Now Available: Books Not Requiring Internet Access

Welcome to Micawber's Bookstore, located at Carter and Como Avenues in the northwest corner of St. Paul. There is only one Micawber's and only one there will always be, says co-owner Hans Weyandt. And, to the credit of Weyandt and fellow owner Tom Bielenberg, it is difficult to imagine cloning an institution that aspires to be "one of the weirdest bookstores in the country."
The recession has been recorded here as everywhere else, but don't bother offering any comments about the death of books or printed material during your visit. Technology, says Weyandt, may be a threat to the paperback, but it also has increased the potential for authors and publishers to experiment with graphics, design and other elements. A brief online search identified multiple online communities focused on exchanging book reviews, and the dominant social networking sites such as Facebook buzz with groups forming around authors and their published works.
As more social interaction occurs on the internet, the kind of personal interaction a visitor experiences at a place like Micawber's becomes more valuable, not less. It's difficult to picture the online equivalent of browsing a section of books, reading bits of commentary on specific titles left by employees, and leafing through a few to evaluate whether to make a purchase. Portland's famous Powell's Books, which offers a simple online purchase from a colossal selection, can't simulate that experience to customers outside of their funky downtown Portland store.
Still, says Weyandt with a chuckle, his store isn't the answer for everything, and he isn't offended when customers confess of a recent purchase from Border's or Barnes and Noble. In his view, thanks to a robust and loyal base from the neighborhoods around the store, Micawber's has been able to thrive by satisfying people who want to buy books from book people. That's the target market for most of the nation's weirdest bookstores.