There’s no better way to peer into the soul of a city than by spending some time in its bookstores. What a day of book browsing in Denver will reveal is a city that likes its literature much as it likes everything else: independent, eclectic, thoughtful and with plenty of room for the unexpected.
Great bookshops are scattered like footnotes across the Mile High City, both along its bustling corridors and tucked away on quiet, neighborhood side streets. For those who think of a book as the ultimate souvenir, travel with an extra suitcase to bring home an armload of new reads or simply like to stroll the shelves to inhale that unmistakable aroma of paper, ink and leather, here’s a selection of Denver’s top indie bookstores to page through.
Little Blue Pigeon
Everything in Little Blue Pigeon’s jewel-box shop is lovingly curated — the hand-painted blue-and-white mural with nods to children’s books, local author talks and craft events, and an inventory personally selected by the owner. For every five books sold, one is donated to a local literacy nonprofit. And if you make a purchase, you can pen a letter to your future self and the shop will mail it to you in a year.
The Plot Thickens: The bookstore is in the heart of downtown, so make a day of it: Stroll through historic Larimer Square, have lunch at one of the Milk Market’s restaurants, coffee at Little Finch, then head over to 16th Street and Denver Union Station for more shopping and sightseeing. Stroll back to Larimer Square for dinner and tea-centric cocktails at Bao Brewhouse and a show at Comedy Works Downtown.
The Hermitage Bookshop
The Hermitage Bookshop is Denver’s oldest indie bookstore, with vibes to match its storied history in the Mile High City. Descend the steps through their arching golden sign and you’ll find stacks and stacks of well-organized tomes amid the warm, woody scent of bookcases. If gilded spines and leather bindings quicken your pulse, you’ll want to stay for a good long while to browse high-quality used hardcovers, rare and antiquarian books, first editions and signed copies. But there’s a book here for every budget, too.
The Plot Thickens: The Hermitage’s neighborhood, Cherry Creek, is positively brimming with options for a daylong itinerary. Browse over 75 boutiques on pretty, tree-lined lanes in Cherry Creek North (and head to adjacent Cherry Creek Shopping Center for some 160 more if that’s not enough), sip craft coffee as you read your latest selection at Aviano, and have dinner at the literary-themed Narrative against a towering trompe-l’oeil wall of white books.
Spicy Librarian
Things get steamy at Spicy Librarian, a romance-only bookstore in River North Art District (RiNo) that’s on a mission to celebrate love stories — and women’s pleasure — without shame. Browse everything from historical romance and romantasy to LGBTQ+ love stories and special editions amid greenery and cozy nooks. Then look for the bookshelf concealing The Vault, a discreet adults-only room stocked with a curated collection of luxury toys and accessories.
The Plot Thickens: You’re in the heart of RiNo, so wander the neighborhood’s colorful murals, grab a bite at Denver Central Market, play a round of mini golf at Puttshack or see what’s pouring at one of the neighborhood’s craft breweries. For more art, visit Larimer Street, lined with galleries and creative spaces.
The Shop at MATTER
For a bookstore with a distinct point of view that announces itself from its artful facade, stop in the Shop at MATTER, the bookstore arm of Denver design consultancy MATTER. They stock books on typography and design as well as activism, BIPOC history and literature, and works by queer authors. It has the feel of a cool printshop studio, with a working 1951 large-format letterpress right in the middle of the bookstore.
The Plot Thickens: The Shop at MATTER is just a block from Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies MLB team. Tours are available Monday through Saturday. Afterward, cool off with a refreshing cocktail (with a side of ribbon-shaped fries) at Ambler.
Printed Page
Take a turn about the Printed Page Bookshop, which lives in a charming, converted Victorian house, for a true treasure hunt for readers and serious collectors alike. The shop is a co-op of nine independent booksellers, whose varied specialties fill the rooms with everything from inexpensive paperbacks and modern fiction to signed first editions and antiquarian finds. The booksellers themselves staff the store, so don’t hesitate to ask about that mysterious old volume in your hands — collectively, they know an awful lot about books.
The Plot Thickens: For coffee and a snack, stop at LaTinto Café, which serves up Colombian coffee, pastries and foods like pandebono, guava pastries and arepas. You’re already on Antique Row, so keep the thrill of the hunt going among South Broadway’s antique, vintage and oddity shops. Then step through the unassuming storefront of Spectra Art Space and into a technicolor labyrinth of immersive art, technology and story.
Kilgore Books and Comics
If you like a bit of an edge to your book shopping, Kilgore Books and Comics is worth a stop. This tiny little shop has found their niche in independent comics, zines and punk publishing. Named after a Kurt Vonnegut character (Kilgore Trout, the science fiction writer — how punk is that?), Kilgore has become a little haven for readers and artists whose tastes tend toward the unconventional.
The Plot Thickens: Wax Trax Records, Colorado’s oldest record store, is right next door, so that’s your logical next step. For bohemian vibes and great comfort food that happens to be vegetarian, choose City O’ City, whose poetic name alone might draw you in. Stylish Hudson Hill makes a great coffee or cocktail stop as well (if you go, get the grilled cheese!).
Capitol Hill Books
For more than four decades, Capitol Hill Books has delivered that hard-to-find, old-school used-bookstore experience: narrow aisles, packed shelves and the scent of well-aged pages. Browse everything from inexpensive paperbacks to rare and collectible finds, with a particularly fun selection of Colorado authors. Look for the “Wall of Ephemera,” displaying curious notes and objects discovered tucked between the pages of books over the years.
The Plot Thickens: Walk across the street to the gold-domed Colorado State Capitol and stand exactly 1 mile above sea level (the 13th step of the west entrance). The charming, brick-front Leven Deli makes a perfect lunch stop to fuel up for the Denver Art Museum, the Denver Public Library, History Colorado or any of the other museums and galleries in the Golden Triangle Creative District.
Tattered Cover Book Store
Now with five locations across the city, Denver’s literary beacon has long been the Tattered Cover Book Store. More of a cultural center than a bookstore, they host dozens of author and community talks each year, and built a name over the years by bringing in huge figures like Margaret Atwood, Joan Didion, Kurt Vonnegut and Mary Oliver. The sprawling Colfax location, a 1950s converted theater with green carpet and a wall of etched windows, is a place to get lost in the stacks for hours — but each of their locations (including the one in the airport!) is worth a stop.
The Plot Thickens: From the Colfax location, head right next door at Twist & Shout Records where the day’s browsing continues among 11,000 square feet of new and used vinyl and CDs. Then it’s over to Fiction Beer Company, where they’ve made books and beer their whole personality: beer recipes inspired by works of literature, book-spine beer tap handles, book club nights and more. Or pop into Champagne Tiger for live music, cocktails and diner classics. Check the calendar for nearby Lighthouse Writers Workshop, Denver's longtime writing community hub that draws comparisons to the Iowa Writer’s Workshop and offers classes, readings and events.
The Bookies Bookstore
No doubt, generations of readers have fallen in love with books at the Bookies Bookstore. Founder Sue Lubeck started the shop in the early 1970s after recognizing Denver needed a bookstore devoted to children. Today, the beloved neighborhood store is still known for its selection of books for babies through teens, but grown-ups will find plenty to browse, too. Its current Holly Street home has new and used books, cozy spots to linger, storytimes and booksellers who can help match just about any reader with their next great book.
The Plot Thickens: Head west a few minutes toward the University of Denver neighborhood. Stroll the pretty campus and hit up some of Denver’s OG favorites: Kaladi Coffee Roasters for chill vibes and a locally roasted cup of Joe and Little India for fragrant curries.
West Side Books & Curios
Hand-lettered genre signs, tall pinewood bookcases, friendly knowledgeable “bookelves” there to help… West Side Books and Curios is the kind of bookstore where you never know what you might find. A longtime neighborhood fixture, the shop hosts events and book clubs regularly and makes the most of its petite size.
The Plot Thickens: Step outside and you’re on walkable 32nd Avenue in the heart of Highland Square. Keep the paper theme going with a beautiful journal or letterpress card from Wordshop Paperie and head to charming, comfort-food-focused Paperboy for a bite — then browse locally owned boutiques and admire the neighborhood’s colorful Victorian homes.
Broadway Book Mall
Variety is the name of the game at Broadway Book Mall, where multiple independent booksellers stock their own specialties under one roof. That means the shelves roam wildly, from science fiction, fantasy and mysteries to mountaineering, Colorado and Western history, graphic novels, vintage sheet music and signed first editions.
The Plot Thickens: Refuel with locally roasted coffee at Pablo’s Coffee, which has a relaxed, read-a-book-and-stay-awhile feel. Head south on Broadway to MAKfam for bold, modern (and Michelin-recognized) Chinese cooking.
Second Star to the Right Books
Named for the directions to Neverland in Peter Pan, Second Star to the Right is designed to make young readers feel like they’ve stepped into a story themselves. This whimsical Platt Park shop in an adorable, converted brick house specializes in thoughtfully chosen children’s and young adult books, with toys, gifts and plenty for grown-up readers, too. Storytimes, author visits, book clubs and other events make it as much a gathering place for book-loving families as a bookstore.
The Plot Thickens: The bookstore’s address, on South Pearl Street, is a destination in itself thanks to locally owned shops and restaurants that fill a walkable few blocks. Grab coffee at neighborhood favorite Steam Espresso Bar, where an old airplane fuselage makes a wonderfully unexpected back patio companion, then settle in for lunch or dinner at Kaos Pizzeria, where thin-crust pizzas are served in a cozy converted Victorian. On summer Sundays, browse the bustling South Pearl Street Farmers Market while you’re here.
The Book Rack
Paperback devotees, this one’s for you. A University Hills fixture since 1977, The Book Rack is an old-school used bookstore where shelves are (very tidily) packed with affordable paperbacks across nearly every genre, with especially strong classics and mystery sections. It’s the kind of unpretentious neighborhood shop made for browsing until an unexpected title catches your eye — and at used-book prices, you can afford to make room for a few more in your suitcase.
The Plot Thickens: Rest your feet over a coffee nearby at Mango Tree Coffee, a nonprofit coffee shop with a welcoming neighborhood feel, then head to Beau Jo’s Pizza to find out what “Colorado-style” pizza means (hint: it involves honey). Or stretch your legs along the nearby High Line Canal Trail, one of the metro area’s beloved ribbons of green.
Denver Book Society
If Denver Book Society’s snappy, red, book-shaped sign doesn’t send chills down your book-loving spine, their bright, sunlight-filled interior with cozy reading nooks definitely will. The shop was created as a book lover’s “third space” — somewhere between home and work where people can browse, linger and connect. A cafe and wine bar keeps the conversation going from morning coffee into the evening, while a busy calendar of book clubs, author talks, poetry nights and other gatherings earn the “society” in its name.
The Plot Thickens: Wander a few blocks east to City Park, where you can read beside Ferril Lake, visit the Denver Museum of Nature & Science or simply take in one of the city’s classic skyline-and-mountain views. When hunger strikes, Ace Eat Serve’s Asian-inspired eats and pin-pong hall are nearby. Or try Frank & Roze, a superbly stylish neighborhood cafe known for its small-farm-grown coffee and seasonal fare.
Black and Read
Prepare to lose track of time when you go to Black & Read Music, Books & Games. This longtime Arvada institution is part used bookstore, part record shop and part tabletop-gaming wonderland, with thousands of bargain-priced books sharing space with rare volumes, vinyl, cassettes, board games, RPGs and assorted treasures you didn't know you needed.
The Plot Thickens: You’re just five minutes from Olde Town Arvada, a cuter-than-cute downtown area chock full of shops and eateries. Try the patio at Flights Wine Café, with wine samplers and charcuterie to nosh on. Other spots that will pique your curiosity: The Stockroom, a Prohibition-era-style speakeasy hidden behind a secret door, or School House Kitchen, a century-old schoolhouse turned cozy gastropub.
Fahrenheit's Books
Towering shelves, curious old volumes and the possibility of finding something you never knew you were looking for — Fahrenheit’s is a longtime Denver favorite that recently moved into a larger space on South Broadway’s Antique Row, bringing along its self-described “curated eclecticism.” Browse vintage paperbacks, first editions and unusual finds, with particularly deep selections in science fiction and fantasy, philosophy, history and metaphysics.
The Plot Thickens: You’re on Antique Row, so leave time to comb through the vintage, antique and specialty shops lining South Broadway. Grab a cup at The Bardo, a cozy, retro coffeehouse (open until midnight!) made for lingering over a new read. Then head a few blocks south to Somebody People, a colorful, veg-forward restaurant serving creative dishes, house-made pastas, cocktails and wine.
Visit a Denver Public Library
Denver’s love of books extends to its impressive Denver Public Library system, now 28 locations strong. Start at the recently renovated Central Library, a colorful architectural landmark near Civic Center Park, where the Red Chair Bookshop sells gently used books and one-of-a-kind library souvenirs. Don’t miss The Commons, a dramatic circular room wrapped in Ed Ruscha’s colorful, striped mural, along with the octagonal children’s storytelling pavilion and the top-floor special collections reading room, where a gigantic tower of pegged timbers recycled from a sawmill recalls the mining structures of the Old West.
For something cozier, seek out the Park Hill Branch, one of Denver's original Carnegie-funded libraries. Built in 1913, it has leaded-glass windows, built-in bookcases, window-bay seating, beamed ceilings and even a fireplace decorated with a scene from The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.