LINCOLN SQUARE — Chicago's indie bookstores haven't just survived the rise and fall of big box booksellers, they're thriving — and throwing a party to celebrate.
Saturday's inaugural Chicago Independent Bookstore Day — think Record Store Day only with, you know, books — will feature giveaways, author readings, discounts and a bit of a scavenger hunt.
"We want to expand people's horizons of what independent bookstores are," said Stefan Moorehead, manager and book buyer at Lakeview's Unabridged Bookstore, 3251 N. Broadway, who spearheaded the effort.
"We're more than just four walls selling books," he said.
Moorehead was inspired by California Bookstore Day, held in May, and pitched the idea to his counterparts at Chicago's other indie stores.
The city's booksellers are a "really tight-knit community," he said, and welcomed the opportunity to collaborate in raising their visibility.
"Everybody was just immediately excited," said Moorehead.
While brick-and-mortar stores like Borders and Barnes & Noble have been hit hard by the rise of Internet book sales and digital downloads, indie stores in Chicago are "all doing really well," he said.
Part of the point of Bookstore Day is to spread the word that "we're thriving," as well as to get people to "re-engage" with their neighborhood bookstore to "see what it has to offer," Moorehead said.
The Book Cellar, 4736 N. Lincoln Ave., for example, hangs its hat on the number of events it holds ... and its bar.
"We sell booze," said store employee Danielle Stahl. "A lot of moms come in and say, 'You have wine.'"
The shop has benefited from customers' strong sense of loyalty to Lincoln Square, she said.
"We have a big 'buy local' community here," said Stahl.
For Bookstore Day, the shop will be touting its ongoing promotion of offering 15 percent off the books that have sold the best at the store over the past 10 years — a fun snapshot of Book Cellar readers' preferences.
Along with the other participating stores, the Book Cellar will also being handing out pieces of an exclusive Lillie Carre-designed puzzle — customers need to visit each store to collect the complete set. (Pieces can be gathered through the end of July.)
Whether people hit up one bookstore or all nine on Saturday, everyone wins, Moorehead said.
"I really feel if you're helping one independent bookstore, you're helping us all," he said.
Participating bookstores and events:
57th Street Books, 1301 E. 57th St.
The Book Cellar: Hourly raffles of free tote bags filled with books, posters, signed art prints, Moleskines and more; complimentary cupcakes, while they last.
City Lit Books, 2523 N. Kedzie Blvd.: Noon to 1 p.m., Martha Bayne will be signing copies of "The Soup and Bread Cookbook" and doling out cups of gazpacho prepared by Lula Cafe.
Open Books Store, 213 W. Institute Place: 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., Paula Haney, founder of Hoosier Mama Pie Company, will be signing copies of "The Hoosier Mama Book of Pie" and handing out pie samples.
Powell's Bookstore University Village, 1218 S. Halsted St. Ph.: Essay, poetry and fiction readings, 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Through Aug. 3, bring in receipts from any other Chicago indie bookstore and receive 20 percent off your purchase for visiting one other store, 30 percent off for visting two or more.
Sandmeyer's Bookstore, 714 S. Dearborn St.
Seminary Co-op Bookstore, 5751 S. Woodlawn Ave.
Unabridged Bookstore, 3251 N. Broadway St.: Noon to 1 p.m., Kat Barry and Jo Kaucher, authors of "The New Chicago Diner Cookbook," will be serving up samples of the Diner’s vegetarian and vegan-friendly comfort food.
Women and Children First, 5233 N. Clark St.: 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., Chicago Tribune columnist Mary Schmich will be signing copies of her recently released column collection, "Even the Terrible Things Seem Beautiful to Me Now."
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