This independent bookstore with a loyal local following probably owes much of its success to its size: Most independents are small and specialized, but Vromans is at least as big as an average Barnes & Noble.

The first floor has most of the books, with reading areas and study tables tucked in wherever they fit. Upstairs holds a large section for gifts and greeting cards, as well as a welcoming childrens section and a large area for lectures and signings. The bookstore is also something of a social center, hosting reading groups with subjects from graphic novels to P.G. Wodehouse. With its 100-plus year history, Vromans also manages to pull in big names for readings and signings, from famous literary figures such as Francesca Lia Block to pop-cult luminaries such as Courtney Love and former politicians Jimmy Carter and John Edwards. —Katherine Spiers