CULTURE: The Fallen Acorn Bookshop in Williamsburg
This independent book seller near Merchants' Square is the perfect place to spend some time and money
By the end of 2025, Amazon could control almost 80% of the consumer book market in the United States. Meanwhile, local independent bookstores continue to struggle to make ends meet. The reasons are numerous. People are busier and have less time to go and browse. Or we’re less able to get out and about like we once did. But maybe you’ve thought about making some changes in your buying habits — a small step here or there can ultimately pay big dividends. And despite Amazon’s dominance, there are still much better alternatives, even online.
The good news is that Williamsburg has several independent bookstores, one of which is The Fallen Acorn. The magnificently renovated space that’s home to the shop is located on St. George St. near Merchant Square, in the basement under the Kilwins Ice Cream and Candy shop (you may remember that the space was once home to Mermaid Books).
Store Hours: 11am-5pm Wednesday-Saturday, 12am-5pm Sunday
I recently stopped by and spoke with the owner, Shea Cintron, who said she is living her love of books. “I opened The Fallen Acorn Bookshop for a couple of reasons. I love everything about books. The way they feel, the way they smell and the stories they tell. People need books!”
Shea says she chose to open the store in Williamsburg due to her love for the small town feeling, which brought her here in the first place. “This is my home. I love it here. It is important for people to have a space where they feel safe, loved and secure to be themselves. I hope for The Fallen Acorn Bookshop to become that place.” The store’s name is a nod to one of her favorite books as a child, Miss Suzy, which Megan Rudacille explained in a piece run in the Flat Hat last year about the bookstore.
That’s the kind of personal touch customers can expect from the shop. “The big corporate stores just stock as many books as they can. When you buy a book from The Fallen Acorn Bookshop, you know it has been thoughtfully selected.”
Instead of relying on lists generated by vendors and publishers, she gathers input for the store’s inventory in other ways. “I read, watch and listen to everything about books. I ask bookshop customers what they would like to see on the shelves. I look at what our customers are buying. I consider the important issues of our times, and of course if I hear of a book being banned, I order it.”
That is awesome! The Williamsburg Independent couldn’t agree more. In fact, Virginia is one of the most prolific book banners in the Country.
Shop The Fallen Acorn Bookshop online
You can shop The Fallen Acorn online at Bookshop.org if you can’t make it into the store. The independent online book seller is a great example of people trying to compete in innovative ways against behemoth corporations like Amazon. They were founded with a mission to give local bookstores a chance to benefit from online sales as well as drive foot traffic with extra publicity.
Another appealing aspect of Bookshop.org is their status as a certified public benefit corporation. You can think of this unique business structure as a hybrid between non profits and for profit enterprises. While they are definitely focused on selling books and making money, they do so in order to pass the profit onto local booksellers at a much higher percentage than Amazon. Since the site launched in 2020, they report raising over $35 million for independent bookstores. That’s one of the reasons the Fallen Acorn chose to partner with them for online sales. Of the partnership with the online seller, Shea says, “Bookshop.org helps keep the doors open.” So if you make a purchase on Bookshop.org, you can designate a portion of the profit goes back to Shea and Fallen Acorn.
If you’re looking for a way to make a difference by choosing somewhere to spend your time and money that impacts the community and actually appreciates it, think about supporting The Fallen Acorn Bookshop.
George Arbogust is Founder and Editor of the Williamsburg Independent, which received no compensation for this piece. He’s happy to support another independent business serving such a vital role in our community. Consider buying him a cup of coffee.