Douglas Ching

Used bookstore south lake union

If it's been a while since your last visit, now's a good time to rediscover the neighborhood that's situated perfectly between the lake and Downtown Seattle! There are hidden gems popping up left and right amongst the cranes and bulldozers; one of the most exciting newbies is Inner Chapters Bookstore & Cafe. Believe it or not, tucked away in an old brick building on Fairview, there lies an eclectic treasure trove of over 7000 used books (and a few new ones just for fun).

What's better than a quirky used bookstore in Seattle? One that serves delicious coffee from Stumptown Roasters, spicy DragonFly Chai from Portland, and Red Tea Espresso (for you health conscious folks) what is red espresso?!

Unlike a lot of other used bookstores, Inner Chapters has a spacious seating area complete with cozy booths, a sofa in the mural-clad kids section, and a reliable (free) wi-fi connection, for those of us that must be plugged in!

Need lunch? Done. Sandwiches, Salads and Wraps abound--selections cover the entire taste spectrum, from omnivore to strict vegan. Sip your red tea espresso, munch on your sandwich and simply relax and read for hours at this used bookstore. If you ever miss the days of reading the paper actually printed on paper, get your fix of that gratifying crinkle with the current daily edition of the New York Times(or the Seattle Times if you prefer a more local pulse).

On the off chance that you need more motivation to check this south lake union used bookstore out, how about some live music? Every 3rd Thursday, or "Thirdsday" is open mic night--music, poetry, themed storytelling, anythinggoes! During this special day at this used bookstore you may grab the mike and show your creative side or simply sit back and enjoy the wacky tales and mantras of your south lake union locals.

Attention bargain hunters! Books are 25% off EVERY SUNDAY from 10am - 2pm. Mention this blog and we’ll throw in a free coffee. (limit one per customer)

View a map of this location.

Coffee shop in Belltown Seattle Washington

(206) 910-2300 2231 Second Avenue Seattle, Washington

When you walk into this quaint coffee shop located in Belltown Seattle the first thing you see is the unique red serving counter. You are greeted not by an employee but by the owners themselves who will then take your order and make your coffee themselves.

If you are a coffee addict as I am (and a self proclaimed connoisseur and expert) then you know that not all coffee shops are made the same. Lavender and Rose Mocha(free of thorns) are some of the specialty drinks that you may delight in.

The owners of the shop Ben, Jesse and Chris have a secret (don’t they all) roast whose origins they would defend with their lives. The entire inside of this coffee shop is littered by local artists displaying seattle’s diversity. All the art is of course for sale (so buy some they are starving).

Once you grab this home brewed gourmet coffee relax by the window and watch people walk by or get cozy in a comfortable leather couch.

This shop in Belltown also has tables and free wifi for those students that require coffee to complete their overdue homework. Or work on that soon to be famous novel that you will never really finish.

As you close your laptop that you where really just pretending to use anyway, you can grab a board game and be social! Clue, Quelf, game of life and Risk are some of the entertaining games available.

In this most illustrious Belltown Coffee Shop you may grab a cupcake (you can work it off later) and a danish made by locals. Their are many other shops around that you may frequent (ok I mean bars where you can get drunk).

Bedlam is open untill 3:00 in the morning on friday and Saturday for all you drunks that need to sober up before you drive home.

So if your in the area or want to poke your head into some seattle culture then for the love of god stop by Bedlam Coffee Shop located in Belltown Seattle, WA