Inspired by all the comments on the Oregon thread about Powell’s.
If you’re a book lover, whether you generally use the library or a Kindle or whatever method you use, you probably can’t pass up stopping in a bookstore. I’ll be honest, I love to read, but the library and the Libby app are my first stop.
I thought it would be fun/interesting to share a favorite bookstore you have visited - whether it’s one right in your own town or one you have visited in travels.
Share a little about why it makes your “top favs” list.
A first fav that comes up for me is Tattered Cover in Denver. It’s been some time, but I TOTALLY felt the cozy vibe and really wanted to just grab a coffee and sit…all day.
The Book Loft in Columbus (Ohio) is my “book store out of the ordinary” stop. A block long MAZE of rooms including 32 “bargain book” rooms. One of the largest independent bookstores in the country. Located in German Village, a Columbus neighborhood framed in cobblestone streets. Tour the Store | The Book Loft of German Village
Prairie Lights, Iowa City.
Not the largest book store I’ve been in, but I loved their curated collection of books - I never failed to find a book that I had never heard of, but HAD to have.
And that’s not even getting into the amazing readings.
My local bookstore Warwick’s in La Jolla. I love it because it is local and you always see someone you know when you visit.
The Last Bookstore in Los Angeles. Cool vibes and also has great vinyl.
Livraria Lello in Porto, Portugal. So unusual, but you need a ticket to get in because it is so crowded!
I’m going to get into trouble because I live in Portland, but I lived in NYC first and I’ll pick The Strand.
When I was a poor assistant in publishing I used to stand in line on Friday afternoons and sell the free books I’d manage to pilfer that week. It was a thing and we all did it, they didn’t crack down until ebay became popular. Those lines were like hanging out at a book nerd bar, you would meet young people from other publishing houses and grad schools, talk about books and authors, get asked out on dates It was so of that moment 25yrs ago.
It’s a gift if you have a bookstore that you live close to home. Both in that you love it, and that it is still there.
Another real gem locally is in the mid American university town of Bowling Green - Grounds For Thought. Curated coffee shop, used books (you can start an account and they will sell your books for cash to be used to buy books from the store), lots of vinyl, play checkers or chess, do puzzles, knit, have a group meeting…you name it. But first and foremost a bookstore with great coffee. But the vibe is incredible to/for me!
An excellent bookstore should have books that you didn’t know about, solid recommendations from staff, an excellent children’s section and a minimal amount of non-book stuff going on – and that includes cofffee
Malaprop’s in Asheville NC
Island Books in Middletown RI
White Birch in Conway NH
Content in Northfield MN
Counterpoint: with waining bookstores and especially independent bookstores I say whatever (within reason) gets people in the store and maybe turning them into reading is a good thing. After all, even libraries are SOO much more than just books and magazines (though much of that as well!)
I think the Strand may be my all-time favorite. But let me mention two others:
Politics and Prose in NW DC - walking distance from my previous house, small but lots of great speakers and events.
The Northshire Bookstore in Manchester VT - one of the reasons we decided we could move to a small town in VT, the multi-story bookstore has all the latest stuff, including signed copies from many authors, as well as events and speakers galore. I know this is the age of Amazon mailing books anywhere but there is a really a benefit to being able to touch and browse real books.
My bookstore is Watchung Books in Montclair NJ. It’s not too far from my town, and has wonderful people and service. I make a point never to order books from Amazon. This store will order books and also give discounts. They do book launches for all the local authors. They’re just great people.
During Covid, when everything non-essential was closed, you could go online, order the books you wanted, and they’d put them in a bag with your name on it, on shelves inside a back entrance. Pulling up to get my books was something that made that time just a little bit less awful.
We used to have the BEST used bookstore. It was organized like any independent bookstore. They were sort of picky about the books they would take. They would either pay 50cents per book, or give you $1 credit towards any purchase (this was in the 80’s and early 90’s…their books were not very costly) for books you took there.
They were very well sorted.
Anyone else been to the Book Barn in Niantic CT? It’s amazing. There are actually a few locations. The main location has a LOT of books…again organized very well. Lots of old history books, novels, children’s books, non-fiction as well as fiction. A section for current books. The Main Street store has cookbooks and craft books and things like that.
If you live in the area and have never been…it’s well worth the trip. And a great place to take your used books too.
Totally fair, and agreed. I was mostly thinking of a certain Giant Bookstore Chain that is more food, gifts, cards, and games than actual books at this point.
Our local independent bookstore is great. They don’t serve coffee or sell much of anything but books. It’s where my daughters would lose themselves in the aisles and where my grandson now loves to go. They have outlasted all the chain bookstores that came and have now left.
I always like to wander a bookstore on my travels even when the books are in a language I don’t read.
My other favorite is my local independent bookstore located in Southwest Minneapolis. If you are ever near it, stop by. Oh and let me know, we can meet up.
Island Books on Mercer Island
Darvill’s Books on Orcas Island
Both in WA state.
I love Powells Books too, it’s in a world of its own, but these small indie bookstores have my heart (and my $).
In Madison, CT, RJ Julia. They have a really nice collection of books, a lovely cafe attached, and for a small shop in a small town are able to get so many big name authors in.
For used books, the Big Chicken Barn in Ellsworth, ME, can’t be beat. A massive collection of used books at great prices. We always sort of hope for a rainy day when we are camping in Acadia as it provides a great excuse to spend the day shopping there.
I went to Kramerbooks & Afterwords in DuPont Circle (DC) as a kid and it made a HUGE impression on me, I think it was subconsciously one of the reasons I went to college in DC!
As a Bay Area native I am very partial to City Lights in San Francisco.
and I’ll pick The Strand.
