Washington · 20 places · 10 districts
Bookstores and Record Shops in Washington.
All 20 bookstores and record shops we cover in Washington, from Dupont Circle, Eastern Market & Barracks Row and Adams Morgan, on one map with addresses, hours and directions.
All 20
Bookstores and Record Shops, district by district.
Tap a place or a dot to see it.
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Volunteer-run Bryn Mawr bookshop on Book Hill selling used and rare books, with proceeds supporting women at Bryn Mawr College. A short walk east of Wisconsin on P Street.
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Buenos Aires-inspired cafe opened August 2025 with a second-floor bookshop of English and Spanish titles on mental health, cooking and gratitude, plus Argentinian pastries.
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Newly opened Barnes & Noble on the F Street retail corridor, listed by the DowntownDC BID, and open until 8pm seven days a week, later than most neighbors on Sundays.
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U Street record and vintage shop selling new and used vinyl, cassettes, vintage clothing, old audio gear, posters, zines and music memorabilia. A second branch is in Takoma.
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Independent bookstore opened in 1976 as DC's first bookstore-cafe, now combined with a full-service restaurant and bar serving breakfast through dinner, with readings, trivia and book clubs.
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Large used and rare bookstore at the corner of 20th and P, with sidewalk sales and on-site buyers every day. Open until 10pm, a block from the Dupont Circle Metro.
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DC's only Chinese-language bookstore, reopened under this name in September 2024; sells English and Chinese books, including Hong Kong and Taiwan titles, and hosts lectures.
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Second-floor comic shop established in 2005 with a wide selection of comic books and graphic novels, describing itself as a comic shop for everyone. Open daily, a short walk from the Red Line.
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Veteran-owned bookstore on two floors selling new, used and rare books, with readings and launch events upstairs. It began as Idle Time Books in 1981 and sits next door to Tryst.
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Long-running independent record store on 18th Street with new and used vinyl, strongest in punk and indie, plus in-store events such as photo-book talks on the punk scene.
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Small record shop on Champlain St that doubles as an event space, hosting album listening parties, a physical-media swap meet and art shows in its Tiny Artspace.
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Record shop from the team behind Songbyrd Music House with more than 5,000 new and used LPs across indie, soul, hip hop, jazz and local DC music, plus turntables and speakers.
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Used bookstore on three floors of a rowhouse facing the market, with first editions and rare books and sections from mysteries and foreign language to DC history and a Weird Section.
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Independent bookstore opened in 2016 with new books for all ages plus toys, gifts and art supplies. Hosts author events and book clubs a short walk from Eastern Market Metro.
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Queer-owned independent bookstore devoted to LGBTQ+ authors and stories, with regular book clubs. Moved to this Pennsylvania Ave SE storefront in late 2025.
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Second-floor record store focused on DC music: go-go, soul, jazz, hip hop, punk and Americana, mostly new pressings, plus a reggae section. Online since 2021, in this shop since November 2024.
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Waterfront branch of DC's best-known independent bookstore, selling books, stationery and gifts and hosting author events, signings and classes. Two minutes from Waterfront Metro.
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Bookstore devoted to romance novels, billed by Visit Alexandria as the first romance bookstore in the DC metro area, a block off King Street on Cameron St.
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Independent general bookstore focused on book clubs, author events and community programs, with a separate children's and young-teen shop, Old Town Books Junior, next door.
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Bookstore reopened in a new space in the mall in June 2025 after the previous Tysons store closed in 2024, with a refreshed B&N Café.
Nothing in that category here.
Good to know
Questions, answered.
Where is the best area for bookstores and record shops in Washington?
Dupont Circle has the most, with 4, followed by Eastern Market & Barracks Row (4) and Adams Morgan (3). Each district page has the full store list with hours and directions.
How many bookstores and record shops does this guide cover?
20, across 10 districts. Every listing has its address and hours and links to the store's own site.
Are these listings kept up to date?
Yes. Every store is re-checked against its own site, brand locator or mall directory at least every six months, and closed stores come off the list.
Read more
Guides that name these shops.
Dupont Circle and 14th Street: Bookshops, Consignment and Vintage
Washington's best day for book browsers: Dupont Circle's bookstores, comics and second-floor consignment, then east to 14th Street and U Street for home shops, records and vintage.
Read guide →A Saturday at Eastern Market and Barracks Row
A Capitol Hill Saturday that starts in the 1873 market hall and the weekend farm and craft stands, then works through the bookstores and gift shops on 7th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue before ending on Barracks Row.
Read guide →Washington Holiday Markets 2026
Dates, hours and locations for the 2026 holiday markets in and around DC, from the DowntownDC Holiday Market on F Street to Heurich House's Christmas Markt and Old Town Alexandria's parade weekend, plus the events that haven't posted dates yet.
Read guide →Keep shopping
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