It's no secret that books are an important part of my life and that I often seek out bookstores when traveling. That's why it was important to me to prioritize finally visiting the Ohio Book Store in downtown Cincinnati last month.
The Ohio Book Store was founded in 1940 and is five floors of used and out-of-print books. The proprietor will meet you at the door and ask if you're looking for anything in particular to aid in your search. If you're just browsing or are interested in multiple topics, he will give you a map to aid in your expedition.
When I inquired about nature books, he asked a few questions before taking me to my desired section in the basement. When my fella asked about history, the guy asked questions to drill down to a specific area of history before sending him off to the third floor with a map and some instructions.
Each floor features rows of tall metal shelves and some makeshift ones as well. Tall windows facing Main Street provide lovely atmospheric light and a chair here and there welcomes the shopper to stop for a rest or a read.
This place is packed to the ceiling with unusual books, old books, things you've never heard of, and things you never knew you needed to read. It is not the place to come for new releases or bestsellers but I think that' makes it all the more charming.
Although, I will admit that it's a little overwhelming at first! Note the massive collection of National Geographic's pictured here. I went hoping to find the August 1949 edition that I've been searching for these last several years. They had a dozen copies for $5 each. They have a selection of other old magazines like Life and local papers too.
They even do book repair and binding. That's a sentence I never thought I would get to type. People just don't take care of things the way they used to so it was great fun to see that department in the basement.
I found a nice little stack of things that I knew I would never see again and left behind some stuff that I now regret.
Perhaps a return trip should be on the books!
Want to visit the Ohio Book Store? Find everything you need to know on their website!
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