Support Local San Diego Bookshops

Bibliophiles fear the day when brick-and-mortar stores are phased out and e-books rule the market. Those of us addicted to collecting paper books and maintaining our bookshelves know that the age of the book is not dying; rather, books are fast moving to the digital sphere. And we don’t like it. Regardless of the benefits offered by technology, our nostalgic hearts yearn for the smell of worn pages and the sensation of flipping through a thick volume – neither of which can be fulfilled by e-readers.

I am not alone in that I still prefer a printed, paper book to the now popular e-book devices (Kindles, iPads, or Amazon Readers). Though the industry is quickly shifting from paper to electronically based products and transactions, the book is not dying.

Publishers are receiving as many, if not more, submissions than ever before. The digital age has made submitting as well as obtaining texts easier than ever. There are now multitudes of ‘free’ catalogs and databases online, where students can access classic books, poems, and even sometimes textbooks for free, or for a fee.

However, with the advent of e-books, and with Amazon’s competitive pricing, local and independent bookstores suffer. As bibliophiles, we must continue to support local bookish businesses and authors.

 “The traditional brick-and-mortar bookstore simply can’t survive in the age of online book selling.”

Barnes and Noble remains one of the only brick-and-mortar giants in the literary industry that is still able to compete with Amazon (having pushed out the Borders chain in 2010). Barnes & Noble is holding its own against Amazon with their books-and-more strategy that relies on the sale of toys and educational games, despite their falling sales and rising debts.

Compared to online retailers, bookstores present a frustrating consumer experience. A physical store inevitably offers a smaller selection, can present no customer reviews, and require physically searching individual titles yourself or with a salesperson. Even though shops typically catalog their books in a search engine, customers must know exactly what they want – there are no ‘similar recommendations’ in bookstores. On the other hand, Amazon can suggest books to you based on others you’ve read, and even memorizes your preferences to tailor your experience. In the past, the advantage that bookstores had over online retailers was that you could read any book before you purchased it. But in the age of the e-book, digitization commonly allows online customers to sample the first chapter or selected pages.

Amazon has made it easier for unknown authors to have the opportunity to publish or self publish their books, however, with the multitude of self-published e-books, many get lost in the masses. Barnes and Noble, on the other hand, runs a more exclusive publishing program. However, if one can jump through the hoops, anyone who is published and promoted through Barnes and Noble is bound to sell-out. As a former employee, I can see benefits and drawbacks of both the major publishers.

Local bookshops offer something to the community that Barnes and Nobles’ corporate chains overlook: local engagement. Whereas Barnes and Noble corporate makes decisions on who to publish and what to advertise, in store and online, local business owners have total control over what they stock in their own independent stores. At Barnes and Noble, corporate policy mandates each store to be a cookie-cutter version of the flagship. Across the nation, book displays are the same, meaning that those who make it to the top are bound to be seen and purchased in-store, but other authors are shortchanged. Local sellers have the ability to make their own rules, which fosters better engagement on a local level and allows for more variety in-store.

Below, we have compiled a list of some of the best and brightest Bookshops in San Diego. With the sad closures of some of our favorite local shops, Fifth Avenue Books and Nina’s Books, we wanted to take a moment to shout-out some of our favorite local bookshops. Thanks for holding it down.

Blue Stocking Books

A used-book store selling (& buying) anything literary, from classic titles, to comics & magazines, plus DVDs, CDs & games. They run a website that boasts stores in California, Hawaii, and New York, as well as Amazon and E-bay, but the San Diego store specializes in magazines, comics, and games. 4240 Kearny Mesa Rd #128, San Diego, CA 92111 | Open daily 10AM–8PM | (858) 627-9600

Crown Books *CLOSED*

Maxwell’s House of Books 

Pennywise Books 

Carrying a wide selection of titles, this shop buys, sells & trades previously owned books. I have “a little bit of everything” and quite a large “Mishmash” section. Listed below are the main categories of books I have. Pennywise always offers carts full of $1 paperback deals. 1331 Garnet Ave, San Diego, CA 92109 | Tues-Sat 10AM–5PM | (858) 270-1640

Verbatim Books

Verbatim Books is a used and rare bookstore which features a wide and eclectic range of gently-loved and antiquarian books. They carry new titles from over 60 local authors, as well as popular best-sellers, and host poetry mic nights on Wednesday’s. The store’s zine corner is full of stuff made by local zine and chapbook creators, as well as some of the best from distributors such as Pioneers Press, Microcosm Publishing, John Porcellino, Retrofit Comics, Tiny Splendor, and more! Lots of new stock every day, too!

Warwick’s

Did you like this? Read our post on California Public Libraries Here!