If you know me, you know I love books. It’s one of the defining aspects of my personality. If I see you reading a book- it does not matter whether or not I’ve read it before, I will go up to you and talk to you about it. And so indirectly, I am also a huge fan of bookstores, specifically independent ones. So I was devastated when the closest indie bookstore to my house, Bookbound, closed down this summer, owners Megan and Peter Blackstone citing reasons related to their personal life. 

“As much as we love books, the day-to-day of the store, and all of you, it’s time to focus on our family, friends, and all of the other things we’ve set aside,” they said in their newsletter. “We opened and operated our dream bookstore for nearly eight years and we consider this a success! We hope you see it that way too, and can understand and respect our decision.” 

Luckily for us, another indie bookstore, Booksweet, opened in its place! It’s a comfortable hole in the wall kind of a place, with lo-fi music playing as soon as you walk in, and bookshelves lining the walls with picks from the employees, recommended reading on gender, race, and sexuality, and new books. Owner Shaun Manning has worked in and around books for most of his adult life. After college he worked in the publishing department of the Art Institute Chicago, and after that, he and his wife Truly Render moved to Glasgow, where Manning completed his masters there, and Truly worked at another museum. He finally ended up back in Ann Arbor when his child was one and where his family was, after bouncing from New York to Chicago. He worked with U of M for about 10 years and Render still works for U of M, as director of communications at Stamps. Manning has also created a few graphic novels, which are available for purchase in Booksweet! 

Manning says that he and Render had the idea of opening their own independent bookstore for a long time, but when Bookbound closed their doors, they looked into what was necessary and what it would take to happen, and they made it work, even on a pretty short timeline. 

“Peter and Megan [owners of Bookbound] were just so helpful in the transition, and getting us up and running,” Manning said. 

Manning tries to respond to what his customers and the community seem to gravitate towards.

“I’d say the hardest thing about running a bookstore is that it’s impossible to have everything,“ Manning said. 

He loves just talking to his customers and finding out what makes them excited, and giving them recommendations. 

“Seeing people get excited about something always makes you get excited about something, even if it’s not directly speaking to your taste, but I still love to see how excited people get about them,” he said.

Middle grade, young adult, and manga have been some of the genres Booksweet has tried to amplify in their space, as well as emphasizing books on racial justice and gender. 

“We were really trying to think about what is going to be interesting and appealing, and not just informative, but also bringing joy,” Manning said. “Fun stories with good representation, while not just putting all of these books into one area.”

Indie bookstores as community spaces have been very important to Manning. They’ve held a number of events, ranging from candle making, to storytime for adults. 

“[Indie bookstores] are a place to come together and find out what your neighbors are thinking and feeling,” he says. 

They’ve partnered with a number of organizations, including Black Men Read, and Clever Creations by Amy for activities, and are currently hosting a banned book club. 

Some of his favorite books and authors include Cloud Cuckoo Land, a historical novel of five intertwined stories which was a National Book Award finalist. Kazuo Ishiguro is one author he keeps coming back to as well. Manning also enjoys Mariko Tamaki’s books, such as Lara Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me. 

So if you’re in the area, drop by and browse a bit! You never know what you might find- a hidden gem, or an NYTimes bestseller. At any rate, coming to Booksweet is like sinking into a comfort read- warm and reassuring, inviting you to come back time and time again.