Iowans who love books might need to clear space on their “to read” shelves as Saturday is Independent Bookstore Day and deals will abound. In central Iowa, a half dozen bookstores are banding together for a “Bookstore Crawl.”
Jan Kaiser, of Beaverdale Books in Des Moines, says the celebration includes a bookstore passport which can bring discounts and prizes.
“Stop into any of the six stores, pick up a sheet and then you just run around to all the stores and get little stamps,” Kaiser says. “If you have two stamps, you get a 15% off voucher on a future purchase at any other location after May 1st.”
Besides drinks and snacks, Beaverdale Books is featuring a daylong slate of local authors who will be chatting about the craft of writing and offering tips on getting published.
“We also will be giving away free ARCs — that’s an Advance Reader Copy,” Kaiser says. “We get those and we’re so lucky to have those and to see a lot of new authors. So stop in and pick up a free book. We’re also going to be doing a buy-one-get-half-off on select hardcovers.”
Online book retailers may offer an endless number of titles and free shipping, but Kaiser says independent bookstores provide the personal touch many readers crave.
“So many people just love coming in and being surrounded by books,” Kaiser says. “First of all, they are amazed at our selection. We have over 500 Iowa authors in our collection. And we love to talk about the book that we’re reading or ask the customers what they’re reading and then suggest something that they might like.”
The Central Iowa Independent Bookstore Crawl also involves: Dog-Eared Books in Ames, Pageturners Bookstore in Indianola, Storyhouse Bookpub in Des Moines’ East Village, and Racoon River Press and Reading in Public Bookstore + Cafe, both with pop-ups in West Des Moines.