Book Stores & Codes Names
The weird part about living in a new town in a completely different part of the US is that I can never tell when something is different due to the larger culture, or just a specific anomaly. Case in point:
One of the things I’m really looking forward to about Seattle — one of the things that this town is legendary for — is the large number of independent bookstores here. Austin only has one that withstands the slings and arrows of time. Currently in Seattle I’ve only seen one that I know of: Kirkland’s Parkplace books.
Well, the time had come to go in. I needed something light and fluffy to read, so I stopped by. It’s a nice place — open and bright. It has used and new books together on the shelves, which surprised me, but I decided I liked it. The staff was helpful.
Then I saw that one of the sections was (tada!) “Light Reading.” Wow, just what I needed, and all together. How convenient! I went over and looked at the first shelf, and nothing really appealed. I looked at the next shelf, and … nope. I looked at the third shelf, and … I began to see a pattern.
“Light Reading” was their code name for the “Romance” section. I had to laugh. That’s a new one on me; I’ve never heard of that before. But then I thought — maybe that’s just because I’ve had a very limited experience with non-cookie-cutter, non-megamonster bookstores. Maybe it’s just this one store, or maybe alternative section names is common in independent bookstores?
The end result is: now I feel like I’ve really, truly been in a bookstore that wasn’t run through a corporate committee meeting before making a decision. Yay, Seattle.
You need to get yourself over to Elliott Bay Book Co. in Pioneer Square. Best bookstore evah.
Newsflash: Kirkland isn’t Seattle. And considering the eastside’s concentration of SUV-driving soccer moms and Mercedes-driving mall-hopping corporate concubines, I’m not surprised Parkplace has a large romance section.
You need to get over to Seattle. Every neighborhood of note has at least one interesting little bookstore. In addition to Elliot Bay (check out the cafe downstairs, and consider timing your visit to take in a reading) the Pioneer Square area is home to the Seattle Mystery Bookshop as well as several fascinating antiquarian bookstores (nothing like finding the first edition of a 19th century novel or memoir). Also Left Bank Books in the Market is worth a visit to fill out the hard-left and anarchist shelves in your library (or just read the slogans on the t-shirts and bumperstickers). (I’m not sure, but with the closing of The Longshoreman’s Daughter, Left Bank may be the last collective-run business in the city).
The U District is dominated by the University Bookstore, which tends to have a huge remainder section; being close to the U, the neighborhood is also naturally home to a bunch of used bookstores. Good area to look for old SF novels, as well as the usual complement of read-it-in-college-and-it-changed-my-life works from Hesse, Rand, and Marquez.
Capitol Hill has Baily/Coy (with Dilettantes next door for chocolate) and Twice Sold Tales (come in and pet the cats). Fremont has Fremont Place Books, which is where I found “The Street-Smart Naturalist” (it’s a tiny store but they choose everything with care, so it’s worth visiting), and it’s close to the Postcard Gelato shop in Lenin square. (Yes, food and books are mixed in my mind because almost any neighborhood that can support a great bookstore usually has unique and excellent food nearby).
Three Seattle-area bookstores have frequent readings and author apperances: Elliot Bay and the UW Bookstores, already mentioned, plus Third Place Books (it’s in Bothell, which is almost on the eastside, but there’s another, smaller branch in Ravena with a funky pub downstairs).
One other one I’d mention: Kinokuniya Bookstore (in Uwajimaya Village). Technically it’s part of a chain, but that chain is Japanese. So you’ll find a lot of books there you won’t find anywhere else outside asia (in English, as well as Chinese, Japanese, etc) as well as interesting gifts, paper, pens, etc you won’t find elsewhere. Plus, if you haven’t yet been to Uwajimaya you have to go just to wander through the vegtable and seafood areas. Unless you spent a lot of time in Asia, I guarantee you’ll see something you’ve never seen before.
I second Elliot Bay.
I third it. I’d move in there if they’d let me.
And then you need to take a field trip to Portland to visit the glory that is Powell’s Books!
A bit closer to home you’ll also find Third Place Books in Ravenna and in Lake City. There are small bookstores in most neighborhoods, like Ophelia’s Books in Fremont or Baily-Coy in Capitol Hill.
Well, okay, then. Elliot Bay is officially next on my indie bookstore visit list!
I’m always torn between Elliot Bay and the UW bookstore, myself.
I always leave Elliott Bay in a better mood than when I walked in.
I wrote quite a long post with a list of great bookstores, but it didn’t show up (it said it was pending approval or something, perhaps because I included several links). Did it get eaten by the ethernet gods? I don’t really want to write it again….
Elliot Bay Books and Ravenna Third Place Books. Check ‘em out.