Among the oldest business enterprises in the world are bookstores. They have been around for eons with a primary mission to record and preserve writing and literacy. In ancient civilizations such as those in Egypt and Greece, the earliest “bookstores” were often associated with temples and centers of learning where texts were copied, stored, and sometimes sold. These early repositories of knowledge sold what we know today as papyrus scrolls and clay tablets.
During the Roman Empire and the Middle Ages, monastic scriptoriums played a vital role in preserving and copying manuscripts. By the late Middle Ages, the advent of the printing press and its refinement by Johannes Gutenberg revolutionized book production. It is doubtful, but suggestions have been made that Gutenberg made it possible for everyone to own a book. His innovation did in fact lead to the increased availability of books and the emergence of dedicated bookshops.
The Renaissance period saw the rise of specialized bookshops in cities like Paris, Venice and London, where books became the most coveted commodities of scholars. The following two centuries saw exponential growth in the number and size of bookstores that often served as cultural hubs within a community. By the nineteenth century, as the industrial revolution expanded print improvements did make books cheaper and widely available.
In the twentieth century, bookstores became community spaces as independent shops flourished alongside chain stores. By the end of the twentieth century and in recent years, bookstores have faced challenges from digital media, but they have also enjoyed a resurgence as sources of unique selections and local culture. Today, bookstores continue to adapt as they blend purchases at physical spaces with online sales. Best of all, bookstores are still the best places where learning and culture are taught and learned.
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Postcards of bookstores are not abundant, but they are not rare either. Here are some great examples along with some interesting facts.
The Old Corner Bookstore, Boston, Massachusetts
The original structure on the corner of School Street at 238 Washington Street in downtown Boston was built 307 years ago. It was first a private home, but later an apothecary shop, and in 1828 it became a bookstore – today, they claim to be America’s oldest bookstore.
Shakespeare and Company, Paris, France
A bookstore of equal interest, but not nearly as old, is Shakespeare and Company. It is an English-language bookstore opened in 1951 by George Whitman. It is proudly located on the Left Bank, along the Seine in Paris’s 5th arrondissement – (the Latin Quarter).
The store was named after a similar bookstore founded in 1919 by Sylvia Beach. The current store has been in continual operation since 1964 and is operated by the founder’s daughter. Today, it continues to serve as a purveyor of new and second-hand books. It is also a haven for English speakers in France who just want a quiet place to read for an hour or two.
Rizzoli’s Books, 1133 Broadway in New York City
Until it moved to its current location a decade ago, the image on this postcard was one of the most familiar sites for New York City book shoppers. The marble-top cash register counter always seemed cluttered, but the ever-helpful clerks knew every inch of the counter and could recommend purchases to any undecided reader.
In 1964, Angelo Rizzoli opened The Rizzoli Bookstore at 712 Fifth Avenue in New York City, but that was just the first. In the years afterward openings would occur in fourteen American cities.
Sadly, the company closed most of its national locations except for its flagship store in 2001. In 2010, a boutique store opened featuring nearly 400 titles related to food and drink. In 2012, a similar store opened featuring a curated selection of books on fashion, design, entertainment, interiors, special travel destinations, and New York.
On April 11, 2014, when its lease expired, Rizzoli closed its flagship store on West 57th Street under the protest of customers and preservationists.
Today, what has come to be called the most beautiful bookstore in the world has but one location and the same helpful staff members are waiting to serve old and new friends, alike.
Northshire Bookstore, Manchester Center, Vermont
The Northshire is located on Main Street right in the center of town. The building, known as the Colburn House, was a continuously operating inn for over a century before being converted to a bookstore in 1985. Currently the large (10,000 square feet) general bookstore has an entire floor devoted to children.
The Northshire’s decades long mission has been to create a store that fosters browsing and discovery. They can, of course, get any book in print, but we believe in the joy of serendipity and have laid out the store to enhance this experience and enchant their readers.
Stop by any time for a book that you didn’t know you wanted and stay right here for a coffee break or lunch.
The Tattered Cover Book Store, Denver, Colorado
The plush green carpet on the floor of the Tattered Cover presents the thrill of walking into an oasis of calm, and at times calamity. There arrangement is as much like your living room than any store, anywhere. Plush sofas, leather armchairs and in one place a dining room table call to you to sit and relax – read awhile, enjoy life!
Like many independent bookstores, Tattered Cover is a member of the American Booksellers Association, and the original owner, Joyce Meskis is a winner of the American Library Association’s John Phillip Immroth Memorial Award for Intellectual Freedom.
Three other bookstores, spread across the American landscape from California to North Carolina, with the third in Wyoming have checked in near the top of my favorite bookstores list, but my reasons may surprise you.
The Checkered Frog, Pedro Point, Pacifica, California
Nearly 20 years ago, I found the Checkered Frog on a California beach. If you enjoy the sound of breaking waves and the hot summer sun, take your possible purchases to the front porch to make your decision. Be warned though, a seabird may join you to help with your decision.
The Second Story Bookstore, Laramie, Wyoming
In the late summer of 2014, while driving west on Ivinson Avenue in Laramie, looking for lunch, we discovered Almanza’s Mexican Restaurant and took the first parking place available. It was at the front door of The Second Story Bookstore.
After lunch – it was a great one that included the coldest beer, I ever drank – we weren’t ready to return to the Interstate grind, so we took some time to explore this wide-open space bookstore.
Their selection of used and new books captured our attention, so we stayed for more than an hour.
The Island Bookstore, Corolla, North Carolina
Corolla is a village near the north end of the Outer Banks islands in coastal North Carolina. It is a beautiful, some would say, “romantic” place in the shadow of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse. If your interest is local history this is the place to search. Or … you may be piqued by the unusual as I am.
When my family discovered “The Island” a few years ago, my first purchase was The Tree Atlas. Wow! What a book. This Lonely Planet publication succeeds in introducing 50 of the world’s most magnificent trees to nature lovers to enjoy from the comfort of an armchair.
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In the last year such statistics were gathered, 2023, it was discovered that over 68,000 bookstores were in current operation around the world. There has been much speculation over the demise of the bookstore, but the new data indicates a 3% increase over the previous decade. As big bookstore chains fall under the weight of online retailers, e-books, and Amazon, how could small independent bookstores hope to survive? The answer is easy: customer service!
Despite dire predictions, Americans still read quite a lot of books, shelling out billions of dollars for them every single year. And the United States is not the only place people read; the city of Lisbon, Portugal, leads the world in the number of bookstores per capita. Shanghai, where the primary language spoken is Mandarin Chinese, but English is also widely spoken in tourist areas and by the young, takes the lead with the most bookstores in a city, they have 3,800 bookstores.
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Without comment, the following is offered to illustrate how diverse some bookstores are!
Wonderful
Cozy owner operated bookseller in central Florida couldn’t compete with online resellers. Postcard inventory was organized (store sales only) and held possibly 8,000 examples. Library setting, there were often nearly a dozen people comfortably spread throughout, occupying every comfortable leather chair.
When they shuttered a dozen years ago it was a tough pill to swallow.
Very interesting story! Two weeks ago I visited Aaron’s Books in Lititz, PA, and they have two different post cards of their bookstore for sale. In addition, they had several post cards of other bookstores at various locations in the U.S. and outside of the U.S. that they were giving away for free!
I enjoyed browsing for books at the Rizzoli Bookstore in Williamsburg, Virginia. It was located in Merchant’s Square at the edge of Colonial Williamsburg.