Ballast Book Company - Bremerton (WA)

4 /5 Joshua Fagan: A perfectly fine small bookshop. Its colorful, bright, and welcoming. If you have been to an artsy contemporary bookstore in Seattle or the surrounding area, you probably know what youre going to see here. There is a lot of romance, some thrillers, a lot of deeply earnest books about activism and fighting Injustice. There are not a lot of books written before the year 2000, aside from the obligatory situating of The Great Gatsby, some Harlem Renaissance writers, and a few other American classics. There are certainly not a lot of older books in translation. You will know as soon as you step inside whether you are going to like the atmosphere of this place, as that atmosphere is quite well designed and well curated by the people who work here, who seem genuinely passionate about the shop and their work. Like all bookstores, it is cozy and peaceful, and I am glad I visited.

5 /5 Janet Kragen: Ballast Book Company is a fantastic book store. Dont take my word for it. Its been nominated for the "best book store in the country"! The owner Kate was so welcoming and helpful. There are kids books and plenty of chick lit. Plus a good selection of LGBTQ lit. I bought "Lessons in Chemistry" by Bonnie Garmus. There was a special, so I got to pick up "Mapping the Interior" by Stephen Graham Jones for $5 with my purchase. I especially love how they ask you to donate your rewards credit to the Kitsap Regional Library. Having the libraries and book stores support each other is crucial!

5 /5 Jasmine Melendrez: I definitely liked the selection and the organization. The book recommendations around the store were super cute especially ones by kids. I liked all the different things from cards to magnets to jelly beans and of course all the books. My daughter had fun seeing the mushroom stools out. We will definitely come back for more!

5 /5 FarEastFurqans: The perfect “shop around the corner” despite life requiring me to be a digital reader this is a store I will continue to come to. The ambiance, the local art, the paper products and the overall vibe make this a MUST see!! It’s a place you want to explore every nook and cranny of then come back later because you know it’ll be slightly different. Can’t wait to see what’s next!!

5 /5 Jennifer D Warren: Such a cute, well-curated bookstore! Loved the selection of books and all the other fun little related merch items. Ciara was super helpful. Great location too.