Bookstores of the Northwest

Hi, I'm Adam. I teach English at Whitman College. I'm an avid reader and book collector, and for the past few years I've been seeking out every bookstore I could find. Here's some of what I've found.

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When you’re feeling science-d out at Ada’s, why not head over to Quest for some New Age? 717 Broadway E, Seattle WA 98102.

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Ada’s Technical Books is another Seattle gem, geared toward books about math and science. It’s a beautiful space and has a cafe too. Don’t let the techy focus scare you off. It’s a lovely spot. 425 15th Ave E, Seattle, WA 98112.  

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I had mixed feelings about this one. But if nothing else, Amazon Books, the internet behemoth’s brick and mortar experiment, is interesting. All the books are facing out, meaning their selection is small. And the logic of their stock follows the same algorithms of their online sales: popularity, bestsellers, and user-generated rankings. But it’s a pleasant browsing experience. And when you’re done, you can browse University Village and see UW undergrads having awkward meals with their parents. 4601 26th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105. 

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A block away from Elliott Bay Books you’ll find one of Seattle’s quirkier used bookstores. Even as a bookstore fanatic, I’d passed it countless times without knowing it was there. It’s actually two bookstores--Horizon Books and Recollection Used Books--and the two booksellers share a cavernous underground space. The hours are sporadic and shifting, and you need to wander down a shady ramp to get there, but it’s worth it. When you walk through the door into a basement stacked to the ceiling with books, you feel like you’ve found a secret. 1423 10th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122.

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Third Place Book is perhaps my favorite bookstore in Seattle. (Sorry Elliott Bay!) They have a few locations and have a well-curated mix of new and used books. It’s one of those places where you can find the book you’re looking for in both a new softcover and a pretty used hardcover edition. There’s also a cafe and a bar. It’s worth separate trips to both the Ravenna (6504 20th Ave NE) and Seward Park locations (5041 Wilson Ave S). 

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Ophelia’s Books in Fremont. 3504 Fremont Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103. 

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Fantagraphics Bookstore and Gallery. 1201 S Vale St, Seattle, WA 98108. An amazing store for graphic novels of all sorts. Well worth a trip down to Georgetown. While you’re there, shop for some records in the adjoining record store. 

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Amidst the teeming tourists of Pike’s Place, there are four bookstores within a stone’s throw of one another: Left Bank Books (great for counter-cultural and activist literature); Lamplight Books; BLMF Literary Saloon; and Lion Heart Bookstore. 

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Kinokuniya Books (525 S Weller St., Seattle, WA) is connected to the incredible Uwajimaya Supermarket, a Seattle institution located in the heart of the International District. Plan on checking both out. Where else can you get a live eel and and the latest Japanese manga in one stop? 

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Twice Sold Tales (1833 Harvard Ave, Seattle, WA, 98122). Tucked away a block off of Broadway, this Capitol Hill bookstore has one of the best used fiction sections I’ve come across as well as a laid back cat that eyes you as you browse. They also have a daily “happy hour” beginning at 6 PM during which all books are 25% off. 

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Open Books: A Poem Emporium. 2414 N 45th St, Seattle, WA. One of my favorites: a charming, small bookstore in Wallingford dedicated to poetry. A rare breed and one of the best of its kind that I’ve come across. 

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Pioneer Place, Seattle. Quite the little book district. Stops included Arundel Books, Globe Books, Revolution Books, and Elm Coffee--all within a few blocks of one another.

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