Book it

On Sept. 27, the Central Oklahoma Independent Bookstore Fall Crawl will challenge book lovers to visit as many local shops as possible in the most adorably nerdy variation on a pub crawl we’ve seen. Follow @centralokbookstorecrawl on Instagram for more information. We’ve compiled a handy guide to get you started, in case you’re the kind of nerd who wants to do the assigned reading early.

A Novel Idea
116 W. Oklahoma Ave., Guthrie
anovelideabookshop.org
405-466-7116

This Guthrie bookshop’s website promotes the “power of physical books,” and if the promise of “the intoxicating scent of books” doesn’t have you salivating, you’re probably reading the wrong article. In addition to that new book smell, A Novel Idea also offers book clubs, author signings and other special events such as the Gilmore Girls-themed Stars Hollow Fall Celebration on Sept. 27.

Literati Press
3022 Paseo
literatipressok.com
405-882-7032

Serving both readers and writers, this Paseo bookstore, publishing company and writers co-op hosts book clubs and story hours as well as writers workshops such as Plot a Novel in an Hour on Sept. 21 and Narrative Writing and Game Design on Sept. 27. Recent releases from Literati Press include Kristen Grace’s folk horror fairytale The Skull Tree and James Cooper’s true-crime-inspired Moonlit Massacre. The store is also the current home of long-running Red Dirt Poetry Open Mic at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays.

Second Story Books & Cafe
718 Culbertson Drive
secondstorybooksokc.com
405-673-7565

With a cafe serving a variety of coffee and tea; book clubs for readers of fantasy, nonfiction, romance, children’s literature and “witchy” books; author signings, crafting classes and community events such as the recent bake sale benefiting the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund, Second Story is a setting for far more than two stories, even if it is technically located on the ground floor.

The Floating Bookshop
3 NW Ninth St.
facebook.com/thefloatingbookshop

Located in Automobile Alley, The Floating Bookshop offers shelves full of thoughtfully curated selections to stack onto your to-be-read pile, including many works by local authors and artists. Check out their collection of zines, graphic novels, records and cassettes from OKC label Mystery Class and others.

Lost and Bound Bookstore & Soda Bar
1805 S. Morgan Road
lostandboundbook.store
405-345-5095

The “little pink bookstore” started life as a pop-up shop inside an antique market in Tazewell, Tennessee, but after opening as a brick-and-mortar shop in OKC, it’s an independently owned hangout for page turners and soda sippers, with author signings, crafting classes and meetups for fans of Taylor Swift (Sept. 13) and A Court of Thorns and Roses (Sept. 28).

Bookish Used Books & Art
1005 NW 36th St.
shop-bookish.com
405-992-7570

Offering new and used books, music, movies and more, Bookish endorses “embracing the beauty of second-hand goods, the kind that tell a story,” and its packed events calendar tells a story of its own, with film screenings, live music, writer’s nights, community meetings and an open mic (co-hosted by this article’s author) sharing the stage each month.

Love Stories Romance Only Bookstore
3812 N. MacArthur Blvd., 
Warr Acres
facebook.com/lovestoriesokc
405-577-2202

While most of the stores on this list attempt to offer a little something for everyone, Love Stories is unabashedly for romantics only, but it offers a wide variety within its area of specialization, with classic, historic and contemporary titles ranging from sweet to steamy. The store is also conveniently located inside The Formal Niche bridal shop in case you decide to start a love story of your own.

The Lore in Norman
220 S. Porter Ave., Norman
the-lore-ok.square.site
405-819-2747

Calling itself a “creative general store,” this Norman shop sells new and used books, local art, and arts and craft supplies. Writers workshops, crafting meetups and book clubs for fans of sci-fi, horror, queer lit and smut novels fill the events calendar.

Bluebird Books in Edmond
21 S. Broadway, Edmond
bluebirdedmond.com
405-562-3507

Promising “comfortable seating,” “books for all genre lovers,” “family story time” and more, this downtown Edmond shop offers a comfy environment for bookworms, even if the name seems a little less than worm-friendly.  

Commonplace Books
1325 N. Walker Ave., Suite 138
commonplacebooksokc.com
405-534-4540

Opened in 2016, this Midtown OKC bookstore’s website posits that “We read to know we’re not alone,” and “Friendship around books is some of the best kind of friendship.” Visitors will have the chance to bond over books at upcoming events such as Bingo Book Club (Sept. 18) and author Julia Bryan Thomas’ book signing for The Kennedy Girl (Sept. 29). Littler readers can meet up at the weekly story time at 10 a.m. on Saturdays. 

Full Circle Books
1900 Northwest Expressway
fullcirclebooks.com
405-842-2900

Covering 360 degrees of literature, Full Circle carries tens of thousands of books and publishes Oklahoma-centric nonfiction such as Chef Andrew Black’s Foraging in Oklahoma: Tales and Recipes From the Open Road and Juxtapositions: Brunel Faris and the Visual Arts in Oklahoma City. The Garden Cafe serves breakfast, lunch, coffee and wine, and events include live music, poetry readings and children’s story time at 10:15 a.m. on Saturdays.

Best of Books
1313 E. Danforth Road, Edmond
bestofbooksok.com
405-340-9202

If you love everything about a book club but the assigned reading part, you might try Best of Books’ Bring Your Own Book Club (Sept. 11), where you’re free to discuss whatever book you want. For more structured activities, there’s the weekly story time at 11 a.m. on Saturdays often featuring authors reading their own books and An Afternoon With Oklahoma Authors (Sept. 27) with sci-fi and fantasy writers Candace Kade and Jes McCutchen and young adult writers Jerrica Godwin and Brian Holshouser.

Related Locations

This article appears in Fall Guide 2025.