Lost City Books - Washington, District of Columbia

EE G.

Decent stop. My top-tier chum who literally went to the school of hospitality and I wandered over here on Inauguration Day (which if you recall, was a nipper of a day with temps in the single digits) after having a perfect lunch at nearby Lapis. We've sort of started an informal tradition of visiting independent, edgy bookstores on our adventures, and this seemed like an obvious destination (especially since we didn't have to be outside for too long to get here).

I think our comp going forward is always going to be Brattle Books in Boston, which (and this is no disrespect to Lost City) has much, much more inventory, history and character. I'm sure there's some nerdy underground community that ranks this type of stuff, but I can't imagine there are too many places in the country that top that one. But for what it is, this is a nice spot. It's a cool, hipster-y neighborhood, and the vibe inside is welcoming. It's set up more as a formal bookstore than a scatterbrained used book store in the mold of the Strand in NYC - which was my home away from home during college - and I'm always more drawn to that type of setup. Personal preference at the end of the day.

The advantage to having a more official-looking interior is that it's well organized, and it was easy to roam up and down the stairs searching for specific genres. Again, your mileage may vary but if you're looking for something niche or something within a specific subgenre, you're not going to have as many options as you might elsewhere. For instance, if you're looking for a Richard Nixon bio? You're probably finding two, maybe three options here versus 10. That really might not matter to a lot of people. And because it's more intimate (this was really the biggest selling point for me), it allows for employees to post their "tasting notes" for certain books, very akin to what you would see at a wine store. I don't know too many unapologetic bookworms who don't like to compare notes, and this is a really cool way to get the perspective of an independent reviewer with a very personalized breakdown of their reading experience. Every place should have this, but it would be pretty difficult to do it at a place with more space/inventory. So in that regard, they maximized what could be considered a negative. They also had some comfortable chairs in the upstairs area to sit down in and peruse some of the selections a bit more intimately. Nice touch.

Really the only aspect of this that left a bad taste in my mouth - and I don't think it's specific just to this bookstore - is how political these places are getting now. I don't necessarily disagree with a lot of the opinions that were clearly reflected all over the store, especially by the counter, but I come to bookstores for the books, not for the non-literary opinions of its staff. People on all parts of the political spectrum can appreciate a good book, so I don't know that alienating a huge chunk of a potential base is the best business practice. But that's a judgment call at the end of the day and ultimately we DID still enjoy our time here and each bought a few books.

Worth some time if you're in the area for sure.

Renata T.

Love this bookstore. You can find many books unavailable in other stores. They always have a selection of independent editorials. The service is great, always kind and with useful advice.

Kim M.

What an awesome bookstore! The staff were really helpful and super nice. The book selection was outstanding. I can't wait to go back.

Konrad J.

A cute little bookstore spread across two levels and a landing. There’s a large queer section, as well as the typical sections readers will find in a bookstore. They sell new, used, signed, and rare books.

The staff were very friendly and helpful. If you are wanting to browse a bit in a safe, friendly space, go check it out!

Sydnie F.

Super cute bookstore located in a vibrant district. The staff was friendly and helpful. I got swept away with reading all the staff reviewed books. Highly recommend spending a little time in this store and the surrounding neighborhood.

AnonyMouseCat

A beautiful bookstore with a wonderful section of books. There are several places to sit and read, the staff are helpful and I highly appreciate the amount of inclusivity in the books. It's far more charming and aesthetically pleasing than your average chain bookstore, and the book selection is far better here with plenty of rare and signed books, and many more ones on topics such as philosophy, political science, anthropology, geography and many more.

Kayla

One of the best bookshops in DC (if not the best). The selection of books is beautifully curated, the staff is endlessly knowledgeable and patient, the events are always thoughtful, the space is charming and cozy. I especially have a soft spot for the staff recommendations shelf -- they all have excellent taste.

HorrorJunky 4. L.

This store has been in the Adams Morgan area for over 30 years. They sell a variety of used books for half off the price listed on the cover. Cook books, fiction like mysteries & horror, children's books and rare books are located on the first floor. Craft, science fiction and history are located on the 2nd floor. They take credit cards but I think the minimum to use them is $5. They also sell greeting cards, book marks and a few magazines and records.