Post your favorite local independent Bookstore here

[LynneSin]

First, if you don't know already, if you purchase books from Amazon.com through this link here at the DU, part of your purchases will go to our beloved website: http://www.democraticunderground.com/books/index.html

HOWEVER!!!

If you're like me, you love to go to your local bookstore and lose yourself for hours as you browse through the books and find good reading for the week. And the best place to do this browsing is through your local independent bookstore owners.

So let's give a shout out to our favorites! We need to support these independent owners and maybe you can find one near you or near where you might be traveling to that you can check out.

For easy reference, place the name of the bookstore in the subject line so folks can see the name of the place easily. That's why I'm replying to my own post!!!

[bicentennial_baby]

1. Raven Books, Amherst, MA

World Eye Bookshop, Greenfield, MA

[Aries]

5. Cody's Books

in Berkeley (and I don't even live near there)

also the Lucy Parsons Center in Boston

[newyawker99]

35. Congrats bicentennial_baby!! 100 posts

A :toast: for your first milestone!

[GOPisEvil]

2. I have TWO! Book People and Monkey Wrench Books in Austin, TX

First, we have BookPeople, a multi-story HUGE bookstore with coffee shop. In fact, it is just like the big chains, except that it is locally owned. www.bookpeople.com

Next, we have Monkey Wrench Books. They specialize in radical literature, African-American history, Marxist stuff, politcal theory. A place run by whackos, but our kind of whackos! :D www.monkeywrenchbooks.org

There's more here in town, but these are two I go to.

[silverlib]

41. Now 2 votes for Book People

The last time I was there, they had great anti-war leaflets - one by W. Pitt!

[northzax]

3. Powell's Obviously

Powell's City of Books, Portland Oregon.

Second: Olsson's, Dupont Circle, Washington, DC.

on edit: third place: Midnight Special, Santa Monica, CA.

[Coffee Coyote]

11. Powell's - yes

The best indie ever.

[LynneSin]

4. Ninth Street Book Shop - Wilmington Delaware

And guess where they are located???!!! 110 W. Ninth Street (duh!)

The owners are wonderful people who know me by name and they have a nice Frequent Buyers club that doesn't cost to join and gives you a discount coupon based on your recent purchases (I still have a $4 one sitting on my desk at work). I love taking my lunch break to go visit the bookstore (which is a few blocks from where I live).

[Divernan]

6. Mystery Lovers' Bookstore, Oakmont, PA (suburb of Pittsburgh)

located on the main street at 514 Allegheny River Blvd.; phone: [phone]. They have a fantastic stock of British mystery writers, as well as American. And they sponsor lectures along with book-signings. I really enjoyed meeting P.D. James, and Colin Dexter (Inspector Morse series).

[FlashHarry]

7. Prairie Lights ••• Iowa City, IA

A great Midwestern indie bookstore, featured several times in the much-missed Bloom County comic strip. (Its author was an Iowa City resident for many years.)

[supernova]

8. The Regulator Bookshop, Durham NC

http://www.regbook.com/NASApp/store/IndexJsp

Always new books by new authors, major stop for those on the bestseller list, monthly book club, and a Durham landmark for many years. Within walking distance of Duke University.

[TheBigGuy]

25. The Regulator is pretty famous

even ive heard of it, and Ive never been to NC.

[eyesroll]

9. Schwartz Bookshops

There are a few Milwaukee-area locations, but they're family-owned.

Also, if you join their Schwartz Gives Back program, 1% of your purchases goes to a cause of your choice from a list (ranging from the ACLU to arts organizations to environmental groups). Mine goes to a literacy program, since, well, I'm buying books.

http://www.schwartzbooks.com/

[LynneSin]

10. Chester County Book & Music Company - WillPitt will be here July 16th

http://www.ccbmc.com/signings.htm

I've never been to this bookstore, but when Will is in Delaware (our Ninth Street Bookstore is too small for a booksigning), he will be at the CCBMC for a booksigning from 2-4pm on the afternoon of Wednesday, July 16th.

So we have to give a shoutout to this independent bookstore. Has anyone ever been here before??

http://www.ccbmc.com/main.htm

[kaybea]

33. Yes!

I live in Ches. Co. Haven't been to ccbmc in a couple of years but they had a wonderful inventory, stocked to the gills--towers of books piled on the floor and in the aisles. There also used to be a loud, wise-cracking bird in a big cage in the children's section. He might still be there.

Anyway, if you're looking for directions, the bookstore is located in the West Goshen shopping center, right off 202.

I'm a victim of the Bu$hed economy, so I won't be able to buy any new books in the foreseeable future.:-(

[newyawker99]

36. Hi kaybea!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[LynneSin]

42. You don't have to buy a book to come visit us

Will is free to come stop by and say Hello and mention you're a member of the DU.

He only charges if it's Matcom stopping by to mooch beer off of him.

[Loonman]

12. Diskovery

Brighton Ave, Allston, MA.

[DrGonzoLives]

13. There's a used books store

on the main street in Duluth, MN, that I visited once. It was great - books just kind of jumbled on shelves, old books, things smelled musty...exactly what a used books store is supposed to be. It was enormous, too, took up roughly the size of two shops.

[CBHagman]

14. Thanks for mentioning independent bookstores!

A big smooch to all of you for this action.

:loveya:

I've done part-time work for an independent bookstore for over a decade, and I try to shop in other independent bookstores when possible. My favorite newsstand/bookstore is currently the Newsroom and the International Language Center on Connecticut Avenue in Washington, D.C. It's near Dupont Circle.

And I still mourn the loss of Travel Books and Language Center, formerly of Bethesda, then of Tenleytown in the District.

[frylock]

15. san diego technical books..

sorry, but I'm a geek!!

[curse10]

16. Tattered Cover

www.tatteredcover.com

[leftofthedial]

18. Tattered Cover in Denver

is the best!

[Interrobang]

17. In London, ON...

City Lights, between King and York Sts. on Richmond St., east side
H. Sommers, between Queens and Central Aves. on Richmond St., east side (the only one which is not strictly second-hand books)
Attic Books, between Richmond and Clarence Sts. on Dundas Sts., north side (mostly antiquarian and rare)
G.A.'s Exchange, west of Ontario St. on Dundas St., south side

There are more, but those are the ones I usually go to. :)

[cmf]

19. The PNW has some awesome bookstores.

My favorites are:
Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle
Eagle Harbor Book Company in Bainbridge Island

and I've been known to make weekend trips to Portland centered around an afternoon at Powell's. It's that good.

[thebeaglehaslanded]

20. Chaucer's, Santa Barbara CA

[noonwitch]

21. The Book Beat in Oak Park, MI and Schuler's in Grand Rapids

When I first moved to Detroit (1987), Borders was just a local chain with 2 stores-Ann Arbor and Birmingham. It's still my primary bookstore.

[TheBigGuy]

22. can I vote for three?

Carmiechals Books (in Louisville)

Hawley Cooke (in Louisville)

Joseph-Beth (in Cincinnati and Lexington).

[TheBigGuy]

24. Seminary Co-Op Bookstore, up in Chicago

my all time favorite, but i dont get up there that often.

[iluvchicago86]

47. What part of...

the city is that in , and do they have some cool used books goin on?

[Philostopher]

40. I'll second Joseph-Beth

And raise you a Crazy Ladies Bookstore, also in Cincinnati.

Books & Co. in Kettering (south of Dayton) isn't too bad, either. They look like a Borders wannabe, but as far as I know, they're a standalone -- and they get great authors in for readings.

[Aristus]

23. The Bookmark, on South Hill, in Puyallup, Washington.

It's what good old bookstores are supposed to be. Musty, lots of dark woods. Stacks and stacks and STACKS of books in good condition, just waiting for you to give them a good new home. Love it.

[SOteric]

26. Twice Sold Tales and The Uncouth Buzzard

[BurtWorm]

27. Favorite NYC independents

The Corner Bookstore, on about 92nd and Madison. They love dogs (not that I have a dog). Great children's selection.

Book Court, on Court Street and about Pacific, in Brooklyn. Two floors. Great children's section. Lots of political books.

Coliseum Books, used to be on Broadway and 57th, then was forced to closed down. Now reopening on 42nd Street and 5th, across from NY Public Library. I'm so happy they've found a new space. They always had a great bargain book cellar.

Ivy's Books, on about 92nd and Broadway, next to and affiliated with Murder Ink. Not a huge selection, but very pleasant, and they order whatever you want if they don't have it. (This is the closest to my house.)

The Strand, 12th Street and Broadway, one of the most (deservedly) famous used bookstores in the world. Also a decent selection of new books and review copies, as well as rare and antiquarian books.

Labyrinth Books, 113th (I think) between Broadway and Amsterdam, looks like a hip little bookstore with lots of philosophy, arts, politics. Second floor is mind-blowing. They have one of the most complete fiction collections I've ever seen.

Bank Street Bookstore, about 113th and Broadway. Two floors of children's books!

And this is just the tip of the iceberg!

[Clete]

28. Nan's Pre-owned Books

in Grover Beach, California. Nan is also an active Democrat and President of our local Democrat's club. I don't know if Nan is a DU'er or not, but if she is...:hi:.

[KamaAina]

29. Native Books and Beautiful Things, Ward Warehouse, Honolulu

All things Hawaiian. Books in the Hawaiian language. Even keiki (kids') books in Hawaiian! Books about Hawai'i, its history and ecology. Maika'i (very fine) Native Hawaiian crafts, too.

[Kellanved]

30. Meichsner & Dennerlein

In Frankfurt;

Beutelsend (Bag End) in Berlin (Fantasy and SF only; broad selection of English books)

I somehow forgot the name of my favourite bookshop in Plymouth (shame on me)

[NightTrain]

31. Book Exchange, Plainville, Connecticut

Tons 'n' tons of books and magazines covering every subject under the sun, not to mention a big ol' section of used vinyl and CDs. Book Exchange rocks!

[maxanne]

32. White Birch Books

in North Conway, NH. :thumbsup:

They almost always have what I want - and if they don't they will cheerfully order it. They have good book discussion groups, and they give a 10% discount to locals and donate the 10% to the nonprofit of your choice.

[yorgatron]

34. LOGOS,santa cruz,ca.

with Book-Cafe capitola a close second.

[DemoTex]

37. Shakespeare, Beethoven & Company

Dallas, Tx.

[m_h_lovecraft]

38. Gulliver's in Fairbanks

Back in Austin, it would have been Book People.

[northofdenali]

39. Gulliver's! It's great - eclectic, a "used book" trade-in,

tons and tons of local stuff (including the crazy weekly magazine the Ester Republic) - if any of you folks are ever in Fairbanks, go to Gulliver's on College Road, buy something to read, then go to the little strip mall right next to it and have some College Pizza - with dessert at Hot Licks Homemade Icecream about 1/2 block in the other direction.

GO Gullivers!!

[DoYouEverWonder]

43. The Strand Bookstore in NYC

You can get lost in there for days and not even notice you were hungry. Plus they have an amazingly knowledgable staff who dispite the chaos can find almost anything you might be looking for.

[MountainLaurel]

44. In the DC area

I'll throw out these:

the Book Bank, a used bookstore in Old Town Alexandria

A Likely Story, a children's bookstore also in Old Town

[BurtWorm]

46. Don't forget Politics and Prose

[alaine]

45. Malaprops Bookstore and Cafe', Asheville, NC

Awesome and always has been, known for its huge selection of gay-themed books, tons of neat stuff going on all the time like signings, readings, poetry nights, music performed in the cafe', the atmosphere is excellent..

http://malaprops.com/

[starroute]

48. Farley's Bookshop, New Hope, PA

Right on the Delaware River. Small enough to be cozy, but with enough tall shelves and little side rooms to lose yourself in the labyrinth. And always full of cool books that you can't find at Border's.

[BrotherBuzz]

49. Bogey's Books Davis, California

New and used books mixed on the same shelves, the way it should be.

[mitchum]

50. XRay Cafe...Athens, Ga