Travel & Leisure profiles "America's Best Bookstores," including familiar locations like Elliott Bay, Books & Books, Square Books, City Lights as well as lesser-known stores like Crow Bookshop, Burlington, Vt., and Bookbook, New York City.
The story begins: "If you're looking for the soul of a place, you might start at the local bookstore. 'I think it's one of the best places to go to find out about where you're visiting,' says Becky Anderson, president of the American Booksellers Association and owner of Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville, Ill."
Anderson cited a "renaissance going on among independent bookstores around the country" that stems in part from indies' "ability to cultivate community: a great indie bookstore isn't just about selling books--it's about people."