The Indie Bob Spot: Browse Awhile Books

Browse Awhile Books, Tipp City, OH

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Readers, you know how I'm ALWAYS advocating for the experience you can enjoy visiting a bookstore rather than simply purchasing online? Well let me tell you, when you visit Browse Awhile Books you will be in for an experience of a lifetime. This fantastic indie has about 150,000 used books and approximately 1/3 of them can be found online. They have NO sidelines whatsoever because they are doing perfectly fine with just the books. Instead, they have a very healthy community of ghosts. Really. And not just a few but many. In fact, they're so obvious and prevalent in this historical building from 1871 that the bookstore was the subject of a television show. Ghost hunters from all over the world have visited to research the paranormal activity. Owner Bill J. told me he experiences the activity daily but is not tuned into it as much as store manager Amanda. There's nothing to be scared of though because as Bill put it, all the ghosts are benign. They're friendly spirits. This makes them kindred spirits to those of us who visit bookstores!

Browse Awhile Books has been in business since 1980 and in its current location on the main street through town since 1990, a remarkable run. Much of their business is done through online sales, a critical portion of their revenue. In fact, they were one of the first bookstores to set up online sales years ago. Thanks to having that in place they successfully endured the pandemic. Years before the pandemic they survived a devastating fire that closed them down for a year (Bill said the ghosts were REALLY rocking and rolling after the fire). But like so many other communities, the people of Tipp City really supported them through that tough time.

So did I experience any paranormal activity? Possibly. Did I imagine my arm hair standing on end or was it real? What about my chills and the footsteps I heard when no one was around? Bill told me about the little girl Erica who stays in one of the side rooms. I said hello to her but Bill said she doesn't like men. He also told me he saw a ghost in one of the side rooms on our walk through the store.

So when you visit this store you should definitely "browse awhile." Enjoy meeting Bill, Amanda, Debbie and staff along with the "others" you may encounter. Pay them a visit if you dare (insert creepy organ music). Go to an indie and buy a book. Bonsoir.

JUST FINISHED: Benediction, Kent Haruf. Dad Lewis is at the end of his journey, dying of cancer. But an estranged relationship with an adult son, the dismissal of an employee and subsequent suicide, and the future of his hardware store business all need to be resolved in the small town of Holt, CO. I absolutely love this author and I strongly recommend you try him, especially Our Souls At Night. I've liked every one of his books. Recommended.

CURRENTLY READING: The Man In My Basement, Walter Mosley.

RECENTLY PURCHASED: The Triton Brig, Dudley Pope. Coyote Waits, Tony Hillerman.

Beautiful storefront that dates back to 1871. Home to books and ghosts.

The perfect place to sit with your book after your purchase.

Large display window.

Tipp City was originally named Tippecanoe City.

One of the display windows shows off the many "blind date" books. This store offers many of these.

View looking into the store from the front entrance.

Looking to the left from the front entrance.

Looking to the right from the front entrance.

Grab bags are everywhere throughout the store.

Have some fun and take a chance.

This checkout counter and many of the wooden beams that shelve some of the books along the walls were saved after the fire for just this purpose. They counted the rings on these slabs and think they date back to the 1600s. Remarkable.