Baltimore Bookstores
I visited two new bookstores in Baltimore last week. Both these shops have been open about a year or so, but I never knew about them until my recent trip.
First was Clayton’s Fine Books & Cafe on N. Charles St., which a former co-worker mentioned to me. The website does not do this place justice. Next time you’re in town, skip the tourist-cluttered Barnes and Noble at Power Plant Live and instead head to this quaint bookstore cafe that serves breakfast, lunch and free wireless too! It beats the B&N/Starbucks atmosphere anyday, and for $2.42 I enjoyed a small house blend coffee and large chocolate dipped biscotti big enough for two.
The second place I spontaneously visited was The Book Escape, on Light St. in Federal Hill, right behind the Science Center. It used to be a different bookstore, I can’t recall the name right now, but recently changed ownership. The shop is packed tightly with mostly used books and not a lot of seating, but is cozy and convenient to the harbor. I made a cheap $3 impulse buy here, but I’m not sure if the book I purchased will make the cut when packing for Europe.
While I’m on the topic, I might as well mention two of my all-time favorite Baltimore bookstores: Atomic Books and Breathe Books. I frequented both these shops when I lived in Charm City, two fabulous niche bookstores located just blocks from each other on The Avenue in Hampden, a vibrant and colorful retail/dining district just north of downtown Baltimore.
All four of these bookstores are must-sees for booklovers visiting Baltimore. Come to think of it, I’ll have to mention this to Larry over at Bookstore Tourism when he returns from hiatus. I think Baltimore is a fantastic candidate for a bookstore tour; there are several other great indy shops I’ve left out right now, as well as The Book Thing.
I’m thinking about all of this tonight because I’m beginning to gather a list of bookstores and libraries in Europe that I hope to visit through the course of my travels this year. (If you have any favorites, please share them in the comments.) I’ve decided to try and keep track of the ones I visit: I’ll keep one list in my handwritten journal, and an online version via delicious. We’ll see how it goes…
Tags: Baltimore, Tag Index
Kel
February 15th, 2006 at 9:47 am
Kelly,
So glad you liked Clayton’s Fine Books & Cafe- I thought you would! I’m glad you got to check it out during your Baltimore visit. Best of luck in your big adventure!
Ann