Crowds flock to Portland shelves for Independent Bookstore Day

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Local Portland bookstores were jammed with customers in celebration of National Independent Bookstore Day.

Each year at the end of April, the American Booksellers Association runs the event, with 1,600 bookstores across the country participating.

Customers told KOIN 6 News they prefer supporting local businesses and they get a better support finding that perfect book.

The event invites readers to shop locally and support the spaces, versus getting their books through large corporations like Amazon.

“Any large megacorporation can sell you a book, but they’re not going to do a fundraiser. Your kid’s school, they’re not going to host a book club,” said Cierra Cook, founder of Spoke & Word Books. “They’re not going to know you by name when you walk in the door. And they’re going to give you recommendations based on an algorithm. We’re going to give you recommendations based on our knowledge, our skills and our passion for reading.”

In addition to books, stores even gave away prizes, sweets and readings from local authors like Sarah Estep.

“I feel better selling in a bookstore like this, because it doesn’t just help me. It helps the people who work here,” Estep said. “It helps the community and it just gives back over and over and over again.”

There was even a personal touch involved. When KOIN 6 News asked the manager of Grand Gesture Books for recommendations, she gave several, even leading to an eventual book purchase – support that would not be given from shopping online.