Thursday, November 05, 2009

Do You Have A Favorite Bookstore?

I just joined a new meme that will happen every Thursday. I was very choosy and picked one that talks about books and reading to keep within my niche.

Today's topic is "Favorite Bookstores".

This topic makes me very sad. You see, I lost my favorite bookstore, our local Borders, last May. It was a victim of the recession. I used to go several days a week and spend several hours at a time. I hunkered down with my laptop, MP3 player and a big soda to write. Lots of times my daughters went with me. It was home away from home. We had a lot of good times there.

Now, alas, the building is being torn down.The site is pathetic. All that remains are a lot of concrete chunks and a sign announcing the coming of another Walgreens. There's already a Walgreens or a CVS on every other block in my city. How many drugstores do we need?

I've tried other bookstores but they're not the same. Not other Borders. Not Barnes and Nobles. Not only are they a lot further away, they don't have the same feel or the same community. Our local Barnes and Nobles covered up their electrical outlets and took out most of the seating so its impossible to work there.

Sometimes I go to the local library. But it closes at 8 pm. I don't get home from the day job until 6 pm or after. That's not much time to work so its not worth the bother of packing up my laptop and trekking over.

I was impressed with Nova University's library when I was there last week for the Nanowrimo kickoff party. It was beautiful and has great hours (i.e. until 11:30 pm on Sundays). Unfortunately, it looks as if public parking is for a fee plus it's more than an hour round trip from my house. I can't afford to go often.

Alas, I'm like a woman without a country - a writer without a bookstore home. Hopefully something new will open close with good hours and electrical outlets. Until then, I am adrift, working from home, getting overly distracted by the internet.

4 comments:

The Bumbles said...

I wish we had a small independent bookstore nearby. We have Barnes & Noble and Borders but they just feel like chains to me. I spent a lot of time in my University's bookstore when it was still under the school's umbrella. It has since been pimped out to a chain as well. Our library is terrific although their hours have been reduced too. Whenever I am out wandering locally or on the road I always keep an eye out for a local independent gem.

Dawn said...

That stinks that you lost your writing spot. I love going to our Barnes & Noble to wander and look, but I can't really say that it is my favorite bookstore. It is just a store with books, and I love books.

Linda Kage said...

A woman without a bookstore, oh no. IMO, that's worse than a women without a country. And Walgreens? Seriously, are drugs more important than books? Not to me (well, except maybe that little thyroid pill I have to take each morning to control my hormones:)).

The ONLY bookstore-bookstore in my town is Hastings. So, that's where I go. Then there's Wal-Mart and a few grocery stores will have a small rack of bestsellers. To say the least, I order most of my books!

Molly Daniels said...

I moved to a town w/o a bookstore. When I lived in Indianapolis, I loved the Borders on 86th St; it was very 'kid-friendly', and I took the kids there at least once or twice a year. After our move to the country, I was thrilled when a new B&N opened up 30 minutes away, and discovered a Borders in Greenwood.

Now we're down here, and the closest one is an hour away. I'd love to open up my own bookstore/cafe, but no start-up money. Several others have bemoaned the fact we have to either go to Walmart or travel out of town for a bookstore, but no one has the capital to OPEN one here.

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