True Leaves Bookshop - Princeton, IL

True Leaves Bookshop, Princeton, IL

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At long last, Princeton, IL (population 8000) can finally boast to be the home of an independent bookstore.  It was my good fortune to visit near the anniversary of their first year in business.  And I was thrilled to hear that they’ve had a very successful first year.  Husband/wife owners Matthew and Angela A. OWN the store and Matthew told me he is very pleased with the results so far.  His explanations are similar to what make all bookstores successful.  An outstanding community that is fully behind True Leaves and an excellent cooperative and supportive relationship with the chamber of commerce.  Way to go Princeton!

My favorite thing here is the building itself, a former library.  It’s not a Carnegie Library but it is from that era, 1912.  When you walk in it is unmistakably a library but now reincarnated as a bookstore.  It has a wonderful location that makes it easily accessible for a lot of foot traffic. Just off downtown Main St, across from the court house and the picturesque city park.  It’s on the edge of a residential area where the 10-year old me could safely ride my bike to the bookstore.  

True Leaves offers new and used books that are all shelved together along with a healthy variety of sidelines.  Customers can receive store credit in return for the books they bring in.  The nice thing about the used books is that they have them on a data base so they know exactly what’s in the store.  True Leaves is well-curated with all genres but the romance books have been especially popular with all ages.  Sidelines include greeting cards, journals, teas and coffee, and book scarves to name a few but the stickers and art supplies are selling best.  In fact, the store may expand the art supplies they’re offering to include even more.  In their short year of existence, they’re already active with events providing the many local authors in the region an outlet for their work.  

I don’t have to tell the regular customers the importance of this bookstore in the community.  I think the next step for True Leaves is to generate partnerships with the local schools.  The significance of buy local, shop local can’t be overstated.  Hopefully, the school officials will invest in the community and patronize this outstanding local business as well.  

If you’re traveling east or west on Interstate 80, Princeton has its own exit and is an EASY place to reach.  Whether you make it a destination or a travel break, visit this terrific bookstore in the heartland and enjoy the historical building and the friendly and knowledgeable owners who work there.  Go to an indie and buy a book.  Bonsoir.  

JUST FINISHED:  What She Left Behind, Ellen Marie Wiseman.  So unsettling and troubling I had to set it aside.  Dual storyline of two characters, Izzy and Clara.  Clara’s timeline is in the 1920s and she is the daughter of rich parents, including a cold and heartless father.  To teach his 18-year old daughter a lesson, he sends her to an insane asylum for refusing to marry the immoral son of a rich friend.  Her true love is someone deemed unfit by her father and she discovers she is pregnant while in the asylum.  The birth, the horrid conditions, and the forcible removal of her baby were too much for me.

CURRENTLY READING:  Devil In The White City, Erik Larson.  

RECENTLY PURCHASED:  The Wild Robot, Peter Brown. 

 

This was a welcomed assist.  A sign on the main street pointing out the direction I needed to go.  A helpful nudge for visiting customers. 

I love this building  Originally, a Carnegie-era library built in 1912 and now home to a new bookstore. 

Entryway into a historical building that began its life as a library. 

Beautiful glass case on the right in the entryway. 

View to the left just inside the store. 

Looking to the right just inside the store.

Unique stickers and bookmarks. 

Another angle and overview of the left side of the store.  Beautiful.  Even though it is a bookstore it has really retained the historical feel of the library. 

Classic editions available. 

Do you remember these old heat radiators in schools, churches, libraries and other buildings?  I love it. 

The beautiful living room reading area on the left side of the store. 

Variety of art supplies and journals. 

A few of the greeting cards offered. 

Left side of the store looking toward the back of the room. 

Illinois bookstores often have excellent Lincoln sections like this one. 

For the avid reader and literature fan in your family, literary book scarves. 

Behind the front counter, this is a glimpse of the children's area. 

A long aisle of books and sidelines on the right side of the store.

I haven't seen The Montana Farmacy teas on any of my visits.  I don't know what the tea is like but I love the decorative and artistic bottles. 

An overview of the right side of the store, front to back. 

A cross section view of the front of the store. 

Where else could you get your own True Leaves Bookshop mug but HERE?!

The perfect little chair for a little reader. 

Another angle and overview of the children's area. 

Always consider a gift card for your purchase. 

With Matthew on the right, the fine co-owner at True Leaves Bookshop.  Thanks for a great visit. 

Thimbleberry Books - Marshfield, WI

Thimbleberry Books, Marshfield, WI

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Thimbleberry Books is located on a busy downtown street surrounded by many small businesses, in a building that dates back to the 1880s.  Whatever follows in this blurb won’t adequately convey the warmth, comfort, and serenity of this outstanding used book store and its owner.  Thimbleberry is an award-winning business that has been persevering forward for almost 30 years, 20 of those in its current location.  This is exactly the kind of longevity and success that more people outside of Marshfield need to hear about and discover. 

Kim H. is the owner here and meeting and talking to her about her business, books, and her life was an absolute delight.  I was greeted enthusiastically when I entered by her two literary associates, Louis and Delia (some bookstores call them cats! Ask Kim how they got their names).  Shortly after entering you’ll come to a cozy living room set-up with comfy seats and a fireplace that is really a benefit during the winter.  As Kim said, some people come in just to warm-up around the fireplace.  Since Thimbleberry doesn’t offer any sidelines, you’ll be able to focus on the browsing inside a space with 40,000 books.  The fact that Thimbleberry has sustained for almost 30 years is even more impressive given the fact of no sidelines.  Way to go, Kim.

Getting good pictures of bookstore cats is always a challenge but Louis was a willing subject.  Delia, not so much. 

Even though the store doesn’t carry new books, they can order any new books you request, a great customer service.  The store doesn’t offer online ordering so you’ll need to visit in-person.  Customers who bring in books can receive store credit in return.  Keep in mind though that Kim has to be picky with what she takes due to space and what sells.  

I especially like the store’s unique name, Thimbleberry.  I’d never heard of this but this is an actually edible berry.  The original owner liked the word (not sure about the berry?) so she went with it.  I challenge you to find another indie with the same name!

If you’re anywhere near Marshfield or traveling through, Thimbleberry Books should be on your list of places to see.  Bookstore enthusiasts and book lovers will NOT go away disappointed after their experience here.  Go to an indie and buy a book.  Bonsoir.

JUST FINISHED:  The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, James McBride.  Lots of tributary side plots that empty into a main river plot about a deaf and orphaned Black boy who needs help and gets it from the kind Jewish lady at the Heaven & Earth Grocery Store.  A clash of cultures of Black, White, and Jewish 1939 Pottstown, PA.  Difficult book to summarize in a few sentences.  For me, the best book by this author is The Color of Water. 

CURRENTLY READING:  What She Left Behind, Ellen Marie Wiseman. 

RECENTLY PURCHASED:  What She Left. Behind, Ellen Marie Wiseman.  Cavedweller, Dorothy Allison.  The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, James McBride.  

 

Thimbleberry storefront in a historical building. 

What an incredible piece of artistry in front of the store. 

The rules for bringing in books. 

View looking into the store from the front entrance. 

Louis on patrol, strolling through the store and maintaining order. 

View looking to the left from the front entrance. 

Super customer service. 

Find out what the book clubs are reading.  Louis is watching to see what I pick out. 

Overview of the right side of the store. 

An award-winning business. 

This is the left side of the store, front half. 

Pricing guide. 

I love this seating area in the middle of the front room.  A perfectly comfy area to sample a book. 

If the middle of the front room seating area is full, find these seats. 

I'm not sure I've been to a bookstore that offers a helpful guide to the little free libraries.  This guide would be a great idea for any community. 

Get the Cliff Notes here. 

This is the aisle you'll come to halfway through the store that will take you on to the back. 

A few of the various crafting books. 

Who's ready to tackle Treasure Island? 

Partial view of the children's area. 

Another angle of the children's area. 

Continuing to the back of the store. 

Partial overview of the back room. 

Some great places to sit in the back of the store if you need a break from browsing. 

One of the many book aisles in the back of the store. 

Visual confirmation.  Louis was keeping an eye on me throughout my visit. 

Thankfully, Louis is able to take his mandatory break conveniently located behind the checkout counter. 

Overview of the store looking toward the front entrance. 

With Kim, the fine owner at Thimbleberry Books.  Thanks for a great visit.