Delaware's Independent Bookshops

“What I say is, a town isn’t a town without a bookstore. It may call itself a town, but unless it’s got a bookstore, it knows it’s not foolin’ a soul.”
― Neil Gaiman

As I was surfing for something else the other day, I stumbled across a list of independent bookstores in my tiny state of Delaware. I was surprised at the sheer number of them, so I set myself the task of visiting the ones that appealed to me and seeing for myself what they had to offer. The individuality of each of them was fun to explore.

I have been known to spend scores of hours and hundreds of dollars in bookstores. As I knew I had a long list ahead of me, I set myself the challenge of not buying a single book, but just taking the time to explore what each had to offer. I kind of made it. Let's just say I did better than I usually do.

To compare like with like, I spent some time in the new books, mysteries, and travel sections of each shop. Why? Cause that's what I like to read. So, without further ado, here we go.

AROUND AGAIN & AGAIN BOOKS, Wilmington

A relatively compact store that packs quite a punch. Loads of used books very well priced and representing a larger than usual choice of genre.

Because the shop sells used books, obviously the new books section does not exist. There are, however, some hard covers that are newish, but I didn't see anything that was less than two or three years old. A collector may get lucky as I did spot a nice first edition.

The mystery section is so extensive that is broken up into male writers and female writers. Very well represented across the board, I found everyone I would be looking for in used books. The travel section needs to be avoided. I saw a travel guide to Italy dated 2010. I can't imagine it would be much use any more.

This was as close as I came to buying books. I am a Calvin & Hobbes fanatic and I found two books of the collected strips for under $20. I was actually holding them in my hands, but wanted to see if I have the willpower to carry out my challenge and put them back. My guess is that as soon as I hit publish on this article, I will head over and buy them.

A hint -- the entrance to the shop is around the corner from the front of the building.

BETHANY BEACH BOOKS, Bethany Beach

The perfect size for a bookstore; not so big that the sheer number of books is overwhelming, but not so small that the selection is limited. There is a good selection of books across a variety of genres.

The new books section is extensive, based around the New York Times Bestseller List. Some titles had a good number of copies, some had none at all. The mystery section is limited to newer books, but there was a good selection of authors. The travel section is limited, but they have a great selection of local travel and interest.

Scattered around the store are staff picks. I enjoyed scanning these as they covered a wide variety of books. In addition to the books, there is a good number of jigsaw puzzles, many of which have a beach theme not surprisingly.

Recommended for your beach books. Don't take your Kindle to the beach. Salt water, sand, and electronics do not mix. Yes, I learned that the hard way. I always take a "real" book to the beach now. Check hours on the website as they change by the season.

BETWEEN BOOKS 2.0, Arden

This is certainly not the easiest shop to find, but it is worth the hunt. Tucked away in the back of a shop called Oddporium (itself worth a good wander around), this tiny little shop will be heaven for those who read fantasy. I was amazed at the sheer number of volumes and was impressed at how many full series were represented.

In addition, there is a great section of vintage comics. I had a blast reliving my youth looking through old copies of all the ones I grew up with. I felt strongly that I had to buy something as the owner had very nicely opened up for me (I went midweek without an appointment -- check the website for the official opening hours which are subject to change). I bought some old Archie comics that will keep me amused for a while.

BIBLION, Lewes

This shop is an interesting mix of books and gift items. The books, of which there are quite a few, are shelved as either fiction or non-fiction. There is a local section that includes books about Delaware as well as copies of books by Delaware writers. Otherwise, settle in for a good hunt.

There are more than a few hard copies and some really special first editions. As a collector, I would highly recommend spending some serious time hunting through the shelves. I found one book selling for substantially less than one would find on a book auction site. Remembering my promise to myself, I walked away.

The gift items are different and fun. They range from fun greeting cards to notepads to journals. You get the idea. I did break down and buy a magnet (not a book!) because sometimes you just have to do what you have to do. I must admit that I spend most of my discretionary income on these three items...

BROWSEABOUT BOOKS, Rehoboth Beach

A good sized store that has expanded over the years to include a little bit of everything. In addition to lots and lots of books, Browseabout offers puzzles, Legos, a gift shop, a shop filled with local items, and a cafe.

I was impressed with the sheer number of books available. The new books included more than just the current bestsellers and covered everything I could think of that I might want to read about. The mystery section was complete in that it had books from all of my favorite authors. Again, however, they tended to be the newer books. The travel section was incredibly complete with loads of copies of local interest travel and a good selection of foreign travel.

What I really liked about this store was the sheer number of author events they host. I counted nearly twenty over the next month or so -- nearly one a day. Each of the books being discussed is a new one (of course), but the range of subjects was immense. Check the website for the latest speakers.

I have to give a shout out to the gift shop. I found a birthday present for my college roommate saving myself a trip tomorrow as well as a gift for my step-mother six months before her birthday. I just love being ahead of the game.

HOCKESSIN BOOKSHELF, Hockessin

A compact little shop selling mostly used books across a variety of genres. I was impressed by the sheer number of books in such a small space (there are step ladders everywhere) as well as the selection afforded.

The new section was limited, but the mystery section was exceptional. Lots of authors are represented and I was pleased to see some older books as well as the newer ones. If collecting books is your thing, you might get lucky here. I saw first editions of several authors who tend to be hard to find. I did not see a travel section.

My favorite offering at this shop was the white bags placed around the floor. They are stapled shut and all they say is "Mystery" or "Romance" or something else. They obviously contain more than one book and they are priced at $1. I was sorely tempted to try it, but decided to save the treat for when I return.

MEJAH BOOKS, Claymont

This is a little shop that I just fell in love with. All of the books are written by and for people of color. I spent a great deal of time just browsing through shelves of books that dealt with some issues incredibly pertinent for what we are living through right now. The books tended to be non-fiction, but there was a huge range.

In addition to books, the shop carries some absolutely stunning jewelry, as well as hair and skin products for women of color. My favorite thing was a t-shirt that I simply had to buy so that it can be part of my 2021 quilt. You can see why right below.

The owner and I had a great time bonding over books and music (Whitney was playing at quite a volume). It is a tad tricky trying to sing through a mask, but we made it happen.

TAINO STUDIOS, Dover

This is one of the stores I was most interested in visiting. It emphasizes works by people of color and, according the the website, "[p]roceeds from book and art sales are donated to organizations & social justice projects which aim to reduce mass incarceration in Dover by 10% by 2025."

I originally went by this shop on Sunday during what the website said was its opening hours. It was shut up tight. Disappointed, I called to check and got no answer nor any voicemail. As I discovered doing the research for this article, more than one store has closed during the pandemic, so I assumed this one had as well.

Within fifteen minutes, I got a return call from Justin the owner of the store. He apologized profusely, offered to open up the store for me, and gave me a $10 credit to use in the shop. He told me that he was updating his hours and told me what they were. I assured him I would return.

I returned Wednesday during what I thought was the opening hours. The store was closed up tight. I then returned the following Saturday during what I thought was opening hours. Again, closed and it was clear that no one has been in the shop for a while. To visit this shop, which I would certainly like to do, I would guess that a phone call would be in order to ensure that it is open before making the trip.

OTHERS

As I was working on this article, I came across several bookstores that unfortunately have not survived the pandemic. There were also a couple that were closed until further notice, giving us hope that they will eventually re-open. If I have missed your favorite shop, drop me a comment. I will get to it as quickly as I can.

And so, I end this with a plea. I know that Amazon's one-click is easy and that it sells any book you could possibly be looking for. But, clicking online is nothing like the joy of hunting through stacks and stacks of books for just the right read. Not to mention, there is no smell in the world like a book. Please support your local bookstore. A town just isn't a town without one.