Indie Love: #buyindieday

"And can you imagine 50 people a day, I said 50 people a day walking into an indie bookstore, buying a book and walking out? Friends, they may think it’s a movement."

Robert Gray's column in Shelf Awareness today about Buy Indie Day (that's today, May 1, folks!) made me choke up a little. With Arlo Guthrie on NPR this morning (singing a very old song about an auto bailout...), the reference to "Alice's Restaurant" is even more prescient, and it seems like everything old is new again. We've regained our skepticism of The Man, and we've got a new strategy for fighting 'em (supporting local, sustainable economies) and we've got some new tools: Twitter (#buyindieday) and Facebook (International "Buy Indie Day).

I suspect that telling readers of this blog to buy books at an indie bookstore is something like preaching to the choir. But if you possibly can, do find your local indie bookstore, go there, and buy a book today. Even if you're a publisher or a bookseller and you get books for free, spend a couple of bucks for something you've been meaning to get. Make it a movement.

And if you're still feeling the indie love tomorrow, don't miss The Millions NYC Indie Bookstore Walking Tour. Even if you're familiar with the bookstores in question, what better way to spend a Saturday than in the company of fellow book (and bookstore) lovers, hooking up online to spend time in the best brick-and-mortar stores in the city?

It's May 1, traditionally a day of renewed idealism and optimism. Make it happen, be part of it, get yourself into an indie bookstore today.

Comments

P. J. Grath said…
It didn't hurt that we had a book signing and reception on Indie Day here in Northport. Biggest book signing in Dog Ears (since 1993) history! Biggest sales day! Fabulous party! Love my local customers!
12:08 PM
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