14 Wonderful Bookstores You Need to Visit

Bart’s Books – Ojai, California

A fixture of the California literary scene, Bart’s Books had a fairly humble beginning for such an important place. It was founded by Richard Bartinsdale, who erected a bookshelf outside his home so that passersby could enjoy his excess of books. Eventually, he expanded the bookshelves until he found that he had an entire outdoor bookstore.

Now, Bart’s Books is America’s largest outdoor bookstore. Make sure to visit when it’s sunny out, so you can enjoy your treasures in the central courtyard. Don’t miss the cookbook section, which is all arranged in Bartinsdale’s former kitchen.

Dreamyshade

Cafebreria el Pendulo – Mexico City, Mexico  

This giant, two-storey bookstore in Mexico City is an inviting space for both Spanish and English-speaking book lovers. They have tons of stock in both languages spread out over the main floor and a balcony, and encourage patrons to take their time in browsing.

They also offer a discount at the café for people who can correctly answer a trivia question about literature.

Image via sequelmagazine.org

Mabel’s Fables – Toronto, Canada

This adorable children’s bookstore is named for the friendly orange cat that haunts the stacks. This store is packed floor to ceiling with any book or toy a child could ever want. Both the inside and the outside of the store are painted in bright, primary colors – even just stepping inside feels joyful.

If you’re buying on behalf of a child, staff can recommend the best books for each age, and they even do specialty gift baskets for new babies.

Image via Why I Love Toronto