The Bookshop Hunter — James H Duncan

A Review of Barbara’s Bookstore (O’Hare)

Oct 10

Oct 10 A Review of Barbara’s Bookstore (O’Hare)

Bookshop Review

Terminal B, Chicago O’Hare International Airport

Well this is a first. Is it possible to review an actual indie bookstore in a major airport? It seems like it! Like other regional chains I’ve reviewed (Sherman’s of Maine, Half-Price Books, etc.), I still consider something like this an indie shop, because Barbara’s has a number of shops in the Chicago area but you’re not going to see it in many other places. I love the idea of an indie grabbing some major real estate like this, because I’d rather buy a book from a regional indie chain than those shops that are 10% books, 70% snacks, and 20% t-shirts of whatever city the airport is in. And this shop had a lot for such a compact space!

A Review of Nine Lives Books

Sep 23

Sep 23 A Review of Nine Lives Books

Bookshop Review

7959 Fredericksburg Road, San Antonio, TX

Thirteen years ago when I lived in San Antonio, I used to visit Nine Lives when it was in its previous location. It was much bigger then, with a deeper selection of used titles to browse through, not to mention numerous bookshop cats darting around (hence the name), but now the name has another meaning, I suppose. The new shop is smaller, and less extensive in its literary offerings, and it seems to be starting over as a more multi-media shop. A new life, and hopefully not its last. From the value offered, one imagines it should find a unique niche in the local market.

(Image above is borrowed from the store’s Facebook page.)

Aug 25
Aug 25 A Bookshop Interview with Cord Moreski

Bookshop Interview

A Review of Gabriel Books

Jul 26

Jul 26 A Review of Gabriel Books

Bookshop Review

121 Market Street, Northampton, MA

How much more convenient can a bookstore be than three doors down from our Airbnb, which was also a two-minute walk from the heart of downtown? Yet the block and the shop itself felt pleasantly quiet, quaintly set back from the hustle and bustle, allowing for a leisurely browse through the narrow aisles stacked and jammed with books. The number of books they have piled about in this small shop is impressive, and I thoroughly enjoyed taking a look!

A Review of Amherst Books

Jul 3

Jul 3 A Review of Amherst Books

Bookshop Review

8 Main Street, Amherst, Massachusetts

Amherst Books quickly reminded me of some of my favorite bookstores, the multi-room shops full of eclectic displays and a selection of books that will always surprise and keep you guessing each time you walk through the door. With books new, used, and vintage, this two-floor shop has something for everyone, even if your wallet is a little lighter than it used to be with these gas prices.

A Review of Postmark Books

Jun 19

Jun 19 A Review of Postmark Books

Bookshop Review

449 Main Street, Rosendale, NY

As they themselves describe it at their website, Postmark Books is a “bright and airy space on Rondout Creek” that is “full of good cheer,” and I can attest that they are 100% correct about that. I stopped by in mid-winter and found the space full of sunlight, beautifully decorated, and about as clean and organized as a bookshop can be. And the selection? Yeah, they got that right too.

May 11
May 11 A Bookshop Interview with Victor Clevenger

Bookshop Interview

A Review of Codex

Apr 10

Apr 10 A Review of Codex

Bookshop Review

1 Bleecker Street, NY

When I lived in New York City, one of my favorite neighborhoods for bar hopping and hanging out was the Bleecker Street/Bowery area, and during a recent pandemic-era visit (when I also discovered my favorite dive Bleecker Street Bar had closed, alas), I stumbled across this sliver of a bookshop. Though it might be small, it packs a punch and it’s worth checking out if you’re in the area.

A Bookshop Review of Half Price Books (Isom Road Location)

Mar 3

Mar 3 A Bookshop Review of Half Price Books (Isom Road Location)

Bookshop Review

125 Northwest Loop 410, San Antonio, TX

I already reviewed another one of this company’s locations, but each location does have its own vibe and this is the first Half Price Books I started going to when I lived in San Antonio from 2006 through 2009. During this time I was voracious for anything Bukowski, Kerouac, Hunter Thompson, Steinbeck, and the like, and I always found excellent editions of their books here. I have probably purchased at least a dozen collection of Bukowski’s poetry from the 80s and 90s in this location alone, so any time I’m back in SA, I hit this one up to dig for gold. It never fails to have something interesting!

A Bookshop Interview with Karen Schoemer

Feb 21

Feb 21 A Bookshop Interview with Karen Schoemer

Bookshop Interview

I met Karen Schoemer at a recent St. Rocco’s Reading Series event, where we talked poetry, bookshops, and how we’ve crossed paths in the literary and bookshop worlds twice without my remembering. But I do remember that Karen read some great poems that day and has a fascinating background as a music writer and performer (details on that below), and so I asked her about her favorite bookshop for my interview series. She came up with a good one! I need to check this place out!

A Review of Cheever Books

Jan 25

Jan 25 A Review of Cheever Books

Bookshop Review

3613 Broadway, San Antonio, TX

My time was running out during my last trip to San Antonio, but I managed to sneak in a quick visit to this second-hand and vintage bookshop on Broadway south of the UIW campus and the Witte Museum. Cheever Books recently went through a renovation and reorganization, so if you went in the past, it might be a different ball game for you now. And if you’re looking for fine and rare books about local or regional historical topics, this is absolutely the place for you, Texans!

A Review of Nowhere Bookshop

Dec 5

Dec 5 A Review of Nowhere Bookshop

Bookshop Review

5154 Broadway, San Antonio, TX

This lively bookstore is located in San Antonio’s Alamo Height neighborhood, which for those not local to Military City, it feels like a small town within a bigger city, yet it’s one of the more—in very subtle ways—posh zip codes in the state. This unexpected dose of high-end style hidden behind a modest demeanor describes the neighborhood’s best bookshop, as well. Nowhere Bookshop is one of the best spots in the city for new books, and certainly one of the most conscious of how unique details can set a bookstore apart from the pack.

A Review of Joseph Fox Bookshop

Oct 22

Oct 22 A Review of Joseph Fox Bookshop

Bookshop Review

1724 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA

We discovered Joseph Fox on a rainy weekend in Philadelphia while on a break between cultural explorations. It’s not terribly far from all the big art museums and there are plenty of restaurants nearby for a convenient lunch to pair with your browsing. And after an awkward initial interaction with the staff, the shop proved itself worth the walk and the time spent poking around the various displays.

A Review of McNally Jackson (Seaport)

Sep 18

Sep 18 A Review of McNally Jackson (Seaport)

Bookshop Review

4 Fulton Street, New York, NY

The main branch of the McNally Jackson bookstore in Soho is, in some ways and to many people, the ideal bookstore. But this newer location brings bookselling to another level, one I’d describe as “this is what my dream house looks like, brick walls and leather chairs and room upon room upon room full of books…with a coffee shop.” Because that’s exactly what this gorgeous location is, save for me living there. Maybe one day! But until then, this bright and bountiful bookshop is a must-see literary spot for any NYC local or visitor.

A Review of The Book Warehouse (Lake George)

Aug 9

Aug 9 A Review of The Book Warehouse (Lake George)

Bookshop Review

1424 Route 9, Lake George, NY

The Lake George branch of this regional chain is located in the busy outlet mall just south of the village on Route 9. Tucked in amongst stores offering discounted designer jeans and sunglasses, this bookshop feels neither indie (it isn’t, really) not quaint (it’s pretty expansive inside) but it does offer a huge discount on what initially seems like remaindered extras, but the offerings were better than the castoffs I expected.

(Image borrowed from Shelf-awareness.com.)

A Review of Unoppressive Non-Imperialist Bargain Bookstore

Jun 19

Jun 19 A Review of Unoppressive Non-Imperialist Bargain Bookstore

Bookshop Review

34 Carmine Street, New York, NY

Separated by more than 18 months and a worldwide pandemic, I finally returned to New York City this June to scour for more bookshops. It was both awkward and a relief, roaming the streets and subways packed with people after having to avoid them for so long, but to do so vaccinated allowed me to enjoy that golden hour magic in early evening Manhattan, the neon just beginning to glow, the sounds of music from boomboxes in small west village parks, the rose-gold hue of the sky as the sun sets into New Jersey horizons across the Hudson. And it allowed me to discover the eclectic and wallet-friendly Unoppressive Non-Imperialist Bargain Bookstore, a throwback to a more defiant artistic culture one doesn’t always find in a city full of shallow Instagrammers and fleece vest-wearing finance bros. In fact, finding this shop felt like a perfect return to the unique experience that is book browsing in one of the greatest literary cities in the world.

A Review of Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee & Books

Jun 2

Jun 2 A Review of Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee & Books

Bookshop Review

5445 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia, PA

Whenever I visit a new bookshop, one of the most important things I look for is any unique angle, theme, or vibe that sets the store apart from any other. No one needs to look too hard for what makes Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee & Books unique. Aside from the damn good coffee, this shop is rife with personality and is one of the rare shops I’ve experienced that is dedicated to writers and books exploring the Black experience in America.

May 22
May 22 A Bookshop "Interview" with Cheryl Rice

Bookshop Interview

A Review of The Village Booksmith

May 1

May 1 A Review of The Village Booksmith

Bookshop Review

223 Main Street, Hudson Falls, NY

Just up the street from the large traffic circle in the enter of Hudson Falls is a quaint little book shop that is anything but quaint and little once you walk inside the doors. Once inside, that deep aroma of old books, hardcover binding, and aged ink on the page will fill you with that excited eagerness that comes when you know you’re about to explore a bookshop with depth, history, and loads of hidden gems.

(Cover image borrowed from their Facebook page.)

A Review of Willis Monie Books

Apr 6

Apr 6 A Review of Willis Monie Books

Bookshop Review

139 Main Street, Cooperstown, NY

Tucked against Blackbird Bay at the southern end of Otsego Lake is the little town everyone this side of the International Date Line equates with baseball, Cooperstown, NY. And amongst all the little downtown shops and cafes replete with signage dedicated to America’s pastime and the hall of fame, there’s a used and antiquarian bookstore called Willis Monie Books, and for what it might lack in flash and pizazz, it more than makes up for in quantity and quality.