If you are a bibliophile like me, then you are always looking for a new spot to buy books, and isn’t it a plus when that bookstore is beautiful from the inside out? Beacon Hill Books is the perfect marriage of literature and aesthetic and is one of the best indie bookstores in Boston. Situated in the historic neighborhood of Beacon Hill, walking up Charles street to the brownstone storefront feels like falling into another time, with brick faced buildings and Gaslamp lights, it just puts you in the mood for a good book.
The bookstore itself is a remodeled brownstone with five floors. The first-floor houses non-fiction books as well as the checkout counter. As you travel up the spiral staircase to the second floor, you will arrive at the fiction section. In the center of the room there is a long table laid out with new fiction releases, on the walls are shelves of various genres of novels including romance, thrillers, and fantasy. At both ends of the room there are two lovely window seats perfect for curling up with a good novel. There are also two smaller rooms on the second floor, where one is dedicated to interior design books, and the other is for cookbooks.
The third floor of the shop is the most magical. The third floor contains children’s books and young adult books. The children’s section is straight out of a fairy tale complete with a large wooden doll house and a vintage train set that encircles the room. The young adult section is housed in a separate room with wall-to-wall bookshelves; it feels like a mini library with a beautiful bay window facing out onto the iconic Charles street.
If that wasn’t enough to convince you to visit this amazing shop, then hopefully the promise of yummy food will persuade you! The ground floor of Beacon Hill Books is a café, with amazing coffee and delicious treats to enjoy. Complete with indoor and outdoor seating they offer breakfast, lunch and dinner and their menu changes seasonally.
I hope this inspires you to spend an afternoon roaming around this beautiful bookstore. I know that I enjoyed my trip there last weekend, and left with three new books: Foul Hearts Huntsman by Chloe Gong, Immortal Longings also by Chloe Gong, and The Wake-Up Call by Beth O’Leary.