The Indie Bob Spot: Dickson St. Bookshop

Dickson St. Bookshop, Fayetteville, AR

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I drove by this bookstore a couple of years ago on my way to another bookstore. What I saw when I drove by was a massive bookstore on a prominent corner location in a very busy retail/restaurant/bar area of a college town. I decided I was going to turn around and visit it and that's exactly what I did. A few years later. The impression it made on me a few years ago from the outside was multiplied through the roof when I finally made it inside.

Quite frankly, this bookstore is a book-lovers dream and I would encourage all who travel to bookstores to put this one on their list. Don C. and Charles O. opened this bookstore 44 years ago. Charles passed away in 2019 and now Don is the sole owner of a bookstore that has floor to ceiling books in an 8000 square foot space. I asked store manager Suedee H. if she had any idea how many books they had. Impossible to know and I'm not surprised. In addition to the store space, the store has a warehouse, also 8000 square feet and equally packed with books. Overwhelming doesn't even begin to describe it.

To enter a store like this is to enter a museum. To see the many historical artifacts and articles throughout the store and navigating the narrow book aisles is a joy. Like a museum I'm sure people who come here often can see different things on every visit. This store has the same used book store college town vibe as The Bookhouse In Dinkytown. in Minneapolis, both terrific indies.

Suedee, April, and the rest of the staff were wonderful to talk to and hear about the store. I was glad to hear from Suedee that even though they were closed for 6 months due to the pandemic, they've rebounded from that tough time and are showing growth. It definitely helps that this is the home of the University of Arkansas and the university offers a writing program.

Ok bookstore travelers, pay a visit to this renowned Arkansas bookstore but don't plan on a quick 10-minute stay. In fact, you might want to carve out an entire weekend just to get a start. Go to an indie and buy a book. Bonsoir.

JUST FINISHED: Twilight, William Gay. The bizarre story of a brother and sister who suspect something odd happened with their buried father and discover that the undertaker has taken liberties with their father's burial as well as oddities about many other deceased. The undertaker is a kook who hires a criminal to hunt down the brother and sister who have comprising information. Southern gothic fiction. If you want something different, you might try this one. The author has a distinct literary style that takes getting used to.

CURRENTLY READING: The 1619 Project, Nikole Hannah-Jones.

RECENTLY PURCHASED: The Afterlife of Billy Fingers, Annie Kagan.