Supporting local bookstores is now more important than ever

By Kristina Birt

Since I was a little kid, I have been an avid reader. My sister and I grew up reading Nancy Drew, which quickly became more books by different authors and different genres. Now that we are both adults and live out of state, talking about books and going book shopping together are two of our favorite ways to spend time together, either separated by distance or 

not. 

When my sister mentioned to me that Amazon seems to be overtaking the book market, it was not what I wanted to hear. According to Wordsrated, it is “feared Amazon could control more than 70% of the print book market by 2025.” Purchasing books from local bookstores is very important now. Here are three of my favorite bookstores in the Cedarville area that students can support. 

Dollar Book Swap

The Dollar Book Swap, formerly known as The One Dollar Book Swap, is located in downtown Dayton in a warehouse. While the exterior and the entrance may seem a bit off-putting, the interior is filled with books. There are cardboard boxes on wood pallets filled to the brim with books. There is the main room full of bookshelves that are organized by children’s, young adult, adult fiction, and non-fiction. There is a side room full with children’s books for young kids, and another side room full of overflow bookshelves. The Dollar Book Swap is truly a treasure trove if you take the time to look through it. Each book in the store costs $1.25, which is a lot more affordable than buying books off of Amazon or a big name bookstore. 

For college students, The Dollar Book Swap gives a great opportunity to grow a collection of books of any kind. Getting lost in the mass amounts of picture books and short chapter books is especially easy for those going into education. My friend, Natalie Kallas, who is a third year graduate student at the University of Dayton, went with me one weekend and bought forty three books for a little over fifty dollars. She told me after that the amount she spent would have gotten her a lot less books through Amazon. She describes the Dollar Book Swap as an “invaluable resource” for those who work in education and with children. She recommends the bookstore and warns to “be prepared to hunt for the perfect treasure”. 

Address: 1723 Webster St, Dayton, OH 45404, about 35 minutes from Cedarville University

Half Price Books

Half Price Books is a bookstore chain that currently has 120 stores across the United States. While it is not much of a “small” business anymore, Half Price Books is a great bookstore to visit in the Dayton area. Most non-fiction books are less than $10, and other items such as fiction books, textbooks, board games, video games, puzzles, vinyls, DVDs, and collector items can also be bought there. The best part of Half Price Books is that customers can sell their used books in exchange for cash. While you will not get much for each book, it is more than having unwanted books gain dust on your bookshelf or take up space in a box. The closest location to Cedarville University is next to the Beavercreek Walmart and is about 25 minutes away

Address: 3310 Pentagon Blvd, Beavercreek, OH 45431

2nd & Charles

2nd & Charles is a large bookstore found in Kettering, a Dayton suburb. It is located inside a stripmall that is a few minutes away from the Greene, a large open-air shopping center in Beavercreek. When entering 2nd & Charles, you will be greeted by a large, orange, bookshelf and table filled space. To one side there is the nonfiction, fiction, young adult, and childrens books. To the other, there are board games, collectables, DVDs, vinyals, and even an instrument section. During my first visit thus far, I was able to speak to the general manager and asked him what would draw college students to the store. He said that they “have a large pop culture section” and a “decent young adult section”. His personal favorite section was the instrument section. The whole store is just bright and a joyful place to be. The staff was so kind during my visit. 2nd & Charles is also a store that you can sell books and other collectables to. You can find more information about it on their website. 

Address: 350 East Stroop Rd Dayton, Ohio, 45429

Kristina Birt is a junior Business Management major and an off campus writer for Cedars. In her free time, she likes to read, paint, and write fiction.