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    Twice Sold Tales

    4.5 (296 reviews)
    InexpensiveUsed Bookstore
    Open • 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

    Twice Sold Tales Photos

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    Isabel in front of the Twice Sold Tales sign (Kitties inside)
    Kenneth B.

    I was in town to visit my daughter, Isabel, and she suggested we stop by a bookstore in Seattle. That's really all I needed to hear. Being an out-of-towner, we checked Yelp and decided upon Twice Sold Tales. First of all, simply being a used bookstore will get me to walk in off the street, even if I'm late for an appointment. Secondly, the presence of cats, although not my favorite domesticated pet (dogs shall always come first), will get me in the door even quicker. They are small and furry and require "scritches." This store has six of them. Isabel located the cats while I moved throughout the store, searching out yellowed pages, cracked spines, and links to our past communicated through the eternal written word. I loved the ease of navigating the store, and they have some pretty fantastic rarer/older works behind the counter area and behind glass. Sadly, we must lock up beautiful things because of the handful of people who live by no code. I asked for help with a few books behind the glass and struck up a fantastic conversation with Chris. Chris and I had a remarkably similar love for sword and sorcery, eldritch horror, and all of the amazing authors who have contributed to the genres and those in between. He even schooled me up on a few authors of whom I had not heard and then pulled a copy of a book he was saving for himself just so that I could read it. The Dying Earth by Jack Vance. (Chris, I read it, it was really great, you were 100% correct). I imagine Gary Gygax borrowed heavily from Vance's work when it came to the initial Dungeons and Dragons magic system. If you've read this far, and you're nodding your head to this paragraph, get over to this bookstore and have a chat with Chris. He provided an elucidating and unexpected conversation for me. Books are life. Without them we exist solely in the time in which we were born and lived, and our knowledge extends only to that which we have personally seen, done, or been told about. That's not enough. Come here. Drop copious amounts of money on musty books. Read them. Learn and become a contributing member of society. I'll absolutely go back the next time I'm in the PNW.

    Cats!!!
    Vince P.

    Twice Sold Tales is a well known bookstore on Cap Hill for book and cat lovers! This spot is known to have local neighborhood cats roaming and sleeping all throughout the store. Inside, they also have a solid selection of used books from all different genres. Come to peruse the books and stay to pet all the cats!

    Emily K.

    This is an amazing bookstore! How can you beat the quirky house layout, well behaved kitties roaming around, and plentiful used books at great prices?

    Jann B.

    Really cute used bookstore! The store was clean and cozy. The cats were the highlight of my visit! So adorable!!

    Must visit bookstore of Capitol Hill. The roaming cats and the smell of books engage all book lovers to this corner-street gem.

    Mallory C.

    Incredible bookstore with lots of cats in Capitol Hill! I had a great time browsing the books while also following the cats around and spotting who is active, who is sleeping and who is eating. None of them wanted to be pet by me, but that was okay. I respected their boundaries. Very fun to visit!

    cat
    Jada C.

    SUPER cute place hidden in capital hill, a little hole in the wall for used books! cats all over and they're super friendly, and not your usual book store. extremely accessible if you go to uw (take the light rail) or seattleu

    One of the two black cats in residence.
    Craig W.

    Cats and used books. Say no more. I'm in. It is a relatively small shop and you'll probably get lost 20 times trying to find the section (literature, travel, whatever) you are looking for. But if you are a book lover, getting lost in a bookstore is half the fun. You will just end up with twice as many books. At this time, there are six cats which either roam the store or spend their time sleeping somewhere. We found five of the six cats. Some of them are clearly done with hundreds of humans petting them; they are on the skittish side. So, leave those felines alone and concentrate on the snoozingor more extroverted ones. I found the book selection to be excellent. Most of the books are in decent condition and cost around five bucks. There are books literally everywhere, including on the floor. It can be a little claustrophobic inside but if you love books, you won't mind a bit. There are gems to be found. If you love books and cats, you need to come visit.

    Chantal T.

    Really cozy used bookstore with 6 cats!! Loved browsing around and being able to see them. I think they are tired of being pet by people lol but they like to play with their toys. Bookstore has a great variety of books and genres to look from and there are maps around in case you get lost. Staff is nice as well and the books are reasonably priced in great condition.

    Olivia A.

    Accidentally stumbled across this gem on my bachelorette trip! I'm a cat lady obviously I went inside to look for meows (I love books too ok) and found sub bathing cats :,) Very friendly and sleepy

    Emily T.

    An adorable bookshop with adorable kitties! This bookstore was actually pretty expansive in my opinion! Lots of little nooks and crannies with books to check out. Staff is very friendly and helpful if there's anything you need or have questions. The book selection is a little dated but that doesn't mean there aren't amazing stories and great authors. I unfortunately couldn't stay long because I started to get allergies from the cats but they really are so cute!!

    Christine C.

    Twice sold tales is my favorite used book store in Seattle! It is conveniently located in Capitol hill and has CATS!! I love the ambiance of this book store, they have some many books and you can also tell throughout the space how much care they have for their cats. It's truly the cats home as much as it is the books home. The staff working here are wonderful and I love coming in here to escape into world of cats and books. It can get a little cramped but the space is pretty big! I highly recommend this book store!

    Cindy T.

    A literal DREAM for cat lovers looking to buy books! Workers were kind and there were so many genres to choose from. But of course, the cats were the best part and this will now be a mandatory stop of mine when in Seattle.

    Cat

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    Page 1 of 8

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    Review Highlights - Twice Sold Tales

    “. In other words, going in just for the cats doesn't feel like when you go to church just to use the bathroom.”

    Mentioned in 48 reviews

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    Arundel Books - (4/25/26)

    Arundel Books

    4.3(43 reviews)
    1.4 mi•Pioneer Square

    I absolutely adore bookstores and going to one of the most beautiful bookstores in Seattle was such…read morea treat. It may not be the largest bookstore I've visited, but the architecture makes up for it. Also I love the name Arundel, it's so stunning. Walking in here is a book lovers paradise with so many books available for purchase in a vast variety of genres. Bookstores are perfect to explore different genres, especially when you're in a reading slump. I took photos of so many books to add to my to read list. They also have some cute knickknacks like prints from local artists as well as postcards. Even if you don't pick anything up from here, it's definitely worth a visit.

    I recalled Arundel Books previously located closer to the Seattle Art Museum before Harbor Steps…read moreexisted and also in the Grand Central Building. They have been at this current corner spot at 1st and S Jackson since February 2021. This bibliophile clearly has been very late to the party! I stopped in during Independent Booksellers Day (4/25/26) and it was packed full of people. Warmly acknowledged upon entering and later when departing. I briefly browsed the shelves. There's a decent selection, as well as, other merch available for purchase. What really caught my attention were the high curved ceilings. It gave a bright, airy feeling despite feeling a bit cramped with the current capacity onsite. My previous indie booksellers in Pioneer Square were Elliott Bay Book Store (moved to Capitol Hill) and the treasure trove owned by the late David Ishii. It was good to be reacquainted again with Arundel Books, a mainstay in Seattle since 1995.

    Photos
    Arundel Books - Lots of cool books!

    Lots of cool books!

    Arundel Books - (4/25/26)

    (4/25/26)

    Arundel Books - (4/25/26)

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    (4/25/26)

    Elliott Bay Book - Outside

    Elliott Bay Book

    4.6(756 reviews)
    0.3 mi•Capitol Hill
    •$$

    It may be hyperbole but Elliot Bay Book maybe the best bookstore in the United States. That's…read moresaying a lot but after spending a complete afternoon here, I am comfortable in my decree. EBB is have to visit if you are Seattle. Skip the bubblegum wall and the original Starbucks. If you truly want to see Seattle, visit Elliott Bay Book and you will thank me later. I wish I had more time to visit every section and shelf. I wandered aimelessly at first then found myself in Queer True Crime. I ended up having a fantastic conversation with a lovely human at the information desk. I don't remember their name but they even spoke with my daughter on my iPhone as I was looking for a particular book for my wife. I was also on the hunt for Etna, a novel but it was sold out. I ended up purchasing per a staff recommendation, 'Attempt at Exhausting a Place in Paris' by Georges Perec Reading the first couple of pages instantly transported back to Paris, a place I know extemely well, and I saw every bus, man, woman, child, server worker, and heard every klaxon and shouted obscenity. Do yourself a favor and search out Elliot Bay Book when you visit Seattle, you'll be supporting a local business and feeding your mind and soul.

    Elliott Bay Book Company in Capitol Hill is a great spot to check out if you love a solid,…read moreold-school bookshop atmosphere with a trendy modern feel. The place is massive, with high wooden shelves, endless aisles, and a selection that spans just about every genre you can think of. If you remember the golden age of independent brick-and-mortar bookstores, walking in here hits a really nice nostalgic chord while still feeling vibrant and full of energy. The handwritten staff recommendation notes posted along the shelves are a fun touch, and having a cozy cafe tucked inside makes it easy to grab a drink and get lost in browsing for an hour or two. It is definitely a cool, memorable stop in the neighborhood whether you are hunting for a specific read or just soaking in the literary vibes.

    Photos
    Elliott Bay Book - Stained glass front entrance

    Stained glass front entrance

    Elliott Bay Book - A must when visiting Seattle

    A must when visiting Seattle

    Elliott Bay Book - View at the stair landing from 2nd floor (7/28/23)

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    View at the stair landing from 2nd floor (7/28/23)

    Ophelia's Books - Exterior (7/27/25)

    Ophelia's Books

    4.5(85 reviews)
    2.6 mi•Fremont
    •$

    OK here is what you get when you come to Ophelia's Books: a three-story bookstore next to a record…read moremusic store (shout out to Jive Records) AND has resident cats inside being all cute and silly as you shop around and browse. Oh, also super unique and adorable in the heart of Fremont. I came in looking for a popular book and I was so happy they had it in stock! My purchase was a new book but there were plenty of gently used books too. My eyes did so much wandering and reading on every single corner as I navigated through the store. When I realized there was a black handsome kitty cat getting settled in a cat bed on top of a bookshelf, I gushed and let him smell me before I gave him a pet (you know - pet rule is they gotta smell ya first). I want to say his name is Archive and I only heard one of the employees talking to him as they tended to the store and books. He was super sweet to me as I browsed the basement floor level of books. I bought a tote bag to bring back home to Texas with me too. The bookstore logo cat design is just super unique and is a great sturdy tote. I was able to place my records in there too so it is sizable for vinyl records too! Friendly service and kind recommendations based off of the book I purchased. Thank you for stocking me up for my plane ride back home.

    I shop at this book store anywhere between 5-10 per month. Yesterday I was the only one in the…read morestore and the owner was being disrespectful to his staff. As a U.S. Marine I am appalled by your lack of character judgment. I will no longer be shopping at this place, they clearly don't deserve my money

    Photos
    Ophelia's Books - Inside

    Inside

    Ophelia's Books - Friendly black cat

    Friendly black cat

    Ophelia's Books - Not chancing heading down this narrow spiral staircase with hands full & wearing inappropriate footwear. Will revisit another time (7/27/25)

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    Not chancing heading down this narrow spiral staircase with hands full & wearing inappropriate footwear. Will revisit another time (7/27/25)

    The Couth Buzzard - Books & Community - (12/21/24)

    The Couth Buzzard - Books & Community

    4.3(71 reviews)
    5.1 mi•Greenwood, Phinney Ridge
    •$

    Stopped by on Saturday around 2:30 or so during Greenwood Car Show. Cool Seattle vibe. Coffee was…read morealright but nothing to write home about. Service was what ruined it. Ordered a triple shot over ice with vanilla and the cashier person looked at us like we were from mars and legitimately asked "..shots of...?" totally condescending. Espresso--the answer is espresso, person at the cash register of a café. I inquired about whether this was an unusual order (based on the response when we've ordered this probably hundreds of times in and around seattle, it's not) and they responded that "well, people usually want it in a latte or some other drink". Alright, cool. We let it go. But what prompted me to write this review is this persons final comment. a good while after this convo was done and we'd paid and about to step away to wait for our drink, this person just had to convince themselves they were right, saying "yeah people usually say three shot americano that's why i was like huh". three shots over ice is not an americano. it's three shots over ice. an americano is diluted with water. and not what we wanted....which is why we didn't order it. visit in one word: meh. My advice is to go somewhere that will actually appreciate you being there. especially when there are 10 other shops in a mile radius. no need to be looked at like you are an inconvenience. Cheers!

    Loved everything about being here, from the friendly staff to the welcoming sense of community…read more Can't wait to come back soon. Wish we had something like this in Tacoma.

    Photos
    The Couth Buzzard - Books & Community - Merch (8/23/25)

    Merch (8/23/25)

    The Couth Buzzard - Books & Community - Exterior (7/21/24)

    Exterior (7/21/24)

    The Couth Buzzard - Books & Community - New releases shelf!

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    New releases shelf!

    Twice Sold Tales - usedbooks - Updated October 2026

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