Small independent bookstores are so special! I rarely get the chance to casually walk into a bookstore and peruse books anymore. Before we had kids, my husband and I loved going to Trident Booksellers to unwind after a long day at work. Some days we would grab a hot beverage and browse a book or two, and other days we would just soak in the atmosphere and enjoy being there. I miss doing that.
This year, winter seemed never ending. A few weeks ago, after exhausting most of our go-to options for indoor activities, I wanted to find a quiet book store with a little cafe where we could enjoy an uneventful afternoon as a family, relaxing and browsing books. Seems like such a simple, doable activity but it isn’t all that easy unless intentionally planned.
My hope is that once our five-year-old starts reading more independently, the four of us can spend a couple afternoons a month at our local bookstore (especially in the winter time) and turn it into a little family ritual. Some undivided time away from technology, supporting our local community, will definitely be time well spent.
Just last week, we were away on spring break in beautiful Charleston. After long unstructured family walks exploring the city, we would find a quiet bookstore and take a short break before moving on to the next activity. I was pleasantly surprised how well this reading ‘downtime’ worked. The girls were totally into it and the adults could enjoy some quiet time, too. My younger one (after she was done flipping pages of her books) had fun spending time by the bookshelves trying to find books for her sister while my oldest sat and read for as long as we let her. We also bought the girls a couple books to bring back as their Charleston trip souvenirs.
Visiting bookstores is also a great way to keep up with new titles and broaden your horizon simply by randomizing your reading material. I hope we can do this more often!
Do you have an independent bookstore you love visiting? I am really hoping to take the girls for Storytime at our local bookstore after soccer this Saturday in honor of Independent Bookstore Day. Hope you are able to find some great events at your local store as well. Happy reading!
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