Bookstore shopping in Illinois
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A
Chicago Comics
This comic emporium has won the ‘best comic-book store in the USA’ honor from all sorts of people who should know. Old Marvel Superman back issues share shelf space with hand-drawn works by cutting-edge local artists like Chris Ware, Ivan Brunetti and Dan Clowes (who lived here during his early Eightball days). Simpsons fanatics will ‘d’oh!’ with joy at the huge toy selection.
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B
57th Street Books
A serious university demands a serious bookstore, and as you descend the stairs to this basement-level shop you’ll know you’re in the right place. Its labyrinth of low-slung rooms makes up the kind of old-fashioned bookstore that goes way deeper than the popular titles. It has excellent staff picks and an exhaustive travel section. Seminary Co-op is the sister shop selling academic tomes.
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C
Abraham Lincoln Book Shop
This hushed, museum-like shop carries new, used and antiquarian books about Honest Abe, the Civil War and the presidency in general. If you want a real, Lincoln-signed White House memo – and have $30,000 to drop on it – you’ll walk out of here a satisfied customer. The knowledgeable staff regularly hold open round-table discussions with Civil War scholars.
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D
Open Books
Buy a used book here and you’re helping to fund this volunteer-based literacy group’s programs, which range from in-school reading help to adult creative writing courses. The expansive store has good-quality tomes and plenty of comfy sofas where you can sit and peruse your finds. It’s a particularly friendly environment for kids. Books average around $5.
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E
Seminary Cooperative Bookstore
This is the bookstore of choice for several University of Chicago Nobel Prize winners, including Robert Fogel, who says, ‘For a scholar, it’s one of the great bookstores of the world.’ The shop is owned by the same folks as 57th St Books. It’s planning a move (down the block to 5751 S Woodlawn Ave) at the end of 2011 or beginning of 2012.
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F
Borders Books & Music
This humongous Borders, right across from the Water Tower, is always crowded. Thousands of books, including lots of special-interest titles, are spread out over four floors. You’ll find a good selection of magazines and newspapers near the main entrance. There’s also a branch in Lake View. Both have free wi-fi.
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G
Myopic Books
Sunlight pours through the windows at Myopic, one of the city’s oldest and largest used bookstores. It rambles through three floors, serves coffee and hosts poetry readings (usually on Sunday evenings) and experimental music (on Monday evenings). In other words, it’s perfect.
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H
Women & Children First
A feminist mainstay, this independent bookstore has been around for over 30 years. Book signings and author events happen every week at the welcoming shop, which features fiction and nonfiction by and about women, along with children’s books.
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I
Powell’s
This leading store for used books can get you just about any title ever published. Shelf after heaving shelf prop up the well-arranged stock. Another outlet is located in Lake View.
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J
Europa Books
As the name promises, this store carries newspapers, magazines and books, primarily in French, German, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese, but also in some non-European languages including Japanese.
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K
Barbara’s Bookstore
For serious fiction, you can’t touch this locally owned chain. Staff members have read what they sell, and touring authors regularly give readings.
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