Black Swan Books in Lexington, Ky
I absolutely adore spending my time browsing bookstores. Whenever we travel, we always make sure to look for bookstores. Fortunately, we have access to quite a few bookstores in our area. Recently, my husband and I had a delicious lunch at Joe Bologna’s, an Italian restaurant and pizzeria in downtown Lexington, Kentucky. It’s a charming establishment that has been in business since 1973. Joe, the owner, retired in 2025 and sold the restaurant to new owners who are committed to preserving its tradition. The restaurant is located inside a historic former church, featuring high ceilings, stained glass, and a cozy, historic ambiance. Since we don’t often venture into downtown Lexington, we decided to explore Black Swan Books, a renowned used and rare bookstore, after lunch.
Black Swan Books is widely regarded as one of the city’s best and most beloved bookstores. Established in 1984, it has stood the test of time for over four decades, consistently earning the title of Lexington’s top used bookstore. The store is owned and operated by Mike Courtney, the knowledgeable proprietor who has a deep passion for books, particularly those related to Kentucky authors, local history, Kentuckiana, Americana, and specialized subjects such as aviation, maritime, railroads, and Civil War history. The store boasts spacious rooms filled with thousands of high-quality used, rare, and collectible books in excellent condition. Black Swan Books is known for its cozy, classic “real bookshop” atmosphere, creating a hidden gem vibe with knowledgeable and friendly service. The bookstore actively promotes local Kentucky authors and serves customers worldwide, including through online sales platforms like AbeBooks. It’s a favorite among locals for browsing nonfiction, regional titles, and rare finds.
As the photos suggest, this charming, historic bookstore exudes a welcoming atmosphere. The collection of books is truly impressive, and the owner takes great care in preserving each one. Many books are protected with clear plastic sleeves, ensuring their longevity. I thoroughly enjoyed browsing the shelves of various genres, always eager to discover hidden gems.
Black Swan Books impressed me with its quality books and the owner’s knowledge. Mike’s friendliness made our visit memorable. He skillfully asked questions to understand our reading preferences and even guided us to specific shelves that piqued our interest.
We spent a delightful time discussing our favorite authors, signed books, and other bookstores in the area. Mike shared entertaining stories about his adventures in people’s homes to explore their book collections. I also received valuable suggestions for adding bookshelves to my current home library.
My husband, an avid collector of Edgar Allan Poe books, was thrilled when Mike mentioned that he might have something on hand soon. He’s also interested in Alice in Wonderland, and Mike kindly pulled out a beautiful early copy at a reasonable price. Our bookshelves are going to look fantastic with this addition.
It dawned on us later that we last visited this bookstore in 2018. Today’s exceptional experience made me confident that our next visit will be soon.
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