Come on in and loiter

Recently, a customer came into Beagle and said, “I’m just going to browse today, is that okay?” We told her, “Sure.” Then she said, “Is it okay if I loiter?”
“Yeeeeeeeeeeees, that’s why we have chairs,” I told her.
Apparently, she had recently been in another bookstore, a chain store, and was appalled by the signage that no loitering was allowed and that customers were limited to 10 minutes per aisle.
To be honest, my first reaction is to chuckle or smirk. 10 minutes per aisle? Is someone with a stopwatch employed to enforce such a rule? My second reaction is one of sadness. Bookstores, no matter if indie or chain, should be (in my opinion) welcoming, inviting places. In particular, I want bookstores to be welcoming to children. That doesn’t mean they can run amok and not be respectful of inventory, but at Beagle, I’ve honestly had very little problems with this. Between kids playing at our kids table and petting the dog, there isn’t really time to be naughty.
I understand that you may not buy something every time you set foot in Beagle. But when you do need a book (or eggs or a calendar, etc), it is my hope you will buy it from Beagle (or Sister Wolf). In the meantime, browse, chat with the bookseller, pet the dog, and for heaven’s sake, loiter.