Indie Bookstores in DFW :: More Than Just Stores with Books

Q: What do the classically beloved movies You’ve Got Mail, Notting Hill, and Dan in Real Life all have in common?

A: A meet cute in a bookstore.

Confession: I’m a book nerd. I love books. The smell of the books. The sound of pages turning. Underlining my favorite parts and writing in the margins.

When I travel, I love to visit local bookstores: for instance, Powell’s City of Books in Portland and the Tattered Cover Bookstore in Denver are among my favorites. There’s something about the “local” section that connects you with a new city in ways no other venue can…except maybe a hole-in-the-wall-restaurant that only locals frequent. But I digress.

My oldest daughter recently bought a Kindle. A few days later I received a text: “I’m on my 10^th book! I miss how much I used to read!”

Woohoo! You go, girl!

But no, thank you. E-readers are not for me.

When I started researching local bookstores for this article, I was excited. Not only am I a sucker for a new addition to my TBR collection, but as a single mom, I’ve secretly daydreamed that my own meet cute might happen in the classic literature aisle, or the travel section, or reading in the bookstore coffee shop.

Well, I have good news and bad news and good news and then MORE good news.

The good news: Bookstores in Collin County haven’t disappeared. Some, like the Barnes and Noble in Plano, have a charming children’s section and a calendar filled with family friendly events. The employees are approachable and willing to help you find just the right book for your shelves. And the record section in the back is just plain cool. There’s a small Starbucks in the store where you can enjoy your latest read with your favorite coffee (or tea!).

Half-Price Books is another option with multiple locations and prices that won’t make you feel guilty for indulging yourself with just. one. more. book. your friend said is a MUST READ. (For example: The Lost Words Bookshop recommended by my reading connoisseur besties Beth and Misty. You’re welcome.)

The bad news: Much like the fate of Meg Ryan’s Bookshop on the Corner, the family-owned indie bookstores in Collin Country have dwindled away, put out of business by Tom Hanks and his F-O-X Fox & Sons Books. One thing I appreciate about how You’ve Got Mail ended is that it didn’t vilify the megastore. In the scene where Meg Ryan sneaks into the store to check out the competition, she sees friends chatting, children reading, and cute little stuffed animal book friends even she couldn’t resist. Even still, there’s nothing like the quaint, cozy, inviting feel of a vintage bookstore.

The good news: You don’t have to drive far to find some pretty cool indie bookshops in the DFW area.

My favorite in Denton is Recycled Books, which offers a world-renowned collection of books in a historic building downtown. The multi-level layout has plenty of nooks and crannies explore and even the musty book smell of the establishment is nostalgic.

In Bishop Arts, there’s The Wild Detectives a place where the owners mix their two passions: books and booze. “Our plan is clear: feed them culture, get them talking. We want our space to encourage people to have a drink and talk to one another, to open up and share ideas, to hang out smartly, to engage in a conversation that will open new realities for them.”

In Carrollton and Plano, there’s Kinokuniya. On a recent visit to K-Town, I stopped in here with my daughter and nieces and they just loved it! Since opening in Tokyo 85 years ago, Kinokuniya has brought its Japanese aesthetic to bookstores worldwide. They have an extensive collection of manga, graphic novels, art and design books, cookbooks, travel books, children’s books, and more, in both English and Japanese, from the novels of Haruki Murakami to the latest manga hits. They also have a curated gift selection that includes quirky games, plant kits, and colorful grocery totes.

MORE good news: Brick-and-mortar bookstores are making a comeback. Why? Because they support community, encourage conversation, and offer the joy of browsing, combined with the convenience going home with the book in your hand. Conversation and human interaction, just what we’ve been yearning for all these long, quarantined months.

So, I’m sure I’m speaking for more than just myself when I say to you dreamers out there who are pondering the idea of opening a bookstore in any one of the charming and booming downtowns in Collin County…

“If you build it, we will come.”

And who knows, maybe you’ll even be the location of a few meet cutes.