The Best Independent Bookstores in Bloomington, Indiana

This famous used bookstore has been thriving in Bloomington for over 45 years. Located in the heart of this city, Caveat Emptor offers a quiet retreat for IU students or local residents. With thousands of hard-to-find academic books and rare first editions, there’s always a treasure waiting to be uncovered. Shoppers can also scan titles online in Caveat Emptor’s virtual “browsing room” before swinging by.

This longtime Bloomington staple has been serving the community for over 60 years. Visitors will find plenty of new and used titles, ranging from NY Times bestsellers to rare and unique texts, as well as an incredible children’s section. The Book Corner also carries a variety of local newspapers, restocked daily. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, their helpful staff will happily order it for you.

This local treasure is a non-profit, independent book shop, as well as community center serving the general population in Bloomington. They’re dedicated to promoting reading, education, equality, and welfare by allowing greater accessibility to literature and information. They host workshops throughout the year, as well as community events. They sell a variety of books and are actually the highest volume “zine” sellers in the entire country.

It’s impossible to walk around Bloomington without showing your IU pride. TIS College Bookstore is a local shop that will help keep you well read and looking great. You’ll find a variety of fiction and nonfiction books, as well as textbooks, both new and used, and even rental options. This shop is also packed full of top school supplies, apparel, sportswear, and gifts for anyone who wants to support IU.

Serious readers will love this unique and no-frills academic reading resource located in the city. Academic Scholarly Bookstore offers exactly what it advertises: hard-to-find and rare academic texts, journals, and magazines for those working on dissertations, books, and articles. If you’re in need of a reliable source for your publication, you’ll find what you’re looking for here. They also buy new and used academic textbooks and reference books.