Alan and I decided to do a Bookstore Book Crawl to celebrate Independent Bookstore Day. Take a look!
Our first stop: Copperfish Books in Punta Gorda, Florida.
Immediately I knew I was going to love this store as soon as I saw their entryway. Look how creative that is! They had raffles for books and T-Shirts and offered complimentary mimosas and cookies while you shopped. Alan really enjoyed the cookies which were baked by a local author in the area. They were really tasty!
The staff was absolutely amazing as well. You know that excited feeling you get when you instantly connect with fellow book lovers with similar interests as you? This is that place! We truly felt at home here.
I also had a great conversation with Lizy who really knows her books (PS. she has GREAT taste in books) and inspired me to add a few more recommendations to my TBR list. She also has her own book blog that I think is quite awesome. You can check out Lizy’s blog here.
I’m not exactly sure what I was looking at in this photo, but it was probably another book that caught my attention in the middle of this photogenic moment.
Seriously though, Copperfish Books is about an hour from where we live but it was worth the drive. Let’s face it: buying books is fun, reading them is even better, but finding a local bookstore that has amazing staff to nerd out with is icing on the cake. Alan and I plan on visiting once a month from now on!
Second stop: Goodwill Bookstores in Sarasota, Florida
Thankfully, we have a local used bookstore that is constantly restocking their inventory. You can literally enter this store every day and find something new that wasn’t there the day before. I wasn’t expecting to find much since we weren’t really searching for anything in particular, but boy did we find a TON. We ended up buying 15 books and spent less than $50 total. That’s definitely a perk to a used bookstore….. the prices can’t be beat!
I just had to snap a picture of the wall decor while we were there too since it perfectly depicts my life goals and all.
Third stop: The Reserve in Sarasota, Florida.
I can’t believe this hidden beauty is only 30 minutes from my home and I didn’t even know it!
First, let’s talk about the buildings. Beyond it’s warm and rustic appeal, there’s also historical significance here as well. The Reserve consists of 3 buildings, all of which were once part of Charles Ringling’s estate before his mansion was built. (Charles was John Ringling’s brother and a partner in Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus). Once his mansion was complete, the buildings were then moved to their current location and used as a boarding house and circus venue.
These 3 buildings are now used as a Beer Bar and Wine Shop, a Coffee and Tea Cafe, and seasonal room rentals.
If you’re searching for books make sure to check out the 2 main buildings. The non-fiction is located in the Craft Beer and Wine building and the fiction is located in the Coffee and Tea building. The selection of books were very limited but I did get 2 books that sounded interesting and Alan got 1 as well.
We then settled in the Coffee and Tea shop to enjoy a cappuccino and read for awhile. The atmosphere was quaint and cozy and the outside courtyard is perfect for larger crowds. I’m glad we finally checked this place out but I wouldn’t necessarily visit just for the books next time. It would make a great stop for a casual drink or meeting up with friends with the side note of browsing books while you are there. The Reserve is not primarily a bookstore, but yet a Cafe and Brewery that happens to sell books.
Fourth stop: Bookstore 1 in Sarasota, Florida.
Located in the heart of downtown Sarasota, this bookstore’s location is perfect for a weekend stroll down Main Street where there’s plenty of shopping and restaurants to explore.
Right away we were impressed with the selection that was offered. There were a lot of newly released books to choose from and the fiction section included a large variety of authors. We easily spent an hour browsing the store and got to talk to one of the booksellers (Melanie) while we were there.
Did I mention the store was clean? It also had a more modern feel to it which is perfect for the area’s downtown vibe. I was happy to find 4 books I’ve been searching for and was inspired by their “Recommendations From Your Neighbors” section. They also host many events such as Teen Publishers Workshops, book clubs, Poetry, and much more.
We’ll definitely visit again next time we’re in the area.
In summary….
We really enjoyed exploring some great Independent bookstores today!
Each of them had their own unique vibes and personalities; you can tell that a lot of love goes in to these stores!
