Spellbinder Books

Spellbinder is one of those stores that you fall in love with! Their customer service is phenomenal. Every time I special order a book, it arrives quickly, they will even go out of their way to special order a used book, so prices are really competitive. They have a solid kids selection and gift wrap books for free. The staff always have wonderful book recommendations. I often find myself in a reading funk and Lynn has a 100% success rate with her suggestions.

Yeah for Spellbinder Books. It’s one of Bishop’s shining stars. A real nice place to spend a lazy afternoon. It’s got a great feel,
Enjoy the eclectic mix of books and merchandise that can’t be found anywhere else in town. Probably the best place around to find that wonderful unique gift. Bamboo clothes, weird and wonderful books, maps, scents, jewelry, great kids books… And free gift wrapping.
This is beginning to sound like an ad, but it’s true, this is a genuine gem in Bishop!
If the coffee house was still in the back i’d give it six stars.

A solid bookstore. Another Eastern Sierra classic spot. They have a great selection of Eastern Sierra book plus a general new releases. Another place I hold off on purchasing items till I know I am gonna make a trip to the Eastern Sierra. Nice place to hang out for a bit.

Great, helpful, friendly staff!
Love stopping in before a long car ride home and getting the kiddies a new book and something fun! Love that they gift wrap for free!

Spellbinder is still just as awesome if not more so, but I wanted to write an update to mention that the café in back has changed — Black Sheep is now down the street near Wilson’s and the «Yard Sale Café» (brought to you by the same folks who run the «Secret Sandwich Society») is in back. Their food is really super yummy and I recommend them!
Go check out the wonderful atmosphere and great selection, especially of local books and children’s books, at Spellbinder, and grab a bite in the back for an extra treat!

I have a love of small bookstores and this one is great! It has a nice selection of new and used books, a fairly decent teen section (although my daughter would like it expanded), and an incredibly friendly staff.

Your reaction to Spellbinder (versus the other local bookstore, East Side Books) will depend on why you go to an independent bookstore. With
being so prevalent and offering good prices, an independent bookstore that focuses on new books seems to always be fighting a losing battle. Why spend more money on the same book? There are some used books, not many. I’m sure it’s a lovely place and everyone seemed nice — but most of the books were full price or slightly discounted. At East Side Books, everything was used, which meant a wider selection and much, much lower prices.

A super find while driving thru Bishop. Found an unusual used book meant just for me! Gal at counter was nice.

I wasn’t in here for long, so I mostly only got a chance to look at the magazines. I was pretty impressed with the uniqueness and variety of their selections.
I used to work at a bookstore and would spend hours each day re-​shelving magazines people had left scattered on benches, the floor, the wrong shelves, and the bathroom (that job had some surprisingly gross aspects). I got pretty familiar with the standard offerings, and though we had over 100 different magazines at my previous place of employment, Spellbinder had several I had never seen before.
There were four or five magazines related to Native American culture, none of which I’ve seen at any bookstore before. Other topics included woodworking, organic cooking, politics, and guitar playing. There were some standards there, such as O, but most of the stuff had nothing to do with entertainment gossip, fall fashion, getting rid of cellulite, or swimsuit models. It was refreshing, in a way. And it seemed like the merchandise matched the interests of the community.
I looked at a few literary journals but ended up picking out The Believer, Adbusters, and Venus Zine. I also saw a section of the bookstore was dedicated to local authors and books relating to the area. The kids’ section looked pretty cool and was unexpectedly extensive for such a small store. On my way out, I grabbed some of the local free newspapers.
This place is unique. The staff are extremely knowledgeable and you’re probably going to find things there that you can’t find anywhere else. This isn’t just another replica of the big, corporate bookstores. If I ever happen to be in Bishop again, this place will be getting a visit.

No matter what I am reading for the drive from OC up the 395 — I ALWAYS feel the need to stop here and get something new. I ADORE this bookstore. It is a small, quaint little store that has a very small town feel — obviously I guess, since it is in a small town. I love perusing the books on the history of the area. I also love the corner where they display staff favorites, with summaries written about the book. For people that love the smell, feel, and solitude a good bookstore has to offer — visit Spellbinder you won’t be disappointed!

I have been visiting Spellbinder since I was a little kid. Wonderful books and knowledgeable staff. I love Black Sheep coffee too — good, strong coffee and a nice place to sit, read, or do the crossword. Spellbinder carries some magazines too — I like their less mainstream collection. Definitely worth a visit.

Fabulous bookstore with incredibly helpful and knowledgeable people. Selection of books is wonderful. View of the mountains unbeatable. Sorry that I missed the coffee.

Mmm… double espresso! I went here with some dirtbags before heading up the Buttermilks. I had already had a double espresso earlier at Looney Bean, but needed another since I had only gotten three hours of sleep the night before at the Pit.
Good stuff! I’m a bit of a coffee snob and thought it was a bit bitter. Good crema though. Will definitely come here again, especially if the weather turns sour in Bishop.
Magazines are conveniently located near the coffee shop, so you can check out some climbing porn while you wait for your double espresso. ;P

We have three traditions when we drive through Bishop on the way home from Mammoth — we stock up on jerky at Mahogany Smoked Meats and Beef Jerky; we eat lunch at La Casita Mexican Restaurant; and, we end with a trip to Spellbinder Books and Coffee. Spellbinder is a storefront in the center of Main Street, in the very heart of the community. This is my favorite part of the trip to Mammoth.
The store has a significant collection of western and titles. I picked up a book of letters from women crossing the continent in covered wagons and read it to my daughter when she was learning about the West at school. The staff is incredibly friendly; they do a terrific job chatting up my husband, allowing me to browse to my heart’s content.

Great indie bookstore & artisan coffee roaster/​espresso bar in the back staffed with great people who actually care about books and coffee.
UPDATE
Join their FB group to find out about upcoming readings & music events.

Oh wow. This place has some amazing coffee (well Black Sheep Coffee, which is connected in the back). I went on a recommendation from a friend and bought beans, and found them to be as good if not better than the Peet’s Italian roast I normally find so delicious. I also got a specialty drink, a cherry mocha, which was probably one of the best coffees I have ever gotten. The baristas (and the locals) are really nice, and you feel right at home going in there. Every time I am in Bishop, I will be back.