Article by Jens Mikkelsen. Photo by Jens Mikkelsen.
ST CLOUD, Minn — Books Revisited has been part of owner Jon Lee’s story for 30 years, and his passion for reading is both personal and professional.
“I read such a wide variety of books. In the course of a year, I average about a book a week, so maybe 50 books in a year, “ said Lee. “Which I know for a guy who runs a bookstore I think is good, but I have customers who read three and four times that much.”
Lee hopes to see customers like that at the upcoming Independent Bookstore Day on April 26.
“It’s really turned into just a one-day celebration of all things books,” Lee explained. “That day we’ll do a storewide sale– 20 percent off. We have refreshments, we’ll have tea coming from the Spice of Life Tea Shop and we’ll have other local things we try to incorporate.”
The event is organized by the American Booksellers Association with more than 1,400 stores participating.
“I think bookstores, especially recently, have been having kind of a moment. I think we live these tech heavy lives, so sometimes people want a counterpoint, “ Lee believes. “They want to do something that is not staring at a screen. It scratches your brain in a different way.”
It appears readers agree. According to the American Booksellers Association, since 2020, for every independent bookstore that has closed, more than three have opened.
“I think there’s something special about having a piece of literature in your hand, something tangible that you can hold,” said Lee.
Customer Alex Cutchey agrees, saying it’s an experience the internet can’t match.
“My grandmother is actually right now passing. So over the last week, we’ve been going and visiting her within the hospice care,” says Cutchey.
He says her son brought one of the books that he received as a child.
“It’s a great way for him to connect with her, reading that story back,” continues Cutchey. “There [are] memories associated with reading that, and having that physical copy invokes that memory and nostalgia in a way that a PDF can’t necessarily.”
That’s a sentiment, Jon Lee, owner of “Books Revisited,” hopes will continue his own story into the next chapter.
“I’m extremely hopeful for the future,” says Lee. “For people wondering in the back of their mind if it’s going to go away, I don’t think so, because if that was the case I think it already would have.”
“Books Revisited” will celebrate Independent Bookstore Day, beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday.
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