I have always been an avid reader, though the 2020 quarantines really rejuvenated my hobby of reading for fun. During quarantine, I started looking for ways to continue supporting local businesses, so I started keeping track of the best independent bookstores in North Carolina to support. Independent bookstores are more than just shops; they are places to build community. I enjoy attending author events at local bookstores, shopping for gifts by local artists, using it as a place to spend an afternoon looking for my next good book. With that in mind, here are 14 of the best independent bookstores in North Carolina you should visit in 2026!
This article was originally written in April 2022 and has since been updated and recirculated for June 2026.
Photo by Glory Roze Photography
14 Best Independent Bookstores in North Carolina
Battery Park Book Exchange and Champagne Bar – Asheville
Books and a champagne bar? Sign. Me. Up. Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar is a perfect place to grab a bite to eat with a crisp glass of Veuve and wander around the bookshelves. This used bookstore has such a great collection of books and is a great place to get lost in for a few hours. Plus, it is located in the beautiful Grove Arcade!
Battery Park Book Exchange is located at 1 Page Ave #101, Asheville, NC 28801
The Bookhouse – Winston-Salem
Tucked into Winston’s Salem’s Reynolda Village, The Bookhouse is a sister-owned bookstore and gathering space that opened its doors with a sunny, 1,800-square-foot shop full of new releases. Sink into one of the comfy couches with coffee from local roaster Magic Beans, a glass of wine, or a local beer, and stay for an author talk, open mic night, or the weekly kids’ Storytime. It is the kind of bookstore built for lingering.
The Bookhouse is located at 120 Reynolda Village, Winston-Salem, NC 27106
Books to Be Red – Ocracoke Island
Books to be Red began in 1995 as a collaboration between good friends and their passions for reading and pottery. 20 years later, Books to be Red still stands as Ocracoke’s only full-service independent bookstore with a wonderful variety of new, used, regional and children’s books. Take as much time as you need to browse the latest titles in fiction and non-fiction, brush up on your history, drool over mouth-watering cookbooks, or search for that rare literary gem.
Books to Be Red is located at 34 School Rd, Ocracoke, NC 27960
The Country Bookshop – Southern Pines
Photo by Glory Roze Photography
The Country Bookshop has been a fixture of historic downtown Southern Pines since 1953, overlooking the town’s tree-lined train tracks. Known for its small-town charm and a staff that knows its readers, the shop carries a deep selection of classics, bestsellers, and every genre in between, alongside unique gifts and cards. Keep an eye out for Boomer, the store’s mascot designed by local artist Glen Rounds.
The Country Bookshop is located at 140 NW Broad St, Southern Pines, NC 28387
Downtown Books – Manteo
Downtown Books has anchored the literary scene in Manteo and has earned “Best Bookstore on the Beach” honors several years running. It is easy to see why: hand-picked fiction and nonfiction, a strong children’s and young adult section, and an entire world of titles devoted to Outer Banks history, the Lost Colony, and the Wright Brothers. Regular First Friday signings bring in national bestselling authors alongside regional favorites.
Downtown Books is located at 103 Sir Walter Raleigh St, Manteo, NC 27954
Fable Books & Café – Holly Springs
Fable Books & Café is a cozy home for readers and writers in downtown Holly Springs. The space has seating both upstairs and down, plus a shaded patio out front, and pairs a curated selection of new books with specialty coffee drinks and a rotating slate of book clubs. It has quickly become a neighborhood favorite for settling in with a good book and a latte.
Fable Books & Café is located at 219 Raleigh St, Holly Springs, NC 27540
Island Bookstore – Duck
The flagship of a beloved three-store Outer Banks chain, Island Bookstore’s Duck location is tucked into the Scarborough Faire Shops and stocks more than 30,000 titles, making it the largest of the group. A full quarter of the store is devoted to children’s books, and summer brings a steady run of author signings perfect for pairing with a beach read. Open nearly every day of the year, it is an easy stop whether you are hunting for an Outer Banks history title or just need something new for your beach trip.
Island Bookstore is located at 1177 Duck Rd, Duck, NC 27949
Letters Community Bookshop – Durham
ScreenshotLetters is a cooperative, community-owned bookshop in the heart of downtown Durham, run by neighbors who believe an independent bookstore is worth keeping around. The shop specializes in carefully chosen used books alongside a rotating table of new paperbacks and a children’s section stocked mostly with new titles. Do not skip the second floor, where you will find books on music, art, and other niche interests.
Letters Community Bookshop is located at 116 W Main St, Durham, NC 27701
Malaprop’s Bookstore/Café – Asheville
Founded in 1982, Malaprop’s is the region’s largest locally-owned independent bookstore and a true Asheville institution. The shop carries a carefully curated mix of titles for adults, kids, and teens, plus a cozy café pouring locally roasted coffee and treats from area bakeries. It is hosted decades of author events and earned a shoutout from novelist Ann Patchett as the heart and soul of downtown Asheville — a reputation it has held onto through more than 40 years in business.
Malaprop’s is located at 55 Haywood St, Asheville, NC 28801
McIntyre’s Books – Pittsboro
Photo by Glory Roze Photography
McIntyre’s Books has been a staple at Fearrington Village since 1989. This book store features a wide variety of staff picks, fantastic local events, an excellent selection of children’s books, and unique gift ideas. Plan on spending quite a bit of time browsing the handwritten notes from the staff on their picks and curling up in front of the fire for a quiet afternoon of reading.
McIntyre’s Books is located at 220 Market St, Pittsboro, NC 27312
Papercut Books – Wilmington
Papercut Books is a small, eclectic bookshop in downtown Wilmington stocking new releases alongside lightly used and collectible vintage titles. The shelves lean into queer and feminist literature, horror, and local authors, and the gift section is just as fun to browse, with locally made candles, jewelry, and bookish merch. Do not skip the monthly book club or the “Blind Date with a Book” picks if you are after something unexpected.
Papercut Books ocated at 200 Market St, Unit 100, Wilmington, NC 28401
Plott Hound Books – Burnsville
Opened in 2022 by James Beard Award-winning food writer Ronni Lundy, Plott Hound Books brings a love of Southern Appalachian storytelling to downtown Burnsville. The shop is named for North Carolina’s state dog, and its shelves lean into the region’s fiction, essays, poetry, and foodways, including plenty of titles on mountain cooking traditions. It is a small-town bookstore with a deep sense of place, and a favorite stop on any trip to Burnsvilles, and especially during the town’s annual Carolina Mountain Literary Festival.
Located at 102 W Main St, Burnsville, NC 28714
Purple Crow Books – Hillsborough
Purple Crow Books is a literary meeting place right in historic downtown Hillsborough. Find new and used books, and the latest works by local authors. Because they specialize in local writers, Purple Crow Books is a favorite tourist destination. It is a great place to grab a signed copy of a book by your favorite local author. The shop owner is so kind, and she has two sweet rescue shop pups to say hi to as well.
Purple Crow Books is located at 109 W King St, Hillsborough, NC 27278
Quail Ridge Books – Raleigh
Quail Ridge Books is a Raleigh institution, an independent bookstore with a friendly, knowledgeable staff dedicated to providing the best in customer service. Founded in 1984, the store provides a wide variety of carefully selected books, events, discussion groups and town hall meetings. This shop is a crown jewel in Raleigh’s North Hills shopping center and offers a reader’s club and a discount for educators.
Quail Ridge Books is located at 4209-100 Lassiter Mill Rd, Raleigh, NC 27609
My 2026 North Carolina Bookstore Wishlist
I have not made it to these yet, but they are all on my radar for this year’s road trips. These came highly recommended by Instagram followers on this post featuring the best independent bookstores in North Carolina.
- Belmont Bookshop – Belmont, NC. A family-owned, community-focused shop on historic Main Street with a kids’ treehouse reading nook and a shop dog named Libby.
- Bookmarks – Winston-Salem, NC. A literary arts nonprofit and bookstore in one, with profits supporting community programs like Authors in Schools and a packed calendar of author events.
- City Lights – Sylva, NC. A Main Street mountain-town bookshop selling new and used books since 1985, complete with an Appalachian Room, an adjacent café, and (from what I hear) a resident bookstore cat.
- MonkeyKat Books – Sanford, NC. A cozy bookshop, gift shop, and tea spot tucked into downtown Sanford, with a whimsical kids’ area and a regular lineup of workshops and open mic nights.
- My Chapter House – Hickory, NC. A newer addition to downtown Hickory’s revival, with a curated book and gift selection upstairs and Chapter Coffee Co. brewing below.
- The Next Chapter Books & Art – New Bern, NC. A used bookstore owned by local author Michelle Garren-Flye, known for spotlighting regional writers and hosting lively author events.
- Persnickety Books – Burlington, NC. Alamance County’s only independent bookstore, spread across three floors of a historic building with a full coffee bar and a steady calendar of community events.
- Pomegranate Books – Wilmington, NC. A long-running neighborhood shop in the historic Borkenhagen House, stocking literary titles for all ages alongside locally made cards and gifts.
- Scuppernong Books – Greensboro, NC. A general-interest literary bookstore and café in downtown Greensboro, with a strong poetry and children’s section and a menu built around local coffee, wine, and beer.
- Sugar Island – Surf City, NC. A family- and veteran-owned, two-story bookstore-meets-bakery on Topsail Island that’s been mixing new and used books with house-roasted coffee and fresh pastries since 1999.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Best Independent Bookstores in North Carolina
How many independent bookstores are there in North Carolina? North Carolina is home to many of independent bookstores spread across its mountains, Piedmont cities, and coast. This list covers 14 of the best, with ten more on deck for future visits.
What is the oldest independent bookstore in North Carolina on this list? The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines has been open since 1953, making it the longest-running shop featured here.
Which North Carolina bookstore is best for finding local authors? Purple Crow Books in Hillsborough and Plott Hound Books in Burnsville both specialize in regional and local writers, making them great stops if you want to bring home an NC-authored book.
Are there independent bookstores on the North Carolina coast? Yes — Books to Be Red on Ocracoke Island, Downtown Books in Manteo, and Island Bookstore in Duck are all worth a stop if you are heading to the Outer Banks.
Final Thoughts
Whether you are chasing a beach read on the Outer Banks or a fireside staff pick in Pittsboro, these are some of the best independent bookstores in North Carolina to add to your next road trip. Each one puts money back into its own town and gives you something a chain store cannot: a staff that actually knows what is on the shelves. Use this Google Interactive map to plan your next visit to one of the best independent bookstores in North Carolina.
Have a favorite NC indie bookstore I left off the list? Let me know in the comments.
