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    Bolen Books

    4.5 (22 reviews)
    ModerateBookstores
    Closed 9:30 am - 9:00 pm

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    7 years ago

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    16 years ago

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    13 years ago

    I don't buy my books anywhere else if I can help it. The service is great and they can get stuff in faster than Amazon!

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    Review Highlights - Bolen Books

    It's no Powell's, but Bolen Books is a Victoria institution that I hope never, ever goes away.

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    Russell Books - Andrea, store owner

    Russell Books

    4.5(60 reviews)
    3.2 km
    $

    Best for: discounts on new cookbooks…read more Huge space, lots of books and yet... their selection seems small. I can't usually find what I'm looking for, new or used. Shelves are a bit too close together for browsing. More signs indicating genre and letter of alphabet would be nice. As for browsing.. I wish they had displays and handwritten reviews, tables highlighting new releases by genres, etc. Their new releases shelves are shockingly small and oddly placed upstairs. What a great space! It just needs help with the browsing experience.

    Forget Munro's Book on Government St., this is where it's at. Honestly the outside is not…read moreremarkable at all, as the mini strip mall and immediate surroundings are deceiving. The inside is way different being bright, spacious and airy...and best of all 2 floors with an elevator and escalator. While there is a lot to look at as a casual browser, the kids/toddler book section was pretty impressive. There was a large variety and some quality items were even on clearance markdowns which I could never recall seeing at any bookstore in my lifetime. The currency conversion works out in with U.S. dollars too. Overall I think it's worth a tourist stop if visiting in town.

    Photos
    Russell Books - View of our upstairs fiction room

    View of our upstairs fiction room

    Russell Books - This was a relatively "clean" section... The fiction section was a glorious mess with stacks and stacks of books in front of the shelves!

    This was a relatively "clean" section... The fiction section was a glorious mess with stacks and stacks of books in front of the shelves!

    Russell Books - Ron, store owner, in the upstairs fiction room

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    Ron, store owner, in the upstairs fiction room

    Serendipity the Used Book Place - It's right out of a storybook movie - Hallmark, perhaps? So cute

    Serendipity the Used Book Place

    4.7(35 reviews)
    25.6 km
    $

    This bookstore is what dreams are made of…read more Serendipity books on San Juan Island is hands down my favorite bookstore. Not only does it have small town flare, but it also has the largest assortment of used books that I've personally seen. The store sits inside a small house on the main strip of San Juan Island. It looks tiny from the outside, but, oh wow, does it hold entire worlds inside. There's a multitude of rooms all themed after each genre. You'll find everything from cookbooks, history, fantasy, young adult, sci-fi, history, fiction, self help, and autobiographies. Like other reviewers have mentioned you might have to do a bit of digging, as most of the books are stacked since they do not have the space on the shelves. Something else to note is that they do not allow food and drink inside, but they do have the cutest fireplace for you to place your hot coffee or tea on to keep it warm. Highly recommend checking out this spot when you're on San Juan Island, and be sure to stop by next-door to pick up a homie style lunch.

    Wow! I'm glad I stumbled upon this cute book shop - serendipity, indeed! I did find a lot of…read moredifferent genres, so it's worth exploring. Personally, I was looking for the science fiction / fantasy section, and yep, I found one of interest! It was perfect. Others were stopping by and were couples. Unfortunately due to scheduled travel times, I could not spend unmarked amounts of time getting lost and wandering amongst the tomes. I will have to stumble my way back sometime in the future!

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    Serendipity the Used Book Place
    Serendipity the Used Book Place
    Serendipity the Used Book Place

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    Village Books - Street view

    Village Books

    4.4(140 reviews)
    68.5 km
    $$

    We love to see a bookstore thriving!! This is so much more than just a bookstore (and adjoining…read morepaper/confectionery/novelty shop). Its a community hub! I recently moved to Bellingham and Village Books (and paper dreams) actually really swayed me to move here. Its a book palace, 3 stories of well organized selection. The front facing books are well chosen, and the used books are interspersed with the new books. There are quite a few staff picks sections, all of which are super interesting and worth looking over. Three days before Christmas 2025 I was there trying to pick out a horror book for a friend of mine. Horror is not my genre (more of a fantasy and literature gal myself), so I for sure needed guidance. The shop lady spent so much time reviewing the whole horror section with me . When we couldn't find the main book we decided on me buying, she spent the time looking everywhere for it. She enlisted the help of two additional staff members. When she was needed for another task, she made sure one of the other shop ladies had me covered. I ended up ordering the book, which came in a few days and they texted me when it arrived. Easy peasy! I will never forget that experince, especially as the store was jam packed with x-mas shoppers. Village books in fairhaven is the spot! My only note is that their bookclubs could be better. The bookclubs are during the day and don't have different genre selections (they are mostly nonfiction). There is a silent reading bookclub that I might try. They could be cultivating different types of communities (ie book clubs geared towards romantasy, sci-fi, literature, etc.), but maybe that will come with time.

    I really wanted to love the store. I'm long time book lover and one who worked in the book…read moreindustry for over 20 years. This store seemingly has it all; great selection of books, both knew and used, lots of old wood, and a staff that seems knowledgeable if a little bit unhappy. The last part can explain why the vibe is just off. It just doesn't feel comfortable nor welcoming, and if I had to put my finger on the cause, I would say it is likely due to management. I witnessed firsthand how the store manager ignored customers in line waiting to pay because he was on the phone. You never ignore the customers who are right in front of you. I wish the store all the best, but I'm gonna take my book shopping business elsewhere.

    Photos
    Village Books - Printed in South Korea. Considered this (3/29/25)

    Printed in South Korea. Considered this (3/29/25)

    Village Books - Gifts

    Gifts

    Village Books - Books

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    Books

    Bolen Books - bookstores - Updated May 2026

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