The Book Barn
Location: 41 W Main Street
The largest and oldest of the three locations, the original Book Barn is more of a book market than a bookstore. Five different buildings, each filled to the brim with a plethora of reads, both fiction and non-fiction, are spread around a gathering space in the middle, with a scattering of unique chairs and benches for observing the many gardens lining paths between shelves. Each building has its own theme, whether it’s the disorganized $1 book hell of “Hades” or “The Last Page,” a shed packed floor-to-ceiling with sports, science, and other nonfiction books. To the left of “The Last Page” is the goat pen, where Fili and Teddy, the barn’s goats, love to meet passing customers. The barn itself, three floors overlooking the rest of the land, has everything readers could ask for, with art books and books by local authors on the first floor, self-help, psychology, and mental health books on the second, and American history and other political books in the basement. Overall, if readers are looking for a place to get the true Book Barn experience, then stopping here is an absolute must.
Book Barn Downtown
Location: 269 Main Street
The second location, the Downtown Book Barn, is set up with two groups of people in mind: families and young adults. In the front half of the store, the shelves are smaller than the rest of the store, so that children can pick out books without becoming overwhelmed by the taller shelves. Books on everything from parenting to cooking to education are also available, so parents can enjoy spending time at the Book Barn as much as the kids. But stepping past the extensive collection of used DVDs, the giant stripes of blue standing out on the dark wooden shelves, patrons are greeted to the science fiction, fantasy, and horror sections, all competing to be the largest in the store. Secluded and private, it’s very easy to get lost amongst the shelves, and impossible to leave without a book in your hands. If readers are looking for a family-friendly, “beginner” bookstore, then without a doubt, bring your family and friends to the Downtown Book Barn.
Book Barn Chapter Three
Location: 55 W Main Street
Just a short walk from the original Book Barn lies the third and final location of the store, one that feels larger than it looks outside. It’s also the most dramatically themed store, with mysteries, thrillers, and romances galore on the first floor. Going up to the second floor the focus shifts to the performing arts, with books on plays, movies, and television shows. Some shelves are dedicated to musical memoirs and biographies. Sheet music, hidden in drawers, is also upstairs, as well as books about writing and journalism going further back. However, none of the books, be they in the travel, business, or sports sections, bring more joy to the visitors than stumbling across one of the several cats which inhabit both Chapter Three and the original Book Barn. Most of the cats enjoy being pet, as long as shoppers are gentle. No one makes a better book reading companion than one of the feline friends curled by your leg. If you like to get lost in a cozy bookstore, or are looking for this author’s personal favorite Book Barn, then it’s a good idea to stop by Book Barn Chapter Three.
