The Best Bookstores in Eastern Connecticut

Bookworms rejoice, Eastern Connecticut is a varietal booklovers paradise!  From small independent bookstores to one of the largest used-book "barns" in the country, there are defintely plenty of places to pickup a beach read while you're in the area. Read on for our top picks for picking up a good book or two!

Bank Square Books - Mystic

Located in the heart of downtown Mystic, Bank Square Books has been a cornerstone of the community since 1988 and has been under the current ownership since 2006. They recently expanded and now occupy two storefronts on Main Street. 

Bank Square Books, which also owns two other bookstores, is a locally owned, fiercely independent bookstore committed to providing quality books, and audiobooks for all types of readers—as well as gifts, toys, and cards. They believe a bookstore’s main purpose is to serve its community. 

Title IX - New London

This adorable little bookstore is brought to you by Bank Square Books. The bookstore is located at 345 State Street in a building known as The Cottage on The Garde Arts Center property. Title IX offers a curated selection of books ranging from bestsellers to children's titles with a focus on social justice themes. There's also a great Food Co-op across the street to grab some snacks or a sandwich called Fiddleheads. 

Book Barn - Niantic

For  35 years now, The Book Barn has been serving the booklover community with the best used books available. They have over 500,000 books are adding to their collection every day. You will find an information booth at the entrance to the Main Barn, where you can look for your favorite subjects, or pick up a brochure that will guide you throughout the property.  The Book Barn has three locations in the seaside town of Niantic:

-The Main Barn, at 41 West Main Street, is home to our largest selection of genres spread throughout several themed buildings, as well as gardens, goats, and of course cats.

​-The Downtown store, at 269 Main Street, is in the heart of Niantic Village on the same block as the movie theater.

​-Chapter Three, at 55 West Main Street, is a mere three hundred feet from the Main Barn.

​All three shops are within a mile of each other and can easily be visited in a single day. 

Alice's Haunted Little Book Shop - Mystic

Alice’s Haunted Little Bookshop is a small and unique bookshop inspired by the 18th century Victorian library of Lewis Carroll in Oxford England. A home for special, strange and forgotten books, many of which never had a chance to be on a best seller list or in a traditional bookstore. In fact, you won’t find any current best sellers lurking around, instead a specially curated collection for all ages awaits you on our shelves. Aside from our fabulous books, you can find Victorian items, gifts and even original 19th century newspapers.  When coming to visit us, please beware, things might not always seem to be what they appear as spirits still roam free and Victorian England was not always the safest place to be…. Follow Alice through the looking glass and journey next door to wonderland and into an explosion of color at Alice in the Village completing your trip through one of history’s classic works.

Pourings and Passages - Danielson

Pourings & Passages is a used bookstore and coffee house located at 103 Main Street in Danielson. It is a non-profit business with all proceeds going to St. James School. The store features 20,000 gently used, donated books in a wide variety of subject areas displayed throughout eight spacious rooms and hallways. In addition to books, DVDs, CDs, vinyl, religious items, arts and crafts items with a book and reading theme, and gifts are also available for purchase.