April 24, 2021 is a fantastic day. Why? Because it’s Independent Bookstore Day! This is a fairly young holiday: it’s only been around since 2015, when it was started by Samantha Schoech, a writer, copywriter and editor, and the Northern California Independent Bookseller’s Association. While most people think of major bookstores such as Barnes and Noble and Borders (sigh…R.I.P.), there are over 2300 indie bookstores in the United States alone! IBD is a day to shine a spotlight on these stores, who are not run by a corporation, but a handful of individuals with a do-it-yourself spirit.

IBD helps indie stores increase their sales, and promote their name within (and sometimes beyond) their community. They’re a great place for new authors to find and connect with their audience, and for readers to find new books. This day is very special to me personally, because not only am I an indie author, I run an online indie bookstore. My little online spot has generated more sales for my books than traditional means. People can buy my titles from Amazon, but they seem to choose supporting my online store instead.

You can celebrate IBD by supporting your local indie bookstore and purchasing books from them. Try Googling “independent bookstores in my area”. Post online using the hashtags #indiebookstoreday, and #independentbookstoreday to get more people interested. Post a pic of your visit to your favorite indie bookstore and tag them in the post!

If you live in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, there are several indie bookstores you can visit. Dog Eared Books is located in Hampton, and Paperbacks Ink is located in Newport News. And of course, Woolaston Entertainment is available online!

Happy reading, everyone!