To label us “Book Lovers” would be an understatement. We love to scour, hunt, and bury ourselves in local bookstores, no matter what city we’re in. We love the smell of rich ink, the feel of thick paper and fabric-bound covers. Below is a list of some of our favorite independent bookstores. Don’t be surprised if you find us buried behind a teetering stack!
192 Books – New York, NY
Seamlessly nested within the Chelsea Gallery neighborhood. Filled with beautifully selected art books, cook books, and children’s books. Also hosts to art exhibitions, readings, signings, and discussions.
Actual Source – Provo, UT
Part design studio, part publisher, part book seller. All things art and design related including limited edition objects, clothing, and collaborations.
Arcana Books – Los Angeles, CA
New, out of print, and rare books on photography/art/fashion/design/architecture/film/music/food in a dreamy setting.
Arundel Books – Seattle, WA
“Real books for real people since 1984.” Gorgeous setting filled with floor-to-ceiling new, used, and local treasures.
Booklarder – Seattle, WA
A dream come true for any home cook meets book lover. All books, magazines, print materials that are food related. Regularly host chef talks and book launches.
Book/Shop – Oakland, CA
Aside from the hand-selected books on rotation, this bright and cheery space is designed for book lovers. Featuring limited edition, vintage, and rare books along with carefully curated book-related objects.
Casa Bosques – Mexico City, Mexico
A feast for the eyes and the literary lover! Stunning setting paired with all creative titles.
Hennessey + Ingalls – Los Angeles, CA
New and used. The long and dreamy rows are packed FULL of hidden gems on the lower shelves. Perfectly located in the Arts District. Also check out the SCI-Arc Art Supply Store and Artbook while you’re in the neighborhood.
Monograph Bookwerks – Portland, OR
In addition to a beautiful collection of art, design, and architecture focused books, they also have a lovely and ecclectic selection of art objects and vintage curios.
Paper Hound – Vancouver, BC
The quaint and curated shelves are highlighted with hand-written labels and are filled with eccentric treasures new and old.
“Some people like to read on a screen.
Other people need the variety and the artistry, the sight,
smell, and feel of actual books.
They love seeing them on their shelves; they love
having shelves for them.
They love taking them along when they leave the house
and stacking them by their bedsides.
They love finding old letters and bookmarks in them.
They like remembering where they bought them
or who they received them from.
They are allergic to cheap bestsellers; they delight in
the out-of-the-way and the rare, the well-made and the
hard-to-accomplish.
They take care of their books, they hesitate to crack spines.
They want to read in a way that offers a rich experience,
more than the words only: the full offering of a book.
They are particular about covers, they want to surround
themselves with the poetry of good design.
They can’t pass a bookstore without going in and getting
something, they keep a library card and use it.
These are the people we’re working for.”
-BOOK/SHOP
