During quarantine, many people have quenched their thirst for travel by immersing themselves in different fictional universes. People are finally getting back into books! But the bookworm experience is incomplete without the wonderful feeling of perusing shelves upon shelves of different stories in a bookstore. So, I would like to share a few narrative excerpts about my three favorite stores (so far). And if you read until the end I’ve included a (long) list of all the bookstores I want to visit in the future :)
3. The Santa Cruz Bookshop | Santa Cruz, California
Located in quirky downtown Santa Cruz, this bookshop holds all the charm of a small-town business. The tall glass doors open directly to a row of tables covered in new arrivals. The first section to the left consists of all kinds of fiction. Every book I pick up gets added to my to be read list because the selection is just that good. If you continue towards the middle of the shop you’ll walk by art books, cookbooks, many children’s books, and a whole section dedicated to travel books from all the countries you can think of. I’ve been here often and spent some hours flipping through the pages of all types of genres. I tend to walk immediately to the science fiction section nestled all the way in the back corner. Two rows of shelves filled to the brim with universes I’ve never heard about. And my favorite part is the used book boxes sprinkled throughout the store. Piles of inexpensive books are my heaven. On top of that the workers are super nice and always give great recommendations! I found this bookshop while visiting Santa Cruz before college and it lit up my day. Now, I stop by if I’m early for work or anytime I’m downtown. Website: https://www.bookshopsantacruz.com/
2. The Last Bookstore | Los Angeles, California
Located in Downtown Los Angeles this bookstore is a heaven on earth. It almost feels more like a museum than a bookstore. On the bottom floor it may look normal, but if you explore just a little, your mind will be blown. First of all, the shelves are mixed with new, used, and even collectible editions of all the books you can think of. If you like thrifting this is the perfect place for you because there are gems hidden everywhere. If you can peel your eyes away from the books, look up and you may find some cool art installations on the top of the shelves or hanging from the high ceilings. Once you’ve walked around the large room you will find a small staircase towards the back corner. It is decorated with fun abstract art and quotes are painted on the steps. The upstairs is cozier, as soft light bathes the books in warmth. A few armchairs are sprinkled around to pause and read a few pages of a book you found nearby. If you venture forward you will find an arch, made out of books (this is where all the selfies are taken)! There are probably other hidden wonders that I didn’t see last time I went, so I highly suggest you visit once it is safe to do so. Website: https://www.shopthelastbookstore.com/
1. The Abbey Bookshop | Paris, France
(This is my all-time favorite bookstore and most of these books are in English!)
A few summers ago I was in Paris exploring the winding streets of the Quartier Latin when I came across this vintage bookstore. I opened the door and a soft bell rang. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Books were everywhere; from floor to ceiling shelves were filled with volumes upon volumes of any book I could ever imagine. I could barely walk through the aisles because more books were stacked haphazardly on every available surface. I walked farther into the winding maze of stories, unable to speak. I felt transported, I forgot about the rest of my day and only wanted to look through as many books as I could put my hands on. The farther I explored, the softer the sunlight from the window became. The sound of the bustling tourists outside faded to a serene quiet, only the soft voice of the bookkeeper could be heard. This feeling of wonder engulfed me, the sheer amount of words surrounding me at that moment was incredible. Not only did each book tell a story but they each had their own history. Where had these books come from? Who had read them before? Had this book been passed down for generations? Was this someone’s all-time favorite? I picked up a random book from the top of a pile and flipped through the pages. The ancient musty smell wafted from it and I could only wonder how many eyes had read these words.
I was only able to stay for about 10 minutes because I had a play to go to, but it was one of the most magical 10 minutes of my life. I haven’t had the chance to go back but I often find myself thinking about the feeling this bookshop emanated; something resonated with me there. Website: https://www.abbeybookshop.org/
Future Bookstore/Libraries to visit:
Note: these are not in order of importance, I want to visit them all! The list of places I want to visit (both real and fictional) keeps growing. Bookstores are some of my favorite places to go to and if you haven’t really enjoyed one yet I hope these little excerpts inspired you.
Europe:
~Livraria Lello, Porto, Portugal
~Abbey Library of Saint Gall, St. Gallen, Switzerland
~Stuttgart City Library, Stuttgart, Germany
~Biblioteca do Convento de Mafra in Mafra, Portugal
~Klementinum National Library in Prague, Czech Republic
~Admont Abbey Library in Admont, Austria
~The Library of El Escorial in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain
~Bodleian Library in Oxford, UK
~Austrian National Library in Vienna, Austria
~Wiblingen Monastery Library in Ulm, Germany
~Trinity College Library in Ireland, Dublin
~Bibliothèque nationale de France in Paris, France
~Libreria Acqua Alta, Venice, Italy
~The Open Door Bookshop, Rome, Italy
Australia:
~State Library of South Australia in Adelaide, Australia
Asia:
~Tianjin Binhai Library, Tianjin, China
~Starfield Library in Seoul, South Korea
~Beitou Public Library in Taipei, Taiwan
~Rampur Raza Library in Rampur, India
Central and South America:
~Royal Portuguese Reading Room, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
~Biblioteca Vasconcelos in Mexico City, Mexico
~Cafebreria El Pendulo, Mexico City, Mexico
~El Ateneo Grand Splendid, Buenos Aires, Argentina
North America:
~VillageWell Bookstore and Coffee, Culver City, California
~Library of Parliament, Ottawa, Canada
~George Peabody Library, Baltimore, USA
~The Stephen A. Schwarzman Building of the New York Public Library
~The Morgan Library & Museum in New York, New York, United States