Caterpillar Cowboy

As online venues continue to take hold of the book market, independent shops may have to work harder to differentiate themselves as physical spaces for browsing books. Independent bookstores, many of their owners say, create an experience that can’t be mimicked online by providing author readings, knowledgeable staff that can make personalized recommendations, and a hand-picked inventory that caters specifically to the clientele. Abel, from Kramerbooks, echoes the inimitability of the bookstore experience, a space void of distractions and conducive to the primary task of pursuing interests and discovering new ones. “There’s a downside to the phrase ‘browsing on the interwebs,’” Abel says. “You don’t find things you don’t look for. In the bookstore, you’re freer to explore the space.