While many people shop for books online these days, you can’t beat a good old bookstore. Luckily for Seattleites, our city has a host of amazing independent bookstores. Whether you want fiction, sci-fi, self-help books, or really any other genre, these stores have you covered.
Here are 8 of the best bookstores in Seattle for finding your perfect read.
Elliott Bay Bookstore
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Elliott Bay Books has it all, the store is huge with a prime location right in the middle of Capitol Hill. You can shop from books of all genres, pick up magazines, stationery, and more. The store also has some great spots to flip through books if you need more time to decide on your final picks.
Where: 1521 10th Ave
Hours: Daily 10 AM-10 PM
Open Books: A Poem Emporium
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Open Books has more than 10,000 new, used, and out-of-print poetry books. If you love poetry, this should be your first stop as it’s too unique and special to pass up!
Where: 108 Cherry Street
Hours: Wednesday-Saturday 12 PM-5 PM, Sunday 12 PM-4 PM
Estelita’s Library
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Estelita’s is a Black/Brown-owned bookstore with a focus on social justice. They’re both a library and bookstore and you can also enjoy shopping online. The space also acts as a community gathering space and is by far one of Seattle’s most multipurpose bookstores.
Where: 2533 16th Ave S
Hours: Wednesday-Saturday 1 PM-6 PM
Left Bank Books
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Left Bank is an oldie but a goodie, situated right at the mouth of Pike Place Market. Their collection is what we could call zany- lots of radical stuff. Along with that, they have nearly 70 sections that span the literary & scholarly spectrum. It’s the perfect bookstore to find unique titles on engaging and relevant topics.
Where: 92 Pike St # B
Hours: Monday-Saturday 10 AM-7 PM, Sunday 11 AM-6 PM
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Third Place Books
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Third Place is another general-interest bookstore with hundreds of thousands of new and used books between their three stores. It’s a great place to sell your read favorites, hang out, or grab a bite to eat at their cafe. What makes this bookstore even better is that they are truly about the community and host a ton of literary events! It’s locally loved and considered one of the best bookstores in Seattle, especially for those of you living to the north and east.
Where: Multiple locations
Hours: Varies by location
Arundel Books
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This bookstore is a gem located in Pioneer Square. They stock books for both casual readers and devoted collectors. You can expect books ranging from $4 paperbacks to leather bindings and rare first editions!
Where: 322 1st Avenue S
Hours: Daily 11 AM-7 PM
Ada’s Technical Books and Cafe
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Ada’s is located smack dab in the heart of Capitol Hill, it’s a coffee shop meets cafe. What makes Ada’s unique is that they believe in never-ending learning, evolving, and collaboration. AKA, you’re going to learn something new here! Go ahead, get your gears turning and feed that curiosity.
Where: 425 15th Avenue East
Hours: Daily 8 AM-8 PM
Twice Sold Tale’s
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If you’re looking for used books, Twice Sold Tales is a great choice. They have a sprawling selection of books with nearly every general interest represented. Plus they have some very sweet in-store cats that you can visit with while you shop and read.
Where: 1833 Harvard Ave
Hours: Daily 11 AM-8 PM
Happy reading!
