Who doesn’t love browsing around in a cute bookstore? It’s such a satisfying, cozy feeling.
Here are four bookstores worth putting on your list -- in and around Washington, D.C.
Kramerbooks and Afterwards Café
1517 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, D.C., 20036 Kramers has been a longtime Washington, D.C., establishment and has much to offer those that love good books, food, coffee, and wine. With their recent expansion, you can now spend even more time browsing through the racks of all kinds of books. They’ve got an entire wall (plus the front section) devoted to fiction, and a great non-fiction section towards the back. Of course, they’ve also got books on how to start a business, cookbooks, and biographies of all the greats. The bookstore also features tons of events from authors' visits, to book club discussions, to poetry events. You can view the full calendar here. [caption id="attachment_6638" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Courtesy of 2mstreet.com[/caption]
Bridge Street Books
2814 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C., 20007 Bridge Street Books is a small, charming bookstore located in a converted house on a cobblestone street at the end of the Georgetown neighborhood. When you walk in, you feel like you’ve stepped into an old book. It’s got a very vintage vibe, though it opened in the 1980s. On the first floor, you can find a lot of new releases, both fiction and non-fiction. As you make your way upstairs you’ll get deeper into the fiction reads, and also find a lot of older books. During the summer months, the bookstore will run a sales rack directly outside of the store. [caption id="attachment_6640" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Courtesy of synapsedynamics.com[/caption]
Politics and Prose
5015 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, D.C., 20008 If you enjoy the political life in Washington, D.C., this is the bookstore for you. They host tons of events weekly, a lot of them featuring political authors and politicians themselves (President Obama has visited!). You can also enroll in a class or a community function in association with the bookstore. If you take a peek at their event schedule, you’re sure to find something you’re interested in. And they’ve recently opened up a second location at the Wharf. You can get your fill of books and then try out one of the tasty new restaurants at the waterfront hotspot. The bookstore itself has a mustier vibe to it, but it's always boasting a crowd. It’s the perfect place to be comfortable around a buzz of people. [caption id="attachment_6639" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Courtesy of wlh.law.stanford.edu/[/caption]
Second Story Books
2000 P St. NW, Washington, D.C., 20036 Second Story Books is a cute bookstore on the corner of P Street in Dupont Circle, that sells used, out-of-print, and rare books. This bookstore is 40 years old and has been acclaimed as one of the top ten bookstores in the Washington metropolitan area by Washingtonian Magazine and City Paper, and “USA Today cited Second Story Books as one of the ten best bookstores in the country.” Currently, Second Story has one other location besides the main one in Dupont, which is the warehouse store in Rockville, MD. The dedicated staff works to create the best selection for its customers, specializing in everything from curating, to appraisals, to operations. The space has tall bookshelves, and you can get lost wandering the shelves. When it’s warmer outside, the shop has book carts set up outside, and all books are sold on sale for $1. Second Story also has an online presence, which you can check out here. [caption id="attachment_6641" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Courtesy of trip advisor.com[/caption]
Have you been to any of these bookstores before? Which one is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!
