Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about book stores… How do you choose what to buy from your local bookstore? Do you have a list, or just browse? What is the selection in your book store like? Do you find what you're looking for? Do you feel pressured to buy the kind of books the store makes prominent? (question courtesy of MizB)
Being a booklover, bookstores is one of my favourite shopping places besides the malls. I visit the bookstore at least once a week, thanks to the place where I work because there is a bookstore which is just a five-minute walk from my office building.
Most of the times, I do not have a list when visiting the bookstores. I just love to browse and look around, and I especially love the feeling of finding a book which I have been waiting for unexpectedly. The bookstore which I patronize has a wide variety. Apart from the English section, it also has a Chinese and Japanese section and a stationery section that mainly carries stationery imported from Japan. Although I love visiting this branch, I would still prefer to visit the main branch as it is bigger and offers a much wider variety. I do not feel pressured to buy any books on display, but I do feel something is amiss if I walk out of the bookstore empty-handed.
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Hi Melody!
I can identify with feeling guilty about not buying something when I go in.
Musing Monday
oooooh...having a bookstore at a 5min walking distance would be very dangerous for my finances Melody :)
I love visiting bookstores. :-) It's my favorite kind of shopping. I probably go about once every other week, although I've been trying not to go quite so often lately.
Oooh... how I missed that bookstore (I think we're talking about the same bookstore heheee...)that was once upon a time 5 minutes away from my office too. Now I get that bookstore to deliver the books over to my office. LOL.
I can't walk out of a bookstore empty-handed. Naah-aaah...
Bluestocking - I'm glad to hear I'm not alone when it comes to this issue. ;P
Violet - I know, I know! LOL.
Wendy - I think shopping online is equally bad IMO, hehe.
Alice - I only buy books online when they're hard to find or if I want the books really badly, hehe... And walking out of a bookstore empty-handed is surely one 'bad' habit we booklovers find it hard to ditch! ;P
I used to visit a bookshop most days too when I was working. Now I don't go so often but I can't come out empty handed.
Musing Mondays
I rarely walk into a bookstore with something specific I have to buy, since I do actively use my library. I like to wander in on a day when I have time, usually with a coupon in hand, and just meander. It is my favorite little treat to myself!
I can't remember an occasion where I walked out of a bookshop emptyhanded! It just wouldn't seem right.
Sounds like you have a terrific store! And how lucky that it is so close to your work.
How lovely to have a bookstore so close with such a large offering. Jealous!!
I love browsing the bookstores, although I have been trying to avoid them lately. It feels too weird to walk away from books that I want so badly, but I have so many already. :) Your bookstore sounds really great, though--not sure I could resist!
Your local bookstore sounds great. I think I've only walked out of border once without buying anything for me. I think that was christmas time and took my son christmas shopping. It felt really odd.
My post is up now.
I'm more of a list person these days. I do most of my browsing online to find books, then by the time I make it to the store, I pretty much know what I'm getting.
I naturally gravitate towards bookstores too...I know they're dangerous, but I just can't help it.
Oh I am jealous that you have one so close to your office but I feel I would spend all my lunch breaks there!
I always feel let down if I leave the bookstore without something in my hands-lol.
When I went to school nights there was a bookstore nearby where I spent all my time while waiting for class to start. It's always dangerous to the wallet to have one that handy.
OMG a bookstore just 5 minutes away! thats temptation :o)
http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/
Margaret - I don't think I'm able to stand not visiting the bookstore if there's one nearby! The addiction is just too great!
Sandy - I wish I'm a regular patronizer at the libraries! Nowadays I don't visit them anymore because I don't think I'm able to return the books on time anyway, and then I want to read books at my own pace.
Jo - Yes. I'd feel a little strange if I walk out of a bookstore empty-handed. LOL.
Beth, Joyful - Yes, I'm glad and I feel lucky for having a bookstore so near to my workplace. :)
Trish - No way I'm able to avoid visiting the bookstores! I can stand not buying anything but I can't walk away from them, hehe.
Robin - I do feel disappointed if I came out of a bookstore empty-handed.
Lisa - I also browse the books online too. It's fun to see what new releases are out!
Nymeth - Yeah. We booklovers always tend to feel that way! LOL.
Erika - I think if I spend my lunch breaks everyday in that bookstore, the staff might probably think I'm weird, LOL.
Dar - I know what you mean! :D
Naida - I know! So I thought visiting once a week isn't that bad, huh? ;)
I wish I was able to visit my bookstore once a week. But unfortunately I have to be real careful with my money spending. I do spent more books buying online than I do at my local bookstores though.
I do have a list of books that I need/want to get, but I never remember to bring it with me when I decided to go the bookstores. But I normally be able to find what I am looking for when I'm there. Like you, Alice and many others people have said in the past --- I always feel I need to buy just at lease 1 books before I walk out the bookstores. Truly I do :)
Julia - I think the danger of buying online is we can't really see the transactions going on, LOL.
That sounds like Kinokuniya, my favorite joint in Singapore, Kula Lumpur, and Bangkok. Too bad the one in Hong Kong is tiny.
Matt - It IS Kinokuniya, hehe. ;) I wonder what's the bigger chain in HK?