For those of you traveling to the West Coast this holiday season, these local favorites offer a literary respite from shopping madness. Don’t forget to use the code SMALLBIZ at checkout today to receive 30% off your Coffee House purchase!
Old Harbor Books in Sitka, Alaska:
When you walk in the door at Old Harbor Books, you’ll immediately be greeted by an array of Alaskan treasures. The store is committed to all that is local: hosting an impressive spread of books by, for, and about Alaskan culture, history, and experiences. Wander toward the back of the store and you’ll find a variety of maps to choose from, so you can track the journeys of the characters you’ll fall in love with along with your own trek through the last frontier. The shelves are wreathed around a beautiful old letterpress printer (something we here at Coffee House are particular suckers for!), and the Back Door Cafe, accessible just through the (you guessed it!) back door, is the perfect place to linger over your newfound literary favorite.
Old Harbor Books in Sitka, Alaska
City Lights Books in San Francisco, California:
City Lights Books is a beacon of an independent bookstore, well known for its innovative history. It opened in 1953 as an all-paperback bookstore, and while it offers books of every size, shape, and variety today, the tradition continues with City Lights Publishers, the store’s publishing branch. Visiting City Lights feels like visiting an old house owned by a dedicated book lover; the store has three floors and a labyrinthine shelving system. It’s definitely worth an hour (or more!) or your time while in the Bay Area.
Inside City Lights Books in San Francisco
—Kelsey Shanesy
