Skip to content

Instagram Inspiration: Independent Bookstores

Explore Seattle's many independent bookstores

By Sabrina Nelson May 26, 2016

A collage of pictures of a bookstore with shelves full of books.
A collage of pictures of a bookstore with shelves full of books.

Few things evoke such a sense of wonder and possibility as an indpendent bookstore. From Elliott Bay Book Company on Capitol Hill to the Queen Anne Book Company to Wallingford’s poem emporium Open Books, Seattle is full of them.

Independent bookstores are the understated heart of a city, serving as sources of connection and inspiration, community gathering spaces, and symbols of the lasting personalization of art and literature. Inside, one can discover different worlds, past secrets, future dreams and the answers to almost any question.

These Instagrammers were inspired to capture the magic of the unique spaces and potential of the countless pages.

1. Janice Leadingham

Instagram: @hellohuzzah

2. Alaina Waagner

Instagram: @complaina

3. Lindsay Thurston

Instagram: @lindsayliving

4. Courtney Biggs

Instagram: @courtneyinsea

5. Reuven Nathaniel Pinnata

Instagram: @reuvenathaniel

 

Follow Us

Little Ways to December in Seattle

Little Ways to December in Seattle

A few (mostly) local things worth picking up, wandering through, or falling into as the year wraps.

December always sneaks up on me even though every year I convince myself I’m going to be organized (I’m not). So I’ve been collecting these simple outings and local spots that feel like unwrapped gifts. If you’re looking for a way to escape or lean in, here are some recommendations. A sip of history You…

Back to Gander

Back to Gander

Seattle Rep revisits its original world premiere with a new staging that pulls you straight into the heart of the story.

When you walk into the theater, the cast is already onstage in what looks like a Gander high school gym—setting out dishes for a potluck, chatting, and then cleaning up. It feels like you’ve arrived in the middle of a reunion, which is the point. This run marks 10 years since Come From Away first…

Seattle’s Big Holiday Arts Guide

Seattle’s Big Holiday Arts Guide

A full lineup of seasonal performances across local theaters and venues.

In the words of William Shakespeare, “All’s well that ends well.”  Local theater and arts organizations are hoping for exactly that. Holiday productions often account for as much as half of their annual ticket sales. A 2018 Dance/USA survey found that The Nutcracker alone represented 48% of yearly revenue for many companies producing the Tchaikovsky…

Outside the Frame

Outside the Frame

In their first solo museum exhibition in Seattle, artist Camille Trautman uses photography to reclaim history, narrative, and self-expression.

You have probably seen Camille Trautman’s work without even realizing it. A huge photograph—20 feet wide—is currently hanging across the exterior of the Frye Art Museum, visible to passersby driving along Boren Avenue. The image is of a wooded landscape in black and white. Its edges are vacuous, with trees swallowed by darkness, but the…