In this guide, Lesley Rains takes us on a tour of the best independent bookshops in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. If you know a city with great spots for book lovers, you can find information about how to contribute to our global bookshop guide series at the end of this article.
Pittsburgh is home to a thriving arts community, anchored by independent bookstores, literary events organisations, a robust public library system, and book publishers. Pittsburgh Arts and Lectures, the International Poetry Forum, and City of Asylum regularly bring nationally and internationally renowned authors and speakers to town. The many branches of the Carnegie Library system ensure that residents of every neighbourhood have access to quality literature, while publishers such as the University of Pittsburgh Press (where I work), Carnegie Mellon University Press, and Autumn House Press regularly publish nationally- and internationally-recognised books.
Central to that vibrant culture are the region’s numerous independent bookstores. More than just sell books, they all regularly host community events such as author readings and book clubs, becoming spaces that bring literature lovers together. Let’s take a quick tour of a few of those bookstores that have distinctive identities.
Stay Gold Books
Our tour begins in the eastern neighbourhood of Regent Square. On Braddock Avenue, in the heart of the main business district, you’ll find Stay Gold Books, whose colourful exterior leads to a cosy interior filled with new books and charming gifts. Founded and run by Carrie and Corey Wittig, Stay Gold exudes such a strong sense of community that walking into the store feels like being welcomed into the owners’ home. The store features buzzy new releases, compelling nonfiction, quirky arts books, and everything in between. Their busy events calendar offers a range of readings and book clubs, including the city’s only cookbook club and potluck.
Fungus Books
Just a few blocks away, in Wilkinsburg, Fungus Books is nestled among a small row of businesses. Like its namesake organism, you could walk right past the store if you weren’t looking for it. But that would be a mistake. In its short existence, Fungus has quickly become the go-to place locally to seek out used and rare printed matter in their fields of art, botany, drugs, poetry, science fiction, to name just a few. They also claim to have “the largest in-person selection of rare and sought-after sleaze [vintage erotica and pulp fiction] on the East Coast.” Fungus is located across the street from a French bakery, making it the only store in the city where you can buy some sleaze, and then walk across the street and buy a croissant. The perfect Saturday morning, if you ask me.
Bottom Feeder Books
Venturing across Frick Park and into Point Breeze, you’ll find Bottom Feeder Books. Located on a quiet street, Bottom Feeder offers a discerning selection of used and rare books focused on art, literature, poetry, books about books, and film, often with a modernist or avant garde bent. The collection is edgy, yet approachable, with rare editions of literary classics alongside contemporary global art tomes. Notably, the entire store is organised by the author’s last name, instead of by genre. But instead of feeling chaotic, it was refreshing to see work of fiction next to a philosophy text next to a poetry collection, as if they were in quiet conversation with each other. It added to a fun sense of discovery. Bottom Feeder exudes a calm intellect; it is the bookstore equivalent of taking a deep sigh of relief.
White Whale Books and Coffee
Leaving Point Breeze, we head to the neighbourhood of Bloomfield, home of White Whale Books and Coffee. Their white brick building looms over the neighbourhood like a literal white whale, but once inside you won’t need to hunt like Ahab for a good read. You are greeted immediately by exciting new releases in fiction and nonfiction, a colourful children’s section, and a staggering collection of genre fiction. Additionally, don’t miss the floor-to-ceiling shelves highlighting regional history. Their packed events calendar regularly hosts readings by both nationally known authors and local favourites. They also recently added a bar, so the hungry booklover can grab a latte, cocktail or mocktail while they browse. A feeling of friendliness emanates from everything White Whale does, underscoring their motto, “Conversation. Community. Culture.”
City of Asylum Bookstore
Finally, we’ll cross the Allegheny River to head to the North Side and City of Asylum Bookstore. Full disclosure: I managed CoAB from 2016-2022. The store is the project of City of Asylum, a nonprofit dedicated to providing residencies to exiled writers and artists from around the world. Reflecting City of Asylum’s commitment to freedom of creative expression, the bookstore maintains a broad focus on translated and international literature in all genres. You may not find all the recent NY Times bestsellers, but you will find Japanese fiction, Middle Eastern cookbooks, and Latin American children’s books. The store is unwavering in its commitment to bringing international literature to the Pittsburgh community. What’s more, the bookstore shares space with City of Asylum’s performance venue, which often means you’ll be able to browse while listening to a jazz concert. It’s a special place.
Pittsburgh has a lively bookstore community, and I hope you enjoy your visit to these wonderful spaces.
Main image: Zhen Yao on Unsplash.
Do you know a place with great bookshops? As part of a regular feature on LSE Review of Books, we’re asking academics and students to recommend their favourite bookshops in a particular city or town to share with our book-loving community of readers the world over.
Bookshops could be academic, alternative, multilingual, hobby-based, secret or underground institutions, second-hand outlets or connected to a university. We’d like to cover all world regions too and are particularly keen to feature cities outside of Europe and North America.
If something comes to mind, we’re looking for a brief introduction about the city, a selection of three or four bookshops with around 150 words per bookshop, detailing why each one is a must-see. Our editorial team can then find suitable photos and links to accompany the piece, though you’re welcome to supply these too.
Email us if you’d like to contribute: [email protected]
