Best Bookstores in Maine

Maine has always been a place for readers—long winters, quiet coastlines, and a literary tradition stretching from Longfellow to Stephen King. Maine’s bookstores reflect this heritage: fiercely independent, thoughtfully curated, and often operating from buildings as characterful as the books they sell. Whether you’re hunting rare first editions, seeking the perfect beach read, or simply want to lose an afternoon browsing, Maine’s bookstores deliver.

The Icons

Longfellow Books (Portland)

Portland’s beloved independent is more than a bookstore—it’s a community institution. Located on Monument Square in the heart of downtown, Longfellow offers carefully curated selections with particular strength in literary fiction, poetry, and Maine authors.

What sets it apart:

Staff picks that consistently deliver
Strong events calendar with author readings
Deep knowledge of Maine literature
Community gathering space atmosphere

Don’t miss: The Maine section, showcasing the best writing from and about Maine.

Print: A Bookstore (Portland)

Located in the East End, Print focuses on new titles with a design-forward aesthetic. The space itself is beautiful—high ceilings, natural light, and thoughtful displays that make browsing a visual pleasure.

What sets it apart:

Carefully designed space
Strong art and design sections
Excellent children’s selection
Coffee bar for lingering

Best for: Design-conscious readers and families with young children.

Sherman’s Books (Multiple Locations)

The oldest bookstore chain in Maine, Sherman’s has been selling books since 1886. Locations in Bar Harbor, Boothbay Harbor, Camden, Freeport, and Portland combine books with gifts, toys, and Maine-made products.

What sets it apart:

Tourist-friendly without sacrificing quality
Strong regional and nature sections
Gift-book friendly browsing
Multiple coastal locations

Best for: Vacation reading and Maine-themed gifts.

Antiquarian and Used

Carlson-Turner Books (Portland)

A rare book dealer’s shop in the tradition of dusty, overflowing bookshops. Stacks reach the ceiling. Organization is idiosyncratic. Treasures hide everywhere.

What sets it apart:

Serious antiquarian selection
Fair prices for the quality
The thrill of the hunt
Knowledgeable proprietor

Best for: Collectors and those who love the search as much as the find.

Yes Books (Portland)

Two floors of used books in Portland’s West End. Strong literature and poetry sections. The kind of shop where you enter for one book and leave with five.

What sets it apart:

Excellent literary fiction selection
Fair pricing
Poetry alcove
Comfortable browsing atmosphere

Best for: Literature lovers seeking affordable editions.

Big Chicken Barn (Ellsworth)

Not just a bookstore—an entire barn filled with books, antiques, and collectibles. Over 20,000 square feet spread across two floors. The book section alone could occupy an entire day.

What sets it apart:

Sheer scale (Maine’s largest)
Antiques mixed with books
Fair prices
Adventure atmosphere

Best for: Those who love browsing and have time to spare.

Old Books at Crow Town (Belfast)

A classic used bookshop in an old house, with books organized by room. Wander through what feels like a personal library, discovering sections as you go.

What sets it apart:

House-like atmosphere
Personal curation
Belfast’s walkable downtown
Serendipitous discoveries

Best for: Readers who prefer exploration to organization.

Coastal Village Shops

Left Bank Books (Belfast)

A new and used bookstore on Belfast’s main street, combining contemporary titles with secondhand finds. Strong children’s section and regular events.

What sets it apart:

Mix of new and used
Community focus
Excellent children’s area
Belfast’s vibrant arts scene

Owl & Turtle (Camden)

Tucked into one of Maine’s prettiest villages, Owl & Turtle offers new books in a cozy space. Strong Maine section and knowledgeable recommendations.

What sets it apart:

Camden’s walkable downtown
Curated selections
Nautical and nature strength
Personal service

Blue Hill Books (Blue Hill)

A literary bookshop in a literary village—Blue Hill has long attracted writers and artists. The store reflects the community: thoughtful, quiet, and carefully selected.

What sets it apart:

Literary town setting
High curation standards
Strong poetry section
Artist community connections

Gulf of Maine Books (Brunswick)

New and used books with a strong political and literary bent. Active events calendar. A bookstore with opinions, in the best sense.

What sets it apart:

Progressive perspective
Active author events
Bowdoin College proximity
Engaged community

Specialty Shops

The Briar Patch (Bangor)

A children’s bookstore in Stephen King’s hometown. Thoughtfully selected titles for babies through young adults, with staff who know children’s literature deeply.

What sets it apart:

Children’s specialty
Expert recommendations
Story time events
Gifts and toys

Nonesuch Books (South Portland)

Used books with particular strength in mysteries, science fiction, and Maine titles. A browser’s paradise with fair prices.

What sets it apart:

Genre strength
Organized chaos
Reasonable prices
Hidden gem status

Atomic Books (Bath)

Comics, graphic novels, and genre fiction in Maine’s maritime city. A destination for graphic novel enthusiasts.

What sets it apart:

Comics specialty
Graphic novel depth
Bath’s walkable downtown
Friendly expertise

Bookstore Browsing Tips

Planning Your Visit

Call ahead for hours (many bookstores keep independent schedules)
Check for events—author readings add to the experience
Allow more time than you think (bookstores reward lingering)
Bring cash for smaller shops

Making Discoveries

Ask staff for recommendations—independent bookstore staff know their stock
Browse the staff picks section
Check the discount/clearance tables
Look for signed editions

Building a Collection

Ask about Maine first editions
Inquire about specific authors or subjects
Leave your contact info for future finds
Consider antiquarian shops for investment pieces

The Maine Reading List

No visit to Maine’s bookstores is complete without acquiring some Maine literature:

Fiction:

Stephen King (any, but especially Maine-set works)
Elizabeth Strout’s Olive Kitteridge
Sarah Orne Jewett’s The Country of the Pointed Firs

Nature:

Rachel Carson’s The Sea Around Us
Henry Beston’s The Outermost House
Bernd Heinrich’s Maine memoirs

Poetry:

Edna St. Vincent Millay
Robert P. Tristram Coffin

Contemporary:

Paul Doiron’s Mike Bowditch mysteries
Lily King’s novels

Combining with Other Activities

Portland Book Crawl

Start at Longfellow Books on Monument Square
Walk to Print in the East End
Browse Carlson-Turner or Yes Books
End with coffee and your acquisitions

Coastal Route

Sherman’s in Camden
Old Books at Crow Town in Belfast
Left Bank Books in Belfast
Blue Hill Books for the finale

Downeast Adventure

Big Chicken Barn in Ellsworth (plan significant time)
Sherman’s in Bar Harbor
Combine with Acadia exploration

The Bookstore Experience

Maine’s bookstores share something essential: they’re not optimized for efficiency. They’re optimized for discovery, for the slow pleasure of running your finger along spines and pulling volumes at random. They smell of paper and possibility.

In an age of algorithmic recommendations and two-day shipping, these shops offer something different—a place where knowledge is physical, where staff recommendations carry weight, where finding a book feels like accomplishment rather than transaction.

You enter for something specific and leave with something unexpected. That’s not a bug; it’s the entire point.

Maine’s bookstores are destinations in themselves—reason enough to visit a town, worth building an afternoon around. Whether you’re seeking the latest bestseller, a rare first edition, or simply a quiet hour among shelves, these shops deliver the particular pleasure that only physical bookstores can provide.