Since I've moved to a new state, I've decided to explore some local independent bookstores. Fortunately, Oklahoma has a good selection of them (at least compared to SoCO, which had, um, zero). First up is Full Circle Bookstore in Oklahoma City. It abuts an eerily empty mall and smells like an old house. The inside is pretty cozy with lots of places to sit and read and cool shelves that go up to the ceiling and require ladders.
The books are obviously a personal selection, which is refreshing. That being said, their romance section is just sad--two shelves, half of which are Jennifer Crusie--and they have an interesting section titled "gentle reading," which I assume is code for sappy sap. The literature, fiction, and mystery sections are kick-ass, though, and there are very large non-fiction sections.
Colorful touches give the store some personality, like this scarecrow man. Don't know what the deal is with that. The store also has a mascot named Pearl the Buffalo, whom I completely missed somehow, but I read about it on their website.
I think the main drawback with this store is the location. It's tucked away back in a corner close to an awkward intersection, and the entrance is through the deadest mall I've ever been in in my entire life. Like The Stand dead. But maybe people in Oklahoma don't go to the mall on Fridays, what do I know. There weren't a lot of people in the store, either, but compared to the mall it had good traffic.
Overall I think this is a pretty decent bookstore. It's one of those stores where you can browse for a long time and find unexpected treasures, but there's also something a little wonky about it. I completely get what the store is shooting for, but it hasn't quite reached the level of Powell's or The Tattered Cover, yet.
Do you know of any good bookstores in driving distance of Oklahoma City? Let me know in the comments !
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