The Indie Bob Spot: Grass Roots Books & Music

Grass Roots Books & Music, Coravallis, OR

(Like The Indie Bob Spot on Facebook and follow The Indie Bob Spot on Twitter)

I’ve always said that any town with a major college that doesn’t have an independent bookstore is missing a big piece in their community. When I drove into downtown Corvallis I could tell immediately that I was in a college town, home of Oregon State University. Quirky one-of-a-kind shops, 2nd hand stores, bars, cool coffee shops, cafes, and a very hip bookstore. Husband and wife owners Jack and Sandy must be doing something right because the store has been here since 1971 with a great location in the busy downtown district. I didn’t get to meet them today so bookseller Frank was my welcoming and knowledgeable Grass Roots tour guide.

This bookstore has two, long adjacent rooms filled with new books and many sidelines. Most of the books are in the left room and most of the sidelines are in the right room with a little bit of overlap. You’ll find the children’s area in the right room in the back. Even though music is in the store name, the advent of streaming slowly changed this part of the business. My guess is the room on the right housed the music. Sidelines included a well-stocked inventory of greeting cards, bookstore candles, journals, 2024 calendars, and assorted smaller items unique to independent bookstores. Their puzzles sell well and were important during the pandemic. And if you can’t make it to the store, you can go to the website and place an order online, an important part of their business. The store’s location also benefits when the farmer’s market happens, right behind the store.

Grass Roots doesn’t host frequent events but will occasionally host visiting authors that come to the university. I was surprised when Frank told me that the university is not a major part of the customer base. Instead, many of the regulars are older, some who go back decades to the store’s early years.

Readers, whenever you visit a college town make sure you ALWAYS find the independent bookstore. And if that is Corvallis, OR, Grass Roots Books & Music is that place. Go to an indie and buy a book. Bonsoir.

JUST FINISHED: I Must Be Dreaming, Roz Chast. The New Yorker cartoonist has put out some of my favorite books including this new one. I love her artwork and her humor and this one shows her wide-variety of dreams in cartoon form. Also look for her book, Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant. Both are outstanding. Recommended.

CURRENTLY READING: Paper Lion, George Plimpton.