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Revitalization of Denver’s Bookstores Spurred by Indie Spirit
The dynamic bookselling environment in Denver has experienced a notable boost following Barnes & Noble’s acquisition of Tattered Cover last summer, according to Heather Duncan, executive director of the Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association. Duncan expresses her enthusiasm for the proliferation of distinct and quirky independent bookstores emerging in the area. “I’m thrilled about the diverse indie bookstores blossoming around Denver, especially with the opening of Spicy Librarian, a romance bookstore that debuted in mid-January. This is a remarkable period for our community, akin to what we’ve seen happen in Texas.” She highlights the vibrant evolution of the local scene since Winter Institute was last hosted there in 2016.
On February 23, the American Booksellers Association will lead full- and half-day tours to showcase the variety of independent bookstores throughout Denver and nearby regions. “It’s important to explore beyond Denver itself,” Duncan emphasizes. “There are impressive legacy bookstores in places like Boulder, Fort Collins, and Colorado Springs that merit recognition, along with new shops in smaller towns, such as Briggs Street Books and Music in Erie, which opened its doors on February 1.”
Out of the 18 stores and pop-ups on the Winter Institute 2025 tours, seven are located within the city limits of Denver. “Business is thriving,” remarks Matt Aragon, manager of West Side Books, a 28-year-old shop that offers a mix of 70% used books and 30% new ones. “Local patrons are increasingly showing a preference for buying local. While some still visit Tattered Cover out of loyalty, we’ve seen a rise in our sales, particularly in new book orders.”
Located south of downtown, Who Else Books has been a staple for 20 years, situated within the 3,400-square-foot Broadway Book Mall, a cooperative with six vendors. Primarily selling used books, they focus on science fiction and fantasy genres. Co-owner Nina Else shares a positive outlook, noting that sales have been increasing there as well. “We’re noticing a trend where more 20-somethings are coming in groups to discuss and recommend books to each other. Having grown up with e-books and Kindles, they now seek the tactile experience of holding actual books.”
The tour will also highlight bookstores with innovative approaches to business. The Shop at Matter uses its platform to showcase works by Black intellectuals, queer authors, and feminist writers, representing the only majority-Black-owned full-service bookstore in the Mountain Time Zone, as per co-owner Rick Griffith. In addition to its bookstore offerings, it serves as a graphic design consultancy and letterpress workshop.
Petals & Pages, which opened in the Santa Fe Arts District in October 2023, merges literature and floristry, creating a unique atmosphere. Owner Dylah Ray describes it as a “queer, feminist space” that welcomes all communities, offering a diverse collection of titles from banned books to LGBTQ+ literature, along with fresh flowers and café services.
Some of the tour’s featured stores take alternative routes to bookselling. Second Star to the Right will offer insights into a traditional children’s bookstore, while Rainbow Reva’s serves as a pop-up initiative created by Reva Canali. She specializes in children’s books from BIPOC and LGBTQ+ authors addressing social and racial justice themes. After transitioning from a bricks-and-mortar store, she now focuses on pop-ups and online sales to reach her audience.
Dream Books Co. presents a different model altogether, operating as a bookseller that collects donations, sorts them for resale or library donation, or recycles those unsuitable for sale. Partnerships manager Courtney Dixon explains that they diverted a staggering 8.5 million pounds of books from landfills last year, with plans for tour attendees to visit their warehouse to learn about a book’s lifecycle.
The southern suburbs of Denver are also represented on the tours, with Spell Books opening in Littleton in 2023 and Books Are Awesome debuting in Parker in 2020, aiming to become the go-to indie bookstore following Tattered Cover’s shift in status. Co-owner Wendy Withers reports that they are increasing partnerships with libraries and boosting event programming to engage their community.
A full-day tour will feature Boulder and the surrounding area, visiting well-established stores like Boulder Bookstore, established in 1973, and Trident Booksellers & Café, founded in 1979 and now an employee-owned cooperative. Joellen Raderstorf, an employee-owner, notes, “Boulder is a creative community bound together by literature. Bookstores exist as communal hubs that facilitate meaningful conversations about shared interests.”
In nearby Longmont, Barbed Wire Books, in operation since 2009, stands as its sole bookstore, while the Read Queen Bookstore & Café, serving Lafayette since 2020, has shifted to primarily stock new books. Its expansive 4,000-square-foot space features a reading lounge, a café, and a gift shop.
Another full-day tour set for northern Colorado includes a visit to Fort Collins, home to five MPIBA member stores, such as Old Firehouse Books, which is celebrating its 45th anniversary, and Crowded Bookshelf, a four-year-old store that focuses on books around themes of death and sex. Owner Renee Becher, a former bookseller at Old Firehouse, points out that their February 23 pop-up will be hosted at Gilded Goat Brewing, bringing together the love of books and craft beer.
Words of Windsor in Windsor, alongside Midnight Oil in Greeley, is preparing for the influx of visiting booksellers. Samantha Webb, owner of Words of Windsor, aims to showcase the potential of semi-rural bookselling. Meanwhile, Midnight Oil’s Pablo Guzman emphasizes his spacious layout in a repurposed jewelry store, featuring extensive collections of used books, including a dedicated “vault of banned books.”
The third full-day tour will venture south along I-25, spotlighting Sudden Fiction Books—Castle Rock’s only bricks-and-mortar bookstore, situated in a historical church converted for a variety of community activities. Co-owner Christi Piper notes, “Our shared space means there’s food and drink nearby, which creates a welcoming atmosphere.”
Completing the tour, Poor Richard’s Books & Gifts in Colorado Springs is more than a simple bookstore; it combines a restaurant, café, wine bar, and toy shop. Originally a book cart operation started in 1975, Poor Richard’s is now celebrating fifty years of service, with assistant manager Jeffrey Payne highlighting it as their most successful year to date.
Event coordinator Sonja Walker expresses excitement for the tours, noting that Richard Skorman, a beloved figure known for his holiday elf antics in downtown Colorado Springs, will greet the visiting booksellers. “Richard is an iconic personality, and people come here just to see him. He’s a legend,” Walker remarks.
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A version of this article appeared in the 02/10/2025 issue of Publishers Weekly under the headline: Colorado Is Indie Country
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