Serendipity the Used Book Place

Serendipity is a must-​see island treasure. They’ve got a huge selection of relevent books along with all the classics, the staff are attentive without being in your way, and the prices are unbeatable. Great place to spend a few minutes while you’re waiting for the ferry!

Picture a little yellow and pink English house, with roof angles going every which way, looking like it would fit in the Shire, stuffed to the gills with books in every nook and cranny. And a perky English shopkeeper… sitting behind an enormous Apple monitor. That’s Serendipity bookstore.
Current and «new arrivals» in the front room, subjects and genres as you move further back. Big local section; don’t buy a local guidebook without checking here first. Be sure to look in the rows behind the front row on every shelf; the books are double and triple stacked.
Note the pricing structure: unlike most used bookstores, Serendipity charges half the publisher’s printed price, which can be much higher than the usual $ 1 or so you might expect.

Not only do they have thousands of books piled high, but they are all catalogued! I was looking for a specific book and we couldn’t find it in the shop; the man working searched the bookstore high and low. I’ve never had anyone work so hard to get me a book, but he said he knew he had a couple copies at home and to come back the next day. I did, and he sold me that one. Amazing place, wonderful people. One of the best used book shops you will ever walk into.

Super cute little used book store that has a stunning variety. Staff is very knowledgeable and will help to get the right selection for you. A must go and see if you are visiting San Juan!

I loved this little book store! Gal at the register was super friendly and happy to help. My family and I felt welcomed and we ended up purchasing over ten books! Prices are super reasonable and books are in very good condition. This is a used bookstore with a great little ambiance and selection. Includes many children’s books.

This is the best used bookstore I have ever been to – 50,000 titles all affordable prices. They had the best collection of travel writing I have encountered, as well as a terrific selection on the sea, sea adventures, etc. Carol is fantastic. I was in book heaven. I limited myself to ten titles…

Lucky enough to have visited the San Juan Islands many times over the past 14 yrs. Serendipity is a must stop when visiting. Very nice used Book store. Probably could use more space. Books are stacked to the roof in every space of this house turned business. The staff is very helpful and nice. It’s my kind of Bookstore.

so many many
books i bought two but oh so
sad because no cats

I visited this bookstore on my visit in 2011. It was by far the coolest bookstore I have ever been in. You could spend hours there. I would love to go back and visit again!

Never have I see such a selection of books! 50,000+ used books in this quaint little (actually it’s kinda big) shop. I found a wonderful illustrated copy of Don Quixote from the 1930s which was pretty cool. If you’re looking to find old, obscure, or otherwise interesting books, this is a place to check out!

I got books here anytime I was in Friday. Prices can be iffy sometimes, the prices are exactly half of retail price unless otherwise noted. I have yet to not pick up a book. Cozy place for bookworms and bibliophiles.

Absolutely delightful and like the name suggests serendipitous. Drop by for a browse and guaranteed you will find something you have been looking for …

This is a small store but they have a ton of books and they are cheap. I got a few books here before I left to go back to Seattle

Used book stores are a favorite of mine.
40,000 used books haphazardly stacked in a small/​awkwardly laid out store. Really good titles and interesting finds (I just expected to browse but we got three books). The sections are written on note cards and not all of the books, in each section, have been organized completely (most are). There is a small wood burning fireplace in the middle and it’s filled with that great old book smell. The precariousness of the book shelves and the obviousness of its overcrowdedness gives you that romantic feeling of what a local book store should be.
The owner was very sweet and spent most of her time trying to organize and cram in books onto shelves from boxes (all wine, beer, liquor boxes). Made me wonder where all these books could possibly be coming from. Although there are some organizational issues, the shopkeep can assist you — or at least hunt with you which is half the fun.
Cannot recall a better used book store that I’ve been to.

Need a good read? Every book you read makes the world a better place and next door to the Hungry Clam is a great place to get started on this important task. I had fifteen minutes waiting for the ferry and wish I’d had all day to check for hidden gems.

This shop is in the most adorable little house surrounded by flowers. Lots and lots of books inside!

Books to the ceiling,
Books to the sky,
My pile of books is a mile high.
How I love them! How I need them!
I’ll have a long beard by the time I read them.
–Arnold Lobel
I love this bookstore! A friend’s son introduced Serendipity to us on a sailing trip 5 years ago. It is just a quick jaunt from the Friday Harbor marina and is worth the walk every time. I could spend hours in there but due to hopping boats to get home, I manage to snag a couple of treasures each time and am off. They have something for everyone. You could ask for help (and the owner is very friendly and helpful) but it is so much fun browsing their piles. Next time you are in Friday Harbor, stop in and see for yourself. You’ll be happy you did.

What’s up with the Islands and great used bookstores?! Even Anacortes had some delightful ones you could get lost in all day!
Used bookstores are always on my radar when I am visiting new towns and communities. Serendipity is the type of book store I have my fingers crossed for when I’m on the hunt.
An old, restored house as the location is always a good sign. It usually means that the owners will have a creative sense with the interior, but will keep things just cluttered enough to make you feel like you are at home in your own rumpled mess of books.
The woman behind the counter (owner?) was friendly and gracious but somewhat brief, allowing us to meander through the maze of covered treasures to our hearts content.
I ended up finding a great book on champagne and called it a day before I spent too much money.
This is a highly recommended spot if you’re a book person, and quite a short walk from the Ferry Terminal. Grab a coffee and be on your way to this gem of a bookstore!

The name is eerily true. Every time I step into this place, I find some treasure that is so perfect at that moment, yet I’d never heard of it before. If you’re not ready for such magic, the staff are very well-​informed about what might appear to be unmanageable heaps of books sprawling through a labyrinth of rooms. It’s all on their computer, and it’s all available online.
Still, I prefer to just wander around until fate strikes!

You have to look a little harder to find this bookstore, but it’s worth the jouney.
Serendipity sells used books, including Northwest themes, fiction, children’s books and other almost any other topic you might think of. As you might expect, this bookstore space is fully loaded with books (hard copy and paperback). And of course it’s a comfortable place to browse, either sitting or standing.
They are open every day and year round.