15 ideas for bookstores for Chicago Indie Bookstore Day 2026

So, if you don't know, every "year, Chicagoland proves itself to be the dream destination for book lovers and readers of all ages!" 

"Independent Bookstore Day (IBD) is a one-day national party celebrating indie bookstores on the last Saturday in April. Across the country, each store creates its own unique events—including guest authors, special kids’ story times, readings, contests, giveaways, sales, and more. In Chicago, we do the Chicagoland Bookstore Crawl."

"This year, Chicagoland is BACK with 80+ bookstores joining the celebration with our annual Chicagoland Bookstore Crawl! Each year, independent bookstores across the greater Chicago area–from Antioch to Homewood and St. Charles to the Loop–the Chicagoland Bookstore Crawl encourages book lovers to indulge in bookstore tourism by visiting 10 or more stores in a single day."

"At each bookstore you visit, you'll get a stamp! No purchase required. But, of course, showing your independent bookstores some love today would be a very cool thing to do. Your goal?! Make it to 10 or 15 (or more) bookstores. Visit TEN stores in one day and get 10% off at all participating bookstores for an ENTIRE YEAR! Visit FIFTEEN stores in one day and get 15% off at all participating bookstores for an ENTIRE YEAR!"

--All quotes from Chi Loves Books

Anyways, with over 80 stores to possibly visit this coming Saturday, April 25th, here are some ideas I think bookstores could do to stand out:

1. Scavenger hunts through the bookstore with the prize of finishing being an advanced copy of a book we had on hand--these are called galleys. FWIW, I created two when I was a bookseller for our Indie Bookstore Day--one for kids and one for adults. I was told no one would do the adults one, but we ran out of those printouts first. I'll post what they were below.
1. For Adults:
1. A book with a punny title
2. A non-cookbook that has food on the cover
3. A book you were supposed to read in high school
4. A book with an alliterative title
5. A book you want to read
2. For Kids:
1. A book where an animal is the villain
2. A book set in a place that you'd like to visit
3. A book where a mouse is a main character
4. A book with a color in the title
5. A book you want to read
2. For customers who purchase a staff recommendation, they get a free galley
3. Suggestion box for window themes (submitting an idea gets them a free galley)
4. Different suggestion box for authors customers'd like to see at the store (submitting an idea gets them a free galley)
5. Yet another suggestion box for non-book talk events customers'd like to see at the store (submitting an idea gets them a free galley)
6. Still another suggestion box for book-related items customers'd like the store to sell (submitting an idea gets them a free galley)
7. A final suggestion box for any other ideas (submitting an idea gets them a free galley)
8. For customers who spend $75+, a raffle entry for a store merch swag bag (e.g. a tote bag, mug, sticker, $25 gift card, and t-shirt)
9. For customers who spend $20+ and sign up for the store's newsletter, they'd get a free galley
10. Flyer at checkout with a QR code to take customers to the store's Libro.fm page
11. A different flyer with a QR code that takes customers to the store's Linktree
12. A challenge to recreate a book's cover with permission to post on the store's social media (either they take the photo and send it to staff, or the staff takes the photo). Everyone who participated in the photo gets a galley as thanks
13. Have customers recite/read favorite opening lines of books for the store's social media (for participating, they'd get a galley)
14. Ask customers to share what reading, Indie bookstores, and/or the store in particular means to them for the store's social media (for participating, they'd get a galley)
15. If the store has children's books, ask kids what books they'd like to hear at a potential story time (give them a bookmark for answering)

(Prompt by me)

"Chicagoland Bookstore Crawl" by Chi Loves Books