I love the theory of independent bookstores, but in practice, I've always done most of my shopping at chains. Except when I was in grad school and shopped at the Harvard Bookstore (not affiliated with the university). Loved that place, especially the used and remaindered sections.

Then I moved, and my new local independent...I hardly shopped at, and gladly shopped at the Borders that opened up nearby when they closed, where they had lots of SF and the staff were helpful and friendly.

When I was a kid, the local independent was very small and had one shelf of SF. A big treat in our family was going downtown to the Bookstop, which was built in an old movie theater and was HUGE. Now there are several bookstores that size near my parents' house.