Best Bookstore Per Square Inch? Take a Look.

I have seen dozens of news stories in the last few weeks saying essentially the same thing: independent bookstores are not only hanging on, they are doing quite well, thank you. And that is certainly good news for readers who still prefer physical books over electronic ones.

Despite the number of similar stories I've seen, this one made me smile.  I could not resist reading a story about a Santa Barbara bookstore whose total floor space comes in at a whopping 200 square feet, one that can justifiably claim that it is "the best bookstore, per square inch, this side of the Rocky Mountains."

Successful bookstores are supposed to have no fewer than 150,000 titles, said Karys-Schiff. He has 7 percent that number, so he credits the store’s success to stubbornness and loyalty. One frequent visitor, now in his thirties, first visited the shop when he was 10. Another woman, who now lives in Rome, stops by whenever she’s back in town. 

Some customers browse in peace, but for those inclined to talk, Karys-Schiff offers an uncommonly attentive ear. Their enthusiasms, it often turns out, are his enthusiasms, too. He knows what they’re talking about. “Book people are the best,” he gushed. “They’re always excited about the book they just read or the next book they’re going to read.”

David Karys-Schiff, owner of The Mesa Bookstore, sounds like quite a character, a man who has truly found his calling in life. For more information, click on this link to the Santa Barbara Independent article.