to cut their prices leads to a race to the bottom and that can harm authors and publishers. One of the biggest reasons to shop local and avoid Amazon is the impact it has on the local economy. When you purchase books from a local bookstore, you are supporting the livelihood of the employees who work there, as well as the authors and publishers whose work we feature. The only way to fight a monopoly is to not participate in it. Shopping local not only supports the community but is a healthy form of protest against large corporate power.

Shopping locally allows you to discover new books and authors that you may not have come across otherwise. At Little Indie Bookshop, we take pride in curating a diverse selection of books that cater to all tastes and interests. By shopping with us, you are supporting a business that is passionate about literature and dedicated to promoting a love of reading.

Bookstores are a gathering place for book lovers to come together, attend author events, book clubs, and other literary events. By supporting us, you are helping to create a vibrant and thriving community where people can come together to share their love of books.

If you’d like to read some interesting stories about some Independent Booksellers and the impact Amazon has on them check out Danny Cain’s work “How to Protect bookstores and Why: Present-Future-Bookselling"  and consider shopping locally or try Bookshop.org, Better World Books or Thrift Books as an alternative way to source books!