Matt Henriksen (pictured above) explained that the bookstore was founded in 1978 by Donald Choffel and Charles O’Donnell in a small building across the road from where the business is currently located. Since then they have grown to fill up three buildings and an offsite warehouse. It’s not just the quantity of over 100,000 books that I find amazing, but the quality of selection. They reject two out of every three books that are submitted. It’s also astounding that there is no electronic catalog system. Walking into this bookstore is like taking a wonderful journey back in time when books … physical books … were a popular form of entertainment and means of acquiring knowledge, when reality television, social media and digital distractions did not exist.
So how does this happen, high quality stock and an astute knowledge about whats on the shelves in this paper labyrinth without electronic cataloging? Matt explained that they are quite connected with their customers. The staff talk with and listen to their customers because they tend to be the subject matter experts. They know the good publishers, the good authors, the topics of value, what people want to read, the diversity they seek. The staff in each section know exactly what is on the shelves and take pride in that. Both the staff and their customers share a love of reading and cherish books. Buzz Feed were right to include Dickson Street Bookshop in their article on "17 Bookstores That Will Literally Change Your Life". If you love books, enjoy reading and happen to be in Northwest Arkansas, put Dickson Street Bookshop on your list of places to visit.