Haslam's Book Store is a historic new and used independent
bookstore
Bookselling is the commercial trading of books, which is the retail and distribution end of the publishing process.
People who engage in bookselling are called booksellers, bookdealers, book people, bookmen, or bookwomen.
History
The found ...
in
St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 258,308, making it the List of municipalities in Florida, fifth-most populous city in Florida and the most populous city in the sta ...
. It is located in the
Grand Central District and is the largest independent bookstore in Florida with over 30,000 square feet. Haslam's was started in 1933 by John and Mary Haslam. Their son Charles and his wife, Elizabeth, joined them in running the business after World War II. The store was originally a magazine exchange. Writer
Jack Kerouac
Jean-Louis Lebris de Kérouac (; March 12, 1922 – October 21, 1969), known as Jack Kerouac, was an American novelist and poet who, alongside William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, was a pioneer of the Beat Generation.
Of French-Canadian ...
was a frequent visitor. There have been many claims of Kerouac's ghost frequenting the store.
HuffPost
''HuffPost'' (''The Huffington Post'' until 2017, itself often abbreviated as ''HPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and covers p ...
put Haslam's as number forty-one on their list of top fifty bookstores in America.
As per thei
websitere
website/ref> they closed 'in the interest of public safety' on March 22, 2020, and have not reopened since.
References
External links
Official Website
{{coord, 27.771341, -82.660817, display=title, type:landmark
Companies based in St. Petersburg, Florida
Retail companies established in 1933
American companies established in 1933
1933 establishments in Florida
Independent bookstores of the United States