The Most Aesthetic Bookstores I've Visited
Eye candy for bookworms! You can practically smell the books, like Rory Gilmore, right through your screen.
Hi Friday night readers,
Here I’ve collected all my notes to date about my aesthetic bookstore visits for your swooning.
Note that this post is best viewed in a web browser or on the Substack app, so you can scroll through the image carousels.
Also note that as I visit more aesthetic bookstores, I’ll update this post. Bookmark it so you can return to it later!
The Most Aesthetic Bookstores I’ve Visited (In Alphabetical Order)
Baldwin’s Book Barn, West Chester, Pennsylvania
In the Philadelphia suburbs, you’ll find five floors of 300,000+ unique discoveries at Baldwin’s Book Barn, built in 1822. Beyond books, there are also rare artifacts, like art, maps, and antiques, to stumble upon in cozy nooks and crannies.
This is the kind of place in which you want to spend a rainy day.
Blue Bicycle Books, Charleston, South Carolina
The colorful Blue Bicycle Books store is on one end of King Street, featuring multiple rainbow-themed book displays (and bikes, of course).
They carry a lot of rare used books, which are fun to see, as well as books by local authors, spanning nonfiction like cookbooks to the best fiction about Charleston to enjoy.
Beyond events, they host YALLFest, an annual young adult book festival that draws dozens of YA authors and thousands of readers each November.
Books & Books, Key West, Florida
Books & Books is special for several reasons: not only is it an independent bookstore, but it’s also a nonprofit bookstore! And, it’s owned by the iconic children’s author, Judy Blume. You’ll find lots of banned books in stock there, as well as an art room!
Book Hounds, St. Michaels, Maryland
Book Hounds is a hidden gem in a small American town, where you can stay at the hotel where Wedding Crashers was filmed. Its color-driven design feels fresh and cozy simultaneously, with a different themed room around every corner.
They pride themselves on their bookish matchmaking capabilities.
Buxton Books, Charleston, South Carolina
Located near the start of King Street's popular shopping, Buxton Books opened in 2016. It’s a small store offering a selection of bestsellers, classics, and Charleston-themed books. Their black-and-white floor gets me every time!
They also host events and tours, including ghost tours and tours about Black Charleston history.
Edgartown Books, Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts
Edgartown Books is a two-story shop with stairs and bookish paintings that give it so much charm. They carry new books as well as an exceptional selection of fiction and non-fiction local books.
It also has a cafe! Behind the Bookstore is located — you guessed it — behind the bookstore and offers a coffee shop, cocktails (at the aptly named Hemingway Bar), and fresh food (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) under the trees and a canopied tent. It’s always bustling.
Faulkner Books, New Orleans, Louisiana
Tucked in a small alley just off Jackson Square is the small and intimate bookstore Faulkner House Books. I saw lots of rare editions and relics of and about Faulkner there.
Its name comes from the fact that Faulkner once lived in the historic building (and wrote his first novel, Soldiers’ Pay, there).
Oxford Exchange, Tampa, Florida
My top pick, named one of the 150 most beautiful bookstores in the world.
Oxford Exchange is one of my favorite places to visit, and I’ve been lucky enough to go several times. Always bustling, it’s not just a bookstore, but also a restaurant, gift shop, coffee shop, cafe, candle-making shop, coworking space, event venue, and even a champagne bar. Yes, you read that right!
While the bookstore section is small, its “reading rainbows” created by its beveled glass windows get me every time.
If you want to eat there, I highly recommend booking a reservation in advance.
Parnassus Books, Nashville, Tennessee
Parnassus Books may seem like your average bookstore in a shopping center, but it’s, oh, so much more. Author Ann Patchett owns it, and every square inch of it swells with a love of books. The staff and patrons make it feel so alive, and little magical touches in its decor spark joy as you browse.
It’s also a large enough space to hold many great events, which, naturally, it does. This is one bookstore with a lot of character— just like Ann’s books.
Portobello Road, Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts
Portobello Road is an “eclectic boutique.” Everywhere you look, there is something to see. Look right; a few books are stacked with a cute mug. Look right; there’s a canvas portrait next to some cute greeting cards. And they play the most relaxing music!
You can go back several times and have a different experience on each occasion — kind of like an antique store.
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I love this bookstore list! It’s my goal to go on a bookstore tour of Florida!
These all look amazing! 😍📚