"You don't go here to find a book.  Here a book finds you."…read more(I totally cribbed that from another Yelper's review of a different bookstore - in another state - so I'm allowed!) Can I share a story with you?  During the Dark Ages (pre-internet, no Yelp or smartphones) learning about something a bit off-the-beaten-path, let alone being able to source it, was an arduous task. I was an English Lit major and one of my professors loved to talk about even more books than the ones already assigned to his class and he always mentioned 'The Three Christs of Ypsilanti' that he read himself when he was in college.  It sounded more interesting than what we were reading in class (sorry, but there's only so many times you can endure 'Oedipus Rex') and I went hunting for 'Three Christs' but never had any luck.  Most workers at other shops gave the quizzical "What'cha talkin 'bout Willis?!" look and I'd leave empty-handed (or with a completely different book... just because).  Then I found myself here.  And while casually strolling through the store and eyeing up all the titles... I found a used copy!  (Can I tell you one other thing?  The book was a bit dry and dated and part of me wished it stayed like the Holy Grail - that it might keep me searching through different bookstores but never actually finding it.) And it's been more than a few years (okay, decades!) since I scored 'Three Christs' and now I'm here once again - this time doing my part to properly celebrate and support "Independent Bookstore Day" - and man oh man... you could lose an entire day here just drifting from rack to rack, aisle to aisle, floor to floor. Whatever you fancy - they have a section for it. Pricing is a-okay. The quality of the 'newer' used books is most excellent.  (The older, more rare and worn copies are out of reach or behind glass cases.) Behind the counter is the coolest and friendliest gal. From music to books to merch to a "gumball machine" that has poems (of course, right?) - the world is a better place with mom and pop (book)stores like this in it. "Since 1984" - and hoping they'll be going strong for another 40-plus years... (PS: if you stumble upon the movie version of 'Three Christs' - skip that as well.  They tried to make it a comedy and it's awful.)

Some spaces just scream "For Book Lovers" and this charming bookstore is one of them. From the…read moresidewalk shelves of $1 books to the stairs painted as recognizable book spines, this forty-year old store is a haven for story lovers. Some bookstores are big and cluttered, leaving visitors to fend for themselves if they're looking for something specific. Not here. Within the cavernous space, there's a clear sense of organization - by genre and neat alphabetization by author's name. The selection is vast; from literary artwork, coffee table books, local geography, and manga, there's truly something for everyone. I especially loved the well-stocked children's section in the back, where I was endeared by the sight of a young bookworm sitting with her head in a book for a while without any one bothering her. That, more than anything else, is why I love local bookshops - they're homespun spaces where people can curate their love for books. Speaking of homespun, this bookstore isn't fancy. The shelves look like they're made of unvarnished plywood that have been hammered together, and most of the store signs have been made with little more than marker and posterboard. Don't let that fool you - the workers here know their stuff. I overheard enough conversations to know they can talk books with anyone who walks in and can help you locate most anything in the store. If you're in the area and need a space to just breathe in the smell of books old and new, please do yourself a favor and stop in.