My favorite bookstore to visit when I am not sure what book I want to buy is Friends of the Library. This shop is second hand, meaning that all the books in the store have already been owned and are donated. Friends of the Library creates an ambiance perfect for readers looking for an easy-going and cozy bookstore.
The store is part of a larger non-profit organization, Friends of the Library Montgomery County (FOLMC), which was founded with the purpose of supporting Montgomery County Public Libraries.
There is a location in Wheaton, but the Friends of the Library location that I most often visit is conveniently located across the street from CESJDS.
Friends of the Library has a variety of options for low prices, around two or three dollars each. I am often able to buy around five books here for the price of one somewhere else. As a result, I will often leave Friends of the Library with more books than I set out to get, having found many old favorites or books I have never heard of that sound interesting.
With three locations across D.C., Politics and Prose (P&P) is the perfect bookstore for finding a specific book or participating in a community event. My favorite of their locations is located on Connecticut Avenue NW, as it also has a great coffee shop, The Den.
This location has two levels, packed to the brim with books neatly lined on shelves or stacked on display tables. The display tables highlight relevant books for the month and reader favorites throughout each level, giving overwhelmed readers the ability to easily find recommendations.
The store is spacious and I have often walked into an aisle to find someone reading by themselves in the privacy the space offers. The bookstore receives about a hundred boxes of books each day, ensuring that it has almost every book you could think of.
In addition to selling books, P&P hosts many clubs, author talks and writing classes, it also has a book-a-month program, where recipients input information about what types of books they like, and are shipped books monthly based on that. Since COVID-19, P&P has grown its online presence. Through the P&P website, customers can order books to their houses, learn about programs like author talks and gain easy access to the many other services.
P&P gives shoppers the classic experience of a large bookstore while also providing space for people to connect in smaller settings.
After years of downtown Bethesda not having a bookstore, in Nov. 2024, Wonderland Books, a small independent bookstore, moved in. Downtown Bethesda has not had a bookstore since 2022, when Amazon Books went out of business. Wonderland Books is a welcome addition to the neighborhood, as the staff provides a friendly environment, giving members of the community an easy place to find both books and a community.
Wonderland Books was founded by Amy Joyce and Gayle Weiswasser, who had previously been in a book club together. The store feels very open and inviting, upon entering I instantly feel comfortable talking to staff and other shoppers.
Walking into Wonderland Books, I immediately notice its simplicity and the feeling of community it fosters. Display tables are scattered throughout the one-room store, while still leaving plenty of room to move around. On the wall, polaroid pictures of pets who have visited the store are proudly displayed, highlighting the sense of community the store strives for.
Despite its small size, the store has different options for all readers, from the humor section to the young adult section. For readers who are unsure what book to pick, the store offers a “blind date with a book,” where books are wrapped to hide their covers and descriptions are written on the wrapping.
