Michelle Souliere sorts through books a customer dropped off in hopes of selling at Green Hand Bookshop in downtown Portland. Brianna Soukup/Portland Press Herald

They say you can tell how great a city is by the number of bookstores it has.

OK, maybe nobody says that, but they should. Why do you think so many people have moved to the Portland area in recent years? Why do you think Portland is always popping up on all these “best city” lists, touting the area’s quality of life and culture?

It surely has something to do with the number and variety of independent bookstores around here. You could easily hit a dozen or more booksellers in just one day in Greater Portland. Each one offers or focuses on something a little different, from used books to kids’ books, gifts, coffee and snacks, beer, author events or cozy places to read.

Here then are some highlights of what some bookstores in Southern Maine offer.

Back Cove Books, Portland

Located in Woodford’s Corner, the store hosts story times, book clubs, knitting nights, writing nights, an annual poetry festival and author events. On Saturday, Portland author Phuc Tran will be at the store at 11 a.m. for a launch of his new children’s book, “Cranky Makes a Friend.” Reading spaces include a kid’s corner, an old bank vault, comfy chairs and a couch. The store also sells greeting cards, stickers, chocolates, puzzles, journals, bookmarks, pens and pencils, and games for kids. Gift wrapping is always complimentary.

 

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A space to read at Back Cove Books in Portland. Photo courtesy of Back Cove Books

Elements: Books Coffee Beer, Biddeford

Elements serves its own micro-roasted coffee, has a bar featuring local brews and beverages, and is stocked with used books.  The book selection features an emphasis on historically marginalized voices. Bookshelves line the walls around the tables and bar seats, which are often filled with people working remotely. Events include live music, a silent book club and an open craft night. Upcoming events include a Galentine’s Day wine, chocolate, and cheese pairing on Feb. 13 and a live set by Portland jazz/funk organ trio Micromasse on Feb. 27.

Emma Conrad works on her laptop at Elements: Books Coffee Beer in Biddeford in January. Gregory Rec/Portland Press Herald

Green Hand Bookshop, Portland

This crowded Congress Street shop is fun to explore, with books stacked everywhere. The store carries an incredibly wide range of used books, many out of print, for all ages and interests.  Store specialties include science fiction and fantasy, horror, mystery, philosophy, occult, cryptozoology, and paranormal pursuits. They also carry some new books too, which are available through the website and in-store. The children’s fiction selection, recent and vintage, ranges from board books through picture books, to chapter books and young adult.

Books are piled in every corner of Green Hand Bookshop in downtown Portland. Brianna Soukup/Portland Press Herald

Gulf of Maine Books, Brunswick

Open since since 1979, this store on Maine Street is run by owners Beth Leonard and Gary Lawless, whose personal interests and tastes show up in the selection. Some of these topics include local and regional authors, a large poetry section, gender issues, and  Indigenous peoples. To help people learn about their communities, they stock field guides, gardening books and natural history selections. Lawless, who is also a poet, editor and publisher, received a Distinguished Achievement Award from the Maine Writers and Publisher’s Alliance in 2024.

Letterpress Books, Portland

Located in the North Deering neighborhood, this store offers free parking, for starters. The children’s section features picture books, series and activities. There are meet-and-greet events with local authors, a selection of New England bestsellers, staff pick favorites and works by Maine authors. Besides the new books, there’s an ongoing used book sale. The store also carries puzzles, games, stationery, journals, greeting cards by Maine artists, and Maine-made jewelry and gifts.

Maine children’s author and illustrator Chris Van Dusen signs books at Letterpress Books & Gifts in Portland.  Photo courtesy of Letterpress Books & Gifts

Longfellow Books, Portland

Longfellow Books, in Monument Square, has an entire room dedicated to kids’ books, plus areas for new and used books of all kinds. The store hosts author events year-round, in the store and at other locations as well. On Feb. 20, author and linguist Michael Erard will be at the store to read from and discuss his new book “Bye Bye I Love You: The Story of Our First and Last Words.” The store has a new subscription service, BookME, which sends books to customers quarterly. It also sells  greeting cards, journals, book-related apparel, puzzles, games and calendars. Staff recommendations are posted throughout the store.

Brady Brickier-Wood of Portland browses the books at Longfellow Books in Portland in December 2023. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer

Nonesuch Books, South Portland

Located just over the Casco Bay Bridge from Portland, Nonesuch also has free parking. There’s a big selection of kids’ books, toys and games and places to sit and read with the young ones. The book selections include staff picks, bestsellers and local authors, as well as local travel and history. Besides books and magazines, a whole wall of them, there are lots of gift options, including jewelry and Maine-made foods.

Print: A Bookstore, Portland

This store in the city’s East End hosts 100 to 150 events a year, at the store and elsewhere, and four monthly book clubs.  On Monday, Maine author Jennifer Finney Boylan will talk about her book “Cleavage: Men, Women, and the Space Between Us,” at Space Gallery in Portland, at an event co-presented by Print and Space. The bookstore puts a particular focus on books from academic and small presses, works by Maine authors, and drama and plays. In addition to books, Print: A Bookstore carries greeting cards, prints, stickers, children’s puzzles, card games, board games and vinyl records.

Sherman’s Maine Coast Book Shops, Portland, Falmouth and seven other locations.

No matter where you are in Maine, you can probably find a Sherman’s. The company was founded in 1886, so it’s not exactly fly-by-night. There are stores in Boothbay Harbor, Freeport, Bar Harbor, Portland, Damariscotta, Rockland, Topsham, Windham and Falmouth. So if you’re on vacation or traveling to somebody’s birthday and forgot a gift, there’s a good chance Sherman’s might be on your way. The stores’ wide variety of books include books about Maine or by Maine authors, kids’ books, bargain books, biography, languages, history and dozens more. On the website you can browse books listed in several dozen categories.

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