Our local used bookshop worked very hard to remove the piles of books from the floor so that one could walk around the labyrinthine store. The most expensive and/or rarest/oldest books are kept in a locked vault (bookshop used to be a bank and also a speakeasy). He will lock you in the vault while you peruse those particular shelves and I believe that is the only place in the store now that still has piles on the floor. Every single surface though is dedicated to books and now the piles are indicative of books the customers are buying. I pile on the floor as I peruse and then carry it to the front. There are so many rooms and passageways though that nearly everything is a hidden treasure and that is half the fun.
Nice post. However, I have been in some perfectly curated bookshops that have a ton of treasures on the shelves. Albiet, most of those are antiquarian bookshops that will not leave old books lying around on the floor for people to accidently kick or knock over. But in those bookshops I have visited where there are piles everywhere, if I have the time, I do tend to find hidden treasures. So I emphatically agree with your remark: "The average customer will not pick through those books in piles on the floor. This greatly increases your chances of finding a hidden treasure." I've never been the average customer in a bookshop. :-)
Our local used bookshop worked very hard to remove the piles of books from the floor so that one could walk around the labyrinthine store. The most expensive and/or rarest/oldest books are kept in a locked vault (bookshop used to be a bank and also a speakeasy). He will lock you in the vault while you peruse those particular shelves and I believe that is the only place in the store now that still has piles on the floor. Every single surface though is dedicated to books and now the piles are indicative of books the customers are buying. I pile on the floor as I peruse and then carry it to the front. There are so many rooms and passageways though that nearly everything is a hidden treasure and that is half the fun.
I dunno, does Landmark know about this post?
Oh, yes. In a few of the sections.
I feel seen 👀😅 An ode to a 'proper' bookstore!
Nice post. However, I have been in some perfectly curated bookshops that have a ton of treasures on the shelves. Albiet, most of those are antiquarian bookshops that will not leave old books lying around on the floor for people to accidently kick or knock over. But in those bookshops I have visited where there are piles everywhere, if I have the time, I do tend to find hidden treasures. So I emphatically agree with your remark: "The average customer will not pick through those books in piles on the floor. This greatly increases your chances of finding a hidden treasure." I've never been the average customer in a bookshop. :-)