Between online shopping and a bevy of large chain retailers with massive inventories, it can be hard to make up your mind on what to read and where to buy. That’s why an independent bookstore like Downbound Books is so important in this age of overwhelming information: think “less is more,” with an abundance of thoughtful variety. Downbound is the newest addition to Cincinnati’s community of independent bookstores. Owner Gregory Kornbluh, a Cincinnati native, recently returned from a 13-year stint on the East Coast where he worked as a bookseller at a shop outside Boston and later in sales and marketing for Harvard University Press. With a focus on intentional curation and comprehensive subheads, Kornbluh says “it forces people to see stuff they might not have been looking for.” Downbound also offers crafts, stationery and novelty items from locals like Paper Acorn, Cryptogram Ink and Volcano Goods, with more to come. Downbound Books, 4139 Apple St., Northside, downboundbooks.com.