The Tampa area is replete with stunning indie bookstores and used book exchange stations. There are so many local shops to support, each emerging with its own quintessential identity and offerings. Here’s a quick look at the bookstores you should have on your radar in Tampa Bay.
On March 12, Water Street Tampa will host a dreamy outdoor book fair for grown-ups. The festivities will run from 5:30 p.m. through 9:30 p.m. Bookends Ybor, Steamy Lit, and more area booksellers and authors will be in attendance. Full event details can be found here.
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Back in the Day Books
355 Main St, Dunedin
Back in the Day Book Store features new books, including many current bestsellers, collectible, rare, out-of-print titles, fine bindings, and more. They buy books in the store by appointment and prefer that you call or email them first to ensure they can accommodate the books you’re considering bringing in. They even make house calls for larger collections.
Black English Bookstore
401 E Oak Ave
Black English Bookstore is a women-owned and independently operated bookshop that caters to readers of all ages while elevating black-authored books. The intimate storefront, just 738 square feet, is packed with profound literature. The inventory starts with approximately 1,200–1,500 books, puzzles, notecards, art, and more. They also create space for another women-owned coffee business, play records, and have a few plants to water.
Follow the bookstore on Facebook, Instagram, and its website, as well as on Bookshop to learn more about what the store offers.
Bookends Ybor
Operating at Ybor Saturday Market, 1800 E 8t Ave
Owners and Tampa natives Laurie and Teresa Rodriguez have secured a structure in Ybor City for the future home of Bookends: Literature & Libations. The shop will open at 2208 E 2nd Avenue. You can support the shop online and follow their journey on Instagram. Their menu of baked goods appears as tantalizing as the literature they stock on their shelves. While the shop may not be open just yet, you can still support this local bookstore on Bookshop.org, where you can order books to be shipped directly to your home.
Book + Bottle
17 6th St N, St. Pete
Books and wine, what more do you need? Book + Bottle combines the elegance of a boutique wine bar and cafe with the wonder of an independent bookstore. They host author talks and book signings, numerous book clubs, and carry books for kids and adults. There’s also a strong selection of Florida-made books and gifts. Their staff are as knowledgeable about wine as they are about books. A true gem in St. Pete.
Book Rescuers
8325 Ulmerton Road, Largo
This shop features more than 40,000 beautiful used books. Book Rescuers boasts a gigantic collection for both kids and adults, spanning three miles of shelves with every imaginable book genre. There’s a 60-seat reading lounge, 16 craft beers on tap, and a coffee and tea bar. A stage and an educational room for children are available for authors and musicians to perform.
Gilded Page
123 East Court Street, Tarpon Springs
Born from a love of reading and writing, “The Gilded Page aims to be the go-to local indie bookstore for those searching for the newest releases and most beloved classics,” write the owners on the store’s website. Additionally, they hope to serve as a meeting place for bibliophiles, writers, and other creatives to connect and collaborate.
Lighthouse Books
14046 5th Street, Dade City
Lighthouse Books is a family-run shop that has served book lovers for more than 45 years. They specialize in scholarly books, particularly Florida History, Americana, and military history, but also carry a broad range of general antiquarian books, used/secondhand books, and a small gallery of prints and maps.
Mojo Books
2554 E Fowler Ave, Tampa
Tampa’s independent used and new book & record store and coffee & tea bar. This sprawling collection includes the top titles out today, some sleeper hits, and interesting paperbacks you may have never heard of before. Mojo also has a huge collection of vinyl and one of the best staffs in the state of Florida.
Oxford Exchange Bookstore
420 W Kennedy Blvd, Tampa
The Oxford Exchange Bookstore may be the most beautiful bookstore in the state of Florida. The beautifully designed shop features top award-winning fiction and non-fiction titles, poetry collections, kids’ books, and literary classics. Renowned authors frequently visit the shop for readings and signings. Where else can you enjoy a National Book Award winning book and the best brunch in America at the same time?
Portkey Books
404 Main St, Safety Harbor
The owner of Portkey Books believes that books can transport and connect us. After operating as a pop-up bookstore, they debuted a tiny storefront on Main Street in Safety Harbor, FL. They offer free delivery within Safety Harbor, or you can pick up your order from their new storefront. This intimate space is lovingly curated and a must-visit in the wonderful town of Safety Harbor.
Steamy Lit
2832 S MacDill Ave
The popular romance-only bookstore Steamy Lit is now open at 2832 S MacDill Ave, sharing space with Procure by All Women’s Collective. Known for its mission of uplifting romance writers from underrepresented backgrounds, Steamy Lit is the coolest new spot to find your next great read.
The Story Garden (832 14th St N) is a delightful children’s bookstore in the charming Uptown neighborhood. This cozy gem is filled with nearly 1,500 books for young readers, making it the perfect spot for kids in St. Pete to embark on reading adventures.
Tombolo Books
2153 1st Avenue South, St. Pete
This locally owned shop has a big heart. They feature a lovingly curated children’s book section complete with a reading nook for kids, offer sections dedicated to Florida authors, and order new books every single day. Tombolo Books has one of the most robust events programs you’re bound to find at any bookstore in the country. They host sci-fi, horror, short story, fantasy, and crime fiction book clubs and share a beautiful courtyard with a coffee shop and a fresh juice shop where authors hold readings and lectures. It’s one of my personal go-to spots when shopping for gifts.
Wilson’s Book World
535 16th St N, St. Pete
Wilson’s Book World has served St. Pete for decades. This family-owned used bookstore has a huge selection of science fiction and horror novels. They even have a funny Freddy Krueger cutout that moves around the store. Their collection of comics grows every week as well. It’s a local institution well worth a visit.
