Independent Bookstore Day brings events, giveaways to Tucson

Heads up, booklovers! Saturday, April 25, is Independent Bookstore Day, and your favorite Tucson bookstores are going big, with T-shirts, pop-ups, prizes and dozens of family-friendly activities.

“It's usually a great party,” Lizzy Jeffrey-Franco, co-owner of Stacks Book Club, said. “Lots of people come out and just get together and celebrate and support the ‘indies’ in their area.”

Independent Bookstore Day started in 2013 as a national campaign by the American Booksellers Association to uplift independent bookstores and highlight their roles in their communities.

“We're not just bookstores, we're community hubs,” Jeffrey-Franco said. “And a little bit of extra support from community members helps us keep our doors open year-round.”

This year, she said Stacks Book Club, 1880 E. Tangerine Road, is celebrating with an audiobook giveaway and independent bookstore merchandise designed by local artist Karolina Olivia.

The T-shirt design features the outside facades of Tucson’s independent bookshops, including Stacks, Homeward Books Collective, 3054 N. 1st Ave., Antigone Books, 411 N. 4th Ave., Bookmans, Mostly Books, 6208 E. Speedway, Littlest Bookshop, 5011 E. 5th St., Desierto Books, 267 South Avenida del Convento, Revolutionary Grounds, 4675 E. Speedway, and The Book Stop, 214 N. 4th Ave.

“I wanted to create a map of Tucson, showing all of Tucson's indie bookstores, since we have such a vibrant scene of independent bookstores,” Jeffrey-Franco said. “We went to our local printer and they printed some T-shirts with the map on the back and we'll be selling those on Independent Bookstore Day at our location in Oro Valley.”

Every customer who comes in on Saturday, she said, will get a free postcard that features that same graphic on it, and one lucky winner will get 12 free audiobook credits with Libro.fm.

“Rather than Audible that is owned by Amazon, Libro.fm is a nonprofit, and they support independent bookstores,” Jeffrey-Franco said. “So if you buy an audiobook from Libro.fm, you can choose to give a portion of the proceeds to Stacks Book Club or any of your other favorite indies.”

On Independent Bookstore Day, she said they will be hiding a ticket worth 12 audiobook credits somewhere in the store — Charlie and the Chocolate Factory style — for customers to find.

“That will be an all-day-long hunt,” she said. “We've done that in previous years and it’s always a big hit.”

Both Homeward Book Collective and Mostly Books, will be having their own audiobook giveaways with Libro.fm, so if customers visit all three stores, they triple their chances of striking gold. Or, stop by Homeward Book Collective for special pop-ups from Calle Coffee and Why Choose, a live-printing merchandise table and raffles.

Bookmans River, 4841 N. Stone Ave., is planning a day full of family events, including kids’ crafts, face painting, bookmark stamping with local artist Cactus Clouds Art, a trinket trade and storytime with Horton the Hornbill bird.

Bookmans Speedway location, 6230 E Speedway, will have Harry Potter embroidery with Quilt Basket & the Sewing Room, Zoo 101 with Reid Park Zoo, a trinket trade, balloon animals, a friendship bracelet-making station, as well as a few other activities.

Cheron Taylor, owner of Desierto Books, opened her shop in MSA Annex a little over a year ago and is celebrating her second Independent Bookstore Day. She said she is excited to recognize all Tucson’s independent booksellers.

“Book selling is quite a unique space to be in. It's taking, quite literally, the notion of a marketplace of ideas and presenting it to your community using your own voice and your own discernment in the choices that you present people with,” she said. “We're a particularly small bookshop, so every day we make a lot of decisions about what goes on the shelves, and that's a joy.”

Bookstores like Desierto and Stacks, Taylor said, are not just retail stores but also places of community, and by supporting independent bookstores, you are also supporting that community.

“Spending your money where it counts is a really, really meaningful way to support your local economy and your neighbors,” she said. “These are the people whose kids go to school with your kids, who drive these city streets together, who vote in the same elections, who really care about this community. That’s who I want to support with my dollars.”

For Independent Bookstore Day, she is offering $10 gift cards for every $50 card purchase, a $25 gift card for every $100 card purchase, and a free Desierto tote bag with any $50 purchase.

Taylor said she is hoping the public will take the opportunity to visit her shop on Saturday and maybe even ask her for recommendations.

“Come say hi, I’m excited to share what's going on,” she said. “Because we always have something going on.”

As for Jeffrey-Franco, she said she is grateful to the Tucson community for supporting Stacks Book Club over the past three years.

“We appreciate your support on Independent Bookstore Day and throughout the year,” she said.