Photo courtesy of Visit Alexandria
Old Town Books in Old Town Alexandria
Old Town Books at 130 S. Royal St. in Old Town Alexandria, will host an all-day celebration Saturday, April 29 to mark Independent Bookstore Day.
Kicking the day off with a 9:30 a.m. storytime, book-lovers will also want to stop by for some exclusive swag and promos. From 5 to 7 p.m., make plans to celebrate the day with free ice cream with purchase, while supplies last, from Goodies Ice Cream truck.
Independent Bookstore Day (IBD) is a one-day national party that takes place at indie bookstores across the country on the last Saturday in April.
Photo courtesy of Visit Alexandria
Old Town Books in Old Town, Alexandria
Every store is unique and independent, and every party is different. But in addition to authors, live music, cupcakes, scavenger hunts, kids events, art tables, readings, barbecues, contests and other fun stuff, there are exclusive books and literary items that you can only get on that day.
Other independent bookstores in Alexandria include:
• Hooray for Books! Keep an eye on Hooray for Books! Facebook page for their plans on April 29. The bookstore is located at 1555 King St.
• Harambee Books & Artworks, located at 1132 Prince St.
• The Company of Books, 2200 Mt. Vernon Ave.
Learn more about Old Town Books and owner Ally Kirkpatrick in this excerpt from an article published in Alexandria Living Magazine in 2021.
We talked to Ally Kirkpatrick, founder and owner of Old Town Books, about curling up with a good read.
Old Town Books was founded in late 2018 on South Union Street. During the pandemic, the bookstore moved to 130 S. Royal St. — a larger, brighter space. As a small independent bookstore, Kirkpatrick said that the bookstore has been blessed with a huge amount of support from local residents during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Choosing a book for someone? “I always ask who they’re buying for,” Kirkpatrick said. “Are they a hardcore reader, or are they just getting back into reading?” Age, interests and other factors also come into play.
For gifts for hardcore readers, head to the tables in the front of Old Town Books to pick up the newest releases.
If you aren’t sure whether someone has already read a book, consider getting a signed copy. “It feels special and that makes it more giftable,” Kirkpatrick said.
Another option is to purchase a book for a gift that you personally love. Or, choose a gift book, but add a few things to the package, like a greeting card, a bookmark, a pen or an ornament — all of which you can pick up at the bookstore.
For children, Kirkpatrick suggests getting a classic book that the whole family can gather around. Reading a book out loud can bring families together.
Kirkpatrick has a personal preference for physical books, she said, particularly for gifts. “I think that people read differently when they read a physical book,” she said. “Physical books also bring people together in a way that ebooks and audiobooks may not do. When you go to a place for book club or a place to get a gift, it’s about the physical experience.”
Of course, a lot of readers do love ebooks, and Old Town Books offers books through Kobo, a platform-agnostic ebook supplier. You can also gift an audiobook subscription to Old Town Books through LibroFM.
For physical books, Kirkpatrick strongly recommends pre-ordering books when you know there’s a book coming out that you want to read or gift to be sure you can curl up with that book as soon as it’s available.
