I love bookstores, but so many of them are now being eclipsed by E readers and the like. I have not been in a bookstore for the past 4 or 5 years. Ok, I take that back, I was in a college bookstore last year, to kill time when I was waitng for a group to start. It is sad to say, that is it! I miss bookstores. There is a big Barnes and Noble bookstore in front of a mall I go to sometimes, and every time I see it, I think I need to go in there. OK, next time for sure!!
Even when we had more bookstores and read real books, I usually shopped at the thrift store for books to read. I enjoyed browsing in a large bookstore, and still would; but now I usually read with my Kindle, since it is the perfect size and weighs so much less than holding an actual book does. Sadly to say, printed books may be going the way of the daily newspaper that used to be in almost everyone's home once (or even twice) a day back in yesteryear. I just ordered a book from eBay, America BC, about the ancient history of America back several thousand years ago. After reading a little about the author, Dr. Barry Fell, I searched on Amazon, and only found the printed version, and even that was fairly expensive; so then I checked eBay, and found one cheaper. There is a used book store not too far away, and I have been there a couple of times, and always think that I am going to go in and look around again; but it seems like whenever we are out in that direction, we are in some kind of a hurry, and Bobby doesn't care for bookstores, anyway. I would have to make a special trip; so it just never happens.
I get catalogs in the mail from this place. Have bought stuff from them. https://www.hamiltonbook.com/ You can request a catalog from the site posted, if interested.
I get most of my books on Kindle or even the library. I just have too many. I don't know what to do with the ones I have now honestly. However, I would love to browse. I like Barnes and Noble because they have some neat little items in there besides books, and most of them have some kind of cafe in there as well. I will stop the next time I am in that area. Normally, I have a few errands planned though while I am in the "big city" and I just never seem to get there.
There is a Barnes and Noble just down from Vanderbilt University which is on the way to work. I stop by every time I go to the VA Hospital which is on the campus.
I was in a Books a Million store in Bangor about six months go. It used to be a Borders, and I liked it better then, largely because it had a large regional section with local books. As a BAM store, it isn't much.
Never heard of BAM, is it a franchise? I never cared for Borders, I always felt overwhelmed....but for some reason I preferred Borders over Barnes and Noble. I was usually satisfied with buying the bestsellers at my local supermarket or walmart where they were cheaper. Since the internet, bookstores and libraries have lost their appeal for me. I used to love browsing cookbooks and still have quite a collection but now every recipe is online.
They are the second largest book chain in the United States, just behind Barnes & Noble, but their stores are mostly in the South, Midwest and Northeast, so you may not have one near you. I knew them as an online bookseller for years before I realized they had actual bookstores as well.
Interesting that I've never heard of them considering I did live in the Midwest for many years, I'll have to look them up and see if I ever lived near one but I'm pretty sure I would have known it. I was an avid reader all my life, it's just lately that I can't find a good book. Edit: I did find one in Edwardsville, Il which is near my son. Also found one in Merrillville, Indiana but I'm pretty sure it want there when I lived there.
The one in Bangor just became a BAM a few years ago, after Borders filed for bankruptcy. The only one that I remember seeing before that was in Fayetteville, North Carolina, or somewhere near there.
It's been a long time since I last went to the bookstore although a month ago I chanced upon a mini bookstore along the way to the province. And guess what I had bought? Some Archie comics, hahahaaah. It was cheap at $2 per copy and I got 5 that would last me maybe for a year (I only read it during my spare time at home). The most popular bookstore here is National Book Store which carries all kinds of reading matter, from books down to magazines, comics. They also have office and school supplies particularly with pens so it is like a one-stop-shop.
I love going to bookstores. I think it may have been 2 or 3 weeks ago that I went. We have Half Price Books nearby and it seems to do a healthy amount of business.
Sometimes, if we are in the area, we will stop into one of our local Christian Book Stores.........there are two of them. A few yeas ago, my wife bought me my Men's Devotional Bible "Classic Edition" from one for my birthday. Still reading the Daily Devotionals in it and they are great. A few years ago, we went into a Barnes and Noble bookstore for something. It was interesting, but we just aren't that much into reading.