Book Discounts At Target

The super large Target store in East Harlem is scheduled to be closed permanently on October 21. It's one of nine stores across the country closing because of a high level of shoplifting that has eaten into Target's bottom line.

I'm saddened to see the store go because I enjoyed shopping there, mostly for groceries and the occasional book, which was always at a 20 or 30 percent discount, depending on whether it was a hardcover or paperback book.

To take advantage of the discounts while I'm able to, I recently bought two paperbacks during separate shopping trips--In the Likely Event by Rebecca Yarros (Montlake, 2023), a romance/adventure novel and Sparring Partners by John Grisham (Vintage, 2023), a collection of three legal thriller novellas.

I may decide to purchase one or two more books before the store shuts down for good.

Target Is NOT The Ideal Book Venue

I've bought several books (at a significant discount) at Target, a major retail chain. But, truth be told, Target, despite the discounts, is far from being the most ideal place to buy books.

First of all, the store tends to sell the ones on the bestseller list. And once they are off the list, good luck ever seeing them on sale again. Secondly, if I was looking for a specific title by, say, James Baldwin or Ernest Hemingway, I would be completely out of luck buying it there.

For hardcore book lovers like me, Target will never be a substitute for an independent bookstore where thousands of books are available for hours of browsing. Thirdly, there are no staffers who can recommend books or to ask about books or authors. (I've never seen a sign indicating that a particular book is a "Staff Pick.")

Paying full price for a book at an indie when I have to is no deterrent to going to one of them because they are sure to have the book I want, when I want it. And if they don't have it, they can order it. I don't think that's even a possibility at a Target store.

Plus, used books can be bought for a reasonable price at many independent bookstores like Book Culture and the Strand here in New York. That's another reason to spend money at an independent bookstore.