Searching for your next favorite book? Find it at one of the city’s unique bookstores. Omaha has several bookstores selling new and used books. From cozy nooks in indie bookstores to shelves lined with literary treasures, each shop has something that sets itself apart from the others. Read on to find out what makes each Omaha bookstore special, and discover why indie bookstores offer more than just a space to purchase books.
Omaha Bookstores
The Bookworm
The Bookworm has been a staple for booklovers since 1986. The book selection is impressive at the family-owned shop, with a great children’s section, a huge fiction section, and a large amount of books by local and regional authors (including my book, “Lost Restaurants of Omaha”!). The Bookworm hosts several book clubs each month, as well as book signings.
Address: 2501 S. 90th St., Suite 111, Omaha, Neb.
The Book Nook Bookstores
The Book Nook Bookstores sells both new and used books, as well as games. Each Book Nook location has a distinct feel to it. I'm personally smitten with the Benson location because the book selection is fantastic.
Addresses:
- The Book Nook Bookstores Aksarben, 2115 S. 67th St., Omaha, Neb.
- The Book Nook Bookstores Benson, 6107 Maple St., Omaha, Neb.
- The Book Nook Bookstores Blackstone, 144 S. 38th St., Omaha, Neb.
- The Book Nook Bookstores Papillion, 118 N. Washington St., Suite 2435, Papillion, Neb.
Dundee Book Co.
You know that one friend of yours with an excellent taste in books? The one you always ask for book recommendations? If that friend ran a bookstore out of her home, it’d be Dundee Book Co. It is in a home, for one thing, so it’s not too big of a stretch. Dundee Book Co. started out as a roving bookstore offering pop-up book sales around the city.
Now, its excellently-curated collection resides in the first floor of a Dundee neighborhood home. The owners, Ted & Nicole Wheeler, opened the bookstore in 2020 and focus on “contemporary fiction, international literature, and books that help change the world, as well as an expanded children's section that embodies the same ethos.”
Address: 4915 Underwood Ave., Omaha, Neb.
Jackson Street Booksellers
Jackson Street Booksellers is everything you want in a used bookstores: Shelves and shelves and SHELVES packed with books. There are so many books, they're stacked on the floors, too.
I have my favorite sections to browse, including travel and cookbooks, but you can find just about any type of book here, including rare ones.
Address: 1119 Jackson St., Omaha, Neb.
The Next Chapter
The Next Chapter is the place to go to find gifts for book lovers as well as books for yourself. While being a small shop, there are a surprising amount of books here and they range from best-sellers to classics, to hidden gems you didn't even know you wanted.
Address: 2508 Farnam St., Omaha, Neb.
Urban Abbey
Ask five people what Urban Abbey is and you'll likely get five different answers. It's part-coffee shop, part-community meeting space, part-bookstore. The book selection leans progressive and spiritual, though you'll find all genres among the shelves. The kid's section is full of great books, too!
Address: 1026 Jackson St., Omaha, Neb.
Omaha bookstores FAQs
When are the library book sales in Omaha?
Used book sales are my jam. Omaha Public Library’s Swanson branch at 90th and Dodge streets hosts the Friends of Omaha Public Library used book sale every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on the first Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Bellevue Public Library has an on-going book sale usually during regular library hours (though not guaranteed, as it’s dependent on volunteers). Friends of the Bellevue Public Library occasionally hold a fill-a-bag sale, too.
Are there major bookstore retailers in Omaha?
Over the years, major bookstore retailers have come and gone in Omaha. The remaining national chains include Barnes & Noble at 3333 Oak View Drive and Half Price Bookstore at 12355 West Center Road.
Are there any bookstores in Omaha that offer author signings?
Yes. The Bookworm has the most active event calendar, bringing in local, regional and national authors for book signings and readings. Visit their online calendar for updates. Barnes & Noble will occasionally have a book signing, as well.
