I recently came across a statistic indicating that independent bookstore growth is on the rise--make that steady growth since 2009. Need a colorful graphic for that? Check it out here.

Which begs the question, in my mind, why the growth? I've got a few thoughts...

1. Bookstores smell better than the sterile void of cyberspace shopping at Amazon.
Nothing smells better than a new book. Well, okay, I'll give you fresh chocolate chip cookies out of the oven. But gobs of books on shelves? Oh yeah! That's what I'm talkin' 'bout.

2. Personal interaction with a wizened bookseller who knows "just the right book" for you.
When you get to know an indie book guru, the flip slide is that they get to know you. Knowledge is power, my friend...the power to recommend some kicking books that you might not've discovered otherwise.

3. It's quaint to stroll down to a bookstore and peruse the shelves.
Re-read that sentence. Quaint. Bookstore. Peruse. Are you getting a warm fuzzy? That's because bookstores ARE warm and fuzzy. There's a certain aura surrounding a bookstore that hearkens back to yesteryear. It's relaxing and blissfully stress free. Plus it's way cheaper than getting a massage.

4. Independent bookstores are on the rise because there's not much difference between big box booksellers and big website hockers.
The thing about indies is that by their very nature they are different. They cater to a unique clientele instead of the masses.

So take a field trip this week and check out a nearby independent bookstore. I'm not saying you have to ditch Amazon completely, just enhance your book buying experience by branching out a little.