Maybe it’s the rain that keeps Seattle readers inside, cradling their favorite tome. But there’s no denying that this city loves to crack open a book, or curl up in the stacks of some musty neighborhood vendor. Thankfully, there’s no shortage of quality places to buy, trade, read and enjoy books in the Emerald City. Here are some of the city’s best.
One of the most beloved booksellers in Seattle is Elliott Bay Books, which relocated to Capitol Hill from its original spot in Pioneer Square. Fans appreciate the large-scale retailer’s informed, friendly staff and its well-organized selections, nestled among widely-spaced shelves that make for easy browsing. From the latest work of fiction or classic hardcover to long stacks of dime store paperbacks, Elliott Bay Books prides itself on having something for everyone. A readings room on the lower level has played host to many best-selling authors, who read from their work and take questions from the audience. A cozy café tucked into the corner of the expansive shop offers coffee drinks, sandwiches and sweets, and has become a go-to meeting spot for many.
A 20-minute drive from downtown, Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park works hard at creating a welcoming, family-friendly environment for the local neighborhood and beyond. That means arranging comfy chairs throughout the store for customers to peruse their possible purchases, including pint-size seating for little ones looking to start their own love of reading. Regulars gather for everything from mahjong to Big Band dances, often dining inside one of the casual venues in the food court, making this bookstore a champ in the multi-tasking department.
If you’re in the market for an overly-specific tome, check out any of Seattle’s hyper-focused shops as well. The Seattle Mystery Book Shop celebrates the page-turning mystery genre, with tons of otherwise hard-to-find titles that keep longtime guests coming back. Kinokuniya offers an exhaustive lineup of Asian authors, all in a cheery store adjacent to Uwajimaya supermarket in Seattle’s vibrant International District. No matter what text you’re on the hunt for, it’s a safe bet that you’ll find it somewhere around Seattle.
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Shopping in Bremerton
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Claywerks invites adults, children, and anthroporphic puppies to enjoy the creative outlet of painting and pottery in a friendly and comfortable studio. Get your feet wet with two hours spent glazing a ceramic object such as a plate, bowl, or figurine. The value of your Groupon includes a $7 studio fee plus $13 good toward an item to paint. Most items range from $5 to $45. Create a ceramic masterpiece to take home, give to a friend, or use as a counterweight when you purloin a golden idol from a booby-trapped pedestal.
330 N Callow Ave
Bremerton,
WA
US
• At the Outlet on 4th store on Saturday, July 9 at 12 p.m. • At the Everett store on Tuesday, July 12 at 12 p.m. • At the Everett store on Tuesday, July 12 at 5 p.m. • At the Bellevue store on Monday, July 18 at 12 p.m. • At the Bellevue store on Monday, July 18 at 5 p.m. • At the Bremerton store on Friday, July 22 at 12 p.m. • At the Bremerton store on Friday, July 22 at 5 p.m. • At the Northgate store on Saturday, July 23 at 12 p.m.
4214 Wheaton Way
Bremerton,
WA
US
As a conglomerate of paintball facilities, Paintball International offers many distinct destinations for chromatic outdoor combat. Some fields, such as Splat Zone Paintball in Louisiana, challenge players to find adequate cover in an arena littered with creative obstacles. In Massachusetts, PnL Paintball thrusts players into a realistic Ghost Town, comprised of churches, multilevel buildings, and stone walls. Meanwhile, trees, leaves, stacked wood, and foliage inside K.C. Crusaders offer players all-natural hiding places from which they can spring forth to surprise their rivals or remain undetected while they determine the color palette they will use to paint Water Lilies on the surrounding bunkers.
70 Northeast Katchemak Lane
Belfair,
WA
US
Combining Old World traditions with New World sensibilities, the butchers at Proper British Bacon & Meats pull from the freshest sources they can find as they create faithful renditions of the United Kingdom's iconic meats. They work with free-range, hormone- and antibiotic-free pork, grass-fed Nebraska beef, and eggs from chickens that they've raised on their own farm. From there, they proceed to smoke their own jerky, grind beef using actual steak instead of leftover trimmings, and age steaks without resorting to any mechanical processes. These carefully prepared cuts are then used to make an eclectic assortment of cured as well as nitrate-free and low-preservative meats?many inspired by savory snacks from across the Atlantic.
Smoked British bacon, for example, remains a perennial favorite, with a relatively lean flavor and texture compared to its American counterpart (which the store also sells, of course). Other unmistakably British goods?such as steak and kidney pies and haggis made with lamb, beef, herbs, onions, and stone-ground oats?are also available by the pound. The full selection features more than 500 different choices, including 18 bacons made in-house, more than 55 different varieties of handmade sausages, and an assortment of imported English cheeses. To help hunters who've won the day's staring contests against wild game, the butchers also lend their expertise to processing everything from deer and elk to caribou and big-horn sheep. Aside from food, Proper British Bacon & Meats is also a dealer for the Big Green Egg ceramic cooker.
1386 SE Lund Ave
Port Orchard,
WA
US