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The Goods

Gifts for Indie Bookstore Lovers

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Susie Dumond

Senior Contributor

Susie (she/her) is a queer writer originally from Little Rock, now living in Washington, DC. She is the author of QUEERLY BELOVED and the forthcoming LOOKING FOR A SIGN from Dial Press/Random House. You can find her on Instagram @susiedoom.

There’s nothing like the magic of an independent bookstore. You can find wonderfully curated collections of books, but you can also find lots of other goodies (often from local makers), book clubs, events with authors, personalized recommendations, and opportunities to participate in your community and meet your neighbors. I may be partial (since I also work part-time as an indie bookseller), but I think there’s no better place to spend a few hours than your local bookstore. Honestly, if I can leave the store where I work without having spent more buying books than I made during my shift, it’s a good day. Could you also accidentally spend all the money in your bank account if left unattended at your favorite local bookshop? If so, these gifts for indie bookstore lovers are for you.

Or perhaps you’re looking for a gift for your bookstore-loving friend. You’ve come to the right place! My first recommendation? Get them a gift card to their favorite local bookshop. It’s a great way to support a local business and recognize your friend’s appreciation of the store without having to know exactly what books they’d like (and haven’t already bought themself). Pair that gift card with a T-shirt, sticker, candle, or something else from this list and you’ll win their heart forever.

Gifts for Indie Bookstore Lovers

Image of a framed art print with title "Bookstores Around the World" with small watercolor paintings of the storefronts of twelve bookstores
Image from UrbEmSketches on Etsy

This lovely art print of bookshops around the world also doubles as a bucket list of must-visit stores. $35

Image of someone holding a cream colored tote bag with "buy books from your local bookshop, not a billionaire" screen printed on the front
Image from angiepea on Etsy

As an indie bookseller myself, I can tell you that using this tote while shopping at an indie bookstore will make you very popular. $27

Image of a small bottle of roll-on perfume oil scented like an indie bookstore
Image from TheLittleBookEater on Etsy

You can smell like your favorite indie bookstore with this vetiver, teakwood, cedar, neroli, and amber-scented perfume oil. $16

Image of a hand holding a vinyl sticker with an illustration of an opossum next to a stack of books saying "shut up and take me to the bookstore"
Image from TheStickyUnicorn on Etsy

This vinyl sticker is the fastest way to any bookstore-loving possum’s heart. $3

Image of someone's back wearing a taupe t-shirt with a rainbow and the phrase "support your local bookstore" on the back of the shirt
Image from TheBookishCollective on Etsy

Your local bookstore hates to see you leave, but they’d love to watch you walk away in this T-shirt. $24

Image of a yellow and white enamel pin designed to look like a Penguin Classics book that says "support your local bookshop"
Image from LiteraryEmporium on Etsy

Shout your love of local bookstores with this Penguin Classics-inspired enamel pin. $10

Image of a vinyl sticker designed to look like a stack of books that says "I'm not buying too many books, I'm just supporting the local economy"
Image from AddPeace on Etsy

Rookie tip: Never suggest an indie bookstore lover has “too many books.” This sticker is a reminder that a towering TBR is a good thing. $4

Image of a black baseball hat with the phrase "support your local bookstore" embroidered in white
Image from 1707andco on Etsy

If local bookstores are always on your mind, this hat can help you put them on everyone else’s minds too. $37

Image of a soy candle in a lidded glass jar with an orange label saying it's "local indie" scented
Image from NovellyYours on Etsy

For when you can’t spend all day browsing your local indie bookshop, try this paperbacks, bookshelves, and hot cider-scented soy candle. $19

Image of a person wearing a black t-shirt with colorful screen printing that says "the feminine urge to open an independent bookstore that is also a coffee shop"
Image from HeartstringsbyNadine on Etsy

Whether or not you’ve fulfilled your lifelong dream of opening an indie bookstore/coffee shop, this shirt gets you. $27


I hope this list of gifts for indie bookstore lovers helped you find just what you were looking for! You might also enjoy:

Bookish Crewneck Sweaters for Bookworms Ready for Fall

The Importance of Book-Centered Spaces as Third Places

What Will the Bookstore of the Future Look Like?