Buy Indie Day

I didn't have my act together to actually blog about this on the day it happened, but May 1 was "Buy Indie Day." If there is a local independent business that you're fond of, now is an incredibly important time to support them, as this economy makes it harder and harder to survive.

Independent bookstores are particularly close to my heart, and wallet, since I make my living in the book business. My current favorite store in New York is one that opened fairly recently, called Idlewild Books. I go there every time I get my hair cut, and I can't seem to walk out without buying at least one book. The neat thing about this store is that it is organized by place. It's not just a travel bookstore, though they have a large selection of travel guides-- each country and US region is represented in novels and non-fiction books that are about or take place in that area.
If you love to travel, you'll find this store irresistible. If you don't travel, this store will make you want to! In addition to books, they stock some nice globes and travel accessories.

Some books I've bought there (and their locations):
The Elegance of the Hedgehog (France)
Mating (Botswana)
Poisonwood Bible (Congo)
Metropolis (New York)
Historic Shops and Restaurants of Boston (Massachusetts)
American Cities: Historic Maps and Views (USA)
Such a Long Journey (India)

In keeping with the theme of this post, I'm not including my usual Amazon affiliate links. Instead, the links to those books will take you to the IndieBound website, where you can find links to the independent bookstores closest to you. If you're a blogger, you might want to consider becoming an IndieBound affiliate-- I only just discovered that they even offered this program, and it's nice to know that there's a way to earn a little blog income while supporting independent stores.

Do you have any favorite independent businesses you support?