Every book lover has a favorite bookstore. Here are some of the best independent stores in the U.S..
Powell’s City of Books, Portland, OR:
Aptly named, the original location in downtown Portland claims to be the largest new and used independent bookstore in the world. It occupies a full city block and has seven branches around Portland. The color-coded rooms make finding a book a bit easier, but it can also be worthwhile to simply get lost in Powell’s maze.
City Lights Books, San Francisco:
Co-founded by Beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti, who became famous following for publishing Allen Ginsberg’s Howl and Other Poems, City Lights hasn’t outlived its counterculture, leftist heyday. It still attracts a colorful cross section of San Francisco residents and passing Beat wannabes.
Liberal propaganda sometimes hangs in the second floor windows, and, of course, City Lights has an impressive collection of Beat literature beyond just the Kerouac classics.
Faulkner House Books, New Orleans:
Squeezed into the French Quarter’s Pirate Alley, this small new and used bookstore operates out of part of the home William Faulkner rented rooms from when he wrote his first novel. Shelves of books reach to the high ceiling. The rest of the building is a private home, and be sure to walk gingerly—the old, cramped house feels fragile.
Elliott Bay Book Co., Seattle:
He warm glow of the exposed brick walls can easily envelop you for hours on a rainy morning in Seattle. Set in historic Pioneer Square among small shops, art galleries, and restaurants, the bookstore hosts an average of ten author readings weekly and has an extensive regional collection.
Tattered Cover, Denver:
the dark wood shelves, exposed beams and overstuffed chairs of the original downtown location are a nice escape from the bustle of 16th Street’s rather tacky outdoor mall. One of the largest independent bookstores in the country, it also has an extensive magazine and newspaper collection.
BookPeople, Austin:
Everything is bigger in Texas, and BookPeople is the state’s largest. The independent bookstore in downtown is a local favorite. Lots of staff recommendation tags hang from the shelves—the most entertaining I’ve ever read in a bookstore.
Strand Books, Manhattan:
Home to “18 miles of books,” Strand is competing with Powell’s for the title of world’s largest collection of used books. It’s the city’s largest collection of rare books and has an entire floor of art titles. Strand also sells tote bags in over 30 designs, if you’re into that kind of thing.
Politics and Prose, Washington, D.C.:
Known by many because its readings are broadcast on C-SPAN, Politics and Prose has more than just political works. The store’s large selection also includes a respectable children’s section. Upcoming author events include Howard Dean and Senator Barbara Boxer.
Do you have a favorite independent bookstore? Share it with us in the comments section below.
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16 Comments... join the discussion!
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Great picks! If you’re in Denver, it’s worth a drive up to Boulder for Boulder Book Store on Pearl Street. It’s the kind of place that still has little, handwritten notes in front of the books. I spend a pile of money in there!
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I will be utterly devastated should the Strand ever close. I am incapable of walking into that store and leaving without a book.
Another insider’s tip about this particular store: you can sell your own books to the store (though they have pretty stringent requirements for condition of the books). When you’re ready to clean off your bookshelf and you need to make some money, you’ll form a line outside with other people who have become bookselling pros.
Also- Strand has pretty great author events. They renovated the store a year or two ago and have more space now for readings and lectures.
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Great to see the New Orleans shout out. The French Quarter is home to several used bookstores that make great places to explore the rich literary tradition of the city and the south.
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I have to agree, this list has BookPeople in Austin, Strand in NYC, Elliot Bay Book Co. in Seattle, and Powell’s in Portland – outside of Shakespeare’s Books in Paris, these are the best bookstores I’ve ever frequented!
BUT – funny thing is that although the article is called “9 Great US Bookstores” – it only lists EIGHT!
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You can sell books to Powell’s too!
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I can’t help but notice an entire region of the country absent from this article…
If you’re in Minneapolis/St. Paul,
Uncle Hugo’s and Uncle Edgars on Chicago (the best for sci fi and mystery)
Mager’s and Quinn on Hennepin↵ -
My name is Paul and I’m a Book-A-Holic. This feature gave me goosebumps. I don’t live in the States but this is reason enough for a nationwide road trip. I did once got to City Lights in SF tho, and didn’t emerge again for 3-4 hours — and a good 50 bucks lighter. Thanks for the piece…great work!
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Can’t forget The Complete Traveler bookstore in NYC. My husband asked me to marry him there!
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Kramerbooks in DC’s Dupont…
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This isn’t a very big store, but it’s a rarity in the endless Big Box sprawl that is Indiana. Von’s new and used books in West Lafayette. They have an amazing number of new books stuffed into a small store front, and the used books live in the basement. No place to really sit and relax, but the book selection is impressive.
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I was recently in Sankt-Peterburg in Florida. They have Haslam’s Book store – second hand and new books (corner 25th and Central Avenue, I think) – it is a place to be for a book lover. I would buy half of the stock if transporting books from one country to another was so expensive. My husband could not drug out there…
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I also really like the bookstores in the Mission ( dog eared is one ) if you are in SF ………
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OK… I now have a new goal. Go to the bookstores on this list: I’ve only been to Powell’s, which is amazing. I spent hours only on five rows, and my family had to take out our extra bag JUST to fit the books in. And we barely made it.
A bunch of my friends have been to The Strand, but I haven’t. I’m hoping to correct that soon. Otherwise, I’m just going to have to wait until I can travel on my own.
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In the Chicago area (actually, in Evanston, IL) is Bookman’s Alley ( http://evanstonillinois.net/booksmansalley.html).
The bookstore sells used books in a smallish store in which you can really lose yourself. The selection is eclectic and extensive: I picked up a couple of mysteries, a book on mountaineering, and one on losing/finding oneself in the wilderness. The furniture and bookshelves are arranged in a way that forces you to meander, and there are a ton of artifacts on the shelves (e.g. a boat on a shelf near nautically-themed books) that make it seem like you’re a guest in some eccentric uncle’s house.
A bbliophile, I really loved the place.
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John King Books in Detroit. It’s a giant warehouse with four floors and close to 1 million used books inside. They also buy books and have a whole room dedicated to first editions and rare books.
If you ask about a book on the first floor, they may tell you it’s on the 4th, but they’ll radio ahead to a staff member there who will have the book waiting for you when you get upstairs.↵
