The world has gone digital, but there is still nothing quite like turning the pages of a great book. The slow build of a mystery. The charm of a romance. The fascinating stories of nonfiction. One part of the thrill of a book lies in its discovery — spending a leisurely afternoon at a bookstore and finding a story you have always wanted to read but never have had the time, or a new release you didn’t know existed. If this experience sounds familiar, you might be wondering where to find the best bookshops in Rochester, Minnesota.
The team at Tom Kadlec Kia can help. To go along with our lists of best antique shops and best pizza parlors, we researched the best bookstores in the area. These bookstores will let your imagination run wild and provide you with endless options for reading materials of all kinds — for the beach, for the airplane, or just to settle your mind before bed.
Friends’ Bookstore
Whether you are searching for a bargain or just enjoy bookstore browsing as an activity, you may prefer books that have been pre-owned and enjoyed. The Friends’ Bookstore inside the Rochester Public Library is one of the best places to find used books in Rochester, Minnesota. Proceeds from the sale of books help cover library expenses, to the tune of as much as $70,000 a year.
Run entirely by volunteers, the store is typically open seven days a week but has been closed since the onset of the global pandemic. Friends’ Bookstore sells children’s, fiction, non-fiction, foreign language, and unusual books. Friends’ Bookstore may be one of the best places to find rare books in Rochester.
Here’s a neat fact: you can buy gift certificates to shop at Friends’ Bookstore. They start at $2.00 and go up from there.
Christos Bookcenter
Located inside Autumn Ridge Church, Christos Bookcenter serves readers searching for Christian-based books, gifts, music, or other items. The store’s book collection includes titles in family and relationships, devotionals, personal growth, prayer, and academic texts.
You can also pick up movies and music with a Christian theme, Bibles, children’s books, and various church supplies. Go to Christos online for an idea of the titles they have available if you are looking for something specific. Christos is open every day except Monday and stays open until 11:30 p.m. Sunday nights. Christos first opened in 2004.
Paperback Book Palace
Image via Flickr by Aranami.
If you are a fan of hardcover books — well, then, you probably don’t want to shop here. Paperback Book Palace traffics only in paperback books. It’s a unique place with more than 12,000 titles on the shelves, another 5,000 in storage, and an interesting business model.
The store operates as a bookstore exchange. Bring in books to trade and they may offer you store credit to buy some replacements. (So if you’re bringing in books to tidy up your house, you might be disappointed that you didn’t clear out as much space as you thought you did.) Paperback Book Palace also offers audiobooks.
Nerdin’ Out
Purists may take us to task, but not everyone is out to read “War and Peace.” Nerdin’ Out will appeal to a specialized audience that includes children, young adults, and adults with young minds. Nerdin’ Out is a comic book store that sells other collectible items as well. Open seven days a week, Nerdin’ Out buys, sells, and trades in all things comics.
The store also carries vintage-new action figures, video games, cards, board games, and more. The comic books on sale are both new and vintage. Nerdin’ Out also has a location closer to the Twin Cities.
University of Minnesota Bookstores at Rochester – M Gear Store
Rah! Rah! Rah! for Ski-U-Mah! Cheer for the U of M! If you or a family member are a University of Minnesota student, you will want to check out the M Gear Store in Rochester. As the name implies, students can come there for textbooks and other academic materials as needed. But you can also come away with any and all Gopher gear you might need to cheer on the maroon and gold. Shop for yourself, your student, and the whole family. It’s also an Apple Authorized Campus Store and Service Center that can address significant computer problems.
Silver Lake Books
Looking for a place that sells rare books in Rochester? You might give Silver Lake Books a glance. Small and locally owned, Silver Lake Books has a collection that includes exclusive titles, vintage and antique books, new books, book sets, and collections.
The store acquires new books in a number of ways, including direct from the publishers, and also from indie authors, distributors, wholesalers, shows, sales, and events. You can also find special edition books prepared in support of various sales and events, and books from the collection of the owners that they no longer wish to keep.
While on site, check out the wildlife art on the store’s walls and exhibits. It is the work of Lisa Loucks-Christenson, a professional wildlife photographer and Rochester native.
Peacock Books and Wildlife Art
Speaking of Lisa Loucks-Christenson, she also sells her art, as well as a carefully curated selection of books, in this bookstore inside the Kahler Grand and Marriott Hotels. Peacock Books and Wildlife Art is a sister store to Silver Lake Books and sells new releases, best sellers, exclusive titles, children’s books, Lisa’s Bow Wow Detectives, Meow Meow Detectives, and wildlife documentaries. Genres include action/adventure, Christian, cooking, lifestyle, health, historical, crafts, memoir, mysteries, nature, suspense/thrillers, politics, nature, sci-fi, war, WWII, wildlife, and local and regional titles.
Reading feeds the mind and encourages the imagination to go on wonderful journeys. After a visit to Tom Kadlec Kia, or whenever you are in the Rochester area, consider visiting one of these excellent bookstores. Did we miss your favorite? If so, please get in touch with us right away and we are happy to expand our list. Happy reading!
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