This week’s Spotlight on Bookstores is written by Sumana at Books with a Cup of Coffee. Her book blog features reviews, reading challenges, and book giveaways. Right now she has a giveaway for Eat the Cookie … Buy the Shoes (now, there’s a philosophy I can embrace!). Sumana’s enthusiasm and excitement for Book Warehouse really shows in this guest post; I felt like she was talking to me, as we sat down and discussed books with a cup of coffee.
(update 4/22/10: thanks to My Friend Amy for letting me know that the Book Warehouse in Elsinore is on twitter @BkWarehouse951)
Lake Elsinore, the small town that we moved to last September, didn’t have any book store. Well, there is technically one in the “downtown” area but with the looks of it and the area I never went there, and my neighbor told me there is no book store, so to me there is no book store!!!
But this small town has an outlet mall!!! Yay! The crowds come in over the weekends year round, the locals only go on weekdays.
Last year, just before Thanksgiving, Lake Elsinore’s most needed book store by the name of “Book Warehouse” opened. Let’s just say I was thrilled so much that I went there and spent two hours and ended up buying more than I wanted to. Now I don’t have to go the Barnes & Noble 20 mile away!
Book Warehouse is not Borders or B&N in terms of organization or size but they have everything in their small store, only you have to look and look through all the neatly organized books. The staff is quite helpful, though, if you ask them for something that you are unable to find yourself. But I don’t mind looking through, it gives an opportunity to look through different unknown books, before you reach your destination!!!
They even have a small kids’ section, and it’s a heaven for kids books, not only contemporary, but kids classics like Rip van Winkle, Winnie the Pooh hard bind books and so many others. It’s amazing, even with a small space they can make such an wonderful book store with every genre.
Book Warehousenow has a Facebook page , and they have beautiful events going on every month: book signing by authors (they try to highlight local authors, which is awesome), events for Christmas and Teacher’s Appreciation Week, and … the discounts!
Book Warehouse itself doesn’t have any cafe or restroom, but it’s inside an outlet mall, so there are plenty of places to eat and public restrooms, and, not to mention the advantage of shopping at the outlet mall. So, when you visit you can make it an all-day event.
I am so happy now that I have a book store to go to! Yes, we have good library – and I love libraries - but I love a book store too … and I have it now!!!!!
It’s wonderful when you have a nearby bookstore.
I bet it was tough living without a bookstore nearby!
This sounds great! Even if you have to dig a little, it sounds like there is tons of good stuff in those piles! Thanks for sharing this.
I’ve often thought about finding someone to loan me money to open a bookstore in my new downtown area.
I can’t imagine living without a good bookstore close by! I am intrigued by the sounds of Book Warehouse because there is one near where I am this week. I might have to go check it out…
I want to open a bookstore too (Serena, move to Florida!). Our one and only indie store just closed its doors, and was very sad. We are the outlet mall capital down here in Orlando, but we do not have a bookstore in any of them!
Wherever we go I always want to find a book store so I know how Sumana feels. I have seen the Book Warehouses in various outlet malls. The prices are always good.
Hi,
First of all, a big Thank you to Dawn for featuring my favorite book store an dgiving me the opportunity to talk about it.
Beth: It’s nice to have the store.
Bermudaonion: It was tough for the people living here for 4-5 yrs, atleast I spent only 2 months without the book store..
Zibilee: It is great and I like the digging.
Savvyverseandwit: I hope your dream comes true, it’s an wonderful dream.
Amy: you should go check it out..
Sandy, that’s sad..especially a big city like Orlando I thought in every mall they would have a book store !!
Margot: I mean how can a town grow without a bookstore??? And yes, they always have year round discounts..
Thanks everybody for virtually visiting my book store.
Technically I wouldn’t really need to buy any books between the library and review copies. But I think I couldn’t move to a town without a bookstore! Not needing to buy books sure doesn’t mean I don’t buy books.
Lisa: you are right..actually the communities have started growing here from 2005 onwards, though there is a old part of the city that goes back to 122 years..but the last 2 years due to the downturn of the economy all the stores didn’t open..and as for my move here, really I couldn’t afford a house in Los Angeles or orange county, too pricey for me..
No bookstore near here. Libraries are great but sometimes, it would be great to mail a book that you love to a friend.
Sumana, at least you’ve got a bookstore now!
Thanks to Sumana for this post about the Book Warehouse in Elsinore — I didn’t realize it was a chain of sorts at vaious outlet malls; I’ll look to see if there’s one up in Kittery.
Like others have said, I can’t imagine having to drive 20 miles to get to a bookstore. I’m in a good place, geographically, there are several (small and large) near here.
I love digging for treasure at some of the church ‘rummage’ sales around here … I bet I’d have fun at Book Warehouse!
Sumana!!!!!!!! I LOVE the Book Warehouse I was just there last Saturday with my mom but I go on a fairly regular basis as it’s on the way to my parent’s house. You are a local book blogger! We must get together sometime. any chance you’ll be trekking out to the Festival of Books in LA this weekend?
Dawn: Before I also didn’t know about this store, I think though it’s a chain it must be on a very small scale, nothing like B&N or Borders.
Amy: I can’t believe you are in the area !!! Shoot me an email at mithik123atrediffmaildotcom and we can figure out to meet or talk over phone whichever works..hope to hear from you