There's a new, unique holiday trolley tour that takes riders around to the Chicago area's independent bookstore.

The tours have already gotten a huge response, with the first selling out in a matter of hours.

Each of the Chicagoland Bookstore Holiday Trolleys offers a tour of independent bookstores, with several tours planned for Saturdays and Sundays in December.

At each stop, riders get about half an hour to shop and some kind of treat or experience from the store owner.

"We really wanted to celebrate the spirit of the season," said Amanda Sadowski, owner of Passages Wine and Books.

As well as owning her West Town bookstore, Sadowski is one of the tour organizers.

"It's really about the connection, finding the joy," she said.

And apparently a lot of people wanted that joy, because the tours keep selling out quickly.

"We're all just blown away by the excitement for this," said Jordan Felkey, co-owner of Three Avenues Bookshop in Lakeview. "It tells us that people want to support, but sometimes people don't know how. The trolley is a way to get people to shop local, to draw attention to independent bookstores."

It's also a way to bring book lovers together to share a unique holiday event.

Each ticket costs just over $50, and the tour lasts about four hours. Because of the high demand, organizers have added tours but even those are selling fast.

After the holiday season, the next big event will be Independent Bookstore Day on the last Saturday in April, in which customers can earn discounts by visiting multiple shops.