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5445 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia, PA
Whenever I visit a new bookshop, one of the most important things I look for is any unique angle, theme, or vibe that sets the store apart from any other. No one needs to look too hard for what makes Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee & Books unique. Aside from the damn good coffee, this shop is rife with personality and is one of the rare shops I’ve experienced that is dedicated to writers and books exploring the Black experience in America.
Read more223 Main Street, Hudson Falls, NY
Just up the street from the large traffic circle in the enter of Hudson Falls is a quaint little book shop that is anything but quaint and little once you walk inside the doors. Once inside, that deep aroma of old books, hardcover binding, and aged ink on the page will fill you with that excited eagerness that comes when you know you’re about to explore a bookshop with depth, history, and loads of hidden gems.
(Cover image borrowed from their Facebook page.)
Read more139 Main Street, Cooperstown, NY
Tucked against Blackbird Bay at the southern end of Otsego Lake is the little town everyone this side of the International Date Line equates with baseball, Cooperstown, NY. And amongst all the little downtown shops and cafes replete with signage dedicated to America’s pastime and the hall of fame, there’s a used and antiquarian bookstore called Willis Monie Books, and for what it might lack in flash and pizazz, it more than makes up for in quantity and quality.
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 more608 Main Street, Hobart, NY
WM H Adams was the last bookshop I explored during my trip to Hobart in the pandemic summer of 2020, but it was not at all the least of the shops I found there. The first impressing is like walking into a little slice of an ivy league library plucked out of Yale or Harvard and plunked down in a small town shop in the Catskills. The sets and collections were gorgeously bound and set the tone for a real throwback experience.
Read more81 Alden Street, Cherry Valley, NY
I first heard about the Cherry Valley Bookstore from some other bookshop hunting friends, and we found the tiny yellow house in the middle of the village with fresh snow adorning the little roof and the fireplace inside pumping warm air throughout the main room. The shop gave off a welcoming feeling after our chilly walk from the car, and even better, the stacks of books inside were full of surprises.
Read more678 E Main Street, Hobart, NY
Liberty Rock Books is located in the heart of Hobart, a town in the western Catskills that features a number of bookshops. As does this building, which had signage for a few shops out front, not all of which seemed evident inside. But I’m sure the store has evolved over the years. There’s certain space enough inside for a couple, and what I did find inside kept me browsing for quite a while: a meticulously organized collection with loads of art, music, fiction, history and more.
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.
Read more295 Hamilton St, Albany, NY
A couple years back I wrote that Dove & Hudson, one of my favorite bookshops, was the only used bookshop in the city of Albany. I couldn’t have been more wrong, and it’s a shame I overlooked Urban Aftermath because this shop packs a mighty wallop and is one of the most interesting and unique bookshops in all of upstate New York.
Read more29 Tinker Street, Woodstock, NY
Woodstock might seem like it’s a quiet rural community, but in the summer and fall months it becomes a touristy hot-spot, especially in the Hudson Valley’s beautiful leaf-peeping season. And tucked away in the middle of busy cafes, music shops, antiquarians, and souvenir stores you’ll find a small literary oasis called the Golden Notebook. It may not have the size of other bookstores, but it has heart and an excellent selection of topical nonfiction, new releases, and counter-culture necessities.
Read more607 Main Street, Hobart, NY
Every bookshop has a unique angle that sets it apart. Some focus on the regional or local aspects of their town, some are housed in rustic barns, others highlight dramatic playwrights and the theater. Creative Corner Books in Hobart has two such unique angles: one I was able to explore during my visit, and one I will be eager to investigate once their sister shop next door is open and ready for book hunters.
Read more49 Exchange St, Portland, ME
Sherman’s Maine Coast Bookshop in Portland is one of a chain of bookstores located in towns and cities throughout the region, and this particular location is in the heart of the city’s Old Port neighborhood, surrounded by coffee shops, amazing restaurants, and trendy boutiques. I already visited other Sherman’s Bookshops and I hoped this one would stand up to the excellent reputation it earned elsewhere. Answer: yes, yes it does, as I discovered on a cool summer morning with a coffee in hand and a mask on my face.
Read more115 W Green Street Lower, Ithaca, NY
It was a bright Saturday morning in downtown Ithaca when I opened my phone and typed what I usually do when I pass through any given town or city: “Bookstores Near Me” Ithaca, being a bright, vibrant college town, they had numerous options. The one I chose for this trip is a tucked away shop that not only surprised but delighted. Odyssey Bookstore may be on the small side but it makes up for it with gorgeous displays and back-lit bookshelves full of new and dynamic offerings.
Read more698 Main Street, Hobart, NY
Hobart has taken on almost mythical qualities in the bookshop hunting and bookworm circles I know. I have heard tales of the little village tucked away in the western Catskills for years now, stories of streets full of bookshops, and the shop listings I found online seem to vary depending on the source. Are there only four or five shops? Seven or more? Even after my trip I can’t quite tell, but I can say this: there are a surprising number of bookshops in Hobart, and the shops cover a wide range of literary needs. Each one has something special and unique to set it apart, and Blenheim Hill Books was one of my favorites, probably because it reminded me of a couple other shops I love.
Read more2710 Route 9, Hudson, NY (according to Google, but it’s really in Livingston, NY)
Finding this shop was as much of an adventure as exploring it, but once you’re there you’ll find shacks and barns and outbuildings full of books, art, and music, with plenty of rare and one-of-a-kind gems tucked into the eclectic mix. Keep an eye out for the signs though, as I passed it by twice in my search. But as soon as I parked on the grass I thought, “Goldmine!”
Read more61 Route 296 & South Street, Windham, NY
Up in the Catskill Mountains tucked in among the ski resorts, hiking trails, and panoramic overlooks you’ll find Briars & Brambles Books in a small unassuming plaza in Windham. It may seem tucked away, but inside there’s plenty of personality, not to mention enough bestselling titles, new releases, and games to satisfy any bookworm or ski bum needing a break from the slopes.
Read more48 Broadway, Tivoli, NY
I found this shop tucked away in the quiet village of Tivoli, maybe a twenty minute drive south of Hudson, NY, and when I say this shop was a pleasure to browse, I truly mean it. Half Moon has a sister shop over in Saugerties, and while that one is bustling and busy, this one has an art gallery vibe to it, the kind of bookshop equally suited to hosting an exhibition as often as a reading. But the most important aspects, the books and diversity, are still great draws no matter the space.
Read more5 East Market Street, Red Hook, NY
Just a few doors down from the main intersection in Red Hook, a village near Bard College, you’ll find a small yet jam-packed bookshop that has much more depth and diversity than you may expect from a casual glance through the window. And within moments of walking in and browsing I began finding items I wanted to bring home.
Read more6422 Montgomery Street, Rhinebeck, NY
Located just a block or so north of Rhinebeck’s vibrant little downtown strip is a red brick building that is home to a much larger bookshop than I expected at first glance. Not only does Oblong have an impressive selection of new books, but they hit a lot of the key traits that I think makes up a perfect bookshop.
Read more574 W Main Street, Cobleskill, NY
I love a secondhand bookshop that gets clever and playful with their organization methods, even if “organization” is a loose term for the shopkeeper, and Catnap Books plays into that loose and delightful brand of messily-organized very well. Among the piles and stacks of books on the floor, tables, shelves, and displays, you’ll see signs for Occult and Sexuality one over the other, or “Beat/Off Beat Lit and Poetry…Overflow on Floor,” and every corner of the shop had a little something unique like that that made me smile and made me happy we trekked out in the cold of winter to find this shop.
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