Henderson Books

Henderson Books is the kind of used bookstore where an afternoon disappears. Robert Henderson opened it in 1986, and since 1994 it has filled a 6,500 square foot building on Grand Avenue in downtown Bellingham with roughly 300,000 books.

The shelves are sorted with real care: history by region, philosophy by school of thought, art and architecture by type and place. The rooms branch off one another like a maze, so take your time and follow your curiosity. Rare and collectible finds sit in glass cases, a reminder that the good stuff turns up here more often than you would expect.

Henderson also buys, sells and trades books, so bring a box of your own if you are clearing shelves at home. The store is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, so plan around that. Downtown's coffee shops and the Bellingham waterfront are a short walk away, which makes Henderson an easy anchor for a rainy day in town.