As any avid reader will attest to, there’s nothing quite like getting lost in a good book. Reading can transport us to another world and provide an escape from everyday stress. The benefits of reading, obvious to the bookworm, are now also being backed by science. It ignites our imagination; it improves empathy; it can reduce stress; make us happier and smarter — it might even make us live longer.
Despite all these perks, Americans are reading less than ever. What’s also been dwindling in the past few decades is the number of independent booksellers. In the five years following the 1995 launch of Amazon, the number of independent bookstores fell by 40 percent.
But, in contrast to our reading habits, brick-and-mortar bookstores have bounced back in recent years. Between 2009 and 2015, the number of independent bookstores in the United States grew by 35 percent, despite challenges in the form of big box stores, online retail and e-books. In 2023, over 200 new stores opened across the country.
This recent increase seems to indicate that, despite the infinite distractions of the digital world, there are some things that can’t be replaced by an easy search and click. Thumbing the pages of a book, chatting with the bookseller, discovering a rare treasure on a shelf—there’s a sense of authenticity in a bookstore often lost in the digital space. Beyond the benefits of this individual experience, independent bookshops also play an important role in our community as businesses supporting the local economy and as gathering places for a diverse group of people.
To celebrate our local independent booksellers, and to encourage more reading, we’ve created a book-lover’s guide to Sonoma County. Enjoy these fabulous local bookstores on National Independent Bookstore Day, April 26, or any day of the year.
Treehorn Books
Treehorn Books, founded by two Sonoma State graduates in 1979, has an extraordinary selection of used books, specializing in classical literature. An ever-expanding inventory lines the shelves and tables. It’s hard to find a book-free spot in this tiny Santa Rosa shop. The store caters to its many regulars, whose tastes are kept in mind for new purchases. Teachers receive a 10 percent discount.
Location: 625 Fourth St., Santa Rosa
Phone: 707-525-1782
Paperbacks Unlimited
Founded in 1972, Paperbacks is Santa Rosa’s largest used bookshop and the oldest in Sonoma County. It specializes in popular fiction, with nonfiction titles well represented too. Its mystery/suspense and science fiction sections are among the most popular, with a great selection for young adults. Customers who donate books receive store credit, and seniors enjoy discounts.
Location: 4625 Sonoma Highway, Santa Rosa
Phone: 707-539-8102
Website: paperbacksunlimited.net
Levin & Company Community Booksellers
This Healdsburg bookstore has welcomed bookworms for over 30 years. With the largest fiction section of any independent bookstore in Sonoma County, it also features a curated vinyl and CD selection, extensive nonfiction, and local art, jewelry, and crafts upstairs. Levin & Co. hosts frequent literary events and is rooted in a strong community spirit.
Location: 306 Center St., Healdsburg
Phone: 707-433-1118
Website: levinbooks.com
Copperfield’s Underground
Located in Petaluma, this “underground” extension of Copperfield’s Books is a haven for used and rare book seekers. Copperfield’s itself has expanded to 10 stores across the North Bay, but this cellar-like shop remains a special gem for collectors and readers. It’s filled with thousands of titles on topics from art and science to poetry and history.
Location: 140 Kentucky St., Petaluma
Phone: 707-782-0228
Website: copperfieldsbooks.com
Word Horde Emporium of the Weird & Fantastic
Ross Lockhart founded this unique bookstore during the pandemic, specializing in weird, horrific, and speculative fiction. Located in the Petaluma Village Premium Outlets, it also offers games, accessories, candles, and other “fantastic” gifts. The shop hosts spooky-themed literary events, such as a Poe poetry reading on Edgar Allan Poe’s birthday.
Location: 2200 Petaluma Blvd. N., Suite 805, Petaluma
Phone: 707-981-9110
Website: weirdandfantastic.com
Readers’ Books
Since 1991, this Sonoma bookstore has provided a welcoming third place for locals beyond home and work. Literary fiction, politics, and cookbooks are its most popular genres. Readers’ Books offers a garden patio for reading, allows dogs, hosts weekly author events, and gives teachers a 15 percent discount.
Location: 130 E. Napa St., Sonoma
Phone: 707-939-1779
Website: readersbooks.com
Russian River Books & Letters
Located in a space with decades of literary history, this Guerneville bookstore—previously Mockingbird Books—features new and used books and shares a space with Coffee Bazaar. It hosts community events, writing workshops, and a monthly book club.
Location: 14045 Armstrong Woods Road, Guerneville
Phone: 707-604-7197
Website: booksletters.com
Ready to fall in love with reading again?
Visit one of these incredible independent bookstores and support the local businesses that keep the magic of books alive. Share this guide with fellow book lovers, and let’s turn the page on screen fatigue together — one locally purchased book at a time.
