A guide to St. Louis-area independent bookstores

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Where to buy your next literary adventure in the St. Louis region

漏 2024 外网天堂 | By Lara Hamdan

Published April 26, 2024 at 5:00 AM CDT

Gena Brady checks out a purchase from Sarah Shivers, 32, of Olivette, center, and Jackie Qui帽ones, 35, of University City, on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, at Subterranean Books in University City. — Gena Brady checks out a purchase from Sarah Shivers, of Olivette, center, and Jackie Qui帽ones, of University City, on Wednesday at Subterranean Books in University City.

Despite facing competition from online retailers and big box retailers, independent bookstores continue to thrive in the St. Louis region. Those who visit local bookstores find appreciation for the personal service you can鈥檛 get while browsing for a literary adventure on the web.

Walter Johnson鈥檚鈥淭he Broken Heart of America: St. Louis and the violence history of the United States鈥� sits on a shelf on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, at Subterranean Books in University City. — Walter Johnson鈥檚鈥淭he Broken Heart of America: St. Louis and the violence history of the United States鈥� sits on a shelf on Wednesday at Subterranean Books in University City.

Independent bookstores also sit in a unique in the literary world as schools and public libraries grapple with book bans across the country.

Some shops specialize in secondhand books, others in new ones and a few concentrate on specific genres such as comics 鈥� yet all share a common goal of nurturing a sense of community. Keep an eye out for different events book shops offer, such as book clubs, author readings, kids events and even panel discussions.

While shopping around for books, don鈥檛 just visit the shops in your area. Go on a literary tour and explore different neighborhoods and towns through their bookshops, which often mirror the community they serve and are often owned by members of that same community.

Here鈥檚 a guide to local independent bookstores across the St. Louis Metro region:

St. Louis

: 2317 Cherokee St, St. Louis
: 399 N Euclid Ave, St. Louis
: 3111 S Grand Blvd, St. Louis
: 1939 Cherokee St, St. Louis
: 3206 S Grand Blvd, St. Louis
: 1976 Arsenal St, St. Louis
: 3125 Meramec St, St. Louis
: (currently housed in Dunaway Books)

St. Louis County

: 27 N Gore Ave, Webster Groves
: 7905 Big Bend Blvd, St. Louis
: 6271 Delmar Blvd, University City
: 7352 Manchester Rd, Maplewood
: 6951 Olive Blvd, University City
: 10 Summit Ave, Webster Groves
: 6178 Delmar Blvd, St. Louis
(multiple stores in various locations)
- 7329 Manchester Rd, St. Louis
- 10560 Baptist Church Rd, St. Louis
- 736 N New Ballas Rd, Creve Coeur
: 4352 Telegraph Rd, St. Louis
: 33 Rue St. Francois St, Florissant
: 440a St Francois St, Florissant

Metro East

: 441 E Vandalia St, Edwardsville
: 20 E Main St, Belleville
Novel Idea Bookstore And More: 1400 Niedringhaus Ave, Granite City

St. Charles County

: 307 S Main St, St. Charles
: 8935 Veterans Memorial Pkwy, O'Fallon
: 2125 Zumbehl Rd, St. Charles

Franklin County

: 401 Lafayette St, Washington

If you have any questions, comments, or ideas to add to this resource guide, email us at welcome@stlpr.org.