Bookstores in Washington DC
Bookstores reward the browsers. Washington DC, DC has 107 mapped right now, and 1 of them deal in used books. That's 107 bookshops mapped around Washington DC, 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 Washington DC (within about 40 km), built from OpenStreetMap's community-maintained data. Names you'll run into include Christian Science Reading Room and Lighthouse Christian Bookstore, plus Second Story Books. If a bookshop's missing from Washington DC's list, it probably just hasn't been mapped yet.
The Washington DC bookstore lineup
107 mapped within about 40 km — showing 60:
Christian Science Reading Room
Bookstore
Christian Science Reading Room is Bookstore.
Lighthouse Christian Bookstore
Bookstore
Lighthouse Christian Bookstore is Bookstore.
Second Story Books
Bookstore
Second Story Books — Bookstore. Also worth knowing about Second Story Books: the map lists its hours as Mo-Su 10:00-20:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
Hours: Mo-Su 10:00-20:00
Phone: +1 202-659-8884
Bridge Street Books
Bookstore
Bridge Street Books — Bookstore on 2814 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest. Also worth knowing about Bridge Street Books: the map lists its hours as Mo-Sa 11:00-21:00; Su 12:00-21:00.
2814 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest
Hours: Mo-Sa 11:00-21:00; Su 12:00-21:00
Barnes & Noble
BookstoreRun by Barnes & Noble
Run by Barnes & Noble, Barnes & Noble is Bookstore. Also worth knowing about Barnes & Noble: the map lists its hours as Mo-Sa 10:00-21:00; Su 11:00-19:00.
Hours: Mo-Sa 10:00-21:00; Su 11:00-19:00
Kramerbooks & Afterwords Café
Bookstore
Kramerbooks & Afterwords Café is Bookstore on 1517 Connecticut Avenue Northwest, Washington. Kramerbooks & Afterwords Café also notes on the map: the map lists its hours as Mo-Sa 08:00-22:00; Su 08:00-21:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
1517 Connecticut Avenue Northwest, Washington, 20036
Hours: Mo-Sa 08:00-22:00; Su 08:00-21:00
Phone: +1 202-387-1400
The Lantern
Bookstore
The Lantern — Bookstore on 3241 P Street Northwest. Also worth knowing about The Lantern: the map lists its hours as Th-Fr 11:00-16:00; Sa 11:00-17:00; Su 12:00-16:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
3241 P Street Northwest
Hours: Th-Fr 11:00-16:00; Sa 11:00-17:00; Su 12:00-16:00
Phone: +1-202-333-3222
Busboys and Poets
Bookstore
Busboys and Poets — Bookstore, found on 2021 14th Street Northwest in Washington. Also worth knowing about Busboys and Poets: the map lists its hours as Mo-Th 08:00-22:00; Fr 08:00-23:00; Sa 09:00-23:00; Su 09:00-22:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
2021 14th Street Northwest, Washington, 20009
Hours: Mo-Th 08:00-22:00; Fr 08:00-23:00; Sa 09:00-23:00; Su 09:00-22:00
Phone: +1-202-387-7638
Reiters / Washington Law & Professional Books
Bookstore
Reiters / Washington Law & Professional Books — Bookstore on 1900 G Street Northwest.
1900 G Street Northwest
Kramers
Bookstore
Kramers is Bookstore on 1521 Connecticut Avenue Northwest, Washington. Kramers also notes on the map: it has a website with more detail.
1521 Connecticut Avenue Northwest, Washington, 20009
Barnes & Noble
Bookstore
Barnes & Noble — Bookstore, found on 2800 Clarendon Boulevard in Arlington. Also worth knowing about Barnes & Noble: the map lists its hours as Su 10:00-21:00; Mo-Sa 10:00-22:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
2800 Clarendon Boulevard, Arlington, 22201
Hours: Su 10:00-21:00; Mo-Sa 10:00-22:00
Phone: +1 703-248-8244
Barnes & Noble
Bookstore
Barnes & Noble — Bookstore, found on 6260 Seven Corners Center in Falls Church.
6260 Seven Corners Center, Falls Church, 22044
Solid State Books
Bookstore
Solid State Books is Bookstore.
InfoShop World Bank Group
BookstoreRun by The World Bank
InfoShop World Bank Group is Bookstore run by The World Bank on 1776 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, Washington. InfoShop World Bank Group also notes on the map: the map lists its hours as Mo-Fr 09:00-17:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip.
1776 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, Washington, 20433
Hours: Mo-Fr 09:00-17:00
Phone: +1 202-458-4500
Georgetown University Bookstore
Bookstore
Georgetown University Bookstore — Bookstore.
Bold Fork Books
Bookstore
Bold Fork Books is Bookstore on 3064 Mount Pleasant Street Northwest. Bold Fork Books also notes on the map: the map lists its hours as Mo-Fr 12:00-20:00; Sa 10:00-20:00; Su 11:00-18:00; it has a website with more detail.
3064 Mount Pleasant Street Northwest
Hours: Mo-Fr 12:00-20:00; Sa 10:00-20:00; Su 11:00-18:00
Barnes & Noble
Bookstore
Barnes & Noble — Bookstore, found on 7851 Tysons Boulevard in Tysons Corner. Also worth knowing about Barnes & Noble: the map lists its hours as Mo-Sa 10:00-21:00; Su 11:00-19:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
7851 Tysons Boulevard, Tysons Corner
Hours: Mo-Sa 10:00-21:00; Su 11:00-19:00
Phone: +1 703-506-2937
Barnes & Noble
Bookstore
Barnes & Noble — Bookstore on 12193 Fair Lakes Promenade Drive. Also worth knowing about Barnes & Noble: the map lists its hours as Mo-Sa 09:00-21:00; Su 11:00-19:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip.
12193 Fair Lakes Promenade Drive
Hours: Mo-Sa 09:00-21:00; Su 11:00-19:00
Phone: +1 703-278-0300
Comics to Astonish
Bookstore
Comics to Astonish is Bookstore.
Barnes & Noble
Bookstore
Barnes & Noble — Bookstore, found on 11816 Spectrum Drive in Reston. Also worth knowing about Barnes & Noble: the map lists its hours as Mo-Fr 09:00-21:00; Sa 09:00-21:00; Su 11:00-19:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip.
11816 Spectrum Drive, Reston, 20190
Hours: Mo-Fr 09:00-21:00; Sa 09:00-21:00; Su 11:00-19:00
Phone: +1 571-281-0730
Second Story Books
Bookstore
Second Story Books — Bookstore.
UMD Bookstore
Bookstore
UMD Bookstore is Bookstore.
Pure Panic Comics and Games
Bookstore
Pure Panic Comics and Games is Bookstore on 8317 Fenton Street, Silver Spring. Pure Panic Comics and Games also notes on the map: it has a website with more detail.
8317 Fenton Street, Silver Spring, 20910
Smithsonian
Bookstore
Smithsonian is Bookstore. Smithsonian also notes on the map: the map lists its hours as 07:00-20:00.
Hours: 07:00-20:00
Loyalty Bookstore
Bookstore
Loyalty Bookstore is Bookstore on 4203 9th Street Northwest, Washington. Loyalty Bookstore also notes on the map: the map lists its hours as Tu-Fr 12:00-20:00; Sa 10:00-20:00; Su 12:00-18:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
4203 9th Street Northwest, Washington, 20011-7217
Hours: Tu-Fr 12:00-20:00; Sa 10:00-20:00; Su 12:00-18:00
Phone: +1 202-726-0380
NVCC Annandale Bookstore
Bookstore
NVCC Annandale Bookstore is Bookstore.
Books-A-Million
Bookstore
Books-A-Million — Bookstore on 3304-A Crain Highway. Also worth knowing about Books-A-Million: 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; it has a website with more detail.
3304-A Crain Highway, 20603
Hours: Mo-Sa 10:00-20:00; Su 11:00-19:00
Phone: +1-301-374-6575
Thomas Jefferson Memorial bookstore
Bookstore
Thomas Jefferson Memorial bookstore — Bookstore. Also worth knowing about Thomas Jefferson Memorial bookstore: the map lists its hours as Mo-Su,PH 09:00-18:00, Dec 25 off; it has a website with more detail.
Hours: Mo-Su,PH 09:00-18:00, Dec 25 off
Capitol Hill Books
Bookstore
Capitol Hill Books is Bookstore. Capitol Hill Books also notes on the map: it has a website with more detail.
East City Book Shop
Bookstore
East City Book Shop is Bookstore on 645 Pennsylvania Avenue Southeast, Washington. East City Book Shop also notes on the map: the map lists its hours as Su 11:00-18:00; Mo-Sa 10:00-20:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
645 Pennsylvania Avenue Southeast, Washington, 20003
Hours: Su 11:00-18:00; Mo-Sa 10:00-20:00
Phone: +1 202-290-1636
Fantom Comics
Bookstore
Fantom Comics — Bookstore, found on 2010 P Street Northwest in Washington. Also worth knowing about Fantom Comics: the map lists its hours as Mo-Sa 10:00-21:00; Su 10:00-20:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
2010 P Street Northwest, Washington, 20036
Hours: Mo-Sa 10:00-21:00; Su 10:00-20:00
Phone: +1 202-241-6498
Fonts Books & Gifts
Bookstore
Fonts Books & Gifts is Bookstore on 6262 Old Dominion Drive, McLean. Fonts Books & Gifts also notes on the map: the map lists its hours as Mo off; Tu 10:00-17:00; We-Fr 10:00-19:00; Sa-Su 10:00-17:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
6262 Old Dominion Drive, McLean, 22101
Hours: Mo off; Tu 10:00-17:00; We-Fr 10:00-19:00; Sa-Su 10:00-17:00
Phone: +1-571-327-3667
Potter's House
Bookstore
Potter's House is Bookstore. Potter's House also notes on the map: the map lists its hours as Mo-Fr 07:00-21:00; Sa 08:00-22:00; Su 08:00-18:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
Hours: Mo-Fr 07:00-21:00; Sa 08:00-22:00; Su 08:00-18:00
Phone: +1 202-232-5483
Politics and Prose
Bookstore
Politics and Prose — Bookstore. Also worth knowing about Politics and Prose: the map lists its hours as Mo-Sa 09:00-22:00; Su 10:00-20:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
Hours: Mo-Sa 09:00-22:00; Su 10:00-20:00
Phone: +1 202-364-1919
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Bookstore
Bookstore
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Bookstore — Bookstore on West Basin Drive Southwest. Also worth knowing about Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Bookstore: the map lists its hours as Mo-Su 09:00-18:00; Dec 25 off.
West Basin Drive Southwest
Hours: Mo-Su 09:00-18:00; Dec 25 off
Pórtico Bookstore IDB
Bookstore
Pórtico Bookstore IDB — Bookstore.
Bison Shop
BookstoreRun by Gallaudet
Bison Shop is Bookstore run by Gallaudet. Bison Shop also notes on the map: it has a website with more detail.
Solid State Books
Bookstore
Solid State Books is Bookstore on 1809 14th Street Northwest, Washington. Solid State Books also notes on the map: it has a website with more detail.
1809 14th Street Northwest, Washington
Reston's Used Book Shop
Bookstore
Reston's Used Book Shop — Bookstore, found on Washington Plaza North in Reston.
Washington Plaza North, Reston, 20190
Politics and Prose
Bookstore
Politics and Prose — Bookstore, found on 70 District Square Southwest in Washington.
70 District Square Southwest, Washington, 20024
Solid State Books
Bookstore
Solid State Books is Bookstore on 600 H Street Northeast, Washington.
600 H Street Northeast, Washington, 20002
Howard Community College Bookstore
Bookstore
Howard Community College Bookstore — Bookstore.
Hooray For Books
Bookstore
Hooray For Books — Bookstore.
Ink by Hudson
Bookstore
Ink by Hudson — Bookstore.
One More Page Books
Bookstore
One More Page Books is Bookstore on 2200 North Westmoreland Street, Arlington. One More Page Books also notes on the map: the map lists its hours as Mo off; Tu 11:00-16:00; We-Fr 11:00-19:00; Sa-Su 11:00-16:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
2200 North Westmoreland Street, Arlington, 22213
Hours: Mo off; Tu 11:00-16:00; We-Fr 11:00-19:00; Sa-Su 11:00-16:00
Phone: +1 703-300-9746
Barnes & Noble
Bookstore
Barnes & Noble — Bookstore on 2921 District Avenue. Also worth knowing about Barnes & Noble: the map lists its hours as Mo-Sa 10:00-20:00; Su 11:00-19:00.
2921 District Avenue
Hours: Mo-Sa 10:00-20:00; Su 11:00-19:00
Big Planet Comics
Bookstore
Big Planet Comics — Bookstore, found on 7315 Baltimore Avenue in College Park. Also worth knowing about Big Planet Comics: the map lists its hours as Mo,Tu,Sa 11:00-18:00; We,Fr 11:00-19:30; Th 11:00-18:30; Su 12:00-18:30; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
7315 Baltimore Avenue, College Park, 20740
Hours: Mo,Tu,Sa 11:00-18:00; We,Fr 11:00-19:30; Th 11:00-18:30; Su 12:00-18:30
Phone: +1 301-699-0498
My Dead Aunt's Books
Bookstore
My Dead Aunt's Books — Bookstore, found on 5132 Baltimore Avenue in Hyattsville. Also worth knowing about My Dead Aunt's Books: a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
5132 Baltimore Avenue, Hyattsville, 20781
Phone: +1-240-472-9325
Christian Science Reading Room
Bookstore
Christian Science Reading Room is Bookstore on 3710 Macomb Street Northwest, Washington.
3710 Macomb Street Northwest, Washington, 20016
Politics and Prose
Bookstore
Politics and Prose — Bookstore, found on 1324 4th Street Northeast in Washington. Also worth knowing about Politics and Prose: the map lists its hours as Mo-Su 10:00-20:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
1324 4th Street Northeast, Washington, 20002
Hours: Mo-Su 10:00-20:00
Phone: +1 202-544-4452
Wonder Book
Bookstore
Wonder Book is Bookstore on 15976 Shady Grove Road, Gaithersburg. Wonder Book also notes on the map: the map lists its hours as Mo-Su 10:00-19:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip.
15976 Shady Grove Road, Gaithersburg, 20877
Hours: Mo-Su 10:00-19:00
Phone: +1-301-977-9166
Flashback Comics
Bookstore
Flashback Comics — Bookstore, found on 3112 Business Center Drive in Woodbridge. Also worth knowing about Flashback Comics: it has a website with more detail.
3112 Business Center Drive, Woodbridge, 22192
El Oasis Libreria Cristiana
Bookstore
El Oasis Libreria Cristiana — Bookstore, found on 2930 Patrick Henry Drive in Falls Church.
2930 Patrick Henry Drive, Falls Church, 22044
Lost City Books
Bookstore
Lost City Books — Bookstore. Also worth knowing about Lost City Books: the map lists its hours as Mo-Th 11:00-18:00, Fr-Su 11:00-21:00; it has a website with more detail.
Hours: Mo-Th 11:00-18:00, Fr-Su 11:00-21:00
Barnes & Noble
Bookstore
Barnes & Noble — Bookstore.
Scrawl Books
Bookstore
Scrawl Books — Bookstore, found on 11911 Freedom Drive in Reston. Also worth knowing about Scrawl Books: the map lists its hours as Mo-Sa 10:00-20:00; Su 11:00-18:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
11911 Freedom Drive, Reston, 20190
Hours: Mo-Sa 10:00-20:00; Su 11:00-18:00
Phone: +1-703-966-2111
2nd and Charles
Bookstore
2nd and Charles is Bookstore.
Kensington Row Bookshop
Bookstore
Kensington Row Bookshop is Bookstore on 3786 Howard Avenue, Kensington. Kensington Row Bookshop also notes on the map: the map lists its hours as We-Sa 11:00-17:00; Su 11:00-16:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
3786 Howard Avenue, Kensington, 20895
Hours: We-Sa 11:00-17:00; Su 11:00-16:00
Phone: +1 301 949 9416
Bonjour Books
Bookstore
Bonjour Books — Bookstore, found on 3758 Howard Avenue in Kensington. Also worth knowing about Bonjour Books: the map lists its hours as Tu-Su 12:00-16:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
3758 Howard Avenue, Kensington, 20895
Hours: Tu-Su 12:00-16:00
Phone: +1 240 383 9163
The Amazing Comic Shop
Bookstore
The Amazing Comic Shop is Bookstore on 10647 Braddock Road, Fairfax. The Amazing Comic Shop also notes on the map: the map lists its hours as Mo-Su 10:30-20:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
10647 Braddock Road, Fairfax, 22032
Hours: Mo-Su 10:30-20:00
Phone: +1 703-250-6479
What the map tells us about bookstores in Washington DC
55 of the 107 list their opening hours on the map, which is genuinely useful — bookshops keep civilised hours, so the listed ones are usually reliable.
53 have websites listed. Worth a look for events — readings and signings get announced there first.
The Washington DC bookstore crawl
Plot these on a map and the day plans itself: Christian Science Reading Room, Lighthouse Christian Bookstore, Second Story Books, Bridge Street Books on 2814 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, Barnes & Noble, Kramerbooks & Afterwords Café on 1517 Connecticut Avenue Northwest, The Lantern on 3241 P Street Northwest, and Busboys and Poets on 2021 14th Street Northwest. That's 107 stops on the Washington DC bookstore crawl. 99 more are listed below.
Bookstore tips for Washington DC
Browsing in Washington DC? A little strategy helps:
- Learn the remainders table at Christian Science Reading Room. Publisher overstocks sold cheap. Great for gift buying — new books at used prices.
- Magazines and journals matter at Lighthouse Christian Bookstore. The little-magazine rack is where new writers appear first. Cheap, weird, and full of discoveries.
- Check the events board. Book clubs, writing groups, story times — bookshops are community centres that happen to sell books.
- 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 Washington DC — 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 Washington DC can take a while to appear. The 107 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 107 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 Washington DC: 107 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.