On the last Saturday in April, book people will go out into their communities to celebrate Independent Bookstore Day. For twelve years, Indie Bookstore Day has brought together over 1,600 bookstores throughout the country. It’s a wonderful day to advocate for the independent small businesses that work tirelessly to make our local areas more magical.
With so much to cover in a day, where do you start? Luckily we have a few planning tips for the big day:
Make a plan. Having a plan is the best way to make sure you have a great Saturday. There will be tons of bookstores participating for Independent Bookstore Day, so we always suggest mapping out your day. Knowing which bookstores you plan to visit will help you figure out what time they open, what Independent Bookstore Day exclusives they’ll have, and what other places (i.e. main streets, coffee shops, lunch spots) are close by.
Gather your crew. Shopping for books is always better with friends! You can all make a plan to cover your planned bookstores together or meet up at different points throughout the day. It’s a great way to spread the word and bring in more foot traffic for the indies.
Create your budget. For anyone who loves books, we all know that bookstore trips can turn expensive very fast. If you’re planning to go to multiple bookstores, have a budget for each one. If you go with friends, you can all get different books and plan a book swap for the summer. If you see more books than you can carry out of the store, then it sounds like your local independent bookstore will be seeing you again when your next paycheck comes in. The key isn’t to go broke on one day and never return. By becoming a patron at your local independent bookstore, you open yourself to book events, author meet and greets, book clubs, and amazing recommendations that only indie booksellers can give.
Make a wishlist. Indie bookstores contain the gift of discoverability. You never know what you’re going to find. However, sometimes it helps to have a few books on your list to avoid decision fatigue and analysis paralysis. Plus, having a wishlist turns your visit into a scavenger hunt!
Show your support. Can’t make it to every bookstore on your list or can’t afford it? There are other ways to celebrate Independent Bookstore Day (even for free!). Follow your favorite bookstores on social media and share or like their posts. Tell others about Independent Bookstore Day and encourage them to stop by. When you are able to purchase books, make a point to buy local. If you want to buy books this weekend, head over to Bookshop.org which gives you an opportunity to financially support independent bookstores. Purchasing ebooks through Bookshop.org or audiobooks through Libro.fm are other ways to show your love for independent bookstores. When we shop indie and shop local, we all win.
Making time to lift up small businesses reminds us of how much the indie book industry relies on each other - now more than ever.
We’ll see you at the bookstore, Furious Readers.