What is or was your favorite book shop like?

Tattered Cover in Denver – the original one, not the one downtown.

Four floors of books – chairs everywhere, kid-friendly, and they had everything and anything. A true book lovers paradise.

(not sure if they are still in business)

My favorite book shop is filled with comic books.

I never got to experience the hallowed bookshops of yore, unfortunately. I only became an avid reader in college and by then, bookstores were already dying. That said, there are some options left, and most of them are used book stores. I suppose I do prefer used book stores, not just for the lower prices, but the wider variety. There’s one used book store around here that’s filled to the ceiling with books, very cramped (if I were a claustrophobe, I might not like it), but in fact I could spend all day there. I also know a couple places that sell both records and books (I also collect records), so a store like that is my idea of heaven.

My favorite was in a basement level in a downtown area where you had to go down a flight of stairs to get into it. Warm, cozy, intimate, tons of books used and new, with overstuffed chairs scattered throughout. Lighting wasn’t really optimal but it added to the general ambience.

I also remember one in New Orleans, a hole in the wall with floor to ceiling bookshelves along both walls and the back, the sales desk in the back and shelves all around the windows and doors in the front. Every available space had a shelf and they were packed with books. All used books, some quite aged. About at podium level each bookshelf unit was equipped with a pull out shelf that dropped into a reading position.

Where I live now there are only two surviving, a rather cold and impersonal Barnes & Noble and a pine shelved ½ price books that is half paperbacks. The latter having the better prices but less of a selection. You can occasionally find a book of interest in ½ price however.

Old, musty, dusty. Any book shop with these qualities is my favorite. Funny, was just thinking of visiting for the first time this book shop in Capitol Hill. : )

Btw, I would love to own a book shop and ask a few employees to dress up as Dracula or Jane Eyre. lol

I love the one in the movie You’ve Got Mail. I would hang out in that one if we had one around here.

I mean, we have a library with staff for that.

Cody’s Books.

First time going to college and being away from home meant that could spend as many hours as I please. Can’t count the number of times I went in during the day and stumbling out hours later to the cool night air.

There are a couple of musty book shops here, but I like Barnes & Noble with their Starbucks best.