Bookstore Geek: Shakespeare & Co in Chehalis, Washington

By Midge Raymond,

  Filed under: Bookstore Geek, On Reading, The Writing Life

When I was in Chehalis, Washington, for the Southwest Washington Writers Conference, it was a delight to stop in at one of its fabulous local bookstores, Shakespeare & Co, for a drink and a browse.

The bookstore is located in a lovely historic area filled with gorgeous old buildings, like the former Victorian of the store itself. The two women who own the store, Karen and Mo, told us that the beautiful old house used to be a brothel (which, I’ve realized just now, is probably the reason for the lips on the front sign).

Had the day not been so chilly, it would’ve been lovely to relax outside on the expansive porch … but it was even better to be inside, with several rooms of books and plenty of comfy vintage chairs and sofas on which to sit — such as this plush purple chair on which the bookstore cat, Mary Tyler Moore, was snoozing when we visited (she clearly takes her naps very seriously, but she did wake up later and accept some snuggles).

In the back is a cafe where you can get tea, coffee, pastries, salads, and more, and in addition to plenty of places to sit and read chat are cozy nooks of bookshelves that are excellent for browsing. The bookstore has a varied and artfully curated selection of both new and used books.

Another bit of history that made the visit even more fun: I learned that the building apparently has a resident ghost (confirmed by a customer, who put a book on hold, and then it mysteriously disappeared — though it did turn up later — or, the ghost returned it later).

And of course it was beautiful to see a vintage typewriter on a desk overlooking the street, as if waiting to be used.

Don’t miss this sweet little bookstore next time you’re in Southwest Washington … it’s well worth a visit. And be sure to save plenty of time: You’ll want to eat at the cafe, browse for books, and have a few moments to spend with Mary Tyler Moore.

 

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