11 replies to this topic

[dodge]

Wanted: fun, useful information about the great bookstore(s) in your town. Take a moment. Share the news. Nobody who hopes to write can afford to knock the chains. But nobody who hopes to read dare knock the dear independents--whose U.S. numbers have gone down from thousands to about a thousand now (those stocking approx 100,000 titles.)

I'll start, with hopes my new friend jackanaples will soon join me.

Portland:
Powell's City of Books, imo, is easily one of the greatest bookstores in the world. One full city block containing 1 million titles. Used and new together on the shelves. The just in print side by side with lost beauties from other eras.

Charlotte
Still looking, one year later, for a simply smashing bookstore.

San Francisco
City Lights Bookstore in North Beach. Fascinating to think that the Beats used to go there to pick up their mail or give readings--thrilled to death if their new work sold a hundred copies.

[Bondian]

We have a large 'Waterstones' down here in Southend-On-Sea. My buddy Gordon fitted the shelves and the shop front. They have plenty of books, but haven't had the time to count them all. Some bastard buys one, then I have to start all over again.

Hope this is some use to you. If I have answered incorrectly, here's my Shrinks contact info;

Doctor Hfuhruhurr. (close)
202, Insane St.
London
W12 GH6

[DaveBond21]

There are plenty of Angus & Robertson bookstores in Sydney, but the best suburb for unusual book shops is Newtown, which is also the best place for restaurants, cafes, antique stores, "unusual shops" and bars.

[Scrambled Eggs]

Apart from a terrific second hand place there're no "great" bookshops in either my hometown or where I'm living. Not great days for independent bookshops.

When I was a student in Londinium I coudn't keep my feet from entering these two places whenever I was strolling down Charing Cross Road.:

Murder One

Crime and Thriller specıalısts. Basement full of reprinted little known classics from 30's-50's by names like Norbert davis and Cornell Wollich. Still pop in here whenever I'm in London.

Helter Skelter

Sadly no more. Was just off Charing Cross on Denmark Street. Rock and roll literature specıalıst. Ridiculous amount of stuff on Dylan and normally a fox working behind the till. Still exists as a publisher http://www.helterske...ontent.asp?id=4.

[Qwerty]

Sadly, no. I've made do in the past with a small, but always overflowing-with-books used store called The Bookworm and the typical chains, like Borders and Barnes & Noble.

I read about that Powell's City of Books store pretty recently though. Would love to just spend some time browsing in there.

[The Richmond Spy]

Does Half-Price Books count?

[dodge]

Does Half-Price Books count?

Absolutely. Any great bookstore counts, anywhere. I'd love to see this thread go on long enough to include names and addresses of fine bookstores not only in the U.S.

Requests? I'll be LA bound in January. Anyone know of a good bookstore there?

We have a large 'Waterstones' down here in Southend-On-Sea. My buddy Gordon fitted the shelves and the shop front. They have plenty of books, but haven't had the time to count them all. Some bastard buys one, then I have to start all over again.

Hope this is some use to you. If I have answered incorrectly, here's my Shrinks contact info;

Doctor Hfuhruhurr. (close)
202, Insane St.London
W12 GH6

My knowledge of London is somewhat limited. But this street sure does ring a bell. Is it anywhere near Malarkey?

[Aris007]

"Ιανός" (Janus)

It's the biggest bookshop in Greece and it has its main store in the second bigger city of my country, my city! It has a ig variety of books, but I'm not quite sure if they have James Bond novels.

P.S. Don't be fooled by the name!

[Mercator]

In the town of my alters, we have the buch shop Kimmerwinkel und Tolst. It has old front and old books but section for teh nieuw too. I have first seen my Fleming Bond books there.

[dodge]

LOS ANGELES
I'd forgotten the one store I visited on one horrible trip to L.A.. The shop was awesome, but the city was so cold and cruel I put the store out of mind.

Still, for those of you willing to brave jawdropping degradation from pairs of blonde bimbos on skates, I heartily recommend:

Dutton's Brentwood Books. I'll even include this quote from another site to show I now harbor no ill feelings toward the cursed City of Angles:

cute independent bookstore: it's a common observation that people don't read in l.a. and certainly there don't seem to be the wealth of great independent bookstores that you'll find in the bay area, but dutton's holds its own. it's divided into four buildings, including used and new books, non-fiction and literature, gifts like calendars and stationery, and some cds as well. it's a really fun place to browse, and i like the brentwood location: central, but still slightly off the beaten path.

source: http://local.yahoo.c...oks-los-angeles

[dodge]

Oh, well, before the thread dies a swift, natural death, here's a short list of Western U.S. indie stores you might want to visit while traveling.

The American West has always celebrated the independent spirit. Of the hundreds of indie book purveyors who put bland, big-box chains to shame, the following should make any bibliophile's bestseller list.

Powell's — Portland. Powell's flagship, the City of Books, offers more than a million new and used volumes, a city block's worth shelved side by side. (866) 201-7601, www.powells.com.

Tattered Cover — Denver. Hungry minds love the Tattered Cover in Cherry Creek as much for its fine, book-lined restaurant as for its four uncommonly elegant floors of new books. (800) 833-9327, www.tatteredcover.com.

Elliott Bay Book Company — Seattle. Cedar shelves in this superstore hold some 200,000 new and used books—and many handwritten staff suggestions. (800) 962-5311 or (206) 624-6600, www.elliottbaybook.com.

City Lights Bookstore — San Francisco. Locals are still soft on this landmark Beat generation store--publishing house. Founded in 1953 as the nation's first all-paperback bookstore, it has superlative poetry, philosophy, and progressive politics sections. (415) 362-8193, www.citylights.com.

Cody's Books — Berkeley, Calif. Cody's two locations inspire devotional loyalty among readers for the eclecticism of their collections and the erudition of their staff. (800) 479-7744, www.codysbooks.com.

Moe's Books — Berkeley, Calif. Moe's stocks 100,000-plus new and used books in a slightly scruffy, collegiate atmosphere perfectly suited to its location, four blocks from the UC-Berkeley campus. Collectors flock to the fourth-floor specialty art and antiquarian section. (510) 849-2087, www.moesbooks.com.

Next to Powell's in Portland, the Tattered Cover may turn out to be your greatest bookstore experience. Cheers.



source: http://viamagazine.c...ookstores02.asp

[Double-0-Seven]

I've got a Chapters in my city. It has an extremely large selection of books and magazines. I seem to always find what I'm looking for.