If you are a fan of storybooks and looking for bookshops, we’ve compiled a list of 10 top independent bookstores in Alaska, which you can check out below.
1. Title Wave Books
Opened in 1991 in Anchorage, AK, Title Wave Books is not only the biggest bookstore in all of Alaska but also one of the largest used bookstores in the whole country. They buy, sell and trade books, movies, music, and video games every day of the week. While they don’t purchase hardback books, they do carry a variety of categories such as children’s, popular fiction, lifestyle, and hobby titles.
Events at Title Wave Books have something for everyone, with game nights, children’s story hours, and even a writer’s workshop on each week. Contact them to see how you can stop by and maybe trade in some of those books you’ve got gathering dust.
2. Homer Bookstore
If you find yourself in Homer, AK on the Kenai Peninsula, check out Homer Bookstore. Opened in 1974, the brick-and-mortar building has changed many times as the stock and reputation of the store has grown. Homer’s carries all the popular fiction and nonfiction titles of the big box stores, and you can even get your books shipped to your door if you can’t make it into the shop.
Events at Homer Bookstore are often focused on local authors and writers on local interest topics, with the option of purchasing signed editions of their books to take home. Contact them to find out when the next event is taking place and how you can check out their newest building!
3. Rainy Retreat Books
In downtown Juneau, AK, you’ll find the Rainy Retreat Books, opened in 1997 but owned by Tori Weaver and Alexei Painter since 2017. Rainy Retreat Books buys, sells, and trades nearly all sorts of books imaginable, with a special focus on local interest and authors. Books aren’t the only thing available; you can find new and used vinyl records in shop, as well.
Rainy Retreat hosts a variety of events any bibliophile or aspiring writer would be interested in: from author readings and book signings to open mic poetry nights and ‘First Friday’ writers’ workshops. Contact them to see how you can stop by next time you’re in Juneau.
4. Fireside Books
Fireside Books has been opened in Palmer, AK, since 2001, a thriving local bookshop in a small community of just over 5,000 people. While they offer thousands of books from any category you might be interested in reading, they specialize in local interest topics and books of the mystery genre.
A testament to the community spirit that both inhabits and supports this bookstore, events at Fireside Books revolves around supporting local authors and providing the Palmer residents with a space to meet and relax with a coffee and a book. Contact them for more information and when you can stop by to check them out.
5. Haines Bookstore
Amy Kane opened Haines Bookstore, located in downtown Haines, AK, in early 2020 to fill a void left by the closure of the last independent bookstore in the area: Moosterious Emporium. Haines carries mostly used fiction, curated from the local community, as well as non-book related items such as stationary, cards, and gifts.
Unfortunately, the 2020 opening of the shop has prevented Haines from establishing any events beyond local community events such as First Friday. Contact them via social media to host your own event or see what books they have in stock.
6. The Book Shelf
The Book Shelf, opened in 1991 in downtown Eagle River, AK, is the longest running independent bookshop in the area. Because of the small community and lack of bookstores around them, The Book Shelf operates as a mostly second-hand bookshop, buying and selling from the local residents. Bringing in your own secondhand books gives you discount on any books you wish to buy and keeps this small oasis of reading afloat.
The importance of this little shop can be seen in the numerous events put on each month; weekly book clubs, writers’ workshops, and author signings are always well attended by many from Eagle River and the surrounding area. Contact them via their social media to see what kinds of books they are willing to buy and how you can stop by to check them out.
7. Old Harbor Books
On the mainland across from Japonski Island in Sitku, AK is the small independent bookshop Old Harbor Books. Opened in 1976 by three local families, Old Harbor Books seeks to be the place for local book lovers to discover their new favorite authors and books.
Old Harbor Books is fiercely proud of their local authors and many of their events promote them and their recent publications. There’s even the nearby Back Door Café serving local coffee and treats to anybody who happens to wander into the bookshop. If you’re in Southeast Alaska, contact Old Harbor Books to see how you can stop by and check them out.
8. River City Books
Just north of Homer, in the town of Soldotna, AK, you’ll find River City Books, opened in 1999 by Peggy Mullen. River City Books caters to every book desire and, like many other independent bookshops in Alaska, celebrates local authors and the underrepresented writers of the area.
River City Books also prides itself on its large catalogue of author-related events, with book signings, author discussions, and book clubs happening nearly every week. Contact them online to stop by if you find yourself in the area.
9. Old Inlet Bookshop
Another independent bookshop you’ll find in Homer, AK, is Old Inlet Bookshop. Opened in 1997, Old Inlet Bookshop specializes in local interest and local authors, historical fiction and nonfiction, natural history, and children’s books. Because of the eclectic nature of the shop, there are signed editions, first editions, and other rare or out-of-print books on their shelves, mixed in with the other 20,000+ books, making a visit to this Homer mainstay like a treasure hunt in itself.
Old Inlet even has its own café, the Mermaid Café, serving up coffee, tea, and Thai food, if you’re hungry. Contact them for more information and to give them a visit next time you’re in the area.
10. Inkwell’s Bookshop
Located in Soldotna, AK, Inkwell’s Bookshop is the independent bookshop that sells more than just books. Their book collection is fairly extensive, covering everything from popular fiction and nonfiction to classics to vintage and rare titles. They also sell a range of Alaskana items, such as maps, local recipe books, and vintage newspapers and journals.
Inkwell’s Bookshop don’t really hold too many events, as their focus is on buying and selling quality used and almost-new books. Contact them to find out how you can sell your books or see if they have that special Alaskan text you’ve been looking for.