Iowa: Prairie Lights

Prairie Lights is a store in Iowa City, IA that does a little bit of everything. It has three floors, a ton of great events, a great cafe, and more importantly, it has staff who are very welcoming booklovers. These things are all a part of my recipe for a great bookstore.

I've said this before, but it’s worth repeating. A chain bookstore or Amazon cannot represent or be a part of a local community the way an independent bookstore can. Prairie Lights, in addition to featuring local authors, also features local artisans in its gift shop area.

And I've saved my favorite feature of this bookstore for last. I haven't seen this in any other store. They keep a binder filled with top 10 book lists of both staff and patrons. This is beyond awesome, and is a great way to be introduced to new books you might love. (It's the last picture at the bottom here.) If you’re ever in this store, take some time to give them your list, too! The best way to discover a new book will always be through word of mouth.

Facebook: Prairie Lights

Twitter: Prairie Lights

Last Bookstore: The Bookworm in Nebraska

Next Bookstore: Left Bank Books in Missouri

P.S. – If you guys are liking this Indie Bookstores of America tour, make sure to hit like on that Facebook button on the upper left corner of the website. Thanks, everyone! :-)