In the past, I've found good bookstores either through recommendation, or simply by stumbling upon them on one of my daily walks. This works well for cities where I've either spent a great deal of time, or have book-loving friends and family available for suggestions.
In my travels, I've begun to seek out stores that might offer satisfying book-browsing, purchasing, and chai-tea-sipping experiences. Since I'm often in places I've never been (Mt. Vernon, Arkansas?) nor encountered anyone
from (Elkton, Kentucky?), this has naturally involved a lot of Google searches. In this process, I have discovered that there's actually a whole movement of folks who do this regularly. And by "this" I mean "travel to places with the express purpose of patronizing independent bookstores." It is, apparently, called "
Bookstore Tourism." The organizer shuttles people on a charted bus to various indie bookstores, handling the travel arrangements and presumably generating revenue for the bookstores.
At first I found it a little strange. Given my nature, travelling around with a bunch of other book-loving folks probably wouldn't be the most enjoyable experience. With a little more reflection though, I realized it is essentially what I do as an individual all the time. While I have not yet succumbed to the temptation of visiting a city with the exclusive intention to experience an independent bookstore, there is
always some shop on my to-see list on any trip. I also have an unspoken (until now) rule to buy a book and something from the cafe as a way to show my support. In this way, the concept of Bookstore Tourism isn't so foreign at all. In fact, I would go so far as to encourage people to engage in Bookstore Tourism. You can find out more information by visiting the site and following the Bookstore Tourism
Twitter account.
For people like me who often grumble during guided tours and try to leave any organized group activity several hours before its scheduled end, I recommend the
IndieBound Store Finder. While it's of little importance to me to find indie clothing stores and coffee shops, the site has on more than one occasion helped me discover an excellent bookstore in an unfamiliar city.
s), but also includes useful in-store tools like an inventory search feature and staff reviews. Additionally, it provides links to all their social networking profiles. It's an excellent tool for locals.