Independent Bookstore Day is held on the Saturday in April which celebrates independent bookstores across the country online and in-store. It’s a celebration of reading and celebrating small (bookish ) businesses while also bringing the bookish community together.

It’s always such an anticipated day for me as I love to discover and shop at local bookstores all year long. This year I managed to visit one new bookstore in the Metro Detroit area while also visiting some of my favorite indies. I thought it would fun to share my wrap up of the stores I visited and purchases I made.

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Coreander’s Children’s Bookshoppe

Coreander’s Children’s Bookshoppe located in Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan carries books for babies through young adults. They also have café called, Café Meem which serves coffee and snack, and the theater adjacent to the café hosts story time and author visits. 

From the whimsical murals that line the wall to the bright book displays Coreander makes for a very immersive shop experience. Though aimed at children’s books it’s definitely a bookstore that makes any adult nostalgic for their childhood favorite reads.

I actually didn’t pick up any books from Coreander’s ,but I was gifted this bag of popcorn by the booksellers. I did buy this adorable Fairytale sticker book for journaling.

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Source Booksellers

Source Booksellers is a Black-owned bookstore located in Midtown Detroit, Michigan near the Wayne State University campus and the Detroit Medical Center. They specialize in and carry a wide variety of fiction & non-fiction books. Some of the genres they have are: books on history and culture, spirituality, art, biographies, and they also have a nice selection of children’s books.

Besides books they also sell fair trade chocolates, incense, shea butter products, locally made greeting cards, and much more! They also frequently hold book signing and author talk events. On this day I got to meet Saladin Ahmed (Ms. Marvel, Abbott 1979, Daredevil) and have him sign a copy of my book.

Here is my copy of Abbott 1979 (signed) and a Frog and Toad themed coloring book. Frog and Toad were one of my favorite series growing up, plus I love coloring books as a way to destress so I couldn’t resist getting this book (an IBD exclusive)!

Not going to lie, I’m familiar with both of these authors but I bought them mainly because of the stunning cover art for both! I’m particularly excited to read My Dear Henry as I enjoyed the Little Women novel in the Classics Remixed series.

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Love and Other Books

This one is for the Romance readers! Located in Ferndale, Michigan this shop focused mainly on Romance novels (traditional and indies), but also carries other genres as well as fun bookish merch.

Though small in scale this bookstore has so many things to shop from and I love the colorful artwork that adorns the walls. I’ve been able to discover many new and local indie authors through this bookstore!

I’m a fan of Lucy Eden’s romance novels so I decided to pick up Love in Bloom. This looks like it will be a fun and seasonal romance read for the warmer months.

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Flyleaf

This is intimate bookstore, bar and cafe is located in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. Flyleaf is equal parts lounge and bookstore. They have cozy seating, warm fireplaces, and a sizable menu for those who want to snuggle up with a good book or catch up over a coffee.

They have two floors full of books and tables to dine at. I recommend getting there early or not visiting during a busy day (to leisurely browse the books.

T. Kingfisher is slowly creeping into my favorite authors list as I’ve enjoyed all the fantasy books I’ve read from her so far. The cover art for this title is beautiful yet, very creepy.  It’s supposed to be a haunting Southern Gothic tale.

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Did you participate in Independent Bookstore Date 2025? What books did you buy or stores did you visit? I’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestions of more indie bookstores to check out as well.