Inkwood Books - Haddonfield, NJ

Inkwood Books, Haddonfield, NJ

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Have you had it with the real world?  Is your high pressure, high stress job starting to wear you down?  Boy, have I got some good career advice for you.  Step back, take a breath, and find a job that is night and day different from stress and pressure.  Of course, readers, you know what I'm suggesting.  Naturally, you do exactly what Julie B. at Inkwood Books has done and open a bookstore.  In her case, she went from the world of law to the world of books.  And the smile on her face spoke volumes about the contentment of her career change.

As much as Julie enjoys this, the people of Haddonfield are especially glad because an absence in the community has been filled.  Inkwood Books has been open now for two years and has filled the void of no independent bookstore in the southern Jersey region.  The store is continuing to find new customers all the time and the word is still getting out about this newbie.  This one-level indie has a great location on the main street through downtown.  Many of the city's outdoor festivals and events are in this area and these are great for bringing out-of-towners into the store.  It is also a great location for its proximity to some of the schools which helps bring kids into the store.  Other than that, this is primarily a strong local community bookstore, something every town deserves.  

Julie is doing a great job of developing ties within the community.  She offers events in the store or off-site for the larger events.  Tweens have a bookclub that meets in the store and Julie goes to a senior center to lead a book club for those folks.  There are also quarterly poetry events held right in the store.  Inkwood offers a few sidelines including a variety of greeting cards, socks, candles, and journals and notebooks just to name a few.  

Julie was very patient to talk to me during my visit.  The store was very busy, she was placing orders (YAY!), and helping indoctrinate a new employee.  I'm so appreciative of all these bookstore owners who allow me to ask a few question and chat about the store.  

If Inkwood Books sounds familiar, it should.  There's another Inkwood Books in Tampa, FL owned by her sister.  If the Tampa store is like the Haddonfield store, I'll have a great visit there, too.  

But for everyone in south Jersey, this is your place.  Wake-up and smell the coffee!  You have a great indie right under your noses and some of you haven't found it yet.  Take a friend and visit Inkwood Books for an experience of book-browsing that you'll return to again and again.  Go to an indie and buy a book.  Bonsoir.

CURRENTLY READING:  The Bottoms,  Joe R. Lansdale.  

RECENTLY PURCHASED:  Lion, Saroo Brierley.

Another view of the storefront.  

One of the neatly arranged display windows.  

When you enter the bookstore, you'll walk through the doors with this welcome.  

View looking into the store from the front entrance.  

Display of books made into movies.  Always read the book first!

A great place to sit and sample a book.  

Fine display of indie bests.  Apologies for the blur.  

Inkwood staff picks display.  

Some very clever magnets.  

New releases non-fiction display.  

Strategically placed chair near the check out counter for when you have to wait for customers with big book purchases.  

I love the unique socks you can find in some independent bookstores.  

A few of the greeting cards available.  

An assortment of sidelines and gift ideas.  

If your friend or family member is a Dr. Who fan, this is a must.  

Some of the cooking and food books available but best of all is how they're arranged and displayed on this beautiful piece of furniture.  Well done!

You can enjoy a book seated here...

...while your child enjoys THEIR book here!

There is a great kids section beyond this sign.  

A partial view of the children's section.  

View looking from the back of the store toward the front entrance.  

Many indies develop deep ties within their communities including social causes and Inkwood does the same.  

Keep up to date with the events calendar.  

Book scented candles, the best.  

With Julie, the fine owner at Inkwood Books.  Thanks for a great visit.  

Booktowne - Manasquan, NJ

Booktowne - Manasquan, NJ

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Absolutely delightful.  Charming.  Terrific.  Fantastic.  Fetch the old thesaurus Junior, we need more adjectives damn it!  Am I talking about Booktowne Books in Manasquan, New Jersey, or am I talking about Rita M., the owner?  Locals in Manasquan know without a doubt that I'm talking about both.  It only took me about the first 10 minutes of my visit to figure it out.

This is small town America located on the Jersey Shore.  News travels fast in small towns.  Before my visit I was down the street eating at The Corner Bagelry.  I was chatting with the owner there and asked about Booktowne, sat down with my order and 5 minutes later she came back to tell me Rita was in the store and expecting me.  She called her (there's a stranger in town and he doesn't sound like us!  HA!) and said I would be coming to the bookstore.

This is a very small, one-level bookstore and it is chock full of everything, sidelines, and books.  Rita's only limitation here is space.  This store has a super location and enjoys devoted support from the locals as well as tourists.  It also draws customers from the other small communities in the Jersey Shore area.  Booktowne has been here for 7 years, a relative newcomer.  But this store space has been occupied by bookstores for many years so there is a history in this community.  Rita would love to expand but is limited by surrounding storefronts.  This place is doing a great business and if it were ever able to expand and still maintain a visible location I think the possibilities would be endless.  Booktowne also has a very active event schedule with authors.  The store can host readings for up to 25 and thanks to a great relationship with the public library, can use space there for larger events.

What can I say about Rita and her staff that hasn't already been said?  These people are 5-star all the way.  Rita was great to talk to and extremely welcoming during my visit.  It seems that the successful bookstores I visit have some of the nicest people to chat with.  There must be a correlation, don't you think?

There's no café at Booktowne but no worries.  Step across the street to Sweet Tease Cafe & Bakery for a latte and high calorie snack.  While you're enjoying that, you can sit and start reading your book you just bought at Booktowne.  Go to an indie and buy a book.  Bonsoir.

JUST FINISHED:  The Family Fang, Kevin Wilson.  This is one odd family. Some of their stunts in the name of performing art are somewhat disturbing.  Overall, I liked it.

CURRENTLY READING:  10:04, Ben Lerner.  Didn't even make it to my 100 page rule.  Too many really long sentences, too many big words, and too many descriptors.  My pea-sized brain couldn't handle it.

RECENTLY PURCHASED:  Is Your Buffalo Ready For Kindergarten?  Audrey Vernick.  This is the author that wrote the essay for Booktowne seen in My Bookstore.  Booked To Die, John Dunning.  Under The Wide and Starry Sky, Nancy Horan.

Great display in the left front window.  

Great display in the right front window.

View to the right as I entered the store.  Kids don't have to look far to find their area, this is it.  They also have author events in this area after rearranging the bookshelves.  

View to the left as I entered the store.  

Great staff picks.  

Some of the sidelines offered here.  

The kids will like some of these sidelines.  

Great selection of greeting cards.  

Sit in one of these chairs and take a book on a test drive!

This is the book I'm following on my journey and it's available here at Booktowne.  

A better picture of the children's section in the front of the store.  

Rita M., the fine owner here signs my copy of My Bookstore on the page that features Booktowne.   

It's people like Rita and stores like Booktowne that continue to inspire my journey.  And so it continues.   

Watchung Booksellers - Montclair, NJ

A great spring day in Montclair, NJ to visit Watchung Booksellers!

Watchung Booksellers in Montclair, NJ, is located in Watchung Plaza and this area has a very "hometown-ish" feel and look.  Tulips blooming in the plaza, several small businesses, including Sunrise Bagels (yes I was there; good wifi, great cinnamon roll, nada on the vanilla latte).  I would even describe it as a hometown-ish movie set-ish type feel.  And Watchung Booksellers fit in perfectly.

I didn't get to meet owner Margot on this visit but you can tell she and her fine staff have put in a lot of time to make this place look great, organized, and very neat.  This store is long and narrow and above the bookshelves are stenciled the names of authors running the length of the store.  Very cool and a great touch.  Near the front entrance you can find info for various book events hosted here.  Also, a great kids section in the back and that was also a lot of the business during my visit.

As with all my indie visits on this project, the staff here was super.  Lianne, Marisella, Jeanne, and Taylor were helpful, enthusiastic, and patient the whole time.  A special thanks to Taylor who gave me some great blogging advice.  If you've been a regular reader to this point you know I have issues.  It was great to see that they were busy with customers while I was there and also fielding many phone calls.  During my visit it gave the appearance of a vibrant and flourishing independent book store.  Kudos Watchung!

In addition to books you could pick up a few greeting cards and small miscellaneous items that would be of interest to kids.  You can also order books 24 hours a day on their website.  But don't order online, visit and buy in person.  Go to an indie and buy a book.  Bonsoir!

JUST FINISHED:  The Empathy Exams, Leslie Jamison.  Getting some traction in all the indies.  Book of essays, some I liked some I didn't.  2.5 stars.

CURRENTLY READING:  On The Come Up, Hannah Weyer.  Non-fiction.  I'm half way through it and it's a good one.

RECENTLY PURCHASED:  Gone Girl, Gillian Flynn.  Just released in paperback.  The Lincoln Conspiracy, Timothy L. O'Brien.

Author's names stenciled length-wise through the store.  A great touch!

Another great touch in the rear above the children's section.

These ladies were great!  Jeanne, Marisela, & Liane - SUPER staffers at Watchung!  Thanks ladies!  

The Watchung staff and yours truly.