A pair more iconic than coffee and donuts, more classic than Seattle and rain, more beloved than movies and popcorn can be found at Twice Sold Tales: kitties and books.

Twice Sold Tales has centered its image — from the neon cat sign out front to the posters that line the walls — around some of our most beloved furry friends. Readers come for the books but stay for the cats.

Owner and manager Jamie Lutton elaborates on the appeal of co-owning a bookstore with several felines: "Not everybody's a reader," Lutton said. "Come in and pet the cats, but I do try to have good books."

Indeed, Lutton makes sure to stock the many shelves with a wide array of books. From the 180 linear feet of fiction to her special recommendations shelf, readers can find just about anything they're looking for.

Lutton loves to recommend books to inquisitive readers, mostly drawing from the store's rich collection of nonfiction. "I tend to recommend dead authors more," Lutton told me, "I think dead authors are better than living ones."

Lutton has read every title that she places on the recommendation shelf, and she is always willing to have a riveting conversation about the titles she loves. "I try to be a good bookseller," she said. "I put the books first and don't stand in the way," she joked as she gave me a tour of the shop.

Twice Sold Tales also houses a unique selection of LGBTQ literature. A quaint nook nestled in between two cat towers creates a fun book cave, with Queer titles lining the sides of the enclosure. Here Lutton pulled a copy of Edmond White's A Boy's Own Story, recommending it as a must-read for any LGBTQ reader.

Lutton describes the shop as "Queer friendly" and informed me that Twice Sold Tales has been employing members of the LGBTQ community since the doors first opened — nearly 35 years ago! While Lutton is not Queer herself, she said she enjoys learning from all of the many customers who come in. "That is how I first learned about different pronouns," she said.

Ultimately, it is the customers and the rich Capitol Hill community that make Twice Sold Tales' Queer section so noteworthy. "The Queer section really came about because there was a community need for it," Lutton said.

Twice Sold Tales acquires most of its books via community sales and donations, and Lutton has seen many special and collectable titles pass through the doors. Some of the best sellers are collectible Lesbian novels from the 1980s.

In addition, in its archives can be found Queer erotica and historical, pre-Stonewall literature. For these special gems, readers need to ask at the
front desk.

What sets Twice Sold Tales apart from other used bookstores in Seattle is "the staff": six adorable cats, named Elenore, Lily, Buster, Stinker, James, and Jinx. All rescues, the cats are free to roam around the store, often getting into mischief, basking in the sun, and of course receiving lots of pets from readers.

Come for the books, stay for the cats, and get to know a little bit more about LGBTQ history through the literature at Twice Sold Tales. With so many reading options — and friendly kitties to pet — you won't be disappointed.