‘Community and connection’: Three new indie bookstores join suburban book crawl
Three independent women-owned bookstores that opened in recent months in the North and Northwest suburbs are among the more than two dozen stops on an upcoming “book crawl” throughout the suburbs.
The IL Burbs Book Crawl on Sunday, Nov. 22, promises “a day of books, local discoveries and supporting small businesses” at 28 locations, according to event planners at Three Stories Bookstore in Lemont, which is spearheading the crawl.
Among the latest to join the growing list of participating bookshops are the newest suburban stores to open over the summer: Scout’s Tales in Arlington Heights, Bell House Books in Barrington and Commonplace in Lake Zurich.
The local booksellers didn’t know one another until recently, having gotten acquainted through social media and networking. Though they contemplated opening bookstores of their own for some time, it was happenstance that the store openings all came within months of each other, and their locations are within mere miles.
The shop owners don’t necessarily see one another as competition, and are just as likely to recommend visiting one of the other stores if they don’t have a particular book in stock.
“We’re all sort of living parallel lives up here, launching these businesses and building community in our own spots. And I think we all saw some great synergy and brand awareness potential with this book crawl,” said Vanessa Griffin, who with Jessica Vealitzek are co-owners of Commonplace at 10 E. Main St. in Lake Zurich. “We are just really excited to be telling our story and connecting with more people who love books.”
Then just a pop-up store, Scout’s Tales was part of a much larger crawl of some 80 shops in the city and suburbs in April. Now at 22 S. Dunton Ave. in Arlington Heights since August, owner Dana Foley has found it hard to keep some titles on the shelves or keep foot traffic in the 1,200-square-foot storefront to a minimum.
She sees her small business as a community gathering spot where book lovers can connect in person.
“We are all hosting different events in our stores that aren’t necessarily books — needlepointing and painting — and other events to get people out of their houses, get people talking, get people meeting other people,” Foley said. “Bookstores are a community thing.”
Montana Bellagamba of Bell House Books, 200 Applebee St. in Barrington, agrees independent bookstores offer patrons “community and connection” they can’t find in a big-box store or by shopping online. Each place has its own aesthetic and is curated to different genres, she says.
“They want those personal recommendations. They want conversation and to find common points of interest. They’re looking for opportunities to connect with other folks in their area through book clubs or events,” Bellagamba said.
Griffin describes each store as a “mirror” that reflects the community in which it resides.
“We are curating titles that matter to our community, and we’re cultivating a sense of serendipity for people when they walk in, and a warm hand with that book recommendation, as opposed to just looking at a screen and deciding based on the descriptions,” she said.
Book crawlers on Nov. 22 can pick up or print out a passport to be stamped at each location visited. Seven stamps will earn a canvas bag. For those who visit at least 10 shops, the tote bag will be filled with stickers, bookmarks and other goodies.
Some stores may require a small purchase to receive a stamp, while others will offer stamps for free, organizers said.
For details, visit threestoriesbookstore.com/il-burbs-book-crawl-2026.
cplacek@dailyherald.com