If you want to wander off the beaten path: Milkweed Books

Located on the first floor of Open Book, the country’s largest literary arts center, Milkweed Books is your spot for finding new poetry, experimental or creative nonfiction, short stories, translations, and more. Pick up something that will challenge you, excite you, and even change the way you see the world.

If you want to find new and used books: Moon Palace Books

Inside Moon Palace Books, you'll find new bestsellers as well as used and bargain books. This place is huge, so enjoy hunting for your next read. Moon Palace Books hosts countless book releases and author events. Take a look at their calendar.

If you're looking for a good thriller: Once Upon A Crime or Uncle Edgar's Mystery Bookstore

Calling all mystery and crime fans! As the name implies, Once Upon A Crime specializes in mystery and crime novels. They have thousands to choose from, and even host authors from time to time. Check out their calendar to see what’s coming up!

Uncle Edgar's Mystery Bookstore is ready to welcome back customers from their new location and carries the largest assortment of mystery books in the area.

If you're more into sci-fi: Uncle Hugo's Science Fiction Bookstore

Located in the same space as Uncle Edgar's Mystery Bookstore, this independently owned shop is a sci-fi lovers dream! Uncle Hugo’s is actually the oldest independent science fiction bookstore in the nation. The signs with the Uncles' logos won’t be up for a few months, so look for black awnings that read Glass Endeavors.

If you're looking for love stories: Tropes & Trifles

The Twin Cities has its first bookstore fully dedicated to romance novels. Tropes & Trifles in the Longfellow neighborhood has romance tropes to suit a range of tastes. From meet cutes to meet disasters and everything in between, you'll find you're new favorite swoon-worthy book here. Don't forget to ask the staff for their favorites!

If you're looking for local authors & artists: Eat My Words Bookstore or Comma, a bookshop

Eat My Words carries plenty of used books, rare books, and they even sell pottery, but what we love most is that they have a strong presence of local authors. From poetry to fiction to mysteries, local authors help to tell the story of Minnesota and even the Northeast neighborhood.

Comma, a bookshop carries best sellers, but also the works of local authors. Not sure which book to read next? They've got several collections of staff-curated titles, and staff are so excited to help you find your next favorite book.

If you're looking for a woman-owned bookstore: Big Hill Books

Big Hill Books is as charming as the Bryn Mawr neighborhood in which it resides. This woman-owned bookstore carries books for all interests, and they even carry gifty things, like puzzles and greeting cards. Pick out your next read, then settle into the comfy chairs around the store for a book-preview.

If you're looking for something rare: The Book House

We love The Book House for their incredible selection of books, and you will definitely find us perusing their collection of vinyl records. But what makes The Book House really stand out is their “Rare Book Room” where you can find old, interesting, and scarce volumes of works you can’t find elsewhere.

If you're looking for Indigenous voices: Birchbark Books & Native Arts

This cozy, neighborhood book store celebrates and supports Indigenous culture and writers. Owned by Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa member and author Louise Erdrich and largely employed by those with Native backgrounds, Birchbark Books helps to represent the diverse population of Minneapolis and the surrounding areas. While they specialize in Native writers, journalists, and historians, they sell books from all types of authors.

If you're looking for the finer things: James & Mary Laurie Bookseller

James & Mary Laurie Bookseller has over 120,000 individually selected fine books as well as over 30,000 classical and jazz vinyl records. They carry all types of subjects and even have some local works in the mix.

If you're looking for empowering children's books: Strive Bookstore

Located in both the IDS Center and the Yong Quinlan Building in the heart of downtown Minneapolis, the Strive Publishing bookstore is solving the demand for culturally relevant children's books while uplifting voices of Black authors. At their bookstore, you can shop Strive Publishing books, order a book from another publisher, or attend a multicultural literary event.

If you want to make a furry friend: Wild Rumpus

Wild Rumpus carries a wide variety of books for all levels of readers. From baby & toddler, to young adult, to best sellers and new releases, they’ve got it all. You can also make a furry friend while you’re there! Meet their in-store animal friends.

If you're not sure what you're looking for: Magers & Quinn

Magers & Quinn is the bookstore you spend hours in without even realizing it. Walk up and down their stocked aisles and you’ll find the latest and greatest, the tried and true, that one that caught your eye. Fair warning – you’re sure to leave with more than you expected!