Written by: Mariana Batchvarova
At least 447 of the 487 books I have at my dad’s are from the Book Barn. Located in Niantic, Connecticut, the Book Barn is, quite frankly, a bibliophile’s heaven. With three locations and about 500,000 rare and used books, the Book Barn welcomes book-lovers almost every single day.
I’d love to be able to say that the reason I shop there is because I’m making a conscious effort to support local businesses, or because I’m trying to lead a more sustainable lifestyle. As valid as these motives are, they simply aren’t honest. Here is a list of three reasons why I shop at the Book Barn (and why I think you should too!):
Three very fun locations!
Their three locations, The Main Barn, Chapter Three, and Downtown are relatively close to one another and house a variety of genres such as YA/teen, fiction, essays, sci-fi/fantasy, mysteries, and more. Their website has a guide on where to find what and will also provide you with a map with all the information you’ll need, including a list of their pets and which location holds which genres. Their primary location, The Main Barn, is the biggest of the three. As you peruse, you’re met with the sight of a house and multiple sheds which are stuffed with books. This location is also home to many of their cats and their two goats! Customers are more than welcome to interact with the animals, but are encouraged to be mindful with how they treat them.
Their prices.
Used bookstores do a great job of providing readers with affordable prices. The Book Barn does an even better job! Most of their books are at the $3-4 range with the odd $5 novels scattered here and there. Their mass market paperbacks are a whopping $1! Over the years, I’ve noticed how remarkably easy it is to walk out of there with over 20 books. Unfortunately, the spare bedroom is starting to disagree with me over how many books I can house there.
The books
Obviously, my number one reason for going is the books. There are over 500,000 options, which means that statistically speaking (since math can’t lie), there’s a very high chance that you’ll find something interesting to read. In the last decade or so, I’ve fallen in love with so many books that I probably would have never come across if it wasn’t for the Book Barn. They are often books that have been overlooked or underappreciated because they weren’t in the limelight, yet their words captivated my heart and soul. The Book Barn doesn’t promote a trendy group of books the way that bookstore chains do. Instead, the Book Barn truly allows its readers to meander their way through thousands of books, choosing carefully (or haphazardly) their next read. For this feeling alone, the trek to Niantic’s Book Barn is definitely worth it.
For more information visit their website (and store) which does a better job of explaining the Book Barn than I do: https://www.bookbarnniantic.com/explore-the-store