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Curling up with a good book and a warm beverage is one of our favorite ways to while away the hours on a cold night. And of course books make great gifts! As we approach peak holiday shopping season and Small Business Saturday on November 26, we are excited to share our favorite independent bookstores in the DMV. Whether you are looking for a perfect read or a place to gather and meet new people, there are great choices throughout our area. Happy reading!
WASHINGTON, DC
Photo courtesy of: Bridge Street Books
Bold Fork Books
3064 Mt Pleasant St NW, Washington, DC 20009
Bold Fork Books is a culinary bookshop located in Washington DC’s Mt. Pleasant neighborhood.
Bridge Street Books
2814 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
Founded in 1980, Bridge Street Books stocks a wide selection of trade, university, and small press publications. Come check out well-curated fiction, poetry, philosophy, history, politics, and art.
Busboys and Poets
2004 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE, Washington, DC 20020
Busboys and Poets is a restaurant, bar, bookstore and community gathering place. First established in 2005 by Andy Shallal, Busboys and Poets now has 9 locations throughout the DC and Baltimore areas.
Capitol Hill Books
657 C Street SE, Washington, DC 20003
Capitol Hill Books is a used bookstore located on historic Capitol Hill in Washington DC, with three floors of quality used books, first editions, and rare books.
East City Bookshop
645 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Unit 100, Washington DC 20003
Since opening on April 30, 2016, East City Bookshop has become a gathering place for book lovers of all ages. It’s a place to talk about books and ideas, to learn something new, or to revisit something you once knew well.
Kramers
1517 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036
Kramers commitment is to provide patrons with access to the best books and delicious food. They also stage hundreds of book-related events each year, both in the store and elsewhere.
Loyalty Bookstore
Inside Willow on Upshur 843, Upshur St NW, Washington, DC 20011
Loyalty was founded by Hannah Oliver Depp, who has spent her career working to diversify the book industry to better serve all communities.
Politics & Prose
5015 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008
As a premier cultural hub, Politics & Prose does more than just sell books. They offer a range of programs including classes on various literary topics and 18 in-house book groups.
Potter’s House
1658 Columbia Rd NW, Washington, DC 20009
The Potter’s House is a nonprofit café, bookstore, and event space in the Adams Morgan neighborhood. Since opening in 1960, they have been a key place for deeper conversation, creative expression, and community transformation.
Sankofa Video, Books & Cafe
2714 Georgia Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001
Sankofa offers a wide selection of books, films, and programming particularly generated by and about people of African descent including the largest collection of African-American and diasporic children’s literature in DC.
Solid State Books
600F H St NE, Washington, DC 20002
Solid State Books is a full-service general interest bookstore with a deep and diverse selection of fiction and non-fiction titles, as well as gifts curated to appeal to customers of all ages.
VIRGINIA
Photo courtesy of: Old Town Books
One More Page Books
2200 N Westmoreland Street #101 Arlington, VA 22213
Right on the border of Arlington & Falls Church, you can escape to different worlds through the books offered at One More Page Books. There is so much to learn with each book you pick up.
Old Town Books
130 S Royal Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
Old Town Books is a general interest local bookshop in the heart of historic Old Town Alexandria. They’re passionate about building a bookish community and offer book clubs and author events!
Hooray For Books
1555 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
Hooray for Books! is an independently-owned bookstore located in Old Town Alexandria. Founded in 2008, they are a specialty children’s bookstore that has expanded to include adult and YA sections, plus games, puzzle, and more.
Harambee Books & Artworks
1132 Prince Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314
Harambee Books & Artworks, is an independent bookstore with a wide selection of best-selling books, exclusive artworks, and fashionable apparels. They also provide educational resources, reading programs, and community-based events to improve literacy skills and foster parental engagement.
Bards Alley Bookshop
110 Church Street NW, Vienna, VA 22180
Jennifer Morrow opened this small independent bookstore to create a space where individuals young and old can gather to exchange ideas, receive personalized book recommendations, and discover new titles and local authors.
Reston’s Used Book Shop
1623 Washington Plaza North Lake Anne, Reston, VA 20190
Founded in 1978, the shop has been expanded to include a literary living room for readers of all ages.
Scrawl Books
11911 Freedom Drive, Reston, VA 20190
Scrawl Books offers a thoughtful and relevant selection of new books for children, teens, and adults where people can browse, gather, and explore new ideas. They support local literacy efforts and freedom of speech, and strive to reflect and contribute to the diversity of the surrounding area.
McKay Used Books
8345 Sudley Rd, Manassas, VA 20109
Since 1983, McKay has bought, sold, and traded books with customers throughout the northern Virginia area.
Bespoke Books and Archives
7 E Market St Suite 101, Leesburg, VA 20176
Bespoke Books and Archives is an author- and woman-owned hybrid bookstore located in historic downtown Leesburg. They offer a curated selection of new, vintage and antiquarian books, bookish gifts, ephemera, manuscripts, and historical documents.
Birch Tree Bookstore
26 N King St, Leesburg, VA 20175
Your next great read awaits at this cozy, independent bookstore that supports nonprofits, schools, and readers of all ages!
MARYLAND
Photo courtesy of: Curious Iguana
Kensington Row Bookshop
3786 Howard Ave, Kensington, MD 20895
Lots of books to choose from! Most are used, many are new, some are old, and a few are collectible.
Second Story Books
12160 Parklawn Dr, Rockville, MD 20852
Second Story Books is one of the largest used and rare bookstores in the world with physical stores in Dupont Circle and this Rockville Warehouse store with 16,000 square feet.
Curious Iguana
12 North Market St, Frederick, MD 21701
Since opening in September 2013, Curious Iguana has become a popular literary hub for locals and tourists alike. Their globally diverse collection, extensive community partnerships, and vibrant events calendar reflect the Iguana’s mission, “Get To Know Your World.”
Charm City Books
782 Washington Blvd, Baltimore, MD 21230
Charm City Books is an independent, family owned bookstore and community gathering space located in historic Pigtown. They offer new books and locally made crafts as well as classes, workshops, and a wide range of events for the community and by the community.
The Book Escape
925 S Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21230
The Book Escape has over 40,000 books in storage in addition to everything that is on their shelves. All books in storage are searchable through their website here.
Second Edition Books
6490-H Dobbin Rd, Columbia, MD 21045
Second Edition Books always seeks the most interesting and popular books, DVDs, CDs, and vinyl. They have special sales frequently, and always offer some of their inventory for just $1.
The Last Word
8600 Foundry St, Savage, MD 20763
The Last Word is an independent bookstore that offers new and used books, stationery, literary gifts, and small helpings of wit.
Old Fox Books
35 Maryland Ave, Annapolis, MD 21401
Old Fox Books & Coffeehouse is where stories live, friends meet, and excellent coffee is served. They believe in the power of stories to inform our humanity and in the value of a third place, where unrelated people relate in healthy public life.
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