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Category: Bookstores [Edit]
Neighborhood: Capitol HillMon-Thu. 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
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I almost cried when I found out Bailey-Coy was closing down.
One of the most fantastic destinations on the hill.
This place is small, and has great atmosphere, and the people that work there are very friendly and helpful, even if you're looking for something weird.
I have always been offered help, without ever feeling pestered or followed, something most booksellers don't seem to know how to do.
And their staff picks are always great. I have bough so many books I would never have even thought to give a second glance, and absolutely LOVED each and every one of them.
And they are a great destination for cute, original, funny cards for birthdays and holidays.
Their closing is a huge loss to the community, as on top of being a wonderful bookstore, they were the only bookstore.
One of the first things I always notice about any given area is the number of newstands or bookstores, particularly locally owned, independent ones. Because I'm a sucker for both, I try to avoid them. But last week I succumbed to Bailey-Coy for the first time, and I'm really sad to see it go.
Spacious and well organized, the store is the perfect balance of browsing and ability to purchase quickly and easily. Even though the store is closing at the end of November, the staff was nice and friendly, the store pleasant and clean, and the selection still quite good. I left with three paperbacks and very narrowly refrained from buying a spider from their Halloween display to scare my housemate with.
The store is selling most all fixtures and decor items, so if something catches your eye it can't hurt to ask. Also all book purchases are 20% off until the store closes, so if you're on the hill it's worth a drop by.
boy do i love it when bookstores support my political beliefs and reaffirm my faith in my own self-righteousness (note obama poster in the window all last fall). they do indeed stock a crap ton (can you swear on yelp? i have yet to determine, but so far it's really impeding my review process) of the books i want to read on urban homesteading, cooking, etc.
i've bought many a book here based on staff reviews. i pretend that the staff are my friends and we're in a book club and we drink chai teas together. and then i've chastised myself upon getting home for wasting fossil fuels on the production of said book. so it goes.
nevertheless, i feel happy vibes whenever inside.
But it's too late now... they're going out of business at the end of November or whenever they run out of stock. I was in last night and it looked pretty bare. I will mourn when they go, they were one of the little bookstores in town that you could just hang out in for hours and look at art books and travel books and maybe buy a used scifi novel just cuz you liked the cover. Sigh.
Neat book selection! I buy a lot of my art books here. They always have cool things and they seem to rotate in new stock all the time. I come here religiously to buy their unique stationary and cards.
Bailey-Coy books is great. It has a great homey feel. I love looking at the staff selections. If you are going to pay 15 bucks for a book, I would rather give them my money than Barnes and you know who.
I went in for the first time today, and it was super organized and clean, but not in the sort of way where you don't want to touch anything for fear of making a mess. I was surprised to find not one, but two copies of DeLillo's Underworld, and one was used, so it only cost 7 dollars.
I was pleased to hear as I paid that they offer book cards, where once you come in ten times, they take the average of the cost of your purchases, and you get that much in store credit. They had a lot of useful staff recommendation signs around the store that make it easy for someone without a particular book in mind.
I love this place; I started going here for my books after the Amazon fail catastrophe. The store's design is an odd conglomeration of a high end fashion store plus eclectic folksy museum, but that's just part of its charm. I love the little note cards describing employee picks of the moment, I love the little tables with odds and ends carefully displayed, and I love how friendly and easy going (yet unobtrusive) the staff is.
They have a pretty good selection of Moleskine and an amazing, rotating selection of stationery from independent artists. If I ever need a card, I splurge on one here. I've never had a problem finding something I want; if they don't have it, they order it, if I don't have time to hunt it down myself, they set it aside for me, if I just want to spend hours browsing their shelves, they don't stop me, and when I get to the counter they're attentive, friendly, and fast.
Another good thing is their frequent buyer card: once you fill it out, I think the deal is that they give you back a portion of your money, though I forget exactly how much.
Really- it doesn't get better than this.
Probably one of the best bookstores in Seattle. Staff is knowledgeable. Selection can be limited in certain areas, but they can order anything in and receive it within days. I LOVE their frequent buyer program! I buy all my books from them and then resell them for store credit (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle)! LOVE EM!
Damn you Bailey Coy !!!!
for being so damn good in your selection of books, I can never seem to just go in and browse the book, oh no..... your gonna cost me every damn time I walk threw your doors
of course the payback is I get such good books to read, and its never the main stream crap I would get at Borders or B & N as I shop both those also, but this is your place for the out of the norm books, its like a indie book store if there ever was such a thing
just walking by like tonight, they have a nice display in there windows as usual, and the display has a theme not sure what it was tonight, but the cover of a book caught my eye, so I went in to investigate the book is "the glass books of the dream eaters Vol 1"
and in true form they have the books laid out and some have reviews on the book , oh look a short synopsis on this book, they have me now I am good for at least this book, but oh no I don't stop there oh hell no !!
so about $75 later I am happy and on my way with a few new books to read, until the next time I walk threw your doors Bailey Coy
This place is great! Support your local bookstore. It is a fun place to browse and the staff is very friendly. Forget Amazon. Even if they don't have exactly what you are looking for, please, order it through them rather than online. I think in these times they need all the support they can get. They have a great card selection too.
Whenever I walk by Bailey/Coy I check out the sandwich board to see the first line of a book. If you can name the book you get 20% off. Sometimes I veer way off course just to walk by the sandwich board because A#1 I'm a big nerd and B#2 I like buying books and if I know the first line I allow myself to buy a book.
Enough about my neuroses. Bailey/Coy has a very knowledgeable staff who are always really helpful with suggestions (in fact, I've thought more than once that some of them should be librarians). While their selection isn't huge, it's well-chosen and they can order almost anything for you. They also have some fun artsy gifts and cards if you have a birthday party to go to.
Very homey store with lots of cute things to look at and a lot of different kinds of books. However, I don't quite see what makes this place 'special' out of any other store. It truly was "A-OK" but what makes it fabulous? I'm not quite sure. I went here to check out some books because it was so highly rated and I was in the area but I don't see the big deal about this place.
I did like that there were so many recommended books available with a little bit of information about each book. But it wouldn't be too practical unless I went purely to browse because when I buy a book it is usually because a) I have to buy it for school or b) it's a book I've been meaning to buy for a long time. But it was fun to read different people's suggestions so it's a great place to go if you're looking for a new book and have a lot of time to kill =)
I tried to smile at the lady before leaving but she didn't smile back. Hence. 3 stars.
I love this bookstore. I have made many purchases based solely on the staff recommendations and have never been disappointed. I also once knew the answer to the first line they post on their advert board outside, which made me feel like a champ. (Too bad it was only once!)
If you are looking for something specific, I might suggest calling first, since the space is small so they obviously don't have the wide selection of a national chain. However, it's a great place to go in to find something new.
love this place. friendly staff. stock the used in with the new. selection can be hit/miss but they'll order anything you want w'in 5 days.
They stock some neat cards too that the wife loves. she's always picking up thank you/birthday etc. here.
buy 11 and the 12th book is free program - nice!
It's great to have a cool local bookstore.
When I'm here I feel like Charlie in Willy Wonka's factory. Like Mary in her Secret Garden. A fairly sensible protagonist caught up in an atmosphere of possibility. Bailey-Coy is a clean, well-lit store that promises clothed mystery. Romantics, be warned, it doesn't creak nor does damp light spill onto your face from dusty windows. But it is spacious, yet manageable -- a true feat for a store with this much inventory.
Bailey-Coy warps dozens of mysterious literary thickets into one tiny forest of delights. With tables of small stacks throughout the foyer and loosely filled racks of book siding, the space is cozy but not overwhelming. Instead of cramming the books, spines glaring out at you, they give the covers plenty of shelf-space. Pretty darlings.
There is a time and a place for getting lost and getting found. Unlike Elliot Bay, you don't get lost in these stacks. No, instead you come here to get found, to know exactly where you are.
The best part about any bookstore is the exploration. A good bookstore is a delightful trip into the hidden depths and wonderful vagaries of someone else's worldview as told by their selection - and placement - of reading options. If you imagine a visit to a new bookstore to be sort of like a trip to the deepest, darkest jungle, that gives you an idea.
It's a wild world in a bookstore and great guidance helps your navigation immensely. The paths can be familiar, or take unexpected turns. The search for hidden treasures can be arduous - or easy if the guides have placed decent signs pointing you to these hidden gems. And the best bookstore jungle guides notice when you might be a bit lost and are happy to point out and describe their favorite 'wildlife'.
Bailey-Coy was a wonderful adventure! Signposting along the way led me to areas both familiar and new - and my foraging bag was quite full when I finally returned to civilization. My guide pointed out a couple of personal favorites and I left with enough reading material to get me through my downtime while in Seattle.
If you know which book you need, go elsewhere. If you just need a book, go in.
If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar, a hoper, a prayer, a magic-bean-buyer. If you're a pretender, go walk by their foyer. And if the books call you, go in.
Emily Flake, you can borrow my oxygen trolley any day.
Every time I stop in here, something on the tables catches my eye, and I have to buy it. And I have spent the past 10 years working in bookstores, and a lifetime shopping in them - so this is no small feat.
Obviously a knowledgeable staff - they are friendly but unobtrusive, and they let the books speak to the customers for them. A very wise idea.
Oh Bailey-Coy, you would get 5 stars except you've moved stuff around so much I can barely find anything anymore! Plus, you no longer have those astrology books I like to look at.
Still, your young adult section is pretty darn good, as is your coffee table books.
Plus your atmosphere is welcoming and the folks that work there seem pretty nice.
And if I want to look at naked good looking boys in "artistic" books I can do so here in your environs without shame!
Bailey Coy is one of those bookstores that you can get lost in. It's not your average, we got everything you could ever want to read on an airplane, type of bookstore. But, the selections they do have keep you browsing for hours and hours.
One of the best things about Bailey Coy is their card wall. Very cheeky off the wall cards for any occasion. One of my favorites is a card with a simple outline of a goblet that reads "She drank like a man." or the one with the goggles that you open up to read "You're A Fucking Lunatic."
They also have a great selection of Moleskine notebooks, and if you are a fan like I am, you know that this is nothing short of totally awesome.
Make sure you check out their "Staff Picks" section. These folks know a good book when they read one and you can only benefit from their knowledge.
Next time you are in Capitol Hill be sure to carve out some time to browse in Bailey Coy! You can even receive a discount if you know the answer to their little quiz. Book lust at it's finest.
Bailey Coy is a small space so there's not going to be 'everything.' However, they do have a great selection of books, weeding out a lot of the junk so you don't have to.
And it boils down to this:I love that it's an independent bookstore with a knowledgeable staff, and the fact that they can order the book I want with no problem and I get it the next day. That's pretty sweet, wouldn't you say?
There's allot of cats in this store and I'm not really a cat person. But these are really cool fat slobby cats and dig this store. Not only did I score a mint copy of Johnny Cash's " The Man in Black" autobiography, but also an unauthorized bio of KISS, a cigar book and a make your favorite drinks at home book-- all for 15 bucks!
Plenty of books to get lost in and the knowledgeable staff will help you when you get to the point you really need to find something.
Proof that bigger isn't always better. Not a large bookstore, not a gigantic selection. But, one of the best collections of interesting books around. It's amazing how much time you can spend browsing in a place the size of the post office lobby.
There is always, and I mean ALWAYS at least one book I just have to have from the selections carefully laid out on the tables near the front and center of the store. There's just something about the selection of books and they way they're displayed that never fails to catch my eye.
Another thing is that I'm often skeptical of "staff picks". You know, those notes that are hand written under select books. Usually they either seem designed to push certain books, or are just sort of precocious. But here, I trust the staff's obvious love of reading, and so I trust their selections.
Curse you Bailey Coy! Curse your time and money sucking heart! Every time I walk into your store expecting to pick up a quick gift for a friend or family member, I wind up distracted by your recommended books section which features wonderful and captivating books that Oprah and her minions would find too confusing or substantial for their fad-diet-starved man-sheep brains to handle.
Curse you for always having not one, but multiple perfect books for those hard to buy for people on my list. Your collection of literature, with left-leaning political commentary and intellectual religious scholarship, has provided me with many a Christmas gift for my father.
But it is just too much! Every time I walk into your store I just can't decide. A ten minute trip for one book, more often than not, turns into an hour-long expedition resulting in the purchase of multiple extra books to make my already overflowing reading list that much more daunting. I am forced to enlist the help of sherpas or at least the street folk of Broadway to carry home all my purchases. Today, I was good and left behind at least 3 books that I was so close to purchasing. I shed a tear at the bittersweet thought that their sacrifice will allow me to pay my rent this month.
Everyone seems to mention how the selection is not large. If you think about it, thats whats makes Bailey-Coy, and bookstores like it, so charming. If this were Barnes and Noble or Borders of course you'd be likely to find whatever you're looking for. Half the charm is being able to go from small bookstore to small bookstore. Although, I am guilty of going to those larger stores to find most of my purchases. But I digress.
Bailey-Coy is a treat after a lazy Sunday stroll down Broadway. It is usually the point where I like to turn and head home. But not before strolling through the tables and shelves at BC.
If you have not been before, I suggest you swing by and buy something to keep these charming businesses on Capitol Hill. The staff knows right away whether they have a copy of what you're looking for and you can always find something you had not heard of before.
I love to read....but only one writer. I love to read his books. His name is Haruki Murakami,,(if u wanted to know)
I'm really no person to grade book stores but Bailey-Coy Books won the mention from me. At the time I went into the store, I was looking for a pretty B.D. card for my friend. I'm picky for most of the designed stuff,,,they have to be good looking and well designed...u know. I don't mind paying when it's good.
In short, I'd go there again to look for pretty cards. I got awesome Thank You card (I changed my mind and got thank you one cuz it was so cute) Also, if I had some money to spare on something cool and random to read AND if I don't feel like going to the Half Price Books for some reasons,,such as too many selections over there or I want to feel pretty while I shop, I'd go here.
This locally owned bookstore has got a lot to like. Staff is friendly and not overly attentive. Their tables always have something new and interesting and you'll find a bit of top sellers and some lesser known titles - a very nice change from Barnes and Nobles. Nice selection of used books.
Would be great if they had some seating areas.
This is a really nice bookstore. It may not have as big of a selection or as cool of a feel as Elliot Bay Books downtown, but the staff is really friendly and makes terrific recommendations. I've gotten a number of excellent books for myself and others based on their "staff picks."
This is an especially great place to get gifts! They have nice gift cards, a buy 10 get 1 free discount (coffee house punchcard style), and they do a great wrapping job!
Dig if you will the picture:
It's a couple days before a friends birthday or a major gift-giving holiday and I've finally figured out the perfect gift for someone. A book. But not just any book, a very specific book- sometimes common, sometimes obscure. And, oh yeah... it's raining. Amazon has it, but unless I want to spend a fortune on shipping, it won't get to me in time. I work downtown, so my instinct is to check Barnes & Noble and Borders where I am greeted with identical "We don't have that in stock right now, but I can place it on order and call you when it arrives in within a couple of weeks". I walk to M Coy Books. It's closed (I don't think I've actually seen this place open in the past 6 years). Drenched, dejected, and doves crying, I start heading home and thinking of lies to explain why the gift will be late. Then I walk past Bailey-Coy. I brace myself for failure again and walk in. I want to get straight to the defeat, so I ask a staff person. It's in stock!!! Friendly and knowledgeable, they lead me right to it. And they tastefully gift wrap it for free! To top it off, they have some of the best gift cards I've seen. The perfect addition!
This scenario has happened the last six times I've gone to buy a specific book, either as a gift or for me (though sometimes it's not raining). I don't know why I don't save myself the time and just go there first, but I guess what's the point of making a mistake if you can't make it over and over again?
Funky little book store. Although not the place to go when you are in search of a specific book (regardless if its indie or not), I can always find something new and interesting in here. They have a ton of recommendations from staffs and customers - my favorite way to find a book. And last time I was in there they were selling used books as well which is always a nice thing for my wallet.
Bailey-Coy has the greatest card selection on the hill. . . . totally unique and charming.
They also have many fabulous gift books and comics.. . .I think that supporting a great local bookstore is our duty, so shop at Bailey-Coy whenever you can.
The only place to buy new books on the Hill. They have a great selection for such a small store. Helpful staff, clean and well-organized space, and, again, a truly wonderful selection considering its small size.
The people who work here are decidedly creepy but it's an independent bookstore with a great selection and old world maps for $4.
a conversation...
me: "do you have 100 years of solitude? i couldn't find it under 'G' on the shelf."
*we go look for it together.*
her: "sorry, here it is under 'M'. some silly anglo didn't shelf it properly."
i love this place. just wish their selection was a bit larger.
Stores like this make a case for why a physical bookstore is still relevant in the era of http://amazon.com. You can go in with only the vaguest idea of what you'd like to read and walk out with a stack of quality titles. If you're shy and would rather not interact with the staff, there are mini-reviews of books pasted all over the shelves. If you're willing to question them, you'll receive helpful and informative tips. I've yet to be disappointed with anything I bought based on a staff recommendation. Many of them became my favorite authors.
This is a bookstore where only things worth reading are sold. The world needs more of these.
Interesting selection, lots of eclectic stuff. Only part that I don't like is the non-bright-line difference between used and new.
The first great thing about Bailey-Coy is the sandwich-board sign posted on the sidewalk in front of the store. The staff at Bailey-Coy picks a book every day and writes the first sentence of the book on the sandwich-board. If you can identify the name of the book by the first sentence, you can buy any book in the store at a 20% discount. If you can't, that's okay...go in to browse around anyway. There's an amazing selection of high-quality cards and a nice selection of both decorative and simple journals. The store is kept very clean and tidy. There are several tables set up near the front of the store with book selections laid out upon them, plus there are shelves around the perimeter and near the back of the store.
The staff will ask you if you need any help, but won't pester you if you decline. I watched an unfortunate staff member attempting to help a woman pick out a book for her boss's friend. The only thing the woman knew about the intended gift recipient was that she speaks four languages and must therefore be intellectual. The staff member suggested no less than 15 different books, none of which seemed to be "intellectual" enough. I left the store before any book had been selected and decided that the staff member had the patience of a kindergarten teacher greeting 25 children and their respective parents on the first day of school.
The store seems relatively small, but they are skilled buyers - my book searches are typically successful at Bailey-Coy. I like their cookbook section and I can always find an unusual, fun children's book when I'm trying to find a gift for a child. When they don't have a book in stock, they will gladly order it for you and give you a call when it arrives. The frequent buyer card is great and the free gift wrapping is another added bonus.
The sandwich-board game, the descriptive book-review notecards left by staff members in the bookshelves, and the unusual book displays at the front counter evoke a sense of playfulness, while the extensive selection and depth of knowledge imparted by the staff infuse the store with some serious intellect.
Go to Bailey-Coy, grab a book, then head up to Pagliacci (for pizza) or Dilettante (for chocolates) or the Joe Bar (for coffee or wine) and have a great afternoon. Can't be beat.
Bailey-Coy stocks all the fun stuff other bookshops tend not to - novels from small publishers, water-proof erotica collections (for better skinny dipping), and some really nice local non-fiction (cookbooks, histories, etc.). It is a dangerous place to go if you're a booklover on a budget - but then again, a book is a pretty inexpensive means of getting away from it all.
Neighborhood: Capitol Hill
Category: Bookstores
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