Bookstores in Kansas City
Bookstores reward the browsers. Kansas City, MO has 34 mapped right now. That's 34 bookshops mapped around Kansas City, each with its own shelves and specialties. The used sections are where the real bargains hide.
This guide covers every bookstore we could verify in and around Kansas City (within about 40 km), built from OpenStreetMap's community-maintained data. Names you'll run into include Half Price Books and Barnes & Noble, plus Jayhawks Central. If a bookshop's missing from Kansas City's list, it probably just hasn't been mapped yet.
The Kansas City bookstore lineup
34 mapped within about 40 km:
Half Price Books
Bookstore
Half Price Books — Bookstore, found on 1002 Westport Road in Kansas City. Also worth knowing about Half Price Books: a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip.
1002 Westport Road, Kansas City, 64111
Phone: +1-816-931-5377
Barnes & Noble
Bookstore
Barnes & Noble — Bookstore.
Jayhawks Central
BookstoreRun by University of Kansas
Jayhawks Central is Bookstore run by University of Kansas on 12520 Quivira Road, Overland Park. Jayhawks Central also notes on the map: the map lists its hours as Mo-Sa 10:00-18:00; Su off; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip.
12520 Quivira Road, Overland Park, 66213
Hours: Mo-Sa 10:00-18:00; Su off
Phone: +1-913-897-8580
KD's Books
Bookstore
KD's Books — Bookstore.
Big City Comix
Bookstore
Big City Comix — Bookstore.
Desert Wisdom Bookstore
Bookstore
Desert Wisdom Bookstore — Bookstore.
Half Price Books
Bookstore
Half Price Books — Bookstore, found on 15309 West 119th in Olathe. Also worth knowing about Half Price Books: the map lists its hours as Mo-Sa 10:00-20:00; Su 11:00-19:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip.
15309 West 119th, Olathe, 66062
Hours: Mo-Sa 10:00-20:00; Su 11:00-19:00
Phone: +1-913-829-9959
Beacon Bible
Bookstore
Beacon Bible — Bookstore.
Steel's Used Books
Bookstore
Steel's Used Books is Bookstore on 7313 North Oak Trafficway, Gladstone. Steel's Used Books also notes on the map: the map lists its hours as Mo-Sa 11:00-18:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
7313 North Oak Trafficway, Gladstone, 64118
Hours: Mo-Sa 11:00-18:00
Phone: +1-816-300-2665
Rainy Day Books
Bookstore
Rainy Day Books — Bookstore, found on 2706 West 53rd Street in Fairway. Also worth knowing about Rainy Day Books: the map lists its hours as Mo-Sa 10:00-19:00; Su 10:00-17:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
2706 West 53rd Street, Fairway, 66208
Hours: Mo-Sa 10:00-19:00; Su 10:00-17:00
Phone: +1-913-384-3126
Turn the Page KC
Bookstore
Turn the Page KC — Bookstore. Also worth knowing about Turn the Page KC: the map lists its hours as Mo-Su 06:00-22:00.
Hours: Mo-Su 06:00-22:00
Family Christian Stories
Bookstore
Family Christian Stories — Bookstore.
Mardel Christian & Education
Bookstore
Mardel Christian & Education is Bookstore.
KU Med Bookstore
Bookstore
KU Med Bookstore — Bookstore.
The Lucky Rabbit
Bookstore
The Lucky Rabbit is Bookstore.
Flagship Books
Bookstore
Flagship Books — Bookstore, found on 510 North 6th Street in Kansas City.
510 North 6th Street, Kansas City, 66101
Willa’s Books & Vinyl
Bookstore
Willa’s Books & Vinyl — Bookstore on 5547 Troost Avenue. Also worth knowing about Willa’s Books & Vinyl: the map lists its hours as Tu-Sa 12:00-17:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
5547 Troost Avenue, 64110
Hours: Tu-Sa 12:00-17:00
Phone: +1-816-419-1051
Monstera's Books
Bookstore
Monstera's Books is Bookstore on 7930. Monstera's Books also notes on the map: the map lists its hours as Tu-Fr 11:00-18:00; Sa 08:00-16:00; Su 12:00-16:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
7930, 66204
Hours: Tu-Fr 11:00-18:00; Sa 08:00-16:00; Su 12:00-16:00
Phone: +1 913-413-0090
West iNd Connection
Bookstore
West iNd Connection — Bookstore on 10908 East Winner Road. Also worth knowing about West iNd Connection: the map lists its hours as Mo, Sa 12:00-16:00; Tu 10:00-16:00; We 15:00-18:00; Th 17:00-19:00; Fr 13:00-17:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
10908 East Winner Road, 64052
Hours: Mo, Sa 12:00-16:00; Tu 10:00-16:00; We 15:00-18:00; Th 17:00-19:00; Fr 13:00-17:00
Phone: +1 816-837-9462
Half Price Books
Bookstore
Half Price Books — Bookstore, found on 9622 Nall Avenue in Overland Park. Also worth knowing about Half Price Books: the map lists its hours as Mo-Sa 10:00-20:00; Su 11:00-19:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip.
9622 Nall Avenue, Overland Park, 66207
Hours: Mo-Sa 10:00-20:00; Su 11:00-19:00
Phone: +1-913-383-3373
Elite Comics
Bookstore
Elite Comics is Bookstore on 11842 Quivira Road. Elite Comics also notes on the map: a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
11842 Quivira Road, 66210
Phone: +1 913-345-9910
Pop Culture Comix
Bookstore
Pop Culture Comix — Bookstore on 9337 West 87th Street. Also worth knowing about Pop Culture Comix: a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip.
9337 West 87th Street, 66212
Phone: +1 913-341-0040
Basement Books KC
Bookstore
Basement Books KC — Bookstore, found on 13 East Kansas Street in Liberty. Also worth knowing about Basement Books KC: the map lists its hours as Tu-Fr 12:00-20:00; Sa 09:00-19:00; it has a website with more detail.
13 East Kansas Street, Liberty, 64068
Hours: Tu-Fr 12:00-20:00; Sa 09:00-19:00
Turnsol Books
Bookstore
Turnsol Books — Bookstore, found on 1664 Broadway Boulevard in Kansas City. Also worth knowing about Turnsol Books: the map lists its hours as Tu-Th 12:00-18:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-19:00; Su 12:00-18:00; it has a website with more detail.
1664 Broadway Boulevard, Kansas City, 64108
Hours: Tu-Th 12:00-18:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-19:00; Su 12:00-18:00
Turnsol Books
Bookstore
Turnsol Books — Bookstore on 1664 Broadway Boulevard. Also worth knowing about Turnsol Books: the map lists its hours as Tu-Th,Su 12:00-18:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-19:00; it has a website with more detail.
1664 Broadway Boulevard, 64108
Hours: Tu-Th,Su 12:00-18:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-19:00
Holy Grounds Coffee and Book Shoppe
Bookstore
Holy Grounds Coffee and Book Shoppe is Bookstore on 342 North Water Street, Liberty. Holy Grounds Coffee and Book Shoppe also notes on the map: the map lists its hours as Mo-Sa 07:00-17:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
342 North Water Street, Liberty, 64068
Hours: Mo-Sa 07:00-17:00
Phone: +1-816-361-2144
Bralle Bibles International
Bookstore
Bralle Bibles International — Bookstore.
Sword and Trowel Bookstore
BookstoreRun by Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Run by Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Sword and Trowel Bookstore is Bookstore, found on 5050 N Midwestern Drive in Kansas City. Also worth knowing about Sword and Trowel Bookstore: the map lists its hours as Mo-Fr 09:00-18:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
5050 N Midwestern Drive, Kansas City, 64118
Hours: Mo-Fr 09:00-18:00
Phone: +1-816-414-3808
Barnes & Noble
Bookstore
Barnes & Noble — Bookstore, found on 11323 West 95th Street in Overland Park. Also worth knowing about Barnes & Noble: a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
11323 West 95th Street, Overland Park, 66215
Phone: +1 913-492-8187
Prospero’s Bookstore
Bookstore
Prospero’s Bookstore — Bookstore, found on 1800 West 39th Street in Kansas City. Also worth knowing about Prospero’s Bookstore: a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
1800 West 39th Street, Kansas City, 64111
Phone: +1-816-531-9673
Barnes & Noble
Bookstore
Barnes & Noble — Bookstore.
Barnes & Noble
Bookstore
Barnes & Noble — Bookstore, found on 8625 Northwest Prairie View Road in Kansas City. Also worth knowing about Barnes & Noble: a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
8625 Northwest Prairie View Road, Kansas City, 64153
Phone: +18165053355
Books-A-Million
Bookstore
Books-A-Million — Bookstore, found on 1859 Village West Parkway in Kansas City. Also worth knowing about Books-A-Million: the map lists its hours as Mo-Sa 10:00-20:00; Su 11:00-18:00.
1859 Village West Parkway, Kansas City, 66111
Hours: Mo-Sa 10:00-20:00; Su 11:00-18:00
The Book Nook
Bookstore
The Book Nook is Bookstore.
What the map tells us about bookstores in Kansas City
15 of the 34 list their opening hours on the map, which is genuinely useful — bookshops keep civilised hours, so the listed ones are usually reliable.
14 have websites listed. Worth a look for events — readings and signings get announced there first.
There's a cluster: 2 of them sit on 1664 Broadway Boulevard, so you can string those into one walk and drive between the rest.
The Kansas City bookstore crawl
Plot these on a map and the day plans itself: Half Price Books on 1002 Westport Road, Barnes & Noble, Jayhawks Central on 12520 Quivira Road, KD's Books, Big City Comix, Desert Wisdom Bookstore, Half Price Books on 15309 West 119th, and Beacon Bible. That's 34 stops on the Kansas City bookstore crawl. 26 more are listed below.
Bookstore tips for Kansas City
A few things worth knowing before you work through Kansas City's bookstores:
- Don't skip the small press section at Half Price Books. The weird, wonderful stuff lives here. Small presses take the risks the big publishers won't.
- Learn your editions at Barnes & Noble. A first edition, first printing is the collectible one. Booksellers will show you how to check the copyright page.
- Check the bargain carts outside. Sidewalk carts are the shop's clearance rack. A dollar a book, and the turnover is fast.
- Ask the booksellers. A good bookseller lives for the question 'what should I read next?' Give them three books you loved and watch them work.
Good to know
We searched about 40 km around Kansas City — that covers the town itself plus the surrounding communities you'd reasonably drive to. Listings come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by local volunteers, so a brand-new bookstore in Kansas City can take a while to appear. The 34 above are only as current as the community map. A bookstore that's shut, or a new one nobody's added yet, gets fixed with a single OpenStreetMap edit.
We don't list prices — they change constantly and vary by edition. What we list is the where: real shops, verified by real mappers, in alphabetical order with no favourites.
If you run one of the 34 listed here and something's wrong — a closure, a move, new hours — the fix is the same: update the shop on OpenStreetMap and the correction flows through to this page on the next daily refresh.
Bookstore listings for Kansas City: 34 mapped from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Photos from Wikimedia Commons contributors; individual photo credits appear in captions. Listing data was last refreshed automatically — verify hours before visiting.