By Richard Polese

NATIONAL REPORTS show dramatic increases in the number of smaller local and specialty bookstores. The recorded 2,321 stores today is a 40 percent higher count than the number in 2009. Despite (or because of?) the departure of Borders and other big chain outlets, the rapid infusion of e-books, and Amazon’s burgeoning monopoly, it seems a growing number of people simply enjoy picking up printed books, turning a few pages, greeting friends, perhaps sitting with a cup of coffee, and toting a book or two home.