Best Bookstores: Huffington Post Readers Pick Their 12 Favorites (PHOTOS)

After thinking about the too many bookstores that closed this decade, we wanted to celebrate the excellent bookstores that still remain. So, we asked on Twitter for your suggestions and then racked our memoirs and searched the web for the best bookstores out there ...

Here's our list of "12 Amazing Bookstores." But which other shops deserve a spot on this list? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Book People (Austin, TX)

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Helping the city live up to its motto -- "keep Austin weird" -- this massive independent bookstore features an incredibly diverse and deep selection of titles, ensuring that Austin has a strong cultural identity far beyond it vibrant music scene.

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Helping the city live up to its motto -- "keep Austin weird" -- this massive independent bookstore features an incredibly diverse and deep selection of titles, ensuring that Austin has a strong cultural identity far beyond it vibrant music scene.

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This Bookstore

Rank #2  |  Average: 4

Decent Incredible

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Comments

[Senior-Advisor]

01:50 PM on 12/19/2010

I would add a vote for Northshire Books in Manchester, Vermont. It is a wonderful store.

[Angela Crane]

10:43 PM on 12/17/2010

I think you missed Children's Book World in Haverford, PA. They have weathered the storm like none other! In the past 20 years they've survived 3 superstores within a 5 mile radius! They have the most knowledgable, enthusiastic staff and they have all the great authors including JK Rowling, Rick Riodan, etc and some amazing events including the crew from Star Wars a couple weeks ago! My family has been shopping there for years and we're so lucky to have such a valuable, caring and special resource like CBW in our neighborhood!

[DudeAsInCool]

01:16 PM on 12/16/2010

Book Soup, Los Angeles

[mandy osborne]

11:30 AM on 12/16/2010

Poor Richards Bookstore in Frankfort, Kentucky is worthy to be included on this list.

[OldPete]

02:55 AM on 12/16/2010

Politics & Prose Bookstore in Washington D.C. is missing on your list!!

Also Crawford Doyle and Rizzoli in New York City, and Birchbark Books in Minneapolis.

Thanks for highlighting these awesome bookstores - both the HuffPo's list and those mentioned by my fellow commenters.

A book bought at an Independent Bookstore makes a great holiday gift!

[Firbolg]

01:55 AM on 12/16/2010

IMHO Anchorage's "Title Wave" ranks up there with most of these.

[John Dav]

11:19 PM on 12/15/2010

Everyone knows that Borders and Barnes & Noble are the best bookstores around.

[Tarcut]

10:45 PM on 12/15/2010

For readers of the mystery genre, Murder by the Book bookstore in Houston is hard to beat.

[David Keith]

08:18 PM on 12/15/2010

Powell's City of Books in downtown Portland, OR is heaven on earth. No book store can beat it.

[Ljwoggins]

06:33 PM on 12/15/2010

I love McNally's Bookstore. They have some great readings over there.

[David Gillaspie]

04:37 PM on 12/15/2010

Some people move to Portland for Powells. One from Texas painted his bike to look like a tree, an Oregon guy before he even got here. Powells draws them in.

[David Keith]

08:21 PM on 12/15/2010

When I moved to Portland - Powell's was definitely on the list of pluses! When I moved away from Oregon, I cried driving home from Powell's my last visit there.

[John Dav]

11:18 PM on 12/15/2010

Crying? A big, sexy bear like you?

[Firbolg]

01:59 AM on 12/16/2010

Have you thought about running for Speaker of the House?

[JHKH]

08:12 PM on 12/14/2010

I had the pleasure of visiting Powell's in Portland, OR. It was wonderful -- you could get lost in there -- in a good way.

[whitehorse95]

07:08 PM on 12/14/2010

Don't forget Dunaway Books in St Louis MO. With over 150,000 books on 3 floors there is definately something for everyone.

[artsygirl72]

11:11 AM on 12/14/2010

Brookline Booksmith has my vote.

[RES]

10:26 AM on 12/14/2010

Tattered Cover gets an emphatic thumbs up from me. Atmosphere, Customer Service, Selection, Coffee Shop, everything you need in a book store. City Lights is also at the top of my list.