Small Friend Records and Books: A Place for All
By Rebecca Antler
On the corner of Main and Lombardy sits a little book shop, the kind where you have to look for the sign or you just might miss it. But after walking down a few stone steps and through the door, you’re greeted with that wonderfully nostalgic scent of old books and dried ink. Boxes of records sit between shelves of books, all tied together with a collection of local zines, stickers, and artwork. The inside is warm and welcoming, and there is a sense of community that cannot be replicated by any big-box chain or online retailer. Welcome to Small Friend Records and Books, a hidden gem in the heart of the Fan.
Self-described as a “queer/women-owned book and record store in Richmond, VA, with a focus on the radical, weird, and obscure”, Small Friend opened their doors to the public in 2018 with a resoundingly warm welcome. Opening and continuing to run as a two-person operation, they offer an incredibly personalized and curated selection of authors and artists. Additionally, buying and selling gently used books and records ensures a consistently fresh and rotating inventory. Looking for something specific? They provide special ordering of books for anything currently in print. Anything and everything from historical nonfiction to children's literature, from independent artists to handmade zines. Don’t let its small size fool you: this is the Mary Poppins bag of bookshops—you never know exactly what and how much you will find. .jpg)
One of the store's best qualities, however, is its dedication to highlighting the works of both LGBTQ+ and BIPOC authors and artists. When you walk into Small Friend, there is a guarantee that you can find works that are representative of your own specific community. It is unfortunate that this inclusivity is often rare among bookstores, especially when it comes to big-box and online retailers; yet, this gives us the opportunity to truly see what local businesses have to offer and why patronizing them over big corporations is beneficial.
It is incredibly easy to get bogged down in the everyday monotony of our world, especially during such an unprecedented time where interaction online is more common than ever. With just a few clicks of a mouse you can buy a book and have it show up at your doorstep; but, it's just as easy to forget the joy that comes with searching through shelves and finding that perfect book, that hidden gem that turns into your new, go-to read. As Honors students, we can especially forget to come up for a breath every now and then. Places like Small Friend can serve as that breath of fresh air between mountains of schoolwork.
To both the avid and the occasional readers out there, this feeling should not be overlooked. The cozy, inclusive, and diverse atmosphere of Small Friend is something every local bookstore should strive to accomplish. Even folks looking for a little outing should visit and see for themselves what this place beholds. Head on over and make a new, small friend, today.
Photo by Tom Hermans on Unsplash