People rave about a lot of things, most of which seem overrated like American Idol, coconut milk ice cream, and low carb diets. A strategy employed here is to play the waiting game, which works well with our slow-to-warm-up temperament.
It has taken years of glowing reviews to get us down to the Book Barn in Niantic. Checking out their website might have kicked us into action sooner, as they announce that although the Book Barn “maintains a ‘web presence‘, [they] view the Barn as a traditional brick-and-mortar (or cats-and-sheds) shop and as such do not participate in this new-fangled ‘e-commerce‘.” For all the cute kittens on the Internet, none are as perfect as those you can actually pet and get scratched by in return. They (the people, not the cats) provide free coffee, meaning it is possible to combine three of the best things ever: browsing affordable used books, drinking coffee, and having fanged beasts throwing themselves into your path.
The Book Barn is not one building. It’s sort of a universe. They actually have three locations — two on Main Street and one on West Main Street — in Niantic. The main compound, on West Main, has the Main Barn, the Annex, the Haunted Bookshop, Last Page, Hades, Ellis Island, and a mess of other outdoor spots that may or may not have names. So, while they do boast of twenty cats, goats, and a dog, it’s not like all these critters are cooped up inside one store. The goat pen is definitely outdoors; the cats are dispersed. Despite what some crank on a review website has written, there is no cat pee smell.
Upon entering, you can find an information kiosk, in case you are deceiving yourself into believing that you will really just try to find the book(s) on your list and leave. Closest to the parking lot is Ellis Island, a small building with new arrivals that are priced but totally disorganized, which means finding materials you might not ever seek out. It’s here where they provide canvas bags to use while browsing. Again, don’t lie. Just grab one when you arrive so you are not walking back there with your stack of ten books that you have acquired before even starting to search for the titles you came for.
One attraction of this bookshop is that it is actually family-friendly without it inspiring the nausea that accompanies most “child-centered” places. Yes, nausea. All the plastic and mass marketing. Blech. The Book Barn has a very cool playhouse that we would have used had it not been already occupied by two girls who looked like they would defend their fortress against invaders. There is a goat pen and food available for feeding to the goats. A basketball hoop is set up in the middle of a walkway. There is a giant chess set, a fish pond and a turtle pond, and garden areas with statuary that would appeal to children. Outdoor activities. A brochure for kids provides ground rules (“parking lots are for children with their parents”). Instead of doing the whole segregation thing by pushing kids’ books and activities to the back of the venue, as some major retailers and libraries are wont to do, they have the children’s books and activities central and in various spots around the compound, allowing parents to do more browsing while keeping an eye on their progeny.
Another clear difference between this independent retailer and Barnes and Noble: variety. A recent trip to Barnes and Noble meant coming face-to-face with Fifty Shades of Grey stacked several feet high. A trip to the Book Barn meant seeing an established erotica section, but mainly, no real areas of repetition for titles, except for Into the Wild. Among the sections you would expect, there are ones designated for subjects like Arthurian legends, kayaking, circus, espionage, and etiquette. There are classics and travel narratives. The travel narrative genre is a true poor man’s vacation. Can’t afford a trip to Paris? Spend four bucks and read about it instead.
In Hades, they have the most extensive collection of “chick lit” that I have ever seen, including a sub-category of “chick lit nonfiction.” That’s a thing. Aside from taking a photograph of one sliver of this section, we did not explore it, opting to head toward the aforementioned books about Paris.
We did not open every book nor explore every section, but the pricing seemed to be mostly between $1-4. Their website states that they have been known to accept “good chocolate” as a form of payment.
The Book Barn compound on West Main Street in Niantic is off I-95, but only requires a little travel on that nasty stretch of road if coming from the north via Route 9.
If the drive here already took you an hour, you might as well see what else is along Connecticut’s shoreline.
Those inclined to turn this into an IKEA run may want to check out a beach that is not among the top two that receive loads of attention in the media: East Haven Town Beach, also sometimes called Cosey Beach. In fact, the only time it seems to have garnered attention was after Hurricane Irene wrecked houses on Cosey Beach Avenue.
It’s free. Various websites say there are fees for out-of-town residents. Perhaps there are. When we have gone, nobody has attempted to collect parking or beach usage fees. Fee or free, out-of-towners are welcome. There is a picnic area, beach volleyball and bocce ball court. Maybe because it is not one of those tourist attraction beaches, it is not totally jam-packed with people most of the time.
If you want to go more eastern than Niantic, you might find yourself being drawn into Mystic. It happens. Try to check out the area away from the aquarium and seaport. Route 1 takes you through the village where there is a book store (but you probably got your fill at the Book Barn earlier), boutiques, antiques, and The Emporium. Mystic River Park and the drawbridge are nice, free attractions.
If the allure of the tourist attraction is winning, well, the Olde Mistick Village is not as terrible as some would make it out to be. Half of it is cheesy and half of it is worth your time. This makes it already ahead of the game when compared with 
regular shopping malls. The Gray Goose Cookery & The Gray Goose, Too is one of the better shops — a kitchen store that has practical items like glass jars with solid glass lids which seem increasingly difficult to find in a plastic-everything world. A stationary store that is not Hallmark or Papyrus carries books like those by The Bike Snob. What actually makes this place is that if you have been dragged on a shopping excursion and need to compromise, there is no shortage of outdoor seating where you can relax while the partner/teens/friends run amok in the shops. Grab a coffee and scone, sit outside, and watch people swarm around the ducks as if they have never seen waterfowl before in their lives.
Or, you can skip right over Mystic and hit up Stonington.
Technically, Mystic is part of Stonington. And Groton. Don’t worry about it. Move on.
Finding a place to park in Stonington Village and just walking around seems like enough of something to do. It’s an interesting mix of expensive-looking homes and seemingly abandoned structures, all within blocks of each other. There is lighthouse museum and all the views one gets when on the shore.
Stonington is also home to a few wineries, including one which is reusing a former private airport, including the hangar.
It’s quiet. It’s almost the opposite of a tourist trap.