New Feature Highlights Local Favorites of Indie Booksellers

Indie City, a new feature at IndieBound.org, is a collaboration between booksellers and independent publisher Kaie Wellman. In a series of front-page articles, IndieBound.org is featuring a city or region that's full of independents and highlighting the favorites of booksellers in the area.

Wellman is the publisher of eat.shop guides -- curated travel guides with photos, reviews, and information on locally owned restaurants and shops. She compiles the books, along with a few colleagues and friends, by visiting each city and exploring the independent, locally owned establishments that create its local flavor. Wellman and her team curate the local listings to fewer than 100 businesses, include a short introduction to the restaurants and shops, and add photos that bring every location to life.

Using the books as inspiration, IndieBound Outreach Liaison Paige Poe is asking ABA members in featured cities to recommend their favorite shops and restaurants. The first city, now featured on IndieBound.org, is Kansas City, Missouri. Recent entries include recommendations from Becci West of I Love a Mystery and Geoffrey Jennings of Rainy Day Books.

"The combination of the curated style of the books, plus the recommendations straight from booksellers who really do live, eat, and shop in the area, gives the feature a personal touch," Poe said.

Keep an eye out for e-mails from Poe, asking for your local recommendations. If you have any questions or suggestions for areas to cover, e-mail Poe at paige@bookweb.org.