Sizable true-crime and humanities sections and a very mellow atmosphere make this a great place to browse. Perhaps the biggest and best of the independents, this Hemingway-inspired bookstore has all the variety of a huge chain combined with the thoughtful selection of a trained acquisitions staff. And the store's prime downtown location makes it an easy place to visit. They seem to be trying to sell CDs, too, but don't let that distract you from the great deals on new books. Very tall shelves and limited walking room keep a lot of books out of reach, but there's more than enough in their magazine rack to keep you busy for an hour.
Prices are a little high for used titles.
The pop-fiction section deserves recognition, too, especially for the great paperback prices. While some of the stock isn't the most recent, everything is interesting, and the store has several first editions behind glass to drool over from afar. It's a very quiet and peaceful spot to take refuge from the noisy traffic outside. Used fiction should be purchased nowhere else but this shop, which also happens to be the coolest place in town to sell your boxes of old books. Some paperbacks are in less than mint condition, but they'll be the ones you couldn't find anywhere else.