subterreaan

About Us

We opened in October 2000 and then moved down the street and expanded in March 2021.  We focus on independent book store best sellers, small presses, timeless fiction and timely non-fiction, as well as anything else that catches our fancy. Our big categories are fiction, essays, poetry, music, science, nature, history, children’s, cultural studies, memoirs... Our smaller (but no less important) areas include graphic novels, film, cookbooks, travel, and more.  We also stock journals, t-shirts, cards, pins, tote bags, and whatever else we think you might like. One thing you will not find, despite what the internet may have told you, are used books.  We still field calls on that account about every day, even though we phased out that segment sometime around 2004.  There are other stores in town, though, that have fantastic assortments of used books.

We also have a free Frequent Buyer Program.  We’ve always had it -— since day one back in October of 2000 —- and it’s always been important to us.  We know you have many options about where you can buy books and we really really appreciate that you chose us.  The buyer program is free to sign up for and takes just moments while you’re in the store (and all online orders are automatically enrolled).  Every time you check out we’ll ring your sales under your account and after you’ve bought 10 books (or shirts, or magazines, or stickers) the computer will average out what you’ve spent and apply that average as a store credit.  And it does it all automatically.  There’s no carrying of a card or remembering where you’re at. (Although we can easily look up your account to tell you how close you are.)

The entire staff has input on what we stock, so the store is always evolving and improving.  We listen to our customers, as well, eavesdropping on what books they’re talking about.  We listen to the radio, read newspapers, magazines, the internet -— we’re always looking for tips on what’s out there and what our customers might like.

We’re woman-owned with a tiny staff of 6.  We’re all avid readers and are always excited to make recommendations or talk about what you just read —- that you just hated or that you think absolutely everyone should read -- and take it as a personal affront if we’re not able to figure out what that book was that you heard about on NPR two weeks ago that had something about family and Africa in the title.  Seriously.  We LOVE those challenges.

So, thanks for checking us out.  And please come back.