Ode to Indies

Or Why We Celebrate Independent Bookstore Day

The last Saturday in April is always Independent Bookstore Day. This nationwide event is not a commercial gimmick, but a love letter—to bookstores, and to the communities that shape them and support them. We set aside an entire day every year to celebrate because independent bookstores are places of magic, meaning, and human connection.

A lovely thing about bookshops is that every one you come across will be different from the others, with its own personality. Think of it like the animals in a zoo—different exhibits, some even grouping similar animals based on their natural climates.

At the zoo!

I love going to our zoo in Nashville. We have this fantastic Peruvian exhibit, with Andean bears, dozens of guinea pigs living in their luxurious little villas, the world’s smallest deer (called a “pudu”), and even little cotton-top tamarins lounging in the women’s bathroom. (Yes, truly. They live in the bathroom, and it’s amazing.) My family usually spends a good hour just on this “Expedition Peru.” I, personally, would like to spend an hour just watching the tamarins, but it would be irresponsible to leave my family and hang out in the ladies’ room with the tiny monkeys all afternoon. But they weigh less than a pound, and have that perfect blend of ugly and cute that makes them irresistible! Much like pugs. Ugly-cute animals are my favorite.

So ugly it's cute? Or just cute?

Bookshops, in their way, are living, breathing things—each their own breed—collectively making up a big family. You feel it, don’t you? When you walk into a good bookshop? It feels alive, more than other “stores.”

Maybe it’s the books. Books have the power to change lives, after all! That’s a whole thing for another day, but let’s just agree, for now, that books change lives.

Beyond that, though, each book is a world within itself. A book represents months, and often years, of an author’s life—a time they spent striving to craft something wonderful to put out into the world. And each book may also contain the imagined lives of dozens of others, depending on how an author creates their characters and settings.

One cotton-top tamarin weighs the equivalent of a paperback novel. Both can be mischievous and heart-warming.

Really, a paperback novel weighs about as much as one of those cotton-topped tamarins. They’re very small. And if you read as fast as my teenager, you finish it within a day.

Such a small object, a book—but with significance that far outweighs its size. And bookshops hold thousands of them.

If books contain worlds, then a bookshop is a universe within a single room.

And you know what else makes that universe hum with energy?

Booksellers are magic.

The people.

Booksellers aren’t just stocking shelves or ringing up purchases. They’re the ones who know the stars in this little galaxy. They know which story might light you up, or what book to hand you when the world feels too heavy.

As one of the founders, I’m often tied up doing the work behind the scenes and rarely get to function as a bookseller. So I have the privilege of watching our booksellers at work—and they are amazing. They’re not just there to ring you up and send you on your way. Booksellers are listeners, matchmakers, and sometimes even co-conspirators in your reading life.

They remember what your third grader loved last summer, or what you like to read when life feels a little too chaotic. They tuck away titles they think you might enjoy, scribble notes on shelf talkers, and sometimes recommend a book so fervently that it leaves the shop in your hands five minutes later. There’s nothing algorithmic about it—just human attention and a love of the written word.

Booksellers are also the ones championing the underdog books—the debut authors, the small press titles, the quiet stories that might get missed on a giant table somewhere else. We hand them to you because they meant something to us, and we think they might mean something to you, too.

... bookshops are one of the last places where strangers talk to each other about ideas, memories, and what it means to be human.

And if you’ve ever lingered in a bookshop long enough to strike up a real conversation, you know this already: bookstores aren’t just about books. They’re about connection. And I cannot underscore this enough—it’s my absolute favorite thing about the bookshop. Whether you leave with a new novel or a new friend, whether you stay for five minutes or two hours, bookshops are one of the last places where strangers talk to each other about ideas, memories, and what it means to be human.

My goodness, what an amazing, incredible thing! I wish I had better words than amazing or incredible. Astounding, perhaps? Breathtaking? I’m not sure. It’s something so vital in our current world, and I hope we do everything we can to protect it—a space where we can connect on a human level.

Booksellers help create that space—not perfectly, not always—but with intention, care, and a deep affection for what reading can do.

And so, friends, we celebrate. 

We’ve planned a full day of activities to do just that. If you’ve never joined us for Indie Bookstore Day before, you’re in for something special. This year’s theme is “Indie Bookstores are Legendary,” and while that certainly nods to dragons and quests and mythical tales, we also take it to mean the understated, enduring magic of bookstores themselves. We’re planning a day full of connection, creativity, and community—just the sort of things independent bookstores do best: storytime for little heroes, arts and crafts, trivia, even a silent book club in the morning and a cozy movie night to close us out. You can read the full schedule at the end of this blog, and we’d love for you to join us for as much or as little as you like.

There will also be exclusive giveaways (gifts with purchase, gift cards, even a year’s supply of audiobooks), limited-edition merch, and a few legendary surprises tucked into the shelves. (Yes, that might be a scavenger hunt for legendary treasures. We can’t help ourselves.) And we begin the celebration on Friday night, actually, with an author conversation featuring Sasa Hawk and Rachel Moore, two writers whose work speaks beautifully to imagination, resilience, and storytelling.

So, if you’re reading this before April 26th, then we hope to see you soon- come celebrate with us! And if you’re found your way here after the fact, take heart: we will celebrate Independent Bookstore Day every single year on the last Saturday in April, and you are always, always invited.

Thank you for loving books. Thank you for being part of this story.