The first thing you notice when you open the door is that smell — a familiar woody aroma of well-loved paper. You smell it on all four floors of John K. King Rare & Used Books in downtown Detroit, which houses almost one million used books.
Despite common misconceptions and pandemic-era projections, independent bookstores are doing better than ever. According to the New York Times, more than 300 independent bookstores have opened in the past few years and post-pandemic business has remained steady. There is a strong community of people who are dedicated to keeping used bookstores in business, and many of them are young people who crave a break from their screens.
“The grittiness of [John K. King Books] has an appeal,” said Kelly, a shopper at John K. King. “The aesthetic of it I really enjoy, it’s very much like a step back in time. It feels very low-tech in a very positive way.”
Kelly and her brother Jack feel at home between John K. King’s non-pretentious shelves. Although they are from Flint and both live an hour’s drive from the store, they both make efforts to make the trip downtown when they can. For the past four years, Jack has visited the bookstore every few months, treating himself to a trip after getting a promotion.
“When I go to a new bookstore, I’m usually looking for something,” Jack said. “I come in here and I’m like, ‘Well, what’re you gonna give me?’”
When Kelly and Jack come to used bookstores like John K. King, they don’t shop — they wander. And it isn’t just them. People amble through the store, pointing out books to their friends and family. Some don’t buy anything, but gazes and fingers still linger over the spines of worn books.
Africa Schaumann, the 29-year-old owner of The Dawn Treader Book Shop in Ann Arbor, believes that the experience of a used bookstore goes beyond simple monetary transactions. Without the pressure to spend money, Schaumann believes used bookstores leave room for conversations and vulnerability.
“You know, people come in expecting a little bit of soul care, not just to purchase a good and then move on,” Schaumann said.
Schaumann believes that the pandemic brought people closer to bookstores. During the height of the COVID-19 outbreak, Schaumann saw an increase in the store’s sales. After the city shut down, the shop shifted to completing and shipping online orders.
“Physical books provided a tactical, sensory experience that people were starved of,” Schaumann said.
Dawn Treader was also buoyed by a community GoFundMe campaign that raised around $30,000. The money ensured that the store had enough operating capital to stay open after the pandemic, which is especially important because the profit margin for used books is small. To make sure that her part-time employees can be paid $15 an hour, Schaumann tries to sell a large volume of low-priced books.
Despite the low profits from selling used books, workers like Schaumann have stuck around. Deborah Lee has managed John K. King Books for 26 years and believes interacting with other readers every day is a privilege.
“Economically, in all honesty, used books make no sense,” Lee said. “But if you get a group of people who love what you love, then they are usually willing to work for a little bit less than the average job and they want to participate in something they feel is making a difference in people’s lives.”
Dave Brown, the co-owner of Paper Trail Books in Royal Oak, believes that some of the appeal of used bookstores lies in discovering something new. “Lot of times somebody will come in here and just want to browse and be surprised,” he said. The large inventory of mostly used and some new books in Paper Trail — packed into just 1900 square feet of space — means that there is something for everyone.
“Just knowing that you dug through all of this and found a few really good gems that you think you’re really going to enjoy and then actually really liking the book when you take it home is a very satisfying process for sure,” Kelly said.
The joy of discovery creates a personal connection between the seeker and the book, one that differs from buying a new item. Jack believes that finding a used book is like “stumbling onto an old page on the Internet” that was lovingly coded by someone long ago. He enjoys giving these once-adored artifacts new life through his own attention and care.
Lee believes used bookstores are reservoirs of knowledge that allow people to see how accepted information has changed over time, essentially recreating timelines of learning.
“I think that used booksellers see themselves as preservers of pieces of history,” Lee said.
Used bookstores also satisfy a collector’s appetite. On the first floor of John K. King Books, visitors can find antiques and old leather-bound books. Dawn Treader has first editions of classics like J.D. Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye” held behind glass cabinets. Even without buying them, seeing these books as physical objects reminds us of the endurance of narrative through changing times. Schaumann describes these books, which are also a type of artifact, as having a “historical gravitas.” Connections between used books and individuals are forged through the acknowledgment that the book has “lived a life of its own,” according to Schaumann.
Lee believes that having ownership of these objects, being able to access them whenever needed, is an empowering experience that has been overshadowed by a now-dominant culture of digital subscriptions.
“Media is sometimes a tool,” Lee said. “Our phones are a tool, our computers are a tool, but when you’re engaged with a book it’s a very personal and private thing, you don’t want to subscribe and it not be there 30 days later.”
Used bookstores provide cost-effective access to knowledge that might currently be hidden behind paywalls and extra digital fees — the paradox of having so much information online. Kelly likes to browse through the skill and crafting books at John K. King. The store has low-priced books for every interest — from bookbinding to tree identification to medicine.
“[There’s] just a ton of information that you would normally have to pay a lot more money to access, just kind of at your fingertips here,” Kelly said.
Lee is happy to see youngsters like Kelly and Jack in the store.
“I’m very thrilled that the majority of our customers are younger people and although they own technology, they are not letting technology own them,” Lee said.
The strong presence of the younger generation in John K. King Books makes the future of the store seem bright. Lee believes that the pandemic served as a rude awakening for book lovers, as some bookstores closed their doors for good, forcing people to realize that they needed to be active in providing economic support to the businesses that they love. Lee is grateful to those that are keeping bookstores open through their engagement.
John K. King Books isn’t the only used bookstore with an inter-generational focus. Brown has also noticed younger people coming into Paper Trail to “just come and hang out.” All of these booksellers associate their stores with comfort and home and the stories inside as an pleasant escape from our stressful realities.
“You go to a bookstore, you can step back from your life,” Lee said. “That’s important. We live in very busy times. very busy times. [Bookstores are] a haven for people.”