The Five Types of People You Meet in a Bookstore

Bookstores are magical. They smell like paper, coffee, and financial irresponsibility. You walk in thinking, “I’ll just browse,” and somehow walk out $84 poorer and with a tote bag full of life choices.

But it’s not just the books that make the place fascinating — it’s the people. Every bookstore has these five archetypes, and let’s be honest, you’re probably one of them.

1. The Sniffer

You know the one. The person casually opens a book… and inhales.
Deeply.
Like they’re trying to absorb the author’s soul through osmosis. If you ever see someone in the corner, eyes half-closed, sniffing the spine of a hardcover — don’t interrupt. That’s a sacred ritual.

2. The Lost Traveler

They didn’t come here for a book. They just needed to “use the washroom” or “kill ten minutes.”
Cut to 45 minutes later, they’re sitting cross-legged in the fantasy section, clutching Mistborn and whispering, “Maybe I’ll just read the first few pages.”
Spoiler: they’re still there when the store closes.

3. The Pretentious Philosopher

They hold a copy of Nietzsche, loudly sigh, and say things like, “His early work is fine, but it lacks the nuance of his middle period.”
They’ve been reading the same paragraph for 20 minutes and are mostly here for the aesthetic. If you make eye contact, they’ll recommend a 900-page Russian novel “that changed their life.” You will not read it.

4. The Gift Giver (aka The Panicker)

They’re on a mission.
It’s someone’s birthday, they forgot, and now they’re power-walking through the aisles whispering, “What does a 14-year-old boy even like? Dinosaurs? Taxes?!”
They will end up buying a novelty mug and a copy of The Alchemist.

5. The TBR Maximalist

Their basket is overflowing. Their eyes are wide. Their debit card is trembling.
Every time they add a new book, they whisper, “It’s fine, I’ll get to it.”
They won’t. Their To-Be-Read pile has its own gravitational pull and may soon achieve sentience.

When you think about it, bookstores aren’t really quiet — they hum.
They hum with the sound of pages turning, daydreams forming, and people pretending they don’t already have too many books at home.