The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is committed to continuing our normal features, where appropriate, during the coronavirus outbreak. For full coverage of the outbreak in Atlanta, please check our Coronavirus News Section. We have decided to continue Best of Atlanta voting for the time being, despite social distancing. We encourage our readers to support local businesses after the authorities loosen the social distancing rules — along with supporting those businesses that offer delivery or pickup during the outbreak.

Walk through their doors, and you can travel to anywhere in this or any other world during any time period. You can walk away with help for self-improvement or help for your cooking skills.

Those doors are at bookstores, where children can listen to stories or discover a new literary best friend, and adults can explore ways to escape or to become more grounded. They are also great places to buy holiday presents.

Although it’s easy to order books online — and about the only way to get them during the pandemic — bookstores are community gathering spots that become weekly destinations. Many of these stores have had to move sales to the sidewalk and online, and the big cushy chairs sit empty for everyone’s safety, but metro Atlanta’s bookstores are still operating.

This week’s Best of Atlanta poll wants to know: What is the best bookstore in metro Atlanta?

Here are your choices:

If you don’t see your favorite, submit a write-in nominee by emailing your pick to nancy.clanton@ajc.com by 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2. If enough people suggest your favorite, we’ll add it to our poll.

The winner will be announced Dec. 7.

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