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Independent Bookstores in Iowa

NewPages.com guide to the best Iowa indie bookstores

Independent bookstores in Iowa are sorted by City as you scroll through. If your favorite indie bookstore is missing, please contact us.

If you are the owner of an indie bookstore, you can submit a free enhanced listing for your bookstore in our Guide here.

Dog-Eared Books is committed to growing and nurturing a love of reading in all members of our community by offering a curated and inclusive selection of books. We believe reading and storytelling make us better humans.

Your Portal to Games, Books, Dice, & More…Dungeon’s Gate is Your Friendly Local Game & Book Store

  • Hedgie's
  • 416 Main St.
  • City: Bedford
  • Phone: (712) 523-2371
  • Type: New books
  • Specialty: General Interest, Children's
  • Sidelines: Gifts, Newspapers
  • Website

A great assortment of children’s books, inspirational/gift books, as well as books for all ages. Plus Melissa and Doug products, Folkmanis Puppets, gourmet food gifts, and a great line of adult coloring books and wines from Iowa wineries.

  • The Book Shoppe, Inc.
  • 817 Story St.
  • City: Boone
  • Phone: (515) 432-2556
  • Type: Primarily new with some used books
  • Specialty: General Interest
  • Sidelines: Greeting Cards/Postcards
  • Facebook
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We have 40,000+ books in stock between our new and used sections, most are available for browsing in a clean and well-organized setting. We offer much more than just our books in stock, including book accessories, journals, calendars & planners (seasonally), Leanin’ Tree and 99¢ greeting cards, gift certificates and a book search service for those hard to find titles. Looking for something not in stock? We will be happy to order it for you, whether it is books, movies or music! The Book Shoppe also hosts events for fellow book lovers with local Iowan authors and writers.

Open daily at 9am, we carry books, magazines, and gifts. Yes, we can special order!

New and used bookstore, located in Carroll, IA. We are a woman owned, family run business here to assist you with all your bookish needs!

  • The Nook
  • 216 Main St
  • City: Cedar Falls
  • Type: New books
  • Specialty: General Interest
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  • Next Page Books
  • 1105 Third St. SE
  • City: Cedar Rapids
  • Phone: (319) 247-2665
  • Type: New books
  • Specialty: General Interest, Children's, Regional
  • Sidelines: Greeting Cards/Postcards
  • Facebook
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  • Website

Next Page Books is a locally owned, independent bookstore in the historic New Bohemia district of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The store offers a healthy selection of new fiction, nonfiction, young adult, and children’s books in a warm and friendly environment where we also host signings, readings, and other events. Customers can order books and have them in hand between two and five business days of placing their order. There are no additional charges for special orders.

Prologue Books and Wine is a one of a kind, female-owned, independent bookstore.  It is a destination for individuals and families to purchase good literature, gifts, and quality wine.

  • The Book Vine
  • 204 W. Main St.
  • City: Cherokee
  • Phone: (712) 225-2445
  • Type: New books
  • Specialty: General Interest, Children's
  • Facebook
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Stop in and see us on Main Street in Cherokee. We carry a wide array of product. Books, Wine, Home Decor. There is really something here for everyone! Come visit us!

Come in to browse for your next favorite book, sip on coffee or wine, relax on the couch, sit at the window seat, chat with a friend, listen to music, or watch your children play.

Now in Davenport! Trade in your old books for a new read.

  • The Brewed Book
  • 1524 N. Harrison
  • City: Davenport
  • Phone: (563) 232-6642
  • Type: Primarily used with some new books
  • Specialty: General Interest, Science Fiction/Fantasy
  • Sidelines: Café/Food, Coffee/Tea
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The Brewed Book is a cozy used bookstore and coffeeshop in the Hilltop District of Davenport, Iowa, serving the Quad Cities area. We have an interesting variety of used books from all genres and a delicious coffee and pastry selection in a relaxing, warm, and friendly environment. Stop in for a latte and a good read, or enjoy playing one of our wide selection of board games.

We are the oldest and largest used bookstore in Iowa. Family owned since 1939. Besides hardback and paperback books on all subjects, we have thousands of old magazines, record albums, DVDs, and CDs. Our hours are 9:30 to 5:30 Monday thru Friday, and 9:30 to 5 on Saturdays.

Dragonfly Books

  • Dragonfly Books
  • 112 W. Water St.
  • City: Decorah
  • Phone: (563) 382-4275
  • Type: New books
  • Specialty: General Interest, Children's, Regional
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Dragonfly Books is an independent bookstore nestled in the heart of scenic northeast Iowa. Dragonfly Books is your one-stop shopping place for books of all kinds. Whether you enjoy mysteries, history, fiction, or looking for cookbooks and children’s books, you will find it at Dragonfly Books. We special order books in for you at a nominal fee if out-of-print, or at no additional costs if in-print. Check our website for current information about our Author Events.

An independent bookstore building reading communities around bookish events in Des Moines, Iowa.

Limerick Candle & Vintage Reads

Limerick Candle & Vintage reads opened in Dubuque in September 2024. We offer a selection of used books, candles, wax melts, and puzzles. Our books are mainly adult fiction/literature, thrillers, mystery, sci fi, romance, and biography. We started as Dubuque Farmer’s market vendors with our candles and wax melts. We shelve new books daily, so stop in and pick up a new to you book!

River Lights Bookstore

Locally owned, independent bookstore in Dubuque, Iowa.

We cater to readers who enjoy the fantasy, horror, and science fiction genres for every age.

Pageturners Bookstore

  • Pageturners Bookstore
  • 101 E Salem Ave.
  • City: Indianola
  • Phone: (515) 961-0391
  • Type: Primarily new with some used books, Rare books, Out-of-print books
  • Specialty: Children's, Crime/Mystery, Regional, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA
  • Sidelines: Curiosities, Gifts, Puzzles
  • Events: Author Signings, Book Clubs
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Looking for small town charm and lots of books?  We love to read and we love to talk books with our customers.  Come check out our large selection of new and used books for all ages.  We have so many great gifts for book lovers, too!

An Iowa City destination for 36 years. 45,000 books in 70+ sections, two cats, comfy chairs, good conversations.

Prairie Lights sprang to life in May 1978 as a small, intimate bookstore offering titles by the newer voices of Raymond Carver and Alice Munro and by established authors like Eudora Welty and George Orwell. Join us for a wide selection of books and regular events.

Sidekick Coffee & Books

  • Sidekick Coffee & Books
  • 1310 1/2 Melrose Ave.
  • City: Iowa City
  • Phone: (319) 569-1010
  • Type: New books
  • Specialty: Children's, LGBTQ+, Literary, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA
  • Sidelines: Café/Food, Coffee/Tea, Greeting Cards/Postcards, Puzzles, Toys/Games
  • Events: Author Signings, Book Clubs, Readings, Storytime
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Sidekick Coffee & Books is a charming coffee shop and bookstore that caters to all ages. We have a large children’s literature section, and we pride ourselves on our unique space with hexagon cubbies and a patio for seating, quality coffee, and a neighborhood feel. It is the perfect place to get lost with a book!

Alter Ego Comics
  • Alter Ego Comics
  • 331 7th Ave
  • City: Marion
  • Suburb of: Cedar Rapids
  • Phone: (319) 373-8935
  • Type: Primarily new with some used books
  • Specialty: Comics/Graphic Novels
  • Sidelines: Toys/Games
  • Facebook
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Sequential art purveyors since 1996. Specializing in new and vintage comic books, collecting supplies and action figures.

Swamp Fox Bookstore is a small women-owned independent bookstore located near downtown Marion, Iowa. Focusing on new books and community events, Swamp Fox Bookstore delights in finding the perfect book for every reader. Learn more and shop online at our website.

Three Bells Books is a small, community-focused indie bookstore located in beautiful downtown Mason City, Iowa. We look forward to seeing you!

Paper Moon Books

  • Paper Moon Books
  • 206 A St.
  • City: McGregor
  • Phone: (563) 873-3357
  • Type: New books
  • Specialty: General Interest, Children's, Feminist, Crime/Mystery, Regional
  • Sidelines: Artwork, Curiosities, Gifts, Greeting Cards/Postcards, Newspapers
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A women-owned, independent, solar-powered bookstore, The Paper Moon is housed in an historic 1860s building just a block from the Mississippi River in picturesque McGregor, Iowa. You will discover three floors filled with books, toys, gifts, cats, and a decidedly liberal leaning. Everyone is welcome here.

A family owned antiquarian bookstore, we have a diverse 40,000 title inventory of all genres of books, specializing in the scarce, rare, and collectible.

Family owned and operated, we are a staple of the Newton community. You can find almost anything for anyone such as musical instruments, books, art supplies, model cars, crafts, rocks and stones, estate coins, and much more.

  • Book Vault
  • 105 S. Market St.
  • City: Oskaloosa
  • Phone: (641) 676-1777
  • Type: New books
  • Specialty: General Interest, Children's, Crime/Mystery, Regional, Science Fiction/Fantasy
  • Sidelines: Coffee/Tea, Curiosities, Gifts, Greeting Cards/Postcards, Newspapers
  • Facebook
  • Website

The Book Vault is a premier, full-service, independent bookstore serving southeastern Iowa with first-rate customer service, quality book selection, unique gift items, engaging events, cooking demonstrations, and welcoming ambiance, all offered in a beautifully renovated historic downtown building at 105 S. Market St. in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

The Curiosity Shop in Pella is a quaint bookstore filled with curiosities, family-friendly books, home decor and finds you aren’t likely to see anywhere else.

  • Pella Books
  • 824 Franklin St.
  • City: Pella
  • Phone: (641) 628-6868
  • Type: Primarily used with some new books, Rare books, Out-of-print books
  • Specialty: General Interest, Academic, Children's, Literary, Regional
  • Sidelines: Artwork
  • Events: Author Signings, Readings
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
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Pella’s De Boekwinkel~Est. 1999~Located in a charming 1860 historic church filled with used book treasures! A destination worthy of a visit for its historical significance and diverse collection from board books to recent releases to scholarly tomes. We are an independent bookstore specializing in out-of-print, collectible, vintage, rare, antiquarian, Dutch and local books. Selections from our collection are online at shop.pellabooks.com.

  • Book People
  • 2923 Hamilton Blvd.
  • City: Sioux City
  • Phone: (712) 258-1471
  • Type: New books
  • Specialty: General Interest, Children's
  • Sidelines: Gifts, Greeting Cards/Postcards, Newspapers
  • Facebook
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We are Siouxland’s little but lovable bookstore and gift shop with friendly, happy staff ready to assist you! We are especially proud of our children’s section that features not just books, but toys, games, stuffed animals, and baby gift items. Proudly independent since 1977!

Reading in Public (“RinP”) is built on the belief that life is composed of stories. Sharing them can foster more empathy, acceptance, and a sense of community in our lives. In every facet of RnP, we work towards the cultivation of a better + more just world. Photo of store by Corey Gaffer Photography.

Quest Haven Books & Comics invites readers to visit them and find their next adventure. Located on the west side of the downtown Winterset square, they have the latest comics, nonfiction, and timeless novels. A little something for everyone.