The Boulder Bookstore has a distinct personality.  I felt this especially when I wandered through the bright sunny spaces on the second floor.  This upstairs has a great web of twisting hallways and half-stairs, which lead you into, among other sections, the store’s impressive collections of meditation and metaphysical books.  Here there is the sense of a unique spirit that seems reflective not only of the individual sensibilities of the store’s owners, but also of the community to which this bookstore belongs.

The second floor also houses the store’s large collection of literature in its “Ballroom.”  It was easy to browse: the sunny space with its lovely arched windows seemed to invite lingering.

And the books themselves were thoughtfully arranged and displayed so that it was easy to pick up a few volumes and take a look through.

The Boulder Bookstore carries a mix of new and used books, but unlike many stores that carry both, the used books aren’t all cordoned off in a separate part of the bookstore.  Perusing the running section, for example, my husband came across a great selection of new books mixed in with a handful of harder-to-find used titles.

And while the Boulder Bookstore doesn’t feature cushy couches and lounge areas, there are practical and serviceable assortments of wooden armchairs throughout, and even an occasional table at which you could sit and jot down some notes.  Somehow lush leather club chairs would feel out of keeping with the straightforward nature of this store.  And my husband and I happily settled into old wooden chairs to flip through our piles of books.  Which is good because we would up returning almost daily during our trip to Boulder.