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2 Center Street, Rutland, VT
I went to college in Bennington, Vermont, and even back then my image of the landscape between Bennington and Burlington up in the north contained only quaint villages, forested hollows, and ski resorts. In truth there are a number of interesting bastions of literary interest in between, including Rutland.
Read more14 Church Street, Burlington, VT
Crow Bookshop is located in the heart of Burlington’s Church Street Marketplace, a vibrant, bustling street closed to vehicle traffic filled with shops and restaurants, and lots and lots of tourists. It was high summer during my visit, which meant street performers, music, and a kaleidoscope of food smells emanating from every block, but when I saw the silhouetted sign for Crow Bookshop, it all disappeared. I wanted nothing more than to explore and browse. Mask on and notebook in hand, I went inside.
Read more191 Bank Street, Burlington, VT
Phoenix Books is located one block from Burlington’s Church Street, a bustling downtown commercial center with the feel of an outdoor mall except filled with a mix of indie shops and major retailers. Among the many lively, unique shops is Phoenix, a spectacular bookstore filled with bestsellers, bargain books, art supplies, and something creative and literary for any browser.
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Poet and rhyme-master extraordinaire Daniel Sennis has a funny and scathing new collection out called O Conman! My Conman! Sick Rhymes for Sick Times that is perfect for this fraught and befuddling year, and I asked him to share his favorite bookshop with me. I wasn’t surprised by his pick because it’s one of my favorites too.
Favorite Bookstore: Northshire Bookstore (Saratoga Spring, New York and Manchester, Vermont)
1. How did you discover the shop, and what did you enjoy about your first experience there?
My extended family would often visit Manchester when we had family up from New Jersey. Northshire was the best part of the trip for me. The shop was a wonder. A completely different experience than the little corporate chains in the mall we usually frequented. There was so much to see. Multiple rooms, all spacious, with delightful novelty items spread throughout. At the end, we’d always get something at the cafe.
In 2013, I was about to move back to Saratoga from New Paltz when I discovered that both Northshire was opening a new location in Saratoga and that Northshire offers self-publishing services. Since I wanted to self-publish a book of humor, I was incredibly excited that I could do so while supporting a business I loved (and having my book in a bookstore I loved). I published my second book with Shires Press this year!
2. Does the shop have a particular vibe, theme, or atmosphere that stands out?
Grandiose may be too grandiose a term, but, something like that. There’s a lot—bookwise and otherwise, to empty your wallet.
3. What books have you bought there in the past?
It’s hard for me to remember all of the books I’ve purchased at Northshire. Some recent purchases are The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo, Ani Difranco’s memoir No Walls and the Recurring Dream, and Let’s Pretend this Never Happened by Jenny Lawson.
4. Is there a specific part of the shop you run to first, a section that really makes the place unique?
When my son is along, we go straight to the kid’s section, which is the whole upstairs floor. He loves it, though he is mostly enamored by toys at this point. When I can sneak away, I check out YA upstairs and then go down to the first floor and check out the front tables with new releases and bargain books. Then I’ll hit politics and fiction.
35 West Main Street, Wilmington, VT
I never imaged I’d find myself standing in a yurt full of books tucked behind the row of shops on Main Street when I started out for Wilmington, but that’s sure where I ended up. It wasn’t the only surprise of the day, either, and I’m glad I made it back after skipping this used shop when I was last in town to review Bartleby’s Books. If only for the drive out, Wilmington has certainly proven to be a cute destination spot for bookhunters and antique shoppers alike.
Read more25 Elliot Street, Brattleboro, VT
This shop bills itself as “Everybody’s Bookshop – For Social Justice and the Earth,” and that should tell you everything you need to know about its unique take on bookselling and the role it plays in the Brattleboro community. More than any other shop in the southern Vermont area, Everybody’s Bookshop has made a name for itself as a progressive, enlightened, and open-minded bastion for those interested in the literary, political, and philanthropic aspects of life.
Read more119 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT
I previously reviewed a bookshop with a similar name in Johnstown, NY, but this one out in southeastern Vermont seems to be its own entity, and it had some cool little tricks up its sleeves. Unlike the Johnstown shop, this one actually focuses exclusively on mystery, crime, and noir titles. And being located right in the heart of downtown Brattleboro, surrounded by a plethora of cafes and shops, you can easily work this store into an adventurous afternoon of browsing.
Read more36 Elliot Street, Brattleboro, VT
One of the things that makes downtown Brattleboro such a fun place for a weekend road trip is they have 3-4 bookshops all within about two blocks of each other, and the best one for quality used books is Brattleboro Books. It looks quaint and old-fashioned on the outside, with a dark wood exterior, a lamppost, and antique-looking signage—perhaps something out of a Harry Potter village or a colonial-era downtown—but inside the shop is chock full of all the new, old, and quality goods you’d hope for in a used book shop.
Read more17 West Main Street, Wilmington, VT
Wilmington could be any anonymous crossroad town on a long road trip, but I assure you, it isn’t. Where that one small village exactly halfway to your destination might usually have a gas station, a diner, a mechanic, a traffic light flashing yellow, and then a cluster of homes, Wilmington seems to be an exception to that rule. Situated exactly halfway between Bennington and Brattleboro in Vermont, and serving as the entryway to such ski resorts as Mt. Snow and Stratton, Wilmington is probably a lot of people’s favorite little town, bustling with galleries, antique stores, cafes, restaurants, little hotels, and of course, a couple bookshops.
Read more109 South Street, Bennington, VT
*Updated in July 2021
The Bennington Bookshop recently moved to a new location right off the main four corners intersection in the heart of Bennington, and I recently returned to update this review with new photos and details of the new spot. My first impression? It’s a bright, organized, and welcoming store with much more space, restrooms (always a plus in a bookshop for those long browsing sessions), and a much larger selection of books. Just like their last location, it feels like a miniature indie version of a Barnes & Noble, in that it features all new books and hits all the major categories and styles. But it has just enough local flavor to make it unique to this particular town and region, too. Plus, it’s close to a handful of cafes and restaurants I really enjoy, so it’s always a must whenever I pass through Bennington.
Read more4869 Main Street, Manchester Center, VT
This place is a long-time favorite, a standard bearer for what a great bookshop should be. This branch (they have two) is located in the town of Manchester, Vermont, surrounded by forests, beautiful mountains, long sweeping farm valleys, and outlet shops scattered throughout the area. It’s a trek from where I currently live (Albany, NY) but it’s definitely worth the drive whether you’re looking for new or used books, because they have both in abundance.
Read moreRoute 7 Hoosick, NY
Okay, hold up. I’ve driven past the sign for this shop hundreds of times in my life. It sits at a busy intersection outside Hoosick, on Route 7 between Troy, NY to Bennington, VT, right across the street from the incredible Big Moose Deli. But I always figured the weather-beaten sign for Dog Ears Books was for a tiny little shop in some country stable, the outdated books yellowing in the summer sun, hardly worth the time to stop. I couldn’t have been more wrong. This place is a treasure trove, and you have to put it on your “Must Visit” list as soon as you can!
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