Powell's (Portland) and City Lights (SF) are worth mentioning and should be on your bucket list.
0. Powell's is massive.
1. How many bookstores can claim they published Ginsberg?
2. The used bookstore collapse from 2002-present has been a slow-moving, silent killer of independent bookstores. Davis, CA had a half dozen bookstores until Borders moved in. Then Borders went bust in 2011 and they were left nearly a book desert. This mirrors, in a more minor way, food deserts that Walmart's expansion and contraction brings.
>The used bookstore collapse from 2002-present has been a slow-moving, silent killer of independent bookstores. Davis, CA had a half dozen bookstores until Borders moved in. Then Borders went bust in 2011 and they were left nearly a book desert.
I don't get it: how would Borders put independent used bookstores out of business? People who want used books (either because they actually like old books, or because they want good prices) aren't going to find them at Borders or any other new bookstore. They're different markets.
>This mirrors, in a more minor way, food deserts that Walmart's expansion and contraction brings.
Same thing here: people who want quality food aren't going to shop at Walmart.
I really miss having quality used bookstores. I used to live somewhere with a Friends of the Library that was top notch. And things like http://www.wavebooks.com/ are also top notch. But they sure aren't everywhere
Strongly recommend Better World Books. It's a unique nonprofit that sells used books to fund adult literacy programs. Free shipping. www.BetterWorld.com
I can't compare to the past as I was a post-Borders-closure resident of Davis, but we do still have the Logos books that's connected to the library, plus the monthly book sales at the library itself. There's also Avid Reader for new books. I wouldn't really call it a "book desert". Time Tested Books over in Sac's midtown is also a great stop.
0. Powell's is massive.
1. How many bookstores can claim they published Ginsberg?
2. The used bookstore collapse from 2002-present has been a slow-moving, silent killer of independent bookstores. Davis, CA had a half dozen bookstores until Borders moved in. Then Borders went bust in 2011 and they were left nearly a book desert. This mirrors, in a more minor way, food deserts that Walmart's expansion and contraction brings.
https://daviswiki.org/Bogey%27s_Books
https://daviswiki.org/Gayle%27s_Books
https://daviswiki.org/Orpheus_Books
https://daviswiki.org/Sweet_Briar_Books
https://daviswiki.org/The_Next_Chapter