It is owned and managed by Jessica Hurst, a book lover who is trying to preserve the legacy of the store's original owner, Debbie Sarow, who ran the store while also fighting a battle against cancer. "Debbie was a fantastic person with an artistic eye and a very specific idea of what she wanted for her bookstore. I've been doing my best to do justice to her original vision, although there are inevitable changes. She was truly irreplaceable," said Hurst, who took over as manager three years ago and officially as owner in 2020.
Hurst truly has the spirit of a librarian, keeping all the books neatly in order. "There's a place for everything and everything is in its place," Hurst said of the store, which she describes as warm and welcoming yet formal.
Much of the charm of Mercer Street Books comes from its clever décor. Plants line the big window, which Hurst informed me stays open all summer to let in natural sunlight. An antique library card catalogue sits at the front, with old curiosities hidden in the drawers. "It almost feels more like a library than a bookshop," jokes Hurst.
And there's a little something for everyone on the neat shelves. There's even a special cart out front stocked with books selling for fifty cents. "I call that the last good deal in Seattle," Hurst said. The store's patrons come in all varieties, from those en route to catch an opera or ballet at nearby Seattle Center to local merchants and tourists. Running a used-book store can be a challenge. "[It] assumes that people will come in and take their time, browse, explore," said Hurst. "It assumes they'll want to exchange books with their neighbors and intertwine their lives through this anonymous medium." Reflected on the ways community is integral to the store's climate and success, she added, "A used-book store doesn't get its books from a publisher the way a new-book store does but instead buys them from the same customers that are shopping there. The stock is a collaboration between the shop owner and the clientele, and so human relationships are paramount. Isolation is not an option." Despite the challenges that come with running a used-book store, there are also many fun surprises. "New-book stores are wonderful, but you won't find Leslie Feinberg's Stone Butch Blues in one since it went out of print," Hurst said. The appeal and fun of the used-book store is in the search for the hidden gems, the eclectic titles that can only be found in the treasure chests that are Seattle's used-book stores.
Some of these gems include many titles in the romance section, which have been flying off the shelves. Hurst credits the newfound popularity of romance novels to the uproariously red-hot Bridgerton on Netflix, which premiered during the pandemic. Hurst says she would be over the moon to add some Queer romance stories. While Queer stories are featured on most shelves, Hurst also stocks an LGBTQ section she refers to as "small but mighty." This section has been very important to readers and workers at the store for many years. "Queerness has always been a part of Mercer Street," Hurst explained. "Red Reddick, an elder in both Seattle's LGBTQ+ community and its bookstore community, helped Debbie start the store in 2009. She only retired after Debbie's passing. Red is a passionate activist and ensured that the store stocked books not just for the queer community but all potentially underrepresented communities." Mercer Street Books continues to be, as Hurst puts it, "understatedly queer as heck." While it isn't a Queer book store per se, it is entirely run by LGBTQ folks. "I identify as bisexual, with no gender preference, and my sole employee, Gina, identifies simply as queer, with no gender preference."
So, if you're looking to beat the heat this summer with a good novel, stop by, grab a fifty-cent bargain book, or check out the LGBTQ section! The store would also be very interested in purchasing any used books you may have.
Mercer Street Books is a treasure trove of unique finds — and it's air conditioned, a perfect respite from these hot summer days!
Mercer Street books is located 7 Mercer St., just west of Seattle Center, and online at www.mercerstreetusedbooks.com.