This is so far my favourite bookstore. It is THAT good, trust me!
Elliott Bay is an independently owned bookstore in the Capitol Hill area of Seattle. Founded in 1973, it is the cultural hub of the area, with numerous events such as storytime, book club meetings, signings etc. and over 150,000 titles displayed on amazing cedar shelves. The store has been visited by Barack Obama, the Clintons, Haruki Murakami, Isabel Allende and others.
There are several things that make this bookshop stand out, in my opinion. First, the atmosphere. I think Americans generally have a better developed indie bookstore culture than Europeans. I saw young women discussing philosophical issue on the floor, families with kids choosing the next bedtime book, serious looking gents in the History section etc. There are more than enough staff members, and – yay! – handwritten book recommendations from them. While I was inside (and I spent more than 2 hours there!), the staff held several ‘blind date with a book’ sessions, where they read out loud the book descriptions without naming the title and tried to ‘pair up’ leisurely strolling customers with the book. Books were given to the ‘daters’ for free! Never seen this anywhere before. Overall, there is a feel that this is more than just a bookshop, but a cultural centre for the community.
Second, the selection of books is amazing. Not just History, but US, European, Africa, Middle East etc. History, History of the Native Americans, History of the Pacific Northwest etc. There is everything from Science to Psychology, Philosophy and Literary Criticism. The prices are OK, ranging from 10 to 20 dollars for a paperback. There is also a bargain section on the second floor, with books up to 10 dollars. Considering that prices in the US tend to be twice as high as in Europe, books are clearly outliers in this regards, having approximately the same price as across the continent. I have stocked up on three books for myself (this, this, and this), and an urban sketching guide for someone else. There is a decent selection of artsy cards and bookish tote bags, socks and t-shirts, as well as a cafe. You can also get a stamp card for your purchases. All in all – if you are ever in the city on the Puget Sound, be sure to stop by for the ultimate bookstore experience!
