List of independent bookstores in the United States

Last updated

This is a list of independent bookstores in the United States, both current and defunct, which have had physical ("brick-and-mortar") locations. For bookstores with at least 4 locations, see list of bookstore chains.

Contents

Bart's Books in Ojai Bart's books.JPG
Bart's Books in Ojai
Booksmith, San Francisco Booksmith in June 2011.jpg
Booksmith, San Francisco
The Last Bookstore, Los Angeles The Last Bookstore (19270292680).jpg
The Last Bookstore, Los Angeles
Kramers (bookstore) Kramerbooks.jpg
Kramers (bookstore)
Harvard Book Store, Cambridge Harvard Book Store 1.jpg
Harvard Book Store, Cambridge
Bluestockings in Manhattan Bluestockings (142607424).jpg
Bluestockings in Manhattan
The Mysterious Bookshop, Manhattan The Mysterious Bookshop.jpg
The Mysterious Bookshop, Manhattan

Current

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
NameStateLocation(s)Type
Grassrootz Bookstore Flag of Arizona.svg  Arizona Phoenix African-American
Larry Edmunds Bookshop Flag of California.svg  California Los Angeles
The Last Bookstore Flag of California.svg  California Los Angeles
Tia Chucha's Centro Cultural Flag of California.svg  California Los Angeles
Kepler's Books Flag of California.svg  California Menlo Park
Bart's Books Flag of California.svg  California Ojai
Vroman's Bookstore Flag of California.svg  California Pasadena
Libélula Books & Co. Flag of California.svg  California San Diego
Mysterious Galaxy Flag of California.svg  California San Diego and Redondo Beach
Warwick's Flag of California.svg  California San Diego
Booksmith Flag of California.svg  California San Francisco
Borderlands Books Flag of California.svg  California San Francisco
Bound Together Anarchist Collective Bookstore Flag of California.svg  California San Francisco Anarchist
City Lights Bookstore Flag of California.svg  California San Francisco
Green Apple Books & Music Flag of California.svg  California San Francisco
Marcus Books Flag of California.svg  California San Francisco (2 locations)
Book Soup Flag of California.svg  California West Hollywood
Circus of Books Flag of California.svg  California West Hollywood LGBT
Mile High Comics Flag of Colorado.svg  Colorado Denver
Bloodroot Flag of Connecticut.svg  Connecticut Bridgeport Feminist
R.J. Julia Booksellers Flag of Connecticut.svg  Connecticut Madison
JF Books Flag of Washington, D.C.svg  District of Columbia
Kramers (bookstore) Flag of Washington, D.C.svg  District of Columbia
MahoganyBooks Flag of Washington, D.C.svg  District of Columbia
Politics and Prose Flag of Washington, D.C.svg  District of Columbia (3 locations)
For Keeps (bookstore) Flag of Georgia (U.S. state).svg Georgia Atlanta
Charis Books & More Flag of Georgia (U.S. state).svg Georgia Decatur Feminist
Quimby's Bookstore Flag of Illinois.svg  Illinois Chicago
Seminary Co-op Flag of Illinois.svg  Illinois Chicago
Unabridged Bookstore Flag of Illinois.svg  Illinois Chicago LGBT
Women & Children First Flag of Illinois.svg  Illinois Chicago LGBT/Feminist
Prairie Lights Flag of Iowa.svg  Iowa Iowa City
ACME Comics & Collectibles Flag of Iowa.svg  Iowa Sioux City
Rainy Day Books Flag of Kansas.svg  Kansas Fairway
Eighth Day Books Flag of Kansas.svg  Kansas Wichita
Joseph-Beth Booksellers Flag of Kentucky.svg  Kentucky Lexington
Weiser Antiquarian Books Flag of Maine.svg  Maine York
Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse Flag of Maryland.svg  Maryland Baltimore Anarchist
Lucy Parsons Center Flag of Massachusetts.svg  Massachusetts Boston Anarchist
Grolier Poetry Bookshop Flag of Massachusetts.svg  Massachusetts Cambridge
Harvard Book Store Flag of Massachusetts.svg  Massachusetts Cambridge
The Bookmill Flag of Massachusetts.svg  Massachusetts Montague
The Odyssey Bookshop Flag of Massachusetts.svg  Massachusetts South Hadley
That's Entertainment Flag of Massachusetts.svg  Massachusetts Worcester
John K. King Books Flag of Michigan.svg  Michigan Detroit
Birchbark Books Flag of Minnesota.svg  Minnesota Minneapolis
DreamHaven Books Flag of Minnesota.svg  Minnesota Minneapolis Sci-fi, fantasy, and horror
Mayday Books Flag of Minnesota.svg  Minnesota Minneapolis
Moon Palace Books Flag of Minnesota.svg  Minnesota Minneapolis
Mager's & Quinn Flag of Minnesota.svg  Minnesota Minneapolis
Black Garnet Books Flag of Minnesota.svg  Minnesota Saint Paul African-American
SubText: a Bookstore Flag of Minnesota.svg  Minnesota Saint Paul
Square Books Flag of Mississippi.svg  Mississippi Oxford
Left Bank Books Flag of Missouri.svg  Missouri St. Louis
Montana Valley Book Store Flag of Montana.svg  Montana Alberton
Gambler's Book Shop Flag of Nevada.svg  Nevada Las Vegas
The Writer's Block Flag of Nevada.svg  Nevada Las Vegas
The Lit. Bar Flag of New York.svg  New York The Bronx
Book Thug Nation Flag of New York.svg  New York Brooklyn
Books Are Magic Flag of New York.svg  New York Brooklyn (2 locations)
Community Bookstore Flag of New York.svg  New York Brooklyn
Greenlight Bookstore Flag of New York.svg  New York Brooklyn
PowerHouse Books Flag of New York.svg  New York Brooklyn
Spoonbill & Sugartown Books Flag of New York.svg  New York Brooklyn
Troubled Sleep Flag of New York.svg  New York Brooklyn
Unnameable Books Flag of New York.svg  New York Brooklyn
Argosy Book Store Flag of New York.svg  New York Manhattan
Albertine Books Flag of New York.svg  New York Manhattan
Bluestockings Flag of New York.svg  New York Manhattan Feminist
Books of Wonder Flag of New York.svg  New York Manhattan
Housing Works Bookstore Cafe Flag of New York.svg  New York Manhattan
Left Bank Books Flag of New York.svg  New York Manhattan
McNally Jackson Flag of New York.svg  New York Manhattan/Brooklyn (5 locations)
The Mysterious Bookshop Flag of New York.svg  New York Manhattan
Printed Matter, Inc Flag of New York.svg  New York Manhattan
Rizzoli Bookstore Flag of New York.svg  New York Manhattan
Strand Bookstore Flag of New York.svg  New York Manhattan
Womanbooks Flag of New York.svg  New York Manhattan Feminist
Yu & Me Books Flag of New York.svg  New York Manhattan
Astoria Bookshop Flag of New York.svg  New York Queens
Firestorm Cafe & Books Flag of North Carolina.svg  North Carolina Asheville Anarchist/LGBT
Internationalist Books Flag of North Carolina.svg  North Carolina Chapel Hill
The Book Loft of German Village Flag of Ohio.svg  Ohio Columbus
Two Dollar Radio Headquarters Flag of Ohio.svg  Ohio Columbus
The Duck Store Flag of Oregon.svg  Oregon Eugene
Powell's Books Flag of Oregon.svg  Oregon Portland
Rose City Book Pub Flag of Oregon.svg  Oregon Portland
Moravian Book Shop Flag of Pennsylvania.svg  Pennsylvania Bethlehem
Baldwin's Book Barn Flag of Pennsylvania.svg  Pennsylvania Philadelphia
Giovanni's Room Bookstore Flag of Pennsylvania.svg  Pennsylvania Philadelphia LGBT
Hakim's Bookstore Flag of Pennsylvania.svg  Pennsylvania Philadelphia African-American
Wooden Shoe Books and Records Flag of Pennsylvania.svg  Pennsylvania Philadelphia Anarchist
City Books Flag of Pennsylvania.svg  Pennsylvania Pittsburgh
Otto Bookstore Flag of Pennsylvania.svg  Pennsylvania Williamsport
Hub City Bookshop Flag of South Carolina.svg  South Carolina Spartanburg
BookPeople Flag of Texas.svg  Texas Austin
Pariyatti Flag of Washington.svg  Washington Onalaska
Chin Music Press Flag of Washington.svg  Washington Seattle
Elliott Bay Book Company Flag of Washington.svg  Washington Seattle
Fuel Coffee & Books Flag of Washington.svg  Washington Seattle (3 locations)
Third Place Books Flag of Washington.svg  Washington Seattle (3 locations)
Left Bank Books Flag of Washington.svg  Washington Seattle Anarchist
Queen Anne Book Company Flag of Washington.svg  Washington Seattle
University Book Store Flag of Washington.svg  Washington Seattle
Taylor Books Flag of West Virginia.svg  West Virginia Charleston
A Room of One's Own Flag of Wisconsin.svg  Wisconsin Madison LGBT/Feminist
Renaissance Books Flag of Wisconsin.svg  Wisconsin Milwaukee
Woodland Pattern Book Center Flag of Wisconsin.svg  Wisconsin Milwaukee

Historical

The following is a list of independent bookstores which no longer sell books at brick-and-mortar stores but did in the past.

NameStateCityYears activeType
Acres of Books Flag of California.svg  California Long Beach 1934–2008
Bodhi Tree Bookstore Flag of California.svg  California Los Angeles (eventually West Hollywood)1970–2011
The Book Shop Flag of California.svg  California Hayward ?–2017
A Change of Hobbit Flag of California.svg  California Southern California [1] [2] 1972–1991 Sci-fi, fantasy, and horror
Cody's Books Flag of California.svg  California Berkeley 1956–2008
Comics and Comix Flag of California.svg  California Berkeley 1972–2004
Computer Literacy Bookshops Flag of California.svg  California Sunnyvale 1983–2000
Daliel's Bookstore Flag of California.svg  California Berkeley1945–1952
Dawson's Book Shop Flag of California.svg  California Los Angeles1905–?
Dutton's Books Flag of California.svg  California Valley Village (Los Angeles) and Burbank 1960–2006
Eso Won Books Flag of California.svg  California Los Angeles1988–2022 African-American
Fahrenheit 451 Books Flag of California.svg  California Laguna Beach 1968–1994
A Different Light Flag of California.svg  California Silver Lake (Los Angeles) and The Castro (San Francisco) 1979–2011 LGBT
John Cole's Book Shop Flag of California.svg  California La Jolla (San Diego) 1946–2005
Lobal Orning Flag of California.svg  California Topanga 2003–2008
Midnight Special Bookstore Flag of California.svg  California Santa Monica 1970–2004
Old Wives Tales Flag of California.svg  California San Francisco1976–1995 Feminist
The Other Change of Hobbit Flag of California.svg  California Berkeley [3] later in El Cerrito (now mail-order only)1977–2014 Sci-fi, fantasy, and horror
Printers Inc. Bookstore Flag of California.svg  California Palo Alto 1978–2001
A Woman's Place Flag of California.svg  California Oakland1970–1989 Feminist
Brian MacKenzie Infoshop Flag of Washington, D.C.svg  District of Columbia 2003–2008
Lambda Rising Flag of Washington, D.C.svg  District of Columbia 1974–2010 LGBT
Teaching for Change Bookstore Flag of Washington, D.C.svg  District of Columbia  ?-2015
Washington Bookshop Flag of Washington, D.C.svg  District of Columbia 1938–1950
World Bank Infoshop Flag of Washington, D.C.svg  District of Columbia 1996–2016
Haslam's Bookstore Flag of Florida.svg  Florida St. Petersburg 1933–2020
Open Books & Records Flag of Florida.svg  Florida Miami Beach 1979–1994
Kroch's and Brentano's Flag of Illinois.svg  Illinois Chicago 1954–1995
New World Resource Center Flag of Illinois.svg  Illinois Chicago?
Prairie Avenue Bookshop Flag of Illinois.svg  Illinois Chicago?–2009
Better World Books Flag of Indiana.svg  Indiana Goshen and Mishawaka 2002–2019
Boxcar Books Flag of Indiana.svg  Indiana Bloomington 2001–2017
Iron Rail Book Collective Flag of Louisiana.svg  Louisiana New Orleans 2003–2014 Anarchist
Greetings & Readings Flag of Maryland.svg  Maryland Hunt Valley 1969–2019
Victor Kamkin Bookstore Flag of Maryland.svg  Maryland Rockville 1953–2002
Globe Corner Bookstore Flag of Massachusetts.svg  Massachusetts Cambridge 1982–2010
New Words Bookstore Flag of Massachusetts.svg  Massachusetts Cambridge1974–2008
Schoenhof's Foreign Books Flag of Massachusetts.svg  Massachusetts Cambridge 1856–2017
Marwil Bookstore Flag of Michigan.svg  Michigan Detroit 1948–2013
Amazon Bookstore Cooperative Flag of Minnesota.svg  Minnesota Minneapolis 1970–2012 LGBT/Feminist
Common Good Books Flag of Minnesota.svg  Minnesota Saint Paul 2006–2019
Coliseum Books Flag of New York.svg  New York Manhattan1974–2007
Community Bookstore Flag of New York.svg  New York Cobble Hill, Brooklyn1974–2016
A Different Light Flag of New York.svg  New York Manhattan1979–2011 LGBT
Forbidden Planet Flag of New York.svg  New York Manhattan Sci-fi, fantasy, and horror
Gotham Book Mart Flag of New York.svg  New York Manhattan1920–2007
J. Levine Books and Judaica Flag of New York.svg  New York Manhattan1905–2019
Librairie de France Flag of New York.svg  New York Manhattan1935–2009
Nkiru Books Flag of New York.svg  New York Brooklyn1976–?
Oscar Wilde Bookshop Flag of New York.svg  New York Manhattan1967–2009 LGBT
Pomander Book Shop Flag of New York.svg  New York Manhattan 1975–1990s
St. Mark's Bookshop Flag of New York.svg  New York Manhattan1977–2016
The Wooster Book Company Flag of Ohio.svg  Ohio Wooster 1992–2017
Cameron's Books and Magazines Flag of Oregon.svg  Oregon Portland 1938–2021
In Other Words Women's Books and Resources Flag of Oregon.svg  Oregon Portland 1993–2018 Feminist
Leary's Book Store Flag of Pennsylvania.svg  Pennsylvania Philadelphia1836–1969
Beauty and the Book Flag of Texas.svg  Texas Jefferson ?

See also

References

  1. ↑ Duke Helfand, "For Science Fiction Fans, Old Habit Dies Hard : Change of Hobbit Devotees Are Already Mourning Bookstore Demise", Los Angeles Times , Feb. 10, 1991.
  2. ↑ Sherry Gottlieb, "Escape Velocity: A History of A Change of Hobbit Bookstore".
  3. ↑ Bullock, Ken (August 10, 2010). "The Other Change of Hobbit is Living in South Berkeley". The Berkeley Daily Planet.
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