I just got home from a conference for independent bookstores in the Midwest. (Shout out to my neighborhood bookstore here in Columbus, Prologue Bookshop.) It was great to spend time with booksellers from all over the region.
So, let’s give our favorite indie bookstores some love. Bonus points if you have a bookseller, in particular, you want to shout out.
OHMYGOD I love this subject. I live in Austin, and BookPeople is my go to, but my all time favorite is Parnassus in Nashville. I worship at the alter of Ann Patchett and Mary Laura Philpott, AND they have ShopDogs you can visit too!
I'll always love Books are Magic and The Strand, but Quail Ridge Books here in Raleigh, NC (where I've very recently relocated to from NYC) is pretty great!! And even though I don't live there, there's a really soft spot in my heart for Charm City Books in Baltimore - they are delightful all around had such cute giveaways bundled with R. Eric Thomas's latest book!!
Downbound Books in the Northside neighborhood of Cincinnati. Small but mighty with a carefully curated selection. Awesome staff too. My absolute go-to here.
Carmichael’s, in Louisville, Kentucky! We weren’t allowed to go there growing up because my dad worked at a different independent bookstore, which eventually was sold (RIP Hawley-Cooke). Glad to support another local option whenever I’m home!
In Minneapolis, we have the new Black Garnet Books which is Black and queer owned opening tomorrow (shout out to Dionne for crushing it!!!), and my other favorite, Magers & Quinn!
Also I've only been to each of them once while visiting London, but Word on the Water: the London Bookbarge is this incredible little bookshop on a barge on Regent's Canal, and I took a day trip to the seaside town of Whistable in Kent, and the upstairs reading circle set up in Harbour Books (and the whole store) will live in my dreams hereafter!
The Bookery in Manchester, NH is my fave! Excellent curation and awesome staff! Last weekend I met a bookseller named Rebecca there and instantly recognized a kindred spirit
Saeed the next time you’re in NYC you must visit The Lit. Bar in the Bronx!! Afro-Latina owned and the only bookstore in the Bronx, which is WILD. An amazing vibe and serves generous glasses of wine and prosecco!! My second fave is The Strand, cuz well, it’s The Strand. Lol
I live just outside Portland, OR so of course Powell's is amazing. But I also make a point of getting many of my books- and I buy a lot, could be I'm a book hoarder- from a lovely little small bookstore called Broadway Books in inner NE Portland. It's a little, female owned shop with super friendly employees and just a great overall vibe. Everyone who sets foot in there is a book lover
I love indie bookstores and try to find one to visit in every city where I travel. Hands-down, my FAVORITE indie is Women & Children First in the Andersonville neighborhood in Chicago!
I love Birchbark in Minneapolis, Arcadia Books in Spring Green, Wisconsin, and Boswell Books in Milwaukee (and it's excellent owner Daniel Goldin). I also love the Haunted Bookshop in Iowa City, a really wonderful used bookstore that may be haunted but I've not seen any ghosts.
MUNRO’S -Victoria, BC Canada. Started by Nobel Prize winning Alice Munro and her then-husband Bill. She left and kept writing and he stayed and ran the store. It has been the top book store in town for decades and when Bill grew too old to manage the store he sold/gave it to the employees. Still the best!!!
Three Lives & Co. on West 10th St. in the Village. They love books and the people who love books, have a welcome newsletter, and know how to facilitate browsing. Also excellent joint for meeting up with old friends.
Let's talk about THE MALVERN, in Austin, whose selection is teeming with small press titles and back catalogues from the bigger independents. Or let's talk about HARRIET'S BOOKSHOP in Philadelphia, a black woman-owned shop whose beautiful curation is matched only by its presentation. Dying to go back.
This list is GOLDEN and I now have so many new haunts to check out.
It is niche but Omnivore Books (full name: Omnivore Books On Food) in San Francisco. It's a tiny little shop and the shelves are just stuffed with books related to food and drink, but not just cookbooks, stuff on history and culture as well. The owner was paying her employee during the thick of lockdown so whenever I felt the need for some retail therapy I placed an order without guilt. The owner often tweets photos of the customer of the day... which is always a dog. She is also one of the owners of the adjoining pet supplies shop. https://omnivorebooks.myshopify.com/
How can I pick just one?! Talking leaves in Buffalo is where I spent many hours browsing while in college. Parnassus in Nashville is a fav now that I am a 25 minute car ride away. But my current fav has to be Hudubam in Clarksville, Tennessee. My local place. 🤓
Community Bookstore in park slope was my favorite indie when I lived there - it just had the best selection, best events, cutest kids nook. I loved it so much it inspired me to open my own indie bookstore four yrs ago!
Next Chapter in St. Paul and Magers & Quinn in Mpls are my faves here and I'm going to a destination bookstore in December - Books and Books in Key West!
Somos Voces is the only gay bookstore in Mexico City, where I currently live. It's all in Spanish so it is pretty intimidating most of the time. But last summer I joined a book club and really pushed myself to discover a whole new world of gay literature and a new gay experience in Mexico, which is very different from what I knew in the US.
They do so much programming and promotion to promote literature in the gay community. It's a very special place.
Mil Mundos in Bushwick! A radical bilingual bookstore with some amazing virtual spanish language learning classes that have brought so much joy and enrichment to my life.
Mr B's in Bath, England, UK. Outstanding customer service, incredible knowledge of new and less well profiled authors, and they do a 'Book Spa' where you can have a bespoke service helping you find a new stack of perfect books...with cake.
It's not even in my state, but whenever I buy hardcover books, I try to do it from Nowhere Bookshop in TX, the store that belongs top Jenny Lawson aka The Bloggess.
I love this!! I traveled full time in 2021, and I spent the month of April in a little town called Jackson, Tennessee. It’s about halfway between Nashville & Memphis. The owner of the place I stayed knew I was a writer and suggested I check out the local bookstore. And I am so glad I did! It was National Poetry Month, so obvi I had to get all the poetry books. The owner took a photo of me, which you can see on her insta here (https://www.instagram.com/p/CNdBxQ9BKSX/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=)
It’s called Light Trap Books and it’s in a tiny store - meaning it’s like a tiny house but a store and only for books! The owner was amazing and I continue to reach out to her ocassionally (I worry sometimes she’s gonna find it a bit stalkerish, lol). I chose her store for my Bookshop & Libro accounts too.
OHMYGOD I love this subject. I live in Austin, and BookPeople is my go to, but my all time favorite is Parnassus in Nashville. I worship at the alter of Ann Patchett and Mary Laura Philpott, AND they have ShopDogs you can visit too!
eyyyyyyy, Women and Children First on Clark, Chicago
Cafe Noir is Black-woman owned, and Noble is so nice (they even have a very good restaurant and bar inside the shop!). Both in Memphis, TN.
I'll always love Books are Magic and The Strand, but Quail Ridge Books here in Raleigh, NC (where I've very recently relocated to from NYC) is pretty great!! And even though I don't live there, there's a really soft spot in my heart for Charm City Books in Baltimore - they are delightful all around had such cute giveaways bundled with R. Eric Thomas's latest book!!
Powell's (Hawthorne location) in Portland and Birchbark in Minneapolis are my all time favorites.
Henry Miller Library is also pretty amazing.
Out to...
Chicago - Pilsen Community Books and Semicolon Bookstore
Brooklyn - Playground Coffee Shop/Annex
ATL - For Keeps
LA - Reparations Club
Downbound Books in the Northside neighborhood of Cincinnati. Small but mighty with a carefully curated selection. Awesome staff too. My absolute go-to here.
Carmichael’s, in Louisville, Kentucky! We weren’t allowed to go there growing up because my dad worked at a different independent bookstore, which eventually was sold (RIP Hawley-Cooke). Glad to support another local option whenever I’m home!
Interabang Books in Dallas 🥰
always partial to Word on the Water, a book barge on Regent's Canal in London. stoking grand aspirations, I recently learned of this "Book-et List," which was compiled from a similar thread that asked after people's favorite indie shops and resulted in this map, mostly on the North American and European continents: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1AeUix3hB2TqSAtg8GHcDC97rUjr6WpY&ll=39.11368805204346%2C-84.72103619374418&z=6
Viewpoint Books in Columbus, the one in Indiana.
From NYC originally. Mysterious Book Shop in Tribeca was so lovely. Now I'm in Atlanta and I love A Capella Books and Charis Books.
In Minneapolis, we have the new Black Garnet Books which is Black and queer owned opening tomorrow (shout out to Dionne for crushing it!!!), and my other favorite, Magers & Quinn!
Also I've only been to each of them once while visiting London, but Word on the Water: the London Bookbarge is this incredible little bookshop on a barge on Regent's Canal, and I took a day trip to the seaside town of Whistable in Kent, and the upstairs reading circle set up in Harbour Books (and the whole store) will live in my dreams hereafter!
The Bookery in Manchester, NH is my fave! Excellent curation and awesome staff! Last weekend I met a bookseller named Rebecca there and instantly recognized a kindred spirit
I have never been to Mysterious Galaxy in person, but their customer service is top notch! https://www.mystgalaxy.com/
RIP St.Marks
Kathleen Caldwell at a Great Good Place for Books in Montclair! Also John Evans and Alison Reid of Diesel Books (San Diego and Malibu).
Saeed the next time you’re in NYC you must visit The Lit. Bar in the Bronx!! Afro-Latina owned and the only bookstore in the Bronx, which is WILD. An amazing vibe and serves generous glasses of wine and prosecco!! My second fave is The Strand, cuz well, it’s The Strand. Lol
Nashville.
Parnassus Books.
ANN PATCHETT IS AN OWNER.
That's it.
I like Brookline Booksmith in MA, they have great recommendations and the staff is so nice!
I live just outside Portland, OR so of course Powell's is amazing. But I also make a point of getting many of my books- and I buy a lot, could be I'm a book hoarder- from a lovely little small bookstore called Broadway Books in inner NE Portland. It's a little, female owned shop with super friendly employees and just a great overall vibe. Everyone who sets foot in there is a book lover
As an indie bookseller, this thread fills my heart. <3
I love indie bookstores and try to find one to visit in every city where I travel. Hands-down, my FAVORITE indie is Women & Children First in the Andersonville neighborhood in Chicago!
Jenny Lawson/The Bliggess opened Nowhere Bookshop in San Antonio, Texas and I may have to visit San Antonio just to stop by.
I love Birchbark in Minneapolis, Arcadia Books in Spring Green, Wisconsin, and Boswell Books in Milwaukee (and it's excellent owner Daniel Goldin). I also love the Haunted Bookshop in Iowa City, a really wonderful used bookstore that may be haunted but I've not seen any ghosts.
I live in Blue Hill, Maine and Blue Hill Books is a gem in our community!
Women and Children First in Chicago and Bookends and Beginnings in Evanston, IL!
I have to shoutout my favorite DC bookstores: Loyalty Bookstore, Second Story Books, and Bold Fork Books (which is a cook book store!)
Indigenous-owned Iron Dog Books in Vancouver!
MUNRO’S -Victoria, BC Canada. Started by Nobel Prize winning Alice Munro and her then-husband Bill. She left and kept writing and he stayed and ran the store. It has been the top book store in town for decades and when Bill grew too old to manage the store he sold/gave it to the employees. Still the best!!!
Books Are Magic and Greenlight in Brooklyn; Harvard Book Store in Cambridge; Lit Bar in the Bronx
Three Lives & Co. on West 10th St. in the Village. They love books and the people who love books, have a welcome newsletter, and know how to facilitate browsing. Also excellent joint for meeting up with old friends.
Let's talk about THE MALVERN, in Austin, whose selection is teeming with small press titles and back catalogues from the bigger independents. Or let's talk about HARRIET'S BOOKSHOP in Philadelphia, a black woman-owned shop whose beautiful curation is matched only by its presentation. Dying to go back.
This list is GOLDEN and I now have so many new haunts to check out.
Miami's Books and Books is not only a great indie, it's been a community and cultural hub for decades.
All the love for Kris Kleindienst and her merry band of elves at Left Bank Books in St Louis! ❤️
It is niche but Omnivore Books (full name: Omnivore Books On Food) in San Francisco. It's a tiny little shop and the shelves are just stuffed with books related to food and drink, but not just cookbooks, stuff on history and culture as well. The owner was paying her employee during the thick of lockdown so whenever I felt the need for some retail therapy I placed an order without guilt. The owner often tweets photos of the customer of the day... which is always a dog. She is also one of the owners of the adjoining pet supplies shop. https://omnivorebooks.myshopify.com/
How can I pick just one?! Talking leaves in Buffalo is where I spent many hours browsing while in college. Parnassus in Nashville is a fav now that I am a 25 minute car ride away. But my current fav has to be Hudubam in Clarksville, Tennessee. My local place. 🤓
Politics and Prose in DC, Flying Cloud in tiny Easton, MD, and Visible Voices in Cleveland, OH!
Community Bookstore in park slope was my favorite indie when I lived there - it just had the best selection, best events, cutest kids nook. I loved it so much it inspired me to open my own indie bookstore four yrs ago!
Next Chapter in St. Paul and Magers & Quinn in Mpls are my faves here and I'm going to a destination bookstore in December - Books and Books in Key West!
I have to shout out my mom's bookstores, Riverstone Books, in and around Pittsburgh.
Others I love: News from Nowhere (Liverpool, England) Gay's the Word (London) and all the bookstores in Northampton, MA.
Somos Voces is the only gay bookstore in Mexico City, where I currently live. It's all in Spanish so it is pretty intimidating most of the time. But last summer I joined a book club and really pushed myself to discover a whole new world of gay literature and a new gay experience in Mexico, which is very different from what I knew in the US.
They do so much programming and promotion to promote literature in the gay community. It's a very special place.
Mil Mundos in Bushwick! A radical bilingual bookstore with some amazing virtual spanish language learning classes that have brought so much joy and enrichment to my life.
Antigone Books in Tucson, AZ - it's woman owned and the country's first 100% solar-powered bookstore
A Room of One’s Own in Madison, WI! Queer & Trans owned. I can walk to this amazing place, I am so damn lucky.
Gotta shout out Fawzy, who was recently in the NY Times for their amazing book charts:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/15/style/book-recommendations-flow-charts.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
Mr B's in Bath, England, UK. Outstanding customer service, incredible knowledge of new and less well profiled authors, and they do a 'Book Spa' where you can have a bespoke service helping you find a new stack of perfect books...with cake.
It's not even in my state, but whenever I buy hardcover books, I try to do it from Nowhere Bookshop in TX, the store that belongs top Jenny Lawson aka The Bloggess.
Books on First in Dixon, Illinois is my favorite. It is a cozy little store that makes you want to come back again and again.
I love this!! I traveled full time in 2021, and I spent the month of April in a little town called Jackson, Tennessee. It’s about halfway between Nashville & Memphis. The owner of the place I stayed knew I was a writer and suggested I check out the local bookstore. And I am so glad I did! It was National Poetry Month, so obvi I had to get all the poetry books. The owner took a photo of me, which you can see on her insta here (https://www.instagram.com/p/CNdBxQ9BKSX/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=)
It’s called Light Trap Books and it’s in a tiny store - meaning it’s like a tiny house but a store and only for books! The owner was amazing and I continue to reach out to her ocassionally (I worry sometimes she’s gonna find it a bit stalkerish, lol). I chose her store for my Bookshop & Libro accounts too.