It's summer - support a local bookstore when you travel.
Let not the experience of wandering aisles of books, communities of books on
the shelf, waiting to entice you in...waiting for you to fall in love....whereas you leave the
bookstore together for a life happily ever after (I do love a Disney ending)...let not this
experience fade away.
Online shopping is convenient, it's quick, and yes the prices are enticing; but, let's not
limit our book hunting experience to online shopping. Let's support those physical
bookstores that linger in towns and cities.
A particular favorite Northern Michigan bookstore experience.....
Next time you visit Petoskey, Michigan find your way to McLean & Eakin Booksellers,
lose yourself in the atmosphere of good books, scattered comfortable chairs, a sip of
coffee, a tidbit of donut, a knowledgeable staff........check out their sponsored events, the
author luncheons and book signings....today you could be listening to author Thrity Umrigar
in person, at a luncheon!
www.mcleanandeakin.com/events-main
But what about the smaller bookstores....the seasonal bookstores of Michigan?
Did you know that the Keweenaw Peninsula (think U.P. of MI, the "rabbit ears" that
extend into Lake Superior) ------
in the northern most town of Copper Harbor (with 100 year round residents), there is a
700 square foot bookstore called "Grandpa's Barn." Since 2002, the bookstore is open
each year on Mother's Day weekend and closes the third week in October. The bookstore
stocks 2 copies of each title with a 4,000 book inventory. The owners are the
Westcoats, a husband and wife team (the wife teaches full time at Michigan
Technological University 20 miles south in Houghton) - they have 1 part time employee.
Check out Grandpa's Barn Facebook page:
www.facebook.com/grandpasbarn/
had a bookstore on an island, and we Michiganders have one too. There are 500 permanent
residents on Mackinaw Island and 15,000 tourists visit the island each day in the summer.
This 1,000 square foot bookstore was founded in 1975 - it opens the first weekend in May and
closes at the end of October.
For the past 25 summers, the bookstore manager has taken the ferry each day to work!
The books are ordered during the winter months and are delivered by horse or hand
carried by a UPS driver the the bookstore.
www.islandbookstore.com/
In 1996, M. Barnwell the owner, opened a second slightley larger seasonal bookstore on the
mainland called Mackinaw City Books - which opens the second weekend in May and closes the
third Sunday in October. There are a total of 11 employees working at the 2 stores,
there is little staff turnover.