For this edition of Guide to Greenwich, we explored three local bookstores in search of the best selection and atmosphere in Greenwich, Connecticut, and the surrounding area.

Make Believe Books

Make Believe Books, just fifteen minutes from Sacred Heart Greenwich’s campus in Armonk, New York, has a vibrant and welcoming environment perfect for book shopping.  The shop opened only two weeks ago.  The store’s colorful atmosphere caught our attention as soon as we stepped in.  While the shop is small, its owner has made great use of the space.  The shelves hold a variety of classic and new books, from poetry to non-fiction.  The store also carries a wide selection of children’s books.  The layout of the store is also very organized, which made it easy to find what we were looking for.

Additionally, the owner’s excitement for her new business was contagious.  She was incredibly grateful for our visit and went out of her way to make sure we were comfortable and satisfied with our experience.  She even included book recommendations, in addition to those on small notecards in between the books. Overall, this new bookstore is perfect for anyone looking for a spirited atmosphere, a great selection, and excellent customer service.

Diane’s Books

Our next destination was Diane’s Books in Greenwich, Connecticut.  Located near Greenwich Avenue, In business for thirty years, Diane’s Books remains the town’s central bookstore  Mrs. Diane Garrett, the founder and owner of Diane’s Books, opened the bookstore to share her love of reading with the rest of the community.  When Mrs. Garrett moved to Greenwich in 1990, she was astonished to learn there was no bookstore dedicated to children, according to dianesbooks.com.  Although she was unfamiliar with the town, Mrs. Garrett was eager to fill her store’s shelves with books of all genres and for all ages.

As we entered Diane’s Books, the staff was quick to greet us and offered assistance in finding books of our liking.  As we strolled through the store, we noticed little papers peeking out of certain books.  The papers were notes from the staff that read messages such as “Read if you love a good romance book” or “This one’s a staff favorite.”  Although the store divides its selection of books by genre, the staff messages lured us toward all kinds of reads along the shelves.  Overall, we enjoyed our visit to Diane’s Books because of the inviting atmosphere and the vast selection of reading possibilities.

Blind Dog Books

Finally, we visited Blind Dog Books in Chappaqua, New York.  After teaching history for 35 years, the owner founded Blind Dog Books as a retirement passion project.  The store carries prints and maps in addition to a range of books.  While Blind Dog Books does have an online store, the owner’s goal is to maintain the tradition of analog books and bookstores.

Because the shop specializes in used books, we were not able to find exactly what we were looking for.  However, it was easy to locate books as the owner labeled each shelf by genre.  We spent about 30 minutes in the store, but could have spent much longer looking at all the interesting items it had to offer.

Winner: 

While all of the bookstores we visited had a great environment and selection, we selected Make Believe Books as the winner of this Guide to Greenwich.  The vibrant and organized store made it a delight to shop in, and the customer service and enthusiasm from the owner made it impossible not to enjoy our experience.  This brand-new store is a must-visit for any book lover or anyone looking to support a new small business.

Featured Image by Jacqueline Franco ’23