Connecticut independent bookstores, like bookstores across the country, are surviving the age of online ordering largely thanks to one thing: community. Talk to owners of local bookstores, and you’ll hear that word again and again. Whether it’s connecting with readers who wander into the store or facilitating author events, bookstore owners and their staff pride themselves on fostering wide-ranging literary conversations. In the process, these stores become important parts of their towns, with many serving as essential downtown hubs. Here’s a closer look at some of the best in the area.
Books on the Common: Ridgefield
This bookstore has been a part of the Ridgefield community for more than 40 years. Originally opened by Bob and Sally Silbernagel in 1984 in Copps Hill Common, the store was bought by husband and wife team Darwin Ellis and Ellen Burns in 2004. They moved it to its current location in 2009. The secret to the store’s over 40 years of success is the attention it pays to its customers and community. “We do all of the ordering ourselves, both front and back list, and we have a good feel for what our customers will want to read because we know them,” Burns says. The shop features a wide selection of books and young adult offerings. Burns adds, “Everyone at the shop works hard to encourage the love of reading in our youngest customers, from toddlers to teens.”
www.booksonthecommon.com
Schmendrick’s Bookshop: Wilton
Schmendrick’s Bookshop is a postage stamp-sized bookstore in Wilton’s Cannondale Village. But what the store, which opened in July, lacks in size, it makes up for in heart. “Because our store is so tiny, only 120 square feet, we rely on partnerships with other local businesses for events,” says Natalie Ponte, the shop’s owner. Ponte’s day job is working for Libro.fm, an audiobook service that shares its profits with independent bookstores. Because of its limited shelf space, Ponte focuses the shop’s collection on fiction. “I feel so strongly that people should be able to read purely for pleasure,” Ponte says. “I try to have our selection complement libraries and used bookstores by prioritizing newer titles that are likely to have long wait lists at the library.” Ponte also offers gifts in addition to books. “I love it when I see parents promise their kids that they can have a squishy toy after picking out a book,” Ponte says.
mgsfus-av.myshopify.com
Novel Movement: Ridgefield
This fitness studio and bookshop combo was just about to open at press time. Eleanor Grayson, the store’s founder and owner, explains that the unique concept grew from “two things that have shaped my life: movement and books.” She adds, “I’ve worked in fitness and performance for around 15 years, and after having my second child, reading became an important way for me to reconnect with myself. I kept thinking about how wellness spaces focus heavily on the body while often overlooking the brain, imagination, and our need for genuine human connection.” Grayson’s shop is dedicated to combining those human needs under one roof. The studio will blend exercise techniques like yoga, Pilates, barre, strength training, and HIIT, while exploring how storytelling can fuel fitness. The bookshop will also be a standalone destination.
www.novelmovement.com
The Booksmiths Shoppe: Danbury
Danbury’s only independent bookstore is hidden within the vast former Union Carbide building, a 1.2 million square-foot facility that was built in the 1980s, with a famously odd and futuristic design. Once inside, you’ll get the chance to enjoy a wide-ranging selection of both used and new books. “We don’t get much drive-by traffic, but we appeal to a broad range of people,” says Michelle Smith, the store’s owner, about how they thrive in today’s world. Smith also prides herself on supporting local authors, some of whom are self-published. “These authors do not get a chance to showcase their books in a bookstore, and we promote and sell on their behalf, as it’s part of our mission: community first.” She adds, “We have our own special thing happening here. Book shopping is a culture, and we put Danbury on the map for independent bookstores.”
www.booksmithsshoppe.com
Byrd’s Books: Bethel
Byrd’s Books is not the largest bookstore, but its figurative footprint extends far beyond its brick-and-mortar dimensions. “We feel very strongly about having a presence wherever we’re asked,” says Alice Byrd Hutchinson, who opened Byrd’s in 2011. “Where the community has a tie-in with books, we like to be a part of that.” That means serving as the book vendor for author events at Bethel schools as well as places in neighboring towns such as Edmond Town Hall in Newtown and the Danbury Historical Society. Other recurring events include a book and movie club series where members read a book and then see the film version at Greenwoods Features — recent picks have included The Odyssey and Project Hail Mary. While Hutchinson says running a bookstore is not easy due to extremely thin margins on books, many people understand the role bookstores play in their communities and support them because they recognize they can be an important part of a vibrant downtown.
www.byrdsbooks.com
