Parallel 45 Books & Gifts

For the past three years I have come to this bookstore during Black Friday and have never left the store empty handed. As a crystal girly and a bookworm this is the perfect place! Not only do they have crystals and books, but they also have cool items like 3d printer toys that seem like they're locally made. I don't remember what they had when I first went to the bookstore, but for the past two years if you made a purchase you could get a cool little gift (I think it's just a Black Friday/Small Business Saturday kind of thing) which is so fun! Also, their kids books selections from infant to YA is amazing! A perfect place to get gifts for the whole family (especially if they like to read). This year they also had these cool "date with a book" boxes with a little blurb of what themes/tropes to expect along with some other genre specific stickers, bookmarks, etc. I got one for a friend and I hope she likes it! Hopefully, I have the opportunity to come back before next year's Black Friday so I can support the store more than one day a year! This has to be my favorite "up north" bookstore.

Absolutely love this store! They have a great selection of books and gifts. I also love the selection of metaphysical books and supplies. The owner is so nice and she will order any title she doesn't have on the shelf! A true gem of downtown Alpena.

They did not have the book I was looking for in stock at the time, but they had a strong selection and were super friendly. If I’m ever back in the area, I will definitely be back!

A wonderful local bookstore that we are lucky to have in Downtown Alpena! Great ambiance in a historic building with a great selection books; I never leave empty-handed. The owners are so friendly and happy to place any special orders or suggest a new read. I also appreciate that you can order online via bookshop.org and support them too. Definitely a must-visit when you're in Alpena!