IndieBound Blog

Grolier Poetry Book Shop in Cambridge, MA, has been in operation since 1927.

For nearly 100 years, the store has resided in Harvard Square, and though the store’s ownership has changed a few times, its mission remains the same: to connect people through poetry.

I sat down with Ndidi Menkiti, co-owner of Grolier, to learn more about this historic store and the community it’s built — both locally and globally. 

Eden Books is an online bookstore, based out of Florida, that focuses on romance and women’s fiction. Founded by Robyn Crawford in direct response to censorship efforts, Eden Books has grown tremendously in its six years of operation and primarily specializes in e-books. 

I sat down with Crawford to learn more about the incident that sparked Eden’s creation, and how Crawford has built and maintained such a unique bookstore.

Baker Rogers is the owner and founder of Queer Haven Books in Columbia, South Carolina. Born and raised in South Carolina, Rogers created Queer Haven to be the safe and inviting space they wanted to see in their community. 

Peter Milazzo and his younger brother, James Leavy, had always loved the idea of opening a small business. Today they run Mayhem's Bookstore & Board Game Cafe in Lancaster, PA. 

The store features a highly curated collection of graphic novels, comics, and manga, a collection of over 300 games customers can play in-store, and a full service cafe. With their prime location, and mission to “complement rather than compete,” Mayhem’s is perfectly situated to become a Lancaster staple.

I sat down with Milazzo to learn more about Mayhem’s origin and operation.

Lavish Booktique is a pop-up shop in the Bronx that focuses on diverse titles written by women. 

Since opening Spelled Ink in Orange, Virginia, owner Cindy Pagan has been adamant about finding unique ways to serve her community. Today, the store features notary services, events for homeschooling families, and partnerships with multiple organizations, including the local food bank.