I got 99 problems and online bookstores are a big one. That’s not entirely fair. Services like Amazon and the online presence of (former) giants such as Books-A-Million and Barnes and Noble make purchasing books relatively cheap and easy without all the pesky social interaction required with stepping out your front door. Order in your pajamas, pick up in your pajamas. Read in your pajamas. It’s a pajama life.

Brant's Books. Photo by Jessica McKnight.

BRANT'S BOOKS. PHOTO BY JESSICA MCKNIGHT.

But what’s the cost? What happened to the culture of the bookstore, that feeling of communal wonder borne by all stepping over the threshold into an unassuming repository of human history and cultivation? Scrolling through titles on your computer screen will never truly capture the tactile delight of browsing the book-stacks and a gleaming screen will never match the dust-imbued glory of even the most haphazardly curated bookshop. Luckily, Sarasota has not lost its love for this community archetype and its most pure of paragons, the independent bookstore. On Main Street, under a sign that reads “Books Books Books Books,” you’ll find A. Parker’s Books and Book Bazaar, the former specializing in rare and particularly valuable books and the latter a second-hand book-hunter’s paradise. The recessed entrance, complete with quaint sitting tables and white metal gating, gives it that European street feel. The ‘No Smoking’ sign settles you firmly in America.

Barbara Barone, owner of Brant's Books, and her dog Elvis. Photo by Jessica McKnight.

BARBARA BARONE, OWNER OF BRANT'S BOOKS, AND HER DOG ELVIS. PHOTO BY JESSICA MCKNIGHT.

Inside, narrow corridors wend through high wooden shelves, packed floor to ceiling with books of all shapes, sizes and ages. The semi-chaotic layout, with philosophy abutting mystery and military history blending into literature, creates a feeling of fullness, laying bare the simple fact that there’s too much you’ve left to explore and too little time. This is Book Bazaar and the part of the enterprise most Sarasotans are familiar with.

Parker's Books and Book Bazaar Manager Dan Christian. Photo by Evan Sigmund.

PARKER'S BOOKS AND BOOK BAZAAR MANAGER DAN CHRISTIAN. PHOTO BY EVAN SIGMUND.

Nestled in the back, in a controlled environment, is A. Parker’s Books, a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America, one of the preeminent purveyor of bona fides in the rare books world. Owned by Gary Hurst and Joe Phillips, there are no more Parkers, and there never was an ‘A’. The initial was added by a previous owner in a bit of early search engine optimization, placing Parker’s at the top of the phone book.) Parker’s is the place to find first editions and beautifully embossed leather-bound books exhibiting the craft of bookbinding. These are investments, and Hurst has assembled a devoted following.

Parker's Books and Book Bazaar. Photo by Evan Sigmund.

PARKER'S BOOKS AND BOOK BAZAAR. PHOTO BY EVAN SIGMUND.

“We have a host of regulars from all over the world,” says Hurst, “many of whom insist that the bookstore is one of the main reasons they return to Sarasota, year after year.”Neither store accepts unsolicited donations and both carefully curate the selection based on quality and interest. According to manager Dan Christian, the philosophy, literature and art history sections are the most popular, frequented by students and residents alike.

Shuffle down Main a couple blocks, look to your right and step into Bookstore1. Opened in 2011, Bookstore1 does not have the ‘lived in’ feel of Book Bazaar or the voluminous selection (partly due to the fact that Bookstore1 sells only new books, no second-hand gems), but the clean layout and friendly staff make it easy to find what you’re looking for.

With shelves and stands dedicated to everything from poetry to cooking, from mystery to travel, Bookstore1 has the breadth, if not the depth, of some bookstores, but more than makes up for any lack with its astonishing track record of community involvement. Enter the store and one of the first things to catch your eye are the numerous portraits, every one signed, of visiting authors ranging from local superstars like Stephen King (local enough) and Randy Wayne White, to far flung travelers such as Frank Langella and pop-news pundits like Greg Gutfeld. Typically in black-and-white and hung in threes, the portraits wrap around the room, a testament to the many book-signings and community events Bookstore1 has enriched throughout the years by bringing in serious talent.

“We work very hard to make authors feel comfortable and loved when they come into our book store,” says Georgia Court, owner of Bookstore1. “That’s a big thing for us, to honor and welcome these authors when they come in.”But it’s not just about making the big guy feel welcome at Bookstore1, Court and her staff do their utmost to make Bookstore1 more than just a bookstore, but also a hub for Sarasotans with a passion for reading and discussion. Event manager Elsie Souza helms a mystery-themed book club based out of the store entitled “Boarding Pass to Murder,” reflecting the foreign mystery theme. In addition, the store plays host to a general book club and another aimed at children. Saturday mornings, the store holds public readings for children.

Finish out the rounds with a trek across Fruitville and 301, where Brant’s Books has restaked its claim and set up shop on Lime Avenue. A Sarasota fixture of the literary world since 1956, Brant’s is full, to bursting with both history and, of course, books.

It began as an army barracks in Venice before being sold to a man named Glen Brant who moved the building to Brown Avenue in Sarasota. After adopting a number of identities, including a church where many older patrons remember walking down the aisle, it became a bookstore and Brant’s Books was born. Brant ran that store, leaky roof, creaking floors and all until his death in the 1970s, at which point he passed it on to his wife, who sold it to the mother of the current owner, Barbara Barone, who took up the mantle 11 years ago. Then, in 2008, after 52 years in the old barracks, the property was sold and Brant’s was homeless, staying alive through online sales.

Two years ago, Barone found the new building on Lime and leapt at the chance to bring Brant’s back as a physical institution. She brought the old Brant’s sign with her, along with the original desk, a couple old barracks windows and what is rumored to be an officer’s chair from its operational days. Barone wants the community to know that they still have a place to browse, brush shoulders with fellow readers and explore the literary world together.

“It’s a bookstore for the community and I’m just overseeing the books and where they go,” says Barone, who shares her duties with her dog Elvis, an unofficial mascot of sorts, greeting people as they enter the store and waiting to be nuzzled. “I want my children to grow up in a community that has a bookstore. That’s really important.” Step inside the new Brant’s and it’s seemingly overflowing with books. Mountains of tomes lay stacked and in boxes, surrounding the already full shelves of two rather expansive rooms. Brant’s is a full-service bookstore, with Barone searching out desired books for patrons and taking many in on trade for store credit. As a result, Brant’s is chock-full of just about everything one could want, from the classics to beach reading to autographed rarities and first editions. Nary an inch is spared.

Barone, Court and Hurst are doing their part to keep the bookstore alive in Sarasota, now it’s the community’s job to support them in their endeavor. Give Amazon and the UPS man a break and stop in your local bookstore.