Second Read Books

 I love St. Augustine, Florida. It's the oldest city in the United States. This year it celebrated its 450th anniversary! Every time we visit we wander the cobblestone streets and find new little shops to stop explore. On our trip to Florida in May we found Second Read Books and just had to stop in. 

The Huz and I spent a little time in the tiny shop and I found a gorgeous 1960 edition of Jane Eyre that I bought. I have a slight problem with buying different copies of Jane Eyre. I just can't help myself. I'm not a fan of the silly editions with damsels in distress on the cover, but I can't pass up a gothic version like this.

Side note: If you ever find yourself in St. Augustine I would highly recommend the restaurant Catch 27. It is amazing! Take your own bottle of wine (no corking fee) and get the blackened fish, you'll thank me later. 

Photos by me.

Battery Park Book Exchange

So while on vacation in May the Huz and I visited an amazing bookstore in Asheville, North Carolina. It's called the Battery Park Book Exchange and Champagne Bar and it was amazing! When you first go in you see a big wine bar area, then you climb the stairs and you can just wander for hours through the stacks.

Joyce reigns over the staircase and dogs are welcome throughout the shop! There are little corners everywhere with chairs and tables for people to sit and chat over their glasses of wine.

 Little tables in front of the bookstore. We grabbed a drink and sat out here people watching after the sun had set.

This area was packed with chairs and little tables. People were sipping wine and nibbling on cheese plates. The whole time other shoppers were browsing the stacks around them.

These were all rare books. There were so many great classics! I was incredibly tempted to buy a copy of Rebecca... but it was $300.

 The Huz browsed with me while I squealed at each new nook we discovered. I ended up buying a copy of Doctor Doolittle and Hemingway's The Snows of Kilimanjaro and Other Stories.

 The main wine bar area when you first enter the shop.

Even the front door is inviting. You can see the little coffee bar where a barista will ring up your books when you're ready to leave (although you never really are ready to leave). If you're ever in North Carolina I definitely recommend you check it out!

The Two Sisters Bookstore

 I love discovering new bookstores and this one was such a treat. The Two Sisters is nestled in the midst of Richmond, Indiana's historic Depot District. It's packed with shelves of books but still manages to have an open airy feel. There are both used and new books, including some lovely Penguin editions. I could have spent all day wandering through the shop.

Of course I couldn't leave without a few goodies. I found three classics that just had to come home with me. Their prices were really reasonable and I had a hard time keeping it to only three books. I bought a 1924 copy of "When We Were Young" by A.A. Milne, a copy of “Winesburg, Ohio” by Sherwood Anderson and a beautiful edition of Gene Stratton-Porter’s “Michael O’Halloran” because I loved “A Girl of the Limberlost” so much!

 

There were great little signs identifying each each section of books (above). There was also a huge selection of tea at the front of the shop. 

One of the best parts of the whole shop is hidden in the back in the children's section. There's a Harry Potter nook under the stairs!!! There was a complete set of the books, a photo of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, a Gryffindor scarf and glasses. If I were younger I might have curled up on the little bed with a book!

There were many literary themed gifts in the shop as well, coffee mugs, etc. I loved all the unique details that popped up around each corner. One sign on the fireplace mantle (above) said "Monthly Movie Crush: Benedict Cumberbatch". I mean really, tell me you don't want to be friends with these ladies! I loved everything about the shop and can't wait to visit again.

Photos by moi.

Bloomington Bookstores

  
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! 

Brown County Bookstores

 

Whenever I travel I tend to find bookstores. A recent trip to Brown County in southern Indiana introduced me to two new ones. The first, Viewpoint Books, was in Columbus, IN. It's a little corner shop with a decent selection. If you find yourself in the area make sure you head all the way to the back to check out the small section of used books! I found a copy of a Steinbeck travel memoir that I hadn't read yet.

 

 

The second shop was in downtown Nashville, IN. The town is an adorably sweet tourist spot with tons of little shops. We wandered and did some Christmas shopping for an afternoon.

 

 

The best thing about The Book Loft was the excellent selection of antique books by Hoosier authors.  I bought a copy of James Whitcomb Riley's poems from the early 1900s for only $10!

 

Let me know if there are any great bookstores near you! I'd love to visit them if I'm ever in your area.

 

Photos by moi.

Where in the World Are You Reading: Bookstores - Indy Reads Books

 

 On July 13, 2012 Indy Reads Books opened in Indianapolis. I could not be happier! We have almost no independent bookstores in our city and all of the proceeds for this one go to the adult literacy not-for-profit organization that runs it. It sells both new and used books at great prices and the selection was wonderful! The store is decorated with books, using pages glued to the walls and books stacked to create a checkout table.

 

I visited for the first time on July 14th and left with two beautiful classic editions; a 1925 copy of one of my favorites Twelfth Night and a 1901 copy of Tennyson's The Princess. I was thrilled! Also, local author and literary rock star John Green was there on Friday, July 13th to kick off the festivities and do a reading and signing. Two thumbs up for him supporting local businesses!

This post is for the Where in the World are you Reading event hosted by Trish this month. Join in if you want. Next month's category is libraries.
 
Photos by moi.