Local bookstores are everywhere, but in today’s day in age with Amazon’s empire, it’s hard for them to stay in business. While some stores have an online presence, for consumers, nothing compares to the speed and convenience of online shopping and free 2-day shipping. However, the locals are the ones who care most about you, which is why, while you are going home or visiting family around the United States, you should take a few minutes to pop in and buy a book at one of these local treasures.
In this article, you will find bookstores located in the Mid-West! Looking for a different region? Find them here:
Illinois
Lit. on Fire Used Books, Peoria
This used book store features used books in a variety of different genres. The owner’s goal is to use the bookstore to reconnect the community and reduce environmental impact.
Semicolon Books, Chicago
Born out of an issue opening another store, Semicolon Books is a comfortable spot to go and relax. The owner hopes that the atmosphere makes you feel comforted and loved no matter where you are in the store.
City Lit Books, Chicago
Cit Lit Books is all about building up a community around the written word. They understand that a good book can change your life, and they hope that you can find that book with them in their store. Make sure to stop by and take a look around on your next trip to the Windy City.
After-Words New and Used Books, Chicago
This two-floor new and used book store is dedicated to helping you find what you are looking for. The store has over 70,000 different titles, so make sure to stop in the next time you are looking for a book!
Jane Addams Books, Champaign
Jane Addams Books is the perfect place to scope out your next read. With three floors of books, you are bound to find something that suits you––even if it is out-of-print!
Indiana
The Bookshelf of Batesville, Batesville
This full service bookstore offers a variety of new and used titles for fairly low prices! If they don’t have the book you are looking for, they are happy to do a special order and have it shipped overnight to you, so you get it as soon as possible!
Viewpoint Books, Columbus
Viewpoint Books was opened in 1973, and has been serving the Columbus community ever since! They even offer special discounts to non-profit organizations that visit their store.
Indy Reads Books, Indianapolis
This bookstore is the source of revenue for the non-profit, Indy Reads, an organization that aids to promote and improve the literacy rates of adults in Central Indiana. Every purchase made here helps them help others in the community.
White Rabbit, Muncie
White Rabbit used books in Muncie is dedicated to having a wide variety of books in every genre. Stop in to find your next great adventure infiction, nonfiction, manga, and many many more genres.
Iowa
Beaverdale Books, Des Moines
This bookstore hosts a multitude of events for the community, so if you are looking for something to do while you’re here, you should check out one of their events! In the meantime, you can also stop into the store and browse their book collection!
The Haunted Bookshop, Iowa City
The Haunted Bookshop has been thriving in their location for the past 36 years, with plenty of comfy chairs to go around. Check out their selection of over 45,000 titles in 70+ sections, or just stop by to say hello to their two furry friends Nierme (who likes to be scratched behind the ears and loves giving tours) and Écaille Echo (more quiet than one might imagine and is affectionately known by aliases: Poilu, Ghost, or OhHeckCatYouScaredMe).
Michigan
Literati Bookstore, Ann Arbor
This bookstore is proud to be from Ann Arbor—so much so that almost everything in their store is repurposed or created within the city limits. Their bookshelves came from the Ann Arbor Borders No. 1 location, and their bookmarks were designed by local designer Alisa Bobzien.
Pages Bookshop, Detroit
This is a general interest bookstore that loves to sell fiction and nonfiction. They host a variety of author events, and their goal is to connect readers with writers and stories that suit them.
Totem Books, Flint
This bookstore is focused on sharing the best used books around in addition to their new titles. Not only that, but the store also has a vast selection of Vinyls to browse through for music lovers.
Minnesota
The Village Bookstore, Grand Rapids
The Village Bookstore specializes in a wide range of Minnesota-related titles and works. In addition to these titles, you can also find lots of current best-sellers in both children’s and adult’s literature.
Birchbark Books & Native Arts, Minneapolis
Here you’ll be greeted with a big Boozhoo (Ojibwe for Hello!)! This store specializes in the promotion and celebration of Native American Literature and cultures. They pride themselves on lovingly choosing their books for their patrons, so make sure to stop by the next time you are in Minneapolis!
Driftless Books, Wabasha
This bookstore has occasional live music alongside their selection of books. They also love to highlight local artists’ work in their store as they feel it complements the classic literature that they sell.
Missouri
River Reader Books, Lexington
Complete with a sitting area and top-notch coffee bar, this bookstore is the perfect place to go and hang out for an afternoon. Browse their selection of books all within a building built in 1886.
Bookmarx, Springfield
This bookstore is dedicated to the sale of children’s, science fiction, contemporary, and postmodernism fiction among other genres. You may even run into a furry friend (Squash and Googey) while you’re here!
Left Bank Books, St. Louis
Left Bank Books was opened in 1969 and offers a full lineup of new and used books. While you’re there, make sure to say hello to Spike, the resident feline with a love of books and sleeping on the special order desk.
Nebraska
The Book Worm, Omaha
This bookstore was opened in 1986 and has been providing the region with a broad range of topics since they opened, even through a few location changes. Their staff loves selling the books, and they know all about every book they sell, so if you can’t find something, ask them for help!
The Plains Trading Company Booksellers, Valentine
This bookstore specializes in regional history and fiction and has been since they opened in 1992. This store also has a large selection of books about the Lakota people, if you are interested in learning about the Native cultures that are located in this region of the United States.
North Dakota
Zandbroz Variety, Fargo
This self-proclaimed “antidote to a Walmart world” sells a little bit of everything. They opened their doors in 1988 and sell books alongside other goodies. They are proud to still own two locations (one––the original––in South Dakota as well) since they started selling books and coffee before Barnes and Noble and Starbucks, and they are still kicking.
Main Street Books, Minot
Main Street Books puts kindness before everything else, since out of all the things that matter, being nice matters the most. They have a wide selection of both used and new books for you to look through, and their staff is friendly and always willing to help out if you need it.
Ohio
Buckeye Bookshop, Akron
This bookstore has a giant catalog, complete with 40,000 titles and, in addition, another 9,000 mass market paperback books. They have been open since 1988, and though all of their books are used, most of them are in like new condition.
Blue Manatee Literacy Project, Cincinnati
Aiming to foster the enthusiasm for reading from young ages, Blue Manatee Literacy Project provide books to young readers. In addition to their massive children’s section, they have some select adult titles as well!
Visible Voice Books, Cleveland
Visible Voice Books gives a home to all the books that are marginalized for commercial concerns. This bookstore believes in quality over quantity, and their selection is always changing. Feel free to get lost in the wonder, or ask for a specific book you are looking for.
South Dakota
RAW Books, Yankton
This bookstore has a collection of over 25,000 titles for you to look through, so take you time and enjoy the search. They also make sure to have homemade soaps and board games available for purchase as well!
Bird Cage Book Store and Mercantile, Rapid City
This bookstore is Native American owned and operated. They specialize in Native American books, specifically of tribes from the Northern Plains. They are affiliated with Word Carrier Trading Post.
Wisconsin
The Peninsula Bookman, Fish Creek
The Peninsula Bookman has a selection of general interest titles in a variety of different genres in addition to their books dedicated specifically to the region. They also have a selection of out-of-print books that you might be looking to add to your collection!
Lion’s Mouth Bookstore, Green Bay
At Lion’s Mouth, you are encouraged to get lost in the shelves and discover books you didn’t know you wanted. They offer a wide selection and love when people come in to discuss books.
Mystery to Me Bookstore, Maidson
With a growing section of region and local author’s, this mystery dedicate shop is ready to share all of their titles with you! If you are not a big fan of mystery, there is a small section titled “Something Other Than Mystery” for you to browse.
While this list of books is pretty extensive, this list doesn’t even begin to cover the local bookstores found in these cities, states, or around the country. Please take the time to support your local bookstore, because they may not be there much longer if you don’t. Most of the bookstores (if not already common knowledge) in this article were located through NewPages’ Guide to Independent Bookstores. For more information about bookstores closer to you and not highlighted here, please feel free to reference Newpages’ website.