Bookstores

aaaahhhh....nothing beats the wonderful "vibe" of a bookstore. Even a library doesn't quite hold all the possibilities of a crisp, new book.

The Barnes and Noble at the Westside Pavilion Mall has an AMAZING childrens section. It has really taken a corner of the store and given it some character that a child/young person can love.

From a "space planning" view point, there is a definite entry to the area. Once you've "entered" the childrens-book-zone, everything is displayed very clearly. There's a small stage, well, a 4" high semi-circle, where some story telling takes place. I saw a few polaroids up on the wall. And a cool structure that displays all the crafty books. I really appreciate that they made this area so special.

I miss the intimate bookstores. A small, Mom and Pop, bookstore. My dream store is the one in YOU'VE GOT MAIL. The character Meg Ryan played, inherited such a store from her Mother. It's a heartbreaking scene when the store closes due to the Big-Boys, such as Barnes and Noble. But what can you do? At least at this particular store you get a sense that they want children to feel the magic of a book. Here's to finding more great bookstores that children can appreciate the grandeur of buying a book!