In an article headlined "Suburbs a rich source of independent bookstores," Chicago's Daily Herald reported that these bookshops "have survived challenges from corporate conglomerates, online sellers, the economic downturn and e-books with two simple ingredients: knowledge of their communities and strong customer service."
"We sell books the old-fashioned way--we read them!" said Becky Anderson, owner of Anderson's Bookshop, with stores in Naperville, Downers Grove and La Grange. "We've been here for a very long time. We know what people in our area love to read."
Alli Mengarelli, owner of the Book Bin in Northbrook, noted: "We are here to really share the love of reading. Just the wonderful conversations you can get into with people who are passionate about books."
Jane Stroh, owner of the Bookstore in Glen Ellyn, said, "We've been here a long time--55 years--and we have really deep roots in the community. It's that focus on knowing local tastes and trends. You have to be a very astute business person as well as someone who loves books."
