these things and more while defying attempts to categorize it on a continual basis . Settle into a seat near the fireplace while checking out a brand-new bestseller or take in a cutting-edge art show in the second-floor gallery . Or stop in for delightful Flight Club Fridays , where you can sample four different wines while listening to chill tunes and engaging in insightful conversations . Creative Director Jonathan Pitts- Wiley curates a lively list of happenings each month sure to satisfy anyone ’ s curiosity . SHOP FOR : Bestsellers and signed copies from local authors . DON ’ T MISS : The charming outdoor patio turns into a riot of greenery during the warm-weather months . 14 Narragansett Ave ., curiosity . store
Wakefield Books
WAKEFIELD When national book retailer Waldenbooks went under in 2011 and news broke that its location inside the Wakefield Mall would be no longer , South County residents were , understandably , alarmed . Where would they get the new Steve Jobs biography or a copy of The Hunger Games ? Enter Robert Ryan . “ A lot of people here were Waldenbooks employees and the mall owner worked with us to reopen it as an independent bookstore ,” he says . “ We just felt that it was a really good community with a great customer base .” Ryan was able to broaden the store ’ s appeal by beefing up the local section , adding more gift items like games and puzzles , and inviting authors big and small for Q-and-As . SHOP FOR : Mysteries , thrillers and the like ( the store has a whole wall devoted to them ). DON ’ T MISS : Authors Sandra A . Miller and Luanne Rice visit next month . See website for registration information . 160 Old Tower Hill Rd ., Wakefield , 792-0000 , wakefield books . com
Stillwater Books
WEST WARWICK Formerly located in downtown Pawtucket , Stillwater Books is the brainchild of authors and publishers Steven and Dawn Porter , who run their publishing company , Stillwater River Publications , out of the back of the store . The new West Warwick location stocks an extensive selection of new and used volumes , from hardcover releases to $ 1 bargain books . Their foothold in the publishing world ensures local authors find ample space on the shelves , making Stillwater Books a treasure trove of sometimes hard-to-find Rhode Island gems . SHOP FOR : New and used titles in fiction , nonfiction , children ’ s and YA , and bargain-priced , like-new finds . DON ’ T MISS : The extensive local interest section , featuring must-read volumes on Rhody history , politics and more . 1745 Main St ., Unit 15 , West Warwick , 475-1979 , stillwater booksri . com
Worth the Trip
Explore these editors ’ picks across the border .
The Book Barn
NIANTIC , CONN . If heaven were a bookshop , it would look like this . Just past New London off Route 95 lies a used bookstore so large , the biggest dilemma facing visitors is where to look first . Books line every crevice of the sprawling compound , from the main barn where cats roam the stacks and lounge on sofas , to the garden with its new arrivals and resident goats , and even inside the converted outhouse . Can ’ t find what you seek ? The store has two other locations within a square mile , because one just isn ’ t enough . Each site stocks different genres , so you might as well make a day of it and explore them all . Did you really need an excuse to devote an entire day to browsing books ? FUN FACT : At last count , the Book Barn ’ s collection — established in 1988 — includes more than 500,000 books . DON ’ T MISS : Niantic ’ s charming downtown , lined with bakeries , restaurants , a waterside boardwalk and even an old-fashioned record store . 41 West Main St ., Niantic , Connecticut ( main barn ), bookbarnniantic . com
Bank Square Books
MYSTIC , CONN . While many are still mourning the loss of Savoy Bookshop and Cafe , which shuttered its doors in Westerly last July , there is solace to be found in its sister shop , Bank Square Books , just across the border in Mystic . Operated by the same owner as the Savoy , this “ fiercely independent ” bookstore is especially well-versed in the Indie Bestsellers and Indie Next lists . It also hosts author talks , entertains two different book clubs , sells signed bookplates and even offers a monthly audiobook membership . PAY IT FORWARD : Bank Square Books ’ Bookstore Community Fund allows customers to purchase and donate gift cards to help offset costs for those who may not be able to purchase new books on their own . DON ’ T MISS : Whether you devour memoirs , love curling up with a steamy romance or are looking for an entryway into a brand-new genre , Bank Square Books ’ staff picks are guaranteed to match you up with your next must-read . 53 W . Main St ., Mystic , Connecticut , 860-536-3795 , banksquarebooks . com
Brattle Book Shop
BOSTON If you ’ re a book lover who ’ s found yourself in Boston , run — don ’ t walk — to this beloved jewel box of a bookstore , which is stocked with 250,000 used and antiquarian titles , ephemera , postcards and more all on three glorious levels . Just steps away from Boston Common , it claims to be one of the largest
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