about us

The first Barbara's Bookstore opened on Wells Street in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood in the early 1960's. It was a large, shambling, literary bookstore with creaky wood floors and dust dating back to the early 1950's. The closest thing we had to a computer was a plug-in cash register, pen and paper and a staff that knew every book in the store by heart.

The retail book industry has changed dramatically in the five decades since Barbara's beginnings. Along the way, we discovered that Barbara's could coexist with the huge national chains and thrive by finding unique locations and creating personal, full-service stores where you don't expect to find them.

Our bookstores vary in size and shape. There are large, neighborhood stores in Glenview (The Book Market) and Burr Ridge, and the smaller, 'niche' stores in Boston's South Station, O'Hare International Airport and Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Barbara's has earned a reputation in Chicago for high-quality inventory and informed service. We love books. Twice our stores have been named by the Chicago Tribune as one of the 100 best things about the city. The alternative newspaper, Newcity, has recognized Barbara’s author event schedule as the best in Chicago.