The 10 Best Bookstores in Chicago

You’ll spot this little shop easily by the whimsical neon sign in the window that reads, “Books sold here!” With floor-to-ceiling bookshelves spanning the entire store, you are sure to find something you like at Pilsen Community Books. Located in Chicago’s Lower West Side neighborhood known as Pilsen, the store is dedicated to supporting local schools by providing books to students. And if you’re someone who likes to browse in peace and quiet, Pilsen Community Books is the place for you. The shop’s employees respond to all inquiries via email, taking no phone calls, to keep the store a quiet, calming refuge from the bustle of the city.

Stop by this one-of-a-kind bookstore to fulfill all your reading and secret agent needs. In addition to a bevy of progressive titles, this shop provides everything a kid requires to become the perfect spy – from mustache disguises to soda can safes. And that’s not all. Behind a secret door in the back lies a huge writing center called 826CHI, which thousands of Chicago’s young people visit every year to partake in free creative writing programs. The Secret Agent Supply Co. also sells the published work of 826CHI’s student writers. Every dollar spent at the store goes to supporting 826CHI’s programs and amplifying student voices.

Opened in Wicker Park by two reading-obsessed sisters, Volumes Bookcafé is a delightful and relaxing café/bookshop hybrid. It’s a great place to visit to either browse for books or to order a cup of coffee and start writing one of your own. The Volumes calendar is chock-full of nighttime events like open mic nights and trivia nights. During the day it also offers story time (sometimes, bilingual story time) for the little ones.