Merryweather Books

Seattle, United States

4.1

Open now

8 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 206-935-7325
Address:
4537 California Avenue SW, Seattle, WA, 98116
Junction
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
280 ftSW Alaska St & California Ave SW
280 ftAlaska Junction
630 ftSW Alaska St & 42nd Ave SW
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Bussiness info

Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Parking
Street
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Dogs Allowed
Yes

Today

Today 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Open now
Local time (Seattle) 14:41 Thursday, 5 June 2025

Business hours

Monday 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Tuesday 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Wednesday 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Thursday 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Friday 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Saturday 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sunday 11:00 am – 8:00 pm

Description

Specialties

Merryweather Books sells and trades used books in West Seattle. We are the new Leisure Books, which operated out of Alaska junction for 20+ years.

We feature a large children’s section as well as classic and contemporary literature, a large occult section, mysteries, cookbooks, first editions, art books, gardening, comics, science-​fiction, fantasy, history, health, psychology, romance, poetry, travel, and more. We also carry gifts, cards, t-​shirts and coming soon an LGBTQ section.

Come visit us!

History

Established in 1993.

Merryweather Books is the new evolution of Leisure Books which has been operating in the West Seattle junction for over 20 years. Former employee Mark Clark purchased the business in 2012. We are trying to keep the same great «small bookstore» feel while adding some extra features. Come check us out.

Meet the Business Owner

Mary C.

Business Owner

Mary has had a life-​long love affair with books. She is the daughter of a scholastic family, her father was Chair of English Dept. at U-​Mass and her big sister currently a English Professor at St. Mary’s, so books have always been an important part of her life. Owning a bookstore has always been one of her personal goals. Having worked at Leisure Books on-​and-​off over the decades she was pleased to purchase the business when the previous owner decided it was time to sell. She is working hard, and hopes Merryweather Books will continue to be a fixture in the West Seattle Junction for decades to come.

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8 reviews of Merryweather Books

No registration required
Place rating: 3
Seattle, WA
Lovely little small bookstore in the heart of the Alaska Junction. I liked it better when it was Leisure Books though, to be honest. Not quite sure what’s changed, but it feels a little «off.» The staff will virtually ignore you (not necessarily a bad thing), but I’ve also felt scrutinized, as if they thought I was going to steal something? Not pleasant. That said, I’ve always found some little something to buy whenever I pop in (which appeases them instantly), and it’s usually something in the children’s section. Fair prices. Decent selection. An overall nice place to peruse the stacks of books whilst getting out of the rain.
Place rating: 4
Seattle, WA
Used bookstores are all pretty much the same. I’ve found some good stuff here but overall it’s just stuff I’m not usually looking for. Appreciate the bargains when I can find them and the cashiers were helpful when I had some stuff to trade in.
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
It’s always nice coming across another independent book store tucked away on a street you happen to be wandering (an occurrence that happens more frequently in Seattle than most others — reason #76 to love this city)… Leisure’s selection isn’t quite as expansive as some other similar shops, but it certainly matches their charm and appeal. I’m all for supporting local book shops, and Leisure is niw on my list when the next title comes up
Place rating: 5
Ridgefield, WA
I can’t say enough about my experience with Leisure books. I ordered a book for graduate school from
, and it turned out it was coming from Leisure books. Upon receiving it (very timely as well) I discovered a check refunding me part of my money, along with the book, and a nice note indicating that there was some minor damage to the book so they were giving me part of my money back.
They didn’t have to do that, and did it anyway. That is customer service and just generally being decent people!
Good on you Leisure books!
Place rating: 5
Seattle, WA
This is a cute little bookstore in West Seattle. No, it does not have as many books as the place a few doors to the south but they are very nice and helpful. I walked past this place on the way to another shop when I noticed the 2nd & 3rd Hunger Games books in the window and just had to go in. Not only was the lady nice but she was helpful and we chatted a few minutes about the books. Will return for sure.
Place rating: 5
Seattle, WA
This selection here isn’t quite as broad as the other place a couple doors down has, but I still like Leisure Books better. They’ve got a nice balance of popular titles and those that are reasonably obscure, and I’m a sucker for their proportionately large ‘metaphysical’ section. I’m really not sure how so many books about wicca and occult topics ended up in the same West Seattle bookstore, but it pleases me.
The atmosphere is very comfortable; the books themselves are generally quite inexpensive and you never know what you’re going to find here. The lady that is there most days and who I believe owns the shop is consistently helpful and a friendly, upbeat and remarkably interesting individual.
I end up in the Junction pretty often and I always make a point of stopping in here.
Place rating: 4
Seattle, WA
A nice little bookstore with a friendly staff who obviously are bibliophiles. The selection has a lot of great local authors that you just don’t see on many shelves anywhere. The place isn’t as big as the other book store right down the street, but the quality seems higher.
Really though, having two great bookstores nearby each other is a win for everyone in the area.
Place rating: 3
Seattle, WA
I walk by this bookstore all the time when I’m in the Junction yet never stepped foot in the place. Even the usual box with «FREE» written across it with a few tattered books in front of the shop hadn’t compelled me to go in. That changed when I found the book «Spooked» by Mary Roach (I am a fan after I read her book on cadavers) in the window. I skid to a stop, turned around, and marched into the store.
I asked the woman if it was alright for me to get the book out of the window. It was and she kindly got it for me. I browsed around the store a bit more and I ended up finding a poetry book by a local author. Swipe! It is a small store but the selection was admirable.
The prices at the Leisure are half off the publishers price. «Spooked» was $ 6 and the poetry book was $ 5. Affordable, yes. Gotta love cheap reading material.
The woman working and I met again. She was nice and while she tallied up my purchases we chatted a bit out Mary Roach. I am assuming the woman is the owner but I am only guessing here.
I had a leisurely time at Leisure Books. This bookstore is great if you are browsing with no particular title in mind. Its one of those bookstores you know you’ll walk out with a great find.