Denver Bookstores
Both Used & New
By Molly Kalafut
In this section, first I list my top five favorite bookstores, followed by more Denver bookstores of varying quality.
1. Black and Read
Address: 7821 Wadsworth Boulevard, Arvada, CO 80003-2107
Phone: 303-467-3236
Email: blackandread@earthlink.net
Books include science fiction and a large collection of bizarre "cult and fringe". Music available includes rock, jazz, blues, soul, gothic, industrial and punk. Also offered are t-shirts, posters, jewelry, tarot cards, piercing jewelry, etc.
Molly Rating: 8/10 - My favorite used bookstore in Denver! Huge selection of books, plus a variety of used DVDs and music. The books have an eclectic mix. While the overall impression of the store is zany chaos, the books are well-organized within their sections.
Science Fiction: Fantastic, huge selection of used and new. The best in Denver.
2. Fahrenheit's Books
Address: 38 Broadway Denver, CO 80203-3915
Phone: 303-744-1043
Email: f451@dimensional.com
Offers Edgar Rice Burroughs, modern firsts and vintage paperbacks.
Molly Rating: 8/10 - This store is filled with tall shelves of used books. The science fiction section is great with a seemingly good turnover rate since there are different books every time I go. I like the fact the vintage books are put in plastic covers and organized well - the books seem well-cared for.
Science Fiction: Extensive, great selection of paperbacks. Very good for obscure, old sci fi. One or two bookcases of hard cover.
3. Ichabod's Books and Mrs. Crane's Coffee
Note: As of late 2005, this bookstore appears to have become a store called "Mutiny Now", featuring "art, books and music". More details to follow later....
Address: 2 S. Broadway Denver, CO 80209-1506
Phone: 303-778-7579
Email: ichabods@eazy.net
Hours: Mon-Fri: 10am-7pm, Sat: 10am-6pm, Sun: 11am-5pm
Payment: Cash, major credit cards, money orders, personal checks.
Offers 100,000+ titles and a coffee shop.
Molly Rating: 7/10 - The wonderful smelling coffee shop gives this store a bonus, plus the assortment of rooms and meandering stacks. I like bookstores that I can get lost in.
Science Fiction: An aisle for paperbacks. Standard sci fi, not really obscure-hard-to-find stuff. Also a case of hardcovers.
4. Tattered Cover
Address #1: Cherry Creek Location
2955 E 1st Ave
Denver, CO 80206
Phone: 303-322-7727 & 800-833-9327
Fax: 303-399-2279
Email: heatherd@tatteredcover.com
Hours:
Mon-Sat: 9am-11pm,
Sun 10:00am-6:00pm
Payment: American Express, Cash, Check, Gift Certificates, MasterCard, Visa
Address #2:
Downtown Location
1628 16th Street
Denver, CO 80202
Phone: 303-436-1070
Fax: 303-629-1704
Email: heatherd@tatteredcover.com
Hours:
Mon-Thu: 9am-9pm,
Fri-Sat: 9am-11pm,
Sun: 10am-6pm
Payment: American Express, Cash, Check, Gift Certificates, MasterCard, Visa
Offers 177,000+ books, author signings, gifts. The Cherry Creek location has four floors of books, a coffee shop and restaurant. The Downtown locations has three floors (35,000+ square feet!) and a coffee shop. Tattered Cover is reportedly the largest "new books" bookstore west of the Mississippi.
Molly Rating: 7/10 - While I usually buy books used, this is the best place to go for new books because it is so huge. Since it's a landmark, iconic location it is great for author signings. The coffee shop, while a nice touch, never seems to have tables available plus there is the worry about damaging the new and expensive books. Also frequently has nicely discounted sections.
5. Capitol Hill Books
Address: 300 E. Colfax Avenue Denver, CO 80203
Fax: 303-860-7126
Email: caphilbks@estreet.com
Offers business, children's, cooking, fiction, health, history, poetry, religion, western Americana and women's studies.
Molly Rating: 6/10 - A decent, cheery store with a large selection. It's often my first stop before heading to the triumvirate of Fahrenheit's / Denver Book Mall / Ichabod's.
Science Fiction: Several large bookcases of paperbacks, two bookcases of hard cover. Good selection.
Other Denver Bookstores
Books Unlimited
Address: 2070 S. University Blvd. Denver, CO 80210-4319
Phone: 303-744-0279
Offers primarily paperbacks for sale/trade. Paperbacks are organized loosely by genre, not alphabetically.
Molly Rating: 4/10 - Too dusty, too poorly organized.
Science Fiction: Somewhat limited section, difficult to sort through due to lack of alphabetizing.
Colorado History Museum Store
Address: 1300 Broadway
Denver, CO 80203-2104
Phone: 303-866-4993
Offers the best selection of new books on Colorado / Western Americana, and is part of the Colorado Historical Society.
Denver Book Mall
Address: 32 Broadway Denver, CO 80203-3915
Phone: 303-733-3808
A collection of 12+ book vendors collaborate to offer a large selection of books total. Varied collection of different types of books, however can be difficult to navigate because each vendor has their own set up of genres.
Molly Rating: 5/10 - While it has a huge selection of books it is frustrating to look for things. They are separated into small selections from a dozen or more vendors, so if you're looking for one particular book or author finding the right section in 12+ different places gets time-consuming. While I enjoy a well-organized bookstore, for a used bookstore it feels very sterile. The wide open spaces don't make it feel cozy, the books are so immaculately positioned I don't want to mess them up, and the creaky floors make me tiptoe instead of amble leisurely.
Science Fiction: One bookshelf, with another few shelves of sci fi and fantasy that include some signed by the author (mostly local Denver writers).
Murder By The Book
Address: 1574 South Pearl St. Denver, Colorado 80210
Phone: 303-871-9401 & 800-300-2595
Fax: 303-871-8253
Offers mystery and crime fiction, as well as author appearances, book clubs and newsletters. Close to Stella's coffeehouse.
Molly Rating: 6/10 - Mystery books aren't really my thing...if they were I'd probably give this a much higher rating. But even without being a huge fan of the genre, it's a fun, interesting, cramped little store.
