Bodacious Bookstore & Cafe - Pensacola, FL

Bodacious Bookstore & Cafe, Pensacola, FL

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As if you needed another reason to visit Pensacola!  This city is a tourist destination for R & R, surf, sun, beaches and more.  You can add one more thing to this list, Bodacious Bookstore & Cafe, located in the historic district of downtown Pensacola.  Bodacious Books has been in business for almost six years and I’m not surprised to hear that things are going great.  The store’s interior is spectacular and is a divided space of bookstore and cafe.  Each half of the store has its own exterior entrance but both sides of the store are easily accessible on the inside.  One of the most unique features of the store is the lighthouse entrance to the children's section.  This gives the store a very Florida coast-ish flavor along with a bit of whimsy for the kids.  Impressive. 

This gorgeous gem offers all new books and a wide variety of sidelines.  I thought there were many good Florida books and tourist guides which is perfect for visitors to the store.  Sidelines include stickers, reading glasses, greeting cards, puzzles, journals, and much more.  Like many other bookstores, they also offer unique works of art by talented local artists.  Additionally, you’ll find that the store has book clubs and for those who would like to order a book but can’t visit the store you can support Bodacious by ordering online through bookshop.org.  Of course, the cafe service is an important part of the business.  Grab a treat, a drink, and sample a book when you visit.  

There are many “Bodacious” shops and services in Pensacola.  The Bodacious Shops are a collection of unique shops that offer specialty items and memorable shopping experiences.  The owners of these places and the bookstore are all part of the Bodacious business plan.  I didn’t get to meet store manager Melissa on my visit but she sure left a great staff in charge.  Becca, Pearl, and Mikayla are three of the big reasons this bookstore is doing so well.  Friendly and knowledgeable are two of the best things a bookseller can have and these three are 5-star in every category.   

I bet many of you have been to Pensacola and didn’t even know about this super bookstore.  Now you do!  See if you can squeeze in a visit around your beach time and enjoy a wonderful bookstore.  Go to an indie and buy a book.  Bonsoir.  

JUST FINISHED:  Into The Beautiful North, Luis Alberto Urrea.  Nayelli is just out of high school and lives in a small Mexican village in the middle of the country.  Along with her friends and her Aunt Irma, they notice that few men remain since they have all left for better jobs north of the border.  They decide they need to cross the border themselves and bring back Mexican soldiers and police to restore order to their small town and help return men to their village.  Adventure and hardship take them to Tijuana, San Diego, Las Vegas, and finally Kankakee, IL where Nayelli hopes to find her long absent father.  I like this author.  Recommended.  

CURRENTLY READING:  Sister Lumberjack, Candace Simar. 

  There are two entrances into the store.  This is the entrance into the bookstore side.  Enter through either entrance and browse freely back and forth inside the store. 

View looking into the store from the front entrance.  

Attractive display just to the right after entering.  

Recent popular release just steps inside the store.  

Some great nature books for the region. 

Left side of the store.  

Very comfortable seating area to relax and try a book.  

A great book for tourists visiting the area.  

Locally crafted unique earrings.  If you see it in a bookstore and like it, GET IT.  Items like these are difficult to find elsewhere.  

A portion of the fiction offered.  

I love this lighthouse.  It designates the entrance to the children's section.  Very cool.  

You can find lots of art supplies in the store.  

More assorted art supplies. 

Walking under the lighthouse into the children's area.  

Overview looking into the children's area.  Beautiful.  

Little chairs and a little desk for little readers.  

This is the ceiling in the children's area.  Impressive mural that really adds to the lighthouse theme.  

Cross section of the store looking from the bookstore side to the cafe side.  

Sidelines are numerous and can be found throughout the store.  

Quirky bookstore socks. 

Overview of the store looking from the back toward the front entrance on the bookstore side. 

Find these greeting cards on the cafe side of the space. 

Excellent variety of items about national parks. 

Overview of the cafe service counter. 

Just some of the art created by talented local artists. 

It's always fun to see what the book clubs are reading. 

There are a wide variety of tourist-friendly items. 

L-R: Becca, Pearl, and Mikayla, three of the fine staffers you'll meet at Bodacious Books & Cafe.  Thanks for a great visit. 

The Book Inn - Fairhope, AL

The Book Inn, Fairhope, AL

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Unbeknownst to me, my arrival in Fairhope coincided with one of the largest events each year, an arts and crafts fair, 70+ years and counting.  The town was flooded with people from EVERYWHERE.  Multiple downtown streets blocked off and packed with vendors.  What does this have to do with The Book Inn?  It’s most likely its most profitable 3-days of sales each year.  If you can align your bookstore with an incredible event like this in your community it would be a no-brainer.  As store manager Samantha L. told me, Fairhope is an artsy community which has supported the success of two bookstores and enabled The Book Inn to enjoy a 45-year run in the same downtown location.  Well done, Fairhope.

A successful 45 years doesn’t happen by luck.  Samantha’s mother, Wanda, is the third owner in its history.  Fairhope is a tourist destination and that is an important part of the customer base.  The Book Inn has a strong core of regular customers as well including 2nd and 3rd generations of those regulars.

The store offers all used books neatly arranged in a one-level setting.  Notice in the pictures that the books are shelved laying down instead of standing up (An attempt to help ease neck pain!).  The Book Inn’s longevity is even more impressive when you consider there are few to no sidelines.  If you bring your books in you can receive store credit in return.  Although some customers will simply choose to donate their books which is always helpful for any bookstore’s overhead.  

I didn’t get to meet Wanda on this day but her daughter Samantha was terrific to meet and visit with (some days Samantha’s daughter is working giving the store three generations of booksellers).  I was especially happy to meet Samantha because she has been a regular follower of the blog for YEARS.  Thank you Samantha!

If you’ve never considered Fairhope as a tourist destination, give it some thought.  Beautiful town, on the gulf coast with lots of unique and artsy small businesses.  And a butt-kickin’ used book store.  Go to an indie and buy a book.  Bonsoir.

JUST FINISHED:  The Day The World Ended At Little Bighorn, Joseph M. Marshall III.  Story of Little Bighorn told from the viewpoint of Indians who fought there.  The author is a  Lakota descendent of people who were there and has gathered stories from others, through oral histories passed down through the generations.  The first chapter was great in telling the story of the battle at Little Bighorn.  After that, the author goes into minute detail of that history and is a bit repetitive for me.  Offers a different point of view from the usual histories.  

CURRENTLY READING:  Into The Beautiful North, Luis Alberto Urrea.  

RECENTLY PURCHASED:  The Fifth Son, Elise Wiesel.  

 

Beautiful day to visit The Book Inn.  

Enjoy the nice weather on their bench, a gumball machine, and a book.  

View looking into the store from the front entrance.  

Head over to the left side of the store and let the browsing begin.  

Looking directly to the left after entering.  

If you're on a budget find the purple cart and stock up on $2 books.  

If nothing else, you should get this for someone at every bookstore you visit.  

Locally sourced honey available right at the checkout counter.  

I love it!

One of the several book aisles.  

The perfect pun for a bookstore on the Alabama Gulf Shores.  

Notice how the books are shelved laying down instead of standing up.  No need to tilt your neck to see the titles.  

Many bookstores have creative genre names rarely seen.  Here at The Book Inn, they have "weird plots."

A creative and unique bookish piece of art with a clock.  

Overview of the front part of the store.  

If you have a Bama football fan in your family this would make the perfect gift.  

If you enjoy solars, they have a wide variety here.  

Store pricing statement.  

An overview from the back of the store looking toward the front.  

Spread the word.  

Another shelf loaded with bargains.  

With Samantha, the fine store manager at The Book Inn.  Thanks for a great visit.