Long Brothers Fine & Rare Books in Seattle

A beautiful book shop is a special thing. One could argue that all book shops are beautiful, and in a way, they are. But a store like Long Brothers Fine & Rare Books is hard to come by these days—especially in Seattle. The space is beautiful and not only filled with books, but unique pieces of the past such as posters, maps and menus from the Pacific Northwest. The books are well cared for and beautifully displayed throughout. The highlights for me were the dust jackets designed by Alvin Lustig and Edward McKnight Kauffer, the very old roulette wheel surrounded by books on gambling and Las Vegas and the gigantic map of Seattle behind the counter.

Owner Jeffrey Long has been in the bookselling business for a couple decades, but just opened his shop the spring of 2024. Pioneer Square used to be home to Seattle's biggest indie, Elliott Bay Books, before their move to Capitol Hill. But the neighborhood is once again feeling like a book district. Along with Long Brothers you can visit Arundel Books and Peter Miller Books all within a couple blocks of one another.

Towards the back of the shop, you can grab a seat at the bar and sip a glass of beer or wine from Mike, who's there from 4PM on.

Because I can rarely leave a bookstore empty-handed, I said my goodbyes with Rose Tattoo by Tennesee Williams and a book on Le Corbusier's Unité d'Habitation in Marseille (in English because I could barely get through a children's book in French). 

-Zack