Plus, three unmissable opportunities for writers.
Readers are part of that secret knowledge: there are worlds all around us. All you have to do to travel there is turn one page, and then another…
Lucky for readers, Fayetteville prizes the literary arts and has stacks of opportunities for readers of all ages to explore, engage, and grow. Whether you want to cozy up with a book in Wilson Park or at Word Coffee, hear a renowned author like Taylor Jenkins Reid speak about their work at the Fayetteville Public Library, toast a local author’s new romance release at Pearl’s Books, or even do some creative writing yourself, Fayetteville is a world for the literary adventurer waiting to be explored.
Ready to get whisked away? Here’s your guidebook.
Dickson St. Bookshop
325 West Dickson St.
Do you fancy rooms of books, piled to the ceiling, just waiting for you to crack them open? Dickson Street Bookshop is a used bookstore established in 1978 by Don Choffel and Charles O’Donnell, now owned by Suedee Hall Elkins.
Fayetteville’s legacy bookstore has more than 100,000 books ready for you to gently rifle through, on a wide variety of topics and at moderate prices. With vast sections of fiction, religion, cookbooks, poetry, nonfiction by country, and a room just for paperbacks, one afternoon at DSB can feel like a voyage of its own.
With books coming in and being put on the shelves every day, each trip to this bookshop is a new experience. They even have a small section of used, rare, and out-of-print books for your perusal.
Once you’ve found your book (or tall pile of books!), we recommend taking a stroll over to Puritan Coffee & Beer for a cappuccino or grabbing a slice of Moff’s pizza to keep you company as you read away.
Pearl’s Books
28 E Center St.
Nothing is more Fayetteville-chic than carrying your farmer’s market veggies and flower bouquet into the local bookstore for a Saturday browse.
Pearl’s is an independent bookstore with new books for readers of all ages. Whether you’re into fantasy, romance, STEM, literary essays, or children’s literature, Pearl’s curated selection is a perfect place to pick up something exciting.
Named after the late Pearl, the owners’ beloved cocker spaniel, Pearl’s invites dogs to come in and get a treat and a photo in their shop. Pearl’s specializes in book recommendations, with a staff picks wall that highlights the team’s current reads, and notecards with book recommendations in every section. Or, ask a staff member for a book rec! They’re more than happy to help you find your next satisfying read.
Pearl’s is also a place where people gather to read and listen. Visit Pearl’s Instagram or website to learn more about their upcoming events with local authors and exciting midnight release parties. And, for writers, Pearl’s holds twice-monthly writers nights for networking and workshopping.
The Curious Book Shoppe
103 N. College Ave. #7
Looking for something rare, obscure, unique, or special? Meander into The Curious Book Shoppe for leather-bound classics with exquisite fonts or to browse a curated section of used books. Whether you’re looking for a gift for a book-lover or are a collector yourself, there’s sure to be something on these shelves that suits your fancy.
Take a look at the shop’s online inventory to get a taste for what these walls hold, or just pop in one afternoon. The Curious Book Shoppe is open Thursday through Sunday afternoons, starting at 1 p.m. and closing sometime between 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Once Upon a Time Books
1336 N. College Ave
Once upon a time, there was a bookstore–and it was right outside your door. This specialty children’s bookstore is just one of three locations for Once Upon a Time Books in Northwest Arkansas and carries both used and new books for children ages 0-12. Along with picture books, chapter books, board books, and even books about phonics, Once Upon a Time has a notable selection of nonfiction children’s books with a focus on science books.
This roomy space hosts storytimes in a cozy, castle-inspired space from Monday through Saturday, with stories read for a variety of age groups. Visit or call the shop to learn about the bookstore’s current storytime schedule.
Did we mention there’s a Harry Potter-inspired middle grade reading room, complete with floating candles? There is. Come check out one of Fayetteville’s most imaginative reading rooms.
Dad Suggests
2526 Mission Blvd, Suite #110
Dad Suggests knows that reading and playing go together. Coming to Fayetteville in April 2025, Dad Suggests is a children’s bookstore and children’s game store owned and operated by Ryan and Jessica Billingsley. This new space has books geared toward children ages 0-12 and highlights amazing picture books hand-selected by the owners. Ryan says that he and Jessica take pride in the discovery experience children and adults have when they walk into a bookstore.
“For me it really starts with art,” says Ryan. “The old saying goes, you can’t judge a book by its cover. But with picture books, I think we can.”
The lovingly-curated selection of books at Dad Suggests started with the books that Ryan and Jessica sought out for their own children.
More than a bookstore, Dad Suggests’ space is an experience for readers, with a Hobbit-Hole style reading room with a play fireplace and lots of comfy seats where young readers can enjoy picture books that are true works of art. For kids on the journey to become life-long readers, Dad Suggests can be a treasured starting point.
Fayetteville Public Library
401 W. Mountain St.
Libraries are spaces for comfort and revolution, and we love ours. With floors of books for all kinds of readers, a teaching kitchen, a yoga studio, recording studios, a 3D printing lab, and dynamic events from world-renowned authors and brilliant teaching artists, the library is a central hub for Fayetteville readers.
Regular literary programming at the Fayetteville Public Library includes hosting greats like R.L. Stine and Amor Towles, children’s storytimes, book clubs, theater productions, and film screenings.
Visit the library’s packed calendar of events to get a glimpse into Fayetteville’s rich literary scene and the skills-based educational services provided by our library. FPL also holds generative writing workshops and clubs for both teens and adults.
Bonus: Bee Balm Arkansas
Are you a person who inhabits both sides of the page–reader and writer? Bee Balm Arkansas is a writing program for writers of all levels in the Northwest Arkansas region that offers monthly revision and drafting nights at the Graduate Hotel in Fayetteville, seasonal open-mic readings, and regular workshops in the craft of poetry and memoir. Bee Balm Arkansas also offers online events.
Learn more about opportunities to dive in and write with Fayetteville’s vast, talented writing community by visiting beebalmarkansas.com and signing up for the newsletter, or follow along on Instagram.
For people who want to find more ways to explore the world, Fayetteville is a book just waiting to be opened. Come read with us.
Written by Julia Paganelli Marín. Julia is a bookseller at Pearl’s Books and the creator and director of Bee Balm Arkansas.
