Detroit Area Books and Bookstores

John King Books, like most reputable book stores, has free book racks in the atrium of their colossal warehouse. After I purchased my ephemera I partook of the offer to take as many free books as I wished. Within the books The King's Minion by Rafael Sabatini (1930) and Treading the Winepress by Ralph Connor (1925) was the book trade label "The Sign of the Mermaid".  Intrigued, I did some research. It traces to a bookshop at 1014 E. Jefferson Avenue of Detroit. The book store by that same name opened around October 23, 1925 and was operated by Doris McMillan Pittman (later Hoover), granddaughter of Senator James McMillan, in the converted home of her late father William C. McMillan. The Yale Alumni Weekly , October 23, 1925 Her initial business partners were E. Byrne Hackett, Phelps Newberry and Edwin K. Hoover (later her third husband). Newly graduated Yale alumnus Clayton Morse, Jr. was the manager. An article in The Yale Alumni Weekly from October 23, 1925 stated th...

There are two very interesting book stores in the Kercheval shopping district. Margaret Snow Sanger, and the Doubleday Doran Book shops incorporated, conduct the “Little Book Shop” at 17116 Kercehval Avenue near Cadieux Road. This shop has all the facilities which characterize the Double Day Doran Book Shops, which ”Fortune” in its February issue calls “The most progressive and best managed chain of book sores in America”. A comprehensive stock of the books of all publishers is carried, including a large selection of children’s books. Greeting cards and personal stationary also are sold. A rental library is part of the Shop’s services. Other facilities of this little shop include: Complementary advance copies of “Books” and famous weekly literary supplement of the New York Herald, Tribune, (B) Complimentary copies of “The B ok Dial” a carefully compiled and edited magazine, devoted to current books, and available exclusively through Double Day Doran Book Shops. (C) The Telegraphic Deli...

The research on this defunct bookstore was made easy by a full article on store from 1993. Joan (d. 2019 ) and Robert Aldis opened Paperbacks & Things (the stamp says Paperback) in 1982. The address seems to be different from the known store at 8027 N. Wayne Rd. in Westland (across from the Arby's) but 8044 would be across the street between the old Wendy's and Arby's. This advert from 1999 shows the address at the latter location. Either way, it is defunct now. Since the previous owner didn't mark a date in the book like she did most of the Gothic romances that I bought at the estate sale, I'll just assume that it was post 1982.   Redford Observer , December 2, 1993 One interesting thing of note was that the store had a cat named Bambi. Considering that it specialized in romance novels, this seems par for the course. An article from 2010 states that a woman named Melissa Bliss owned the store. The location was host to a book signing in 2016 and a Google Map ...

The Reader's Exchange bookstore at 160 S. Merriman in Westland must have been in one of those shops right next to where the Kroger is located at Merriman and Cherry Hill. According to the newspaper clippings below it's 3rd anniversary was around June 13, 1985 so it must have opened in 1982. It relocated to Warren and Merriman in September of 1986. They sold new hardcover books at 75-80% of the retail price. It was owned by Gary Reed (d. 2016 ) and managed by Chet Jacques, pictured down in the article section chatting with Adam West. Reed owned several comic book stores and was a publisher of graphic novels as well. Canton Observer , June 13, 1985 The stamp was found in a copy The Circular Staircase by Mary Roberts Rinehart that was picked up at an estate sale in Westland and previously owned by Peg Harbeck. The date written under her name is 1984. I also have a second one from Rinehart's book  The Confession and Sight Unseen , also dated 1984. Detroit News , November 1, 19...

Redford Observer , November 13, 1975 Plymouth Observer , November 6, 1975 Canton Observer , January 29, 1976

116 East Main Street Northville, Michigan Phone: 348-1167 Paperbacks Hard Covers Childrens' Books and Special Orders