A Bookstore Is More Than a Store

Melissa G. Wilson had set aside books to donate for the occasion, and I brought copies of my new book, Primary Circle, to share. I was also joined by Lynn Miller, author of Ahead of Their Time.

I had read about Tenia in Lynn’s book before this visit. Spending time with the people connected to those stories gave me another way to appreciate how books and relationships can bring us into one another’s lives.

Since that afternoon, I’ve been thinking about what it means to support an independent bookstore — and what becomes possible when we spend time in one.

A book can introduce us to someone we may never meet. A bookstore can give us the opportunity to meet someone whose story we might otherwise never encounter. The book provides a starting point. A question, a recommendation, or a conversation can carry it further.

Beyond the Book’s emphasis on storytelling, leadership, and personal growth gives those connections a place to develop. Tenia brings her experience in human resources and leadership development to her work with books and the people who write and read them.

John Fowler and Tenia Davis, at Beyond the Book’s October 24 gathering. 

That connection between stories and relationships resonates with me.

In writing Primary Circle: Finding Clarity Through the Relationships That Shape Your Career, I looked back at the people who helped me recognize strengths, reconsider assumptions, and make sense of experiences I did not fully understand at the time. Reflection helped me see how much of my career had unfolded through relationships.

Visiting a bookstore gives me another setting in which to practice that awareness: Who created this place? What matters to them? Who gathers here? What could I learn by becoming part of its community?

As a newly published author, I’ve started reaching out to local bookstores about conversations, readings, and signings. I’m also learning to ask about the store itself — its readers, its programming, its priorities, and where a contribution from me might be useful.

That is the spirit behind the “Save Our Bookstores” effort Melissa and I have been pursuing. We want to build relationships with independent bookstores, shine a light on the people behind them, and encourage others to participate in the communities they create.