As the school year comes to a close for some and the summer begins for all, Coloradans may be looking for something to fill their time. Luckily, they need to look no further than their local bookstores, which offer community, games and more, beyond books.
While big box stores and bookselling chains offer wide selections and thorough organizational systems, smaller stores allow for customers to converse with someone well-versed in the pages they spend each day around.
Here are six local independent bookstores worth checking out in the Denver metro area.
Capitol Hill Books | Denver
300 East Colfax Ave., Denver, Colorado 80203 | (303)-837-0700 | info@capitolhillbooks.com | capitolhillbooks.com |Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day
Bringing books to Denver for 44 years, Capitol Hill Books houses a large collection of used and rare books. Both its placement and longevity have made the store a neighborhood staple.
“Everyone has seen this store as they drive through town,” said owner Ben Hall, who has spent 15 years working there, the last year and a half as owner. “It’s one of the defining features of Cap Hill, our sign that says used books.”
In addition to being a Colfax mainstay, Hall believes the store serves an important place in the community.
“I think having a neighborhood bookstore is important,” Hall said. “A neighborhood used bookstore gives everyone in the neighborhood a chance to find something to read. You can do that at a library too, but maybe you want to take it home.
“It just means more people in the neighborhood will spend time reading,” Hall added. “Maybe I’m biased, but I think that’s important.”
Petals and Pages of Denver
956 Santa Fe Drive, Denver, Colorado 80204 | info@petalsandpagesofdenver.com | petalsandpagesofdenver.com | Open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, closed Mondays
Petals and Pages offers a bit more than your average bookstore. The queer woman-owned shop is both a bookstore and flower shop — with a bakery coming soon.
The shop also serves as a community space, with a variety of events every month. With book clubs covering a range of genres—such as romance, poetry, social justice, fantasy, queer literature and more—any reader can find a club for them. For those that simply want a place to read, the store also offer read-a-thons.
However, the events aren’t limited to books. From game nights to burlesque classes to floral classes to speed dating, Petals and Pages has many classes and events to bring people together.
Sudden Fiction Books | Castle Rock
221 Perry St., Castle Rock, Colorado 80104 | (303)-856-8181 | hello@suddenfictionbooks.com | suddenfictionbooks.com | Open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays
Inside of Ecclesia Market, Sudden Fiction Books brings new and used books across many genres to Castle Rock.
“Our bookstore prioritizes working with the community and reflecting their interests,” said bookseller Luxe Palmer. “The community builds us up. I think we keep a very good relationship with our patrons, which is something that big box bookstores are not able to do.”
The store not only offers a place to shop for books, but a place to find community, with book clubs and “Local Author Saturdays,” where a couple of local authors will spend the day hanging out and chatting about books.
“Working at an independent bookstore gives us a lot of opportunity to be able to interact with the customers and help them find exactly what they need,” Palmer said. “It’s an absolute joy to work here.”
The Book Stop | Wheat Ridge
10840 West 44th Ave., Wheat Ridge, Colorado 80033 | (303)-425-4960 | srebooks@abookstop.com | https://www.abookstop.com/ | Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays
Since 1987, The Book Stop has brought books to Wheat Ridge.
The store has a bit of everything, offering customers books across a wide variety of genres. With over 70,000 books in its inventory, The Book Stop has something for everyone, inviting customers to come get lost in the maze of bookshelves.
Black and Read | Arvada
7821 Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada, CO 80003 | (303)-467-3236 | blackandread19@gmail.com | https://blackandread.com/ | Open 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays
Bringing Arvada more than just books, Black and Read is an independent bookstore that also sells music and games.
For over 30 years, the store has used books and rare books, but its inventory doesn’t stop there. The store also offers a wide variety of physical media, ranging from vinyls and CD’s to DVD’s and cassettes. For gamers, the store has board games and role-playing games.
“I’m kinda the board game expert here,” said bookseller Ben Boskoss. “So they brought me on to help with that, and I’ve been learning more of the books side of things as well.”
With a maze of books and more at the ready, Black and Read is a shop to browse and enjoy.
“It’s always great seeing local shoppers coming in and out,” Boskoss said.
Spell Books | Littleton
2376 Main St., Littleton, Colorado 80120 | (303)-954-0094 | info@spellbooksco.com | spellbooksco.com | Open noon to 5 p.m. Mondays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays
One of Main Street’s newest additions, Spell Books brings a curated selection to those looking for unique reads.
“We’re highly curated simply because we don’t have a lot of space,” said owner Corey Dahl. “I think we have a lot of small press and under the radar gems that people won’t find at bigger stores.”
Dahl also said she focused on curating a good space, alongside a good book selection.
“We have a different vibe too,” Dahl said. “I did all the decor; it’s all thrifted. I just wanted to make it cozy; like grandma’s house, if grandma was a witch.”
In addition to housing books, the store is also home to several community events, including book clubs, poetry readings, writing workshops and “Friday Night Read ‘n Writes” — where attendees can spend a few hours reading or writing with others.
“Bookstores are a great community driver,” Dahl said. “You can buy a book online but you don’t get to talk to anyone about it, you don’t get to have that kismet moment of finding the book in person.”
With a variety of community events, Spell Books offers a space to connect through books.
“Reading feels like it’s supposed to be a solitary activity but I think it’s the opposite,” Dahl said. “I think you’re supposed to connect with people through reading.”