Seattle is a town of nerds, and it’s no wonder that we have a plethora of fantastic bookstores. Here are a few of my favorites:
Best reading space: Elliott Bay Books
Elliott Bay, located in the heart of Capitol Hill, is perfectly positioned for a post-brunch peruse or a spot to browse before you go out on the Hill for the night, but it’s also worth stopping in to the basement for their readings. Big-name authors regularly drop by on book tour, and the reading space is somehow both spacious and cozy.
The most Seattle: Couth Buzzard
The Couth feels like you walked into a cool arty friend’s living room. In a city that’s increasingly besieged by a minimalist light-wood-and-brushed-steel interior design, the Couth has old Seattle charm with zero frills: concrete floors, no-nonsense wood bookshelves, and solid coffee at the cafe. They also sell local art, and have a gathering space in the back with board game nights, open mics, book clubs, and fiber arts meet-ups.
Best bathroom: Charlie’s Books
Come for the queer books, stay for the bathroom. Yes, the bathroom — Charlie’s is located in an impeccably decorated, charming one-story Fremont home that screams queer joy, and its crown jewel is the f bathroom, complete with flamingo and palm tree wallpaper. And after you go, you can pick up a hat that says “I pissed in Seattle’s most beautiful bookstore bathroom.”
The anarchist collective: Left Bank Books
Located in Pike Place Market, Left Bank has been running since 1973 and is collectively owned and operated by its workers. Its selection elevates writers from marginalized communities and you’ll find a variety of local zines as well as books published by Left Bank’s publishing arm. The collective is also the sponsor of Books to Prisoners, a program that mails books to people who are incarcerated.
Best place to sell your books: Third Place Books
Girl math says that if you make money selling your old books and you use that money to buy new ones, you got them for free. Third Place will let you make an appointment at any of its three locations to bring in your used books, and while you wait for them to review your haul and make you an offer for in-store credit, you can browse around or get yourself a sweet treat at the cafe.
