Is This the Best Bookstore in the Country?

McLean & Eakin, Petoskey, Michigan

How do you define "heart" when it relates to a bookstore?  

I don't know either...but the five bookstores still in the running for "best bookstore in the country" must have figured it out for themselves.

According to the Washington Post, "heart," though, is not the only thing that the ultimate winner is going to be judged on.  Judges are also looking at "excellence in hand-selling, community involvement, management-employee relations and merchandising."

These are the cities and towns that can claim one of these wonder-store finalists:

Coral Gables, Florida (Books & Books)
St. Louis, Missouri (Left Bank Books)
Petoskey, Michigan (McLean & Eakin)
Portland, Oregon (Powell's Books)
Bellingham, Washington (Village Books & Paper Dreams)

There you have it.  I suspect that each and every one of these bookstores offers a wonderful experience for book lovers.  Too, I pretty much agree with Christina Nosti (Director of Events & Marketing at Books & Books) who is quoted in the article as having said, "Every bookstore in the world is special and has its own magic."

Good luck to everyone.

Read the Washington Post article here.