Posts
Every year in the late summer, my husband and I, with our friends Kenny and Jenny, make a pilgrimage to one of my favorites cities in the world, Chicago. While the men attend business meetings, Jenny and I make sure the shops in the Magnificent Mile don't go out of business. On this trip, however, I made it my mission to find an independent bookstore to discover. And I found it, only a few blocks from our hotel. It is called Sandmeyer's Bookstore.
Sandmeyer's is located on Dearborn Street in the historic Printer's Row. Back in the late nineteenth century, this area was once home to Chicago's printing and publishing industry. The area is most notable for its newly renovated Dearborn Station, which sits at the southern end of the street. Maintaining its ties to the literary world, Printer's Row hosts an annual book fair in June. (Road trip, anyone?) So it is fitting that Sandmeyer's sits right in the middle of this quaint little neighborhood.
When you walk into the shop, it is like you are stepping back in time. Creaky wooden floors, an open loft-like ceiling, and shelves and shelves of books. This little store is a book-lovers oasis. The owner, Ellen, greeted me with warm smile. She informed me that Sandmeyer's has been in business since 1982, and was a tried and true "mom and pop" shop. I don't think she was thrilled to have her picture taken (I can relate) but to me, she seemed to be the heart and soul of the shop and I couldn't resist.
As I recently signed up for the RIP Reading Challenge, and still very excitable about the whole thing, I asked Ellen to help me find some spooky gothic stories. Off she went, on a mission, and soon I had a stack of books in my arms. I also picked up a few others that drew my attention. My only issue was that I was restricted to carry-on luggage on this particular trip, so I prioritized myself down to three books:
By this point, my friend Jenny had done her shopping and had moved on down the street. How long had I been there? I lost track of time. When I paid for my purchases, I noticed that in keeping with Sandmeyer's quaintness, they keep track of inventory on a piece of paper at the register. I just wanted to crawl over the counter and stay.
Do you seek out bookstores when you travel? Have you ever discovered any treasures l like this one?
Sandmeyer's is located on Dearborn Street in the historic Printer's Row. Back in the late nineteenth century, this area was once home to Chicago's printing and publishing industry. The area is most notable for its newly renovated Dearborn Station, which sits at the southern end of the street. Maintaining its ties to the literary world, Printer's Row hosts an annual book fair in June. (Road trip, anyone?) So it is fitting that Sandmeyer's sits right in the middle of this quaint little neighborhood.
When you walk into the shop, it is like you are stepping back in time. Creaky wooden floors, an open loft-like ceiling, and shelves and shelves of books. This little store is a book-lovers oasis. The owner, Ellen, greeted me with warm smile. She informed me that Sandmeyer's has been in business since 1982, and was a tried and true "mom and pop" shop. I don't think she was thrilled to have her picture taken (I can relate) but to me, she seemed to be the heart and soul of the shop and I couldn't resist.
As I recently signed up for the RIP Reading Challenge, and still very excitable about the whole thing, I asked Ellen to help me find some spooky gothic stories. Off she went, on a mission, and soon I had a stack of books in my arms. I also picked up a few others that drew my attention. My only issue was that I was restricted to carry-on luggage on this particular trip, so I prioritized myself down to three books:
By this point, my friend Jenny had done her shopping and had moved on down the street. How long had I been there? I lost track of time. When I paid for my purchases, I noticed that in keeping with Sandmeyer's quaintness, they keep track of inventory on a piece of paper at the register. I just wanted to crawl over the counter and stay.
Do you seek out bookstores when you travel? Have you ever discovered any treasures l like this one?
