Best independent and used bookstores in Phoenix: Where to find your next great read
If you’re looking for your next read and are wondering where to shop, we’re here to help with this roundup of independent and specialty bookstores throughout metro Phoenix.
Reasons to shop local include supporting your area's economy, getting a more personalized experience and helping the environment by decreasing your use of services such as Amazon with their high use of shipping materials and transportation costs.
Lots of these bookstores also offer events and book clubs to keep the whole family entertained. They tend to support the local community as well.
Who knows, one of these might become your new favorite place to buy books.
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Changing Hands Bookstore
Interested in a bookstore with a side of drinks? Changing Hands is the place for you.
The First Draft Book Bar at the Changing Hands Bookstore in Phoenix has everything from tea and coffee to wine and beer, including over 40 craft beers, 20 wines and local mead. Happy hour is 3-6 p.m. weekdays and includes $1 off draft pints, cans and bottles of beer and tap wine by the glass. Get 15% off bottles of wine to go every day.
And if you get hungry while browsing, you can snack on soft pretzels with cheese, baked goods and sandwiches.
As soon as you walk through the door at Changing Hands, you're met with tables and racks displaying the most popular books, new fiction and nonfiction, staff recommendations and more.
Sign up for one of the book clubs or start your own and get 10% off paperbacks and 20% off hardcover books. Options include Fantasy Book Club, How to Change the World Book Club and Modern Fiction Book Club, among others.
There is also a Changing Hands location in Tempe. Both stores host author events and let you trade your used books for store credit.
Details: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. daily. 300 W. Camelback Road, Phoenix, 602-274-0067. 6428 S. McClintock Drive, Tempe, 480-730-0205. https://www.changinghands.com.
Poisoned Pen Bookstore
Founded in 1989, this independent store in Scottsdale specializes in current and classic mysteries and thrillers, historical fiction, literary fiction and literature of the American Southwest. Many of the books are autographed first editions and imports.
There are many author events, including a virtual discussion with New York Times bestselling author Sandra Brown about her book “Out of Nowhere” on Thursday, July 27, and a ticketed event where author Jacqueline Carey will discuss her book “Cassiel’s Servant” with Diana Gabaldon on Friday, Aug. 4.
Poisoned Pen also has book clubs that automatically charge your credit card and include free shipping. Among the clubs are the Hardboiled and Noir Club, Romance & Relationships Club, International Crime Club and History Paperback Book Club.
Details: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays, noon-5 p.m. Sundays. 4014 N. Goldwater Blvd., Scottsdale. 480-947-2972. https://poisonedpen.com.
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Palabras Bilingual Bookstore
Chawa Maga?a was inspired to create Palabras Bilingual Bookstore in Phoenix as a result of her experience as the daughter of Mexican immigrants and to provide an inclusive space where marginalized voices are heard and represented.
Palabras curates a diverse collection of books and has an art gallery, workshop, event space and mutual aid garden, a neighborhood food resource that's free to harvest from. Palabras is part of a community space called Nurture House that also includes Wasted Ink Zine Distro, Pachanga Press and Abalone Mountain Press.
According to the Palabras website, their mission is to “promote cultural representation and liberation of historically marginalized BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color, including all intersectionalities) through community engagement involving literature and the arts.”
They host events including Tea & Typing Night, where typewriters are available for people to use and there's a featured tea to sip on, and an In Your Own Words: BIPOC Open Mic event where community members perform poetry, music and stand-up comedy.
Currently experiencing financial difficulties, Palabras is seeking donations to keep the space running.
Details: 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Sundays. 906 W. Roosevelt St., Phoenix. 602-595-9600. https://www.palabrasbookstore.com.
Grassrootz Bookstore & Juice Bar
The Grassrootz website calls the shop “Eastlake Park’s Own Black & Worker-Owned Bookstore.” It helps fund activism, education and economic development through the Phoenix Local Organizing Committee for Justice or Else.
Their inventory focuses on Black history and Arizona authors, among other subjects.
Grassrootz also hosts events including Monthly Community Game Night and Chessmaster Sundays, with open play every Sunday and lessons on the first and third Sundays of the month. The store's third annual Grassrootz Hip Hop Celebration: Take Back The Village will highlight the 50th anniversary of hip-hop and include community discussions about the culture. The event is Aug. 11-12 and will include poetry and giveaways.
Details: Noon-7 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays, noon-5 p.m. Sundays. 1145 E. Washington St., Phoenix. 480-442-0293, https://grassrootzbookstore.com.
Book Gallery
This secondhand store in Phoenix has titles on topics ranging from Arizona history to outer space. It's fitted with antique and modern oak bookcases with vintage and collectible bookends. Bring your reading list: If what you're looking for isn't in stock, they can try to find it and order it for you.
Details: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, noon-5 p.m. Sundays. 3615 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. 602-508-0280 https://www.abebooks.com.
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Dog Eared Pages Used Books
This used bookstore in Phoenix has hard to find, out-of-print, rare and independently published books. Dog Eared Pages books inspected, cleaned and graded to be resold or recycled. They ship orders daily. There's a large selection of categories including Children’s Historical Fiction, Erotic Stories, Inspirational Fiction, Math/Science and Religion.
Details: 11 a.m.-4:15 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. Summer hours may change; call before visiting. 16428 N. 32nd St., Phoenix. 602-283-5423. https://www.dogearedpagesusedbooks.com.
Half Price Books
Begun in 1972 by Ken Gjemre and Pat Anderson in an old laundromat in Dallas, Half Price Books is now a family-owned chain with about 120 stores across the country. They buy and sell new and used books, movies, music, games, electronic devices and collectables.
Half Price Books supports efforts such as the Million Book Donation Project and the Half Pint Library Book Drive that collects and distributes books to children in need.
Through its green initiative, Half Price Books has eliminated plastic bags at all of its stores, set aside dedicated science and nature shelves, uses recyclable materials whenever possible and donates overstock inventory to nonprofit agencies.
Details: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. daily. 4322 E. Cactus Road, Phoenix. 602-482-4100. https://hpb.com.
Bookmans Phoenix Entertainment
A small chain with locations in metro Phoenix, Tucson and Flagstaff, Bookmans promises to “always be unique.”
Bookmans sells used books, comics, magazines, music, movies, video games, musical instruments, electronics and housewares. Stores have comfy chairs. The company fights censorship, promotes freedom of expression and supports local and national literacy efforts.
Events include Bookmans Pet Fiesta Presents: Woofs, Wiggles, and Wags in Phoenix on Saturday, July 29. Rescue dogs are brought to the store to interact with prospective owners. A pet food drive will benefit the Woofs, Wiggles, and Wags Rescue.
Details: 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturdays. 8034 N. 19th Ave., Phoenix, 602-433-0255. 1056 S. Country Club Drive, Mesa, 480-835-0505. https://bookmans.com.
Books
A family owned and -operated store, Books has been in business in Phoenix for over 30 years and has over 200,000 works in stock.
According to their website they have a big selection of out-of-print hardbacks and paperbacks and also specializes in mystery and romance fiction. They carry used comics, records and movies, and have greeting cards for all occasions.
Details: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays. 9201 N Seventh Ave., Phoenix. 602-678-4576. https://www.bookson7thave.com.
Samurai Comics
Arizona’s largest chain of comic book specialty stores is family-owned and been in business since 2002. There are four locations: Phoenix, Glendale, Chandler and Mesa.
Samurai sells comic books, graphic novels, manga, anime, toys, collectibles and gaming supplies. They also buy comics and comic book collections; can contact them for an appraisal. There's a LiveSale every Tuesday at 6 p.m. where they show the new comics for the week and have other goodies as well.
Details: Four locations Valleywide. Hours vary by location; check the website. https://www.samuraicomics.com.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Best bookstores in Phoenix: 10 independent and used-book shops
