My latest bookstore exploration was in Bloomington, Ind. I love visiting new cities and seeing their independent bookstores! The above photo was Caveat Emptor, a musty, quiet spot on the square in the middle of the city. Two older men were running it and kept bickering back and forth about whether a certain book should be shelved in "Dark Ages" or "Middle Ages". It was hilarious.
I found an old, beautiful copy of A Room With a View for only $2, so I was thrilled. It was the perfect spot for wandering through the stacks when you're not in a hurry. Plus I'm a sucker for bookstores with rolling ladders and odd cataloging categories.
The other bookstore we stopped at was called Book Corner. It's small, but has a ridiculously great selection. They had tons of the Penguin Great Ideas series, graphic novels, and beautiful collected copies of McSweeney's. There's the sweetest children's section as well. There aren't any used books, but you're sure to find so beautiful gems for a permanent collection. Bloomington is definitely a great spot to visit for bibliophiles. Last year I made it to Indiana University's Lilly Library and was blown away by all the crazy rare goodies they had (Sylvia Plath's hair!?!) I saw one other bookstore, Boxcar Books, but didn't have time to check it out. Of course that just means I'll have to visit again soon!
8 comments:
Caveat Emptor is a great spot to lose yourself in books for hours! Next time you go to Bloomington you should definitely check out Boxcar Books. It's a well-curated store, it's non-profit, and they host Midwest Pages to Prisoners at the store (I would recommend volunteering for it - it's a really neat experience)!
Sylvia Plath's hair?!?! crazy!
We have a little Used and Rare shop in my downtown but I've only been in there once. I was kind of made to feel like I would break something if not careful so I haven't gone back. think it's time for a revisit, though!
Love those ladders!
Both of these sound lovely, and I love that name, Caveat Emptor! I need to check out some of the bookstores where I live. And I've never been in a bookstore with rolling ladders before!
Kat - That is awesome! I will definitely have to make time for that one next time too. Bloomington has so many great ones!
Trish - I hate it when bookstores don't make you feel comfortable. I've been in ones like that and I'd rather visit one where you can wander for hours.
Belle - I love finding new ones in every city I visit! Each independent bookstore has a unique feel, while Barnes and Nobles or Books a Million are the same wherever you go.
So so beautiful!!
I love finding indie bookstores, too. We don't have them in the part of NC I live in.
Cool love the report on Hoosier town's bookstores. They look great.
Jillian - I know!
Becca - Indy doesn't have many either so I'm thrilled when I find one!
thecuecard - Bloomington is such a fun town!
Post a Comment