Browse through cookbook paradise

Eschewing the idea that independent bookstores are an antiquated notion—and that a recession is a bad time to open a business—Celia Sack followed her rebellious instincts in 2008 when she opened this niche bookstore in an old butcher shop in San Francisco’s Noe Valley. Against all odds, Sack’s little bookshop thrived during the height of pink-slip handouts and going-out-of-business sales across the country. The recipe for success? A well-edited selection of new and vintage collectible books that appeals not just to cooks but to anyone who eats. Throw in a dash of social-media savvy and a dollop of events featuring local and national authors, and a told-you-so story was born.

Stop by Omnivore Books on Food for an author reading (held several times a week) or just to browse the treasure trove of tomes ranging from restaurant cookbooks to 19th century home-entertaining manuals.