HOURS
Tuesday-Saturday 11-7, Sunday 11-5
info@whitewhalebookstore.com

Our Store

We are an independent bookstore in Pittsburgh. Our selection of new and used books includes a broad range of contemporary and literary fiction, poetry, history, philosophy, local authors, independent presses, and much more. If we don’t have a book in stock, we are happy to order it for you.

White Whale Bookstore aims to be a community hub—a place for engagement, conversation, and sharing ideas. We host author readings, poetry nights, writing workshops, book clubs, children’s story hour, and anything else that sounds like a good fit for our space. Please contact us if you are interested in setting up an event.

Above all, we are passionate about books. It is a thrill to share stories and recommendations with other book lovers, and to be a part of Pittsburgh’s thriving literary community.

Our History

In the summer of 2011, Lesley Rains started a pop-up bookstall that was built on a love of books and a love of Pittsburgh. She set up in a different neighborhood each weekend, traveling to community spaces and local businesses in the Strip District, Squirrel Hill, Garfield, Wilkinsburg, and Braddock. For a year after that, she operated out of the Pittsburgh Public Market. But it was clear that demand was growing, as was her stock. Lesley sought out a more permanent space, and on November 16, 2012, she opened the East End Book Exchange at 4754 Liberty Avenue. 

The EEBX flourished in Bloomfield, quickly establishing itself as a staple of the community and a neighborhood meeting place. It became one of the most popular spots in Pittsburgh for literary events. The bookstore continued to grow and thrive, but after five years, Lesley was ready for a change, and she made the tough decision to sell the business.

Adlai and Jill Yeomans bought the store in 2016. They had met while working for a book publisher, and moved from New York to Pittsburgh in 2012 for a slower pace and a fresh start. Sharing a lifelong love of reading, they fantasized about one day owning their own bookstore. Thanks to a stroke of serendipity, the dream became a reality sooner than they’d imagined. They reopened the business as White Whale Bookstore on October 15, 2016.

White Whale Bookstore remains true to its roots as a welcoming community space dedicated to connecting books with book lovers. But while the East End Book Exchange sold primarily used books, White Whale Bookstore is introducing a larger stock of new titles to attract big name authors and even more stellar events.

Thank you for supporting local businesses. We hope to see you soon!                                                    

*All photos © Janelle Bendycki 2017

Located in Bloomfield

4754 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA, 15224
United States
412.224.2847

 
 

Press Coverage

Pittsburgh City Paper — Best of Pittsburgh 2019: Best Local Bookstore

Publishers Weekly — CI7: Bookselling Resurgence in the ‘Burgh

Hoodline — 4 best bookstores in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Magazine — 5 Best Spots to Hang Out With Your Dog

Very Local — Have you visited a local bookstore lately?

NEXT Pittsburgh — 6 indie bookstores you’ll love, all thriving in PGH

Trib Live — Growing literary scene draws star authors to Pittsburgh

NEXT Pittsburgh — There are many reasons to move to Pittsburgh. For these people, the city itself was the reason.

Bookweb.org — Fourth Indie Bookstore Day a Nationwide Hit

Pittsburgh Magazine — Spotlight: A Visit to Pittsburgh's Three New Indie Bookstores

Pittsburgh City Paper — Pittsburgh's Indie-bookstore Revival Continues

Trib Live — Couple to relaunch Former East End Book Exchange as White Whale Bookstore

Publishers Weekly — Bookstore News: September 14, 2016

Littsburgh — Introducing: White Whale Bookstore!

Littsburgh — DRUMROLL, PLEASE… Announcing the New Owners of East End Book Exchange!

NEXT Pittsburgh — East End Book Exchange’s new owners expanding selection, bringing in more authors

Littsburgh — A New Chapter For East End Book Exchange…

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — Townsend Booksellers to close after 21 years; a pop-up operation settles into Bloomfield

Pop City — East End Book Exchange to open in Bloomfield on Friday

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — The latest asset for starved readers: East End Book Exchange, a pop-up bookstore
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