Five Specialty Bookstores in Seattle
Seattle's a city of readers, and they love their books; here are five specialty bookstores in Seattle that can supply Rain City's idiosyncratic reading habits. With all of this, as well as the many chains and independent bookstores in Seattle, any reader should be able to satisfy their bookish itch. And if they can't find what they want, there's always Amazon, whose business offices Seattle hosts.
Kinokuniya Book Store
Located inside spacious Asian grocery store Uwajimaya, Kinokuniya's inventoy is mainly in Japanese, including books, magazines, and manga. A section devoted to students of the language holds study guides, flash cards, and language textbooks. Due to importing costs, Japanese language items can get expensive, but it's the best source of such materials in the area.
Left Bank Books Collective
A stone's throw from the bronze pig in Pike Place Market, Left Banks specializes in political material tending towards the anarchistic. Plenty of independent presses and small zines are represented in the inventory. Collectively owned and operated by the people who work in it, the store has been around for over thirty years.
Open Books Seattle
A Poem Emporium: Poetry, poetry and more poetry is what Open Books carries, stocking broadsheets and magazines along with its volumes. Ashberry to Zagajewski, if it's poetry, it can probably be found here. Frequent readings will delight those who love the spoken word.
Seattle Mystery Bookshop
Cozy mysteries to high-tech thrillers, this store specializes in whodunits, detective stories, suspense, spies, and high crime. Frequent book signings make it a good place to find something signed by a favorite author.
University Book Store
While it carries a wide range, this is often the best place to find technical material and textbooks. Check out its science fiction section, too, which has the best selection of speculative fiction in the area. The bookstore can also supply any need for University of Washington branded merchandise.
Posted on Apr 22, 2011 by Cat Rambo
