Every small bookstore is entirely reflective of the desires, values, and thoughts of their owner. When I lived in Madison, some stores were organized by region of the world rather than by genre or alphabet. This same store had every work of Philip Roth.
Works I would never have thought of reading I engaged with as a result of organization. Surrounded by a cluster of books I enjoy, or authors I like, I find books I would have otherwise never discovered.
I like to explore the psychology, economics, business, political science, and philosophy sections of the stores I find. Which books are worthy of being sold? Who is respected versus who is non-grata? Seeing all these different tapestries puts into perspective what others think, and what others think their customers want.
Bookstores smell musty, and usually are overpacked. I’d have them no other way, given their personalities.
Isadore Johnson's Website 