Trident Booksellers and Cafe

Trident Booksellers and Cafe Coffee. Tea. Books. Community. History. A Boulder original.
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Please join for a community conversation this Tuesday:Trident Community Forum: Boulder County Clerk & Recorder Molly Fit...
05/24/2026

Please join for a community conversation this Tuesday:
Trident Community Forum: Boulder County Clerk & Recorder Molly Fitzpatrick
Tuesday, May 26, 2026
6:30 PM to 7:30 PM

Trident Booksellers & Cafe -940 Pearl St. Boulder, CO
Molly Fitzpatrick was first elected as Boulder County Clerk and Recorder in 2018 and re-elected to a second four-term term in 2022. As Boulder County Clerk and Recorder, Fitzpatrick oversees three divisions: elections, motor vehicle, and recording.
Fitzpatrick serves as the president-elect of the Colorado County Clerks Association and is slated to serve as president of the association in 2024. She also serves as the association’s elections legislative co-chair, collaborating closely with county clerks and stakeholders to implement forward-thinking election reforms prioritizing security and accessibility in elections. She actively participates in multiple national working groups and dedicates her time to the Electronic Recording Technology Board, which supports the digitization of land records in Colorado.

In her time as clerk, she has already overseen 12 elections. She has consistently championed advancements that uphold the values of integrity, accessibility, and security in the elections process and has worked to demonstrate these values to the public through proactive communication and outreach.
Before becoming clerk, Fitzpatrick demonstrated her commitment to civic engagement as the organizing director at New Era Colorado, where she orchestrated statewide initiatives that empowered young voters to participate in the democratic process. Her efforts not only aided voters in navigating the complexities of voting but also contributed to pivotal administrative and policy reforms aimed at making democracy more accessible.

Trident Poetry Series: Aerik Francis - Adams County Poet LaureateTuesday, March 24, 20266:30 PM  7:30 PMTrident Booksell...
03/22/2026

Trident Poetry Series: Aerik Francis - Adams County Poet Laureate
Tuesday, March 24, 2026
6:30 PM 7:30 PM
Trident Booksellers & Cafe - Pearl St, Boulder, Co

Aerik Francis is a Q***r Black Latinx poet born & based Denver, CO, and is currently the Adams County Poet Laureate. They are the author of poetry chapbooks MISEDUCATION (New Delta Review, 2023) and BODYPOLITIC (Abode Press, 2026). Find more of their work on their website phaentompoet.com or via social media

BOOK DESCRIPTION: If radical means to the root, radical politics must attend to the body. Written for the vast spectrum of bodies, Aerik Francis’s BODYPOLITIC offers poetry as a catalyst: for movement, for empowerment, and for liberation-minded education rooted in global awareness and local action. This collection of poems questions what it means to live fully inside one’s own body in a society that seeks to regulate, define, or erase bodies. These poems ask readers to reexamine their relationship with their bodies as an act of self-knowledge, resistance, and radical permission to express oneself.

Beyond the individual self, BODYPOLITIC also explores how bodies exist within larger bodies of power. Embedded in the history of these political processes are people, Francis’s people, the vast history of peoples fighting against oppressive powers and systems. BODYPOLITIC opens space for a candid conversation with ourselves about what we want, who we are becoming, and who we really want to be.

03/04/2026
Tuesday, March 10, 2026 - 630PM - Trident Poet Series: Khadijah Queen - BETWEEN THE DEVIL & THE DEEP BLUE SEA - A Vetera...
03/04/2026

Tuesday, March 10, 2026 - 630PM - Trident Poet Series: Khadijah Queen - BETWEEN THE DEVIL & THE DEEP BLUE SEA - A Veteran's Memoir
Tuesday, March 10, 2026
6:30 PM -7:30 PM
Trident Booksellers & Cafe - Pearl St - Boulder, CO

Khadijah Queen is the author of eight books of poetry and prose, most recently Between the Devil & the Deep Blue Sea: A Veteran’s Memoir (Hachette Books/Legacy Lit 2025). Other books include I’m So Fine: A List of Famous Men & What I Had On (YesYes Books 2017), praised in O Magazine, The New Yorker, Rain Taxi, and elsewhere as “quietly devastating” and “a portrait of defiance that turns the male gaze inside out.” In 2025 the Foundation for Contemporary Arts recognized Queen’s work with the Cy Twombly Award in Poetry. She holds a PhD in English from the University of Denver.

From award winning poet Khadijah Queen, a coming-of-age memoir about family, survival, and one servicewoman’s search for autonomy.

Yanked out of college and torn from her sunny hometown of Los Angeles in the early 1990s, Khadijah Queen finds herself sharing a basement apartment with her mother and sister and working two retail jobs in snowy, tiny Inkster, Michigan. Longing to escape the cycle of her family’s poverty, incarceration, and addiction, she joins the US Navy, determined to earn money to finish college and make it back to L.A. on her own terms.

But soon after Queen completes her grueling training and boards a doomed destroyer, she finds herself faced with near-constant sexual harassment, demeaning labor assignments, and overt racism. Stuck on a ship with nowhere to hide, she looks to poetry, literature, and letters from home to get through the long days and maintain her dignity. She keeps her head down until the workplace hostility against women spills over into her dating life and threatens to derail everything she has worked for.
In trying to break through the unspoken code of silence between sailors, Queen must decide where her loyalties lie: with the Navy or within herself. Unflinching and masterfully penned, this memoir questions the promises of service to reveal the true price of being a woman at sea.

Praise for BETWEEN THE DEVIL & THE DEEP BLUE SEA:
“Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is a large-hearted, compulsively readable memoir shot through with courage and razor-sharp intelligence. Queen’s magnificent personal reckoning helps me to ponder what new forms of relation might be possible between ourselves, our nation, and the many institutions charged with stewarding the common good.”―TRACY K. SMITH, Pulitzer Prize winning poet, author of Life on Mars and Wade in the Water

12/15/2023

Jake from Trident Tea talks about the grape and candy flavors from their first flush darjeeling from the Rohini estate.
Learn more about our darjeelings: https://www.tridentcafe.com/darjeeling

12/13/2023

Tie Luo Han, meaning “Iron Arhat,” is considered one of the Four Great Oolongs. It is one of the oldest and most famous tea varieties grown in the Wuyishan mountains. A personal favorite of ours, it is exceptionally thick and complex, containing strong notes of sweet prunes and heavy gravel, complemented by delicate floral notes on the aftertaste.
Find the "Iron Monk" at https://www.tridentcafe.com/oolong-tea/tieluohan

My auction is ending soon! Great stuff at low prices.
10/03/2023

My auction is ending soon! Great stuff at low prices.

Longmont Estate with Beautiful Quilts, Fiesta, Ethan Allen Furniture, and Baldwin Grand Piano, Thu, Oct 5, 2023 at 7:00 PM MDT, Longmont, CO, Buyer's Premium: 16%, 333 Items, Auction Manager: Noah Westby | (303) 829-5966 | [email protected] | AuctionNinja

As NSYNC famously did not say, “it’s gonna be May!” Happy May! The flowers are finally blooming and the weather is perfe...
05/01/2023

As NSYNC famously did not say, “it’s gonna be May!” Happy May! The flowers are finally blooming and the weather is perfect for enjoying some delicious first flush tea on the back patio. This month we’re looking forward to some awesome events, more great coffee (ice drink season is upon us), and fresh new and used books. As any reader knows, it’s important to prep for summer by updating your reading list; how else are you meant to enjoy laying in the park on a sunny day? Below are some of our suggestions, but stop in and hear first hand from the book sellers what they’re most looking forward to reading! We look forward to seeing you soon!

New Books Releases this Month!

Check out our May Best Sellers and Staff Picks (https://bookshop.org/lists/may-bestsellers-and-staff-picks) for more recommendations!

NEW from Idle Hands:
Guatemala Santa Irene Washed Catuaí (https://idlehandsroasting.com/shop/p/guatemala-santa-irene-washed-catuai)

Carlos is dedicated to improving the coffee grown at Santa Irene and surrounding area with better education, innovation in farm maintenance and modern processing techniques. And even outside of coffee, him and his family are committed to preserving the surrounding rainforest’s flora and fauna. Less than a fifth of the land that Carlos and his family occupy is devoted to coffee production - making a total of 24ha for coffee growing and processing.

May Event (https://www.tridentcafe.com/events) Calendar!

5/1 Mon 7-9p Language Exchange Night
5/4 Thurs 6-8p Acoustic Duo: Jimmy Mitchell & Jon Sherman
5/5 Fri 6:45-8:45p Band: Lucky Me
5/6 Sat 6-8:30p Jazzetry
5/7 Sun 7-9p Community Art Night
5/8 Mon 7-9p Language Exchange Night
5/10 Wed 6-8p Community Writing Circle
5/11 Thurs 6-9p Boulder Old-Time Jam
5/12 Fri 6-9p Double Bill: LETXUE and Will Thomas
5/13 Sat 11a-5p Confluence Artisan Market
5/13 Sat 6-8:45p Cosmic Joke: A Comedy Show
5/15 Mon 7-9p Language Exchange Night
5/18 Thurs 6-8p Variety Show: And Now... Featuring
5/19 Fri 6-8p Singer/Songwriter: Peter Stone
5/20 Sat 6-8p A Human Named David: Alive and Dead
5/21 Sun 7-9p Community Art Night
5/22 Mon 7-9p Language Exchange Night
5/23 Tues 6-8p Music Student Showcase
5/24 Wed 6:45-8:45p Vacancy: An Open Mic for Poets
5/26 Fri 6-8p Band: Husks
5/29 Mon 7-9p Language Exchange Night

All events located on our back patio.

For more info visit:
tridentcafe.com/events

The Trident Tea Spotlight

Darjeeling, the “Land of Thunder”, is famous worldwide for the delicate high aroma teas it produces, though most of it is made into light oolong-style or black teas depending on the harvest time. The White Lightning Darjeeling really captures the best of both worlds, with the sweet roundness of a Chinese white and the active aromatics of a first flush Darjeeling.

Interested in learning more about fine teas?
Join our Trident Fine Tea Club (https://www.tridentcafe.com/merch/trident-fine-tea-club) !

More About Trident (https://www.tridentcafe.com/our-story) : Trident Booksellers was opened in the summer of 1980 by Hudson Shotwell and James Gimian, two members of Boulder’s Vajradhatu Buddhist community. A year later Trident expanded and added espresso and drip coffee service, becoming the first espresso bar in Boulder. Now Trident Booksellers & Cafe is proud to have a 42 year-old history in Boulder and even prouder to be employee owned since 2020.

Thank you for being part of our community!

Click here for an update from Trident Booksellers & Cafe!

Happy April y’all! Colorado has been giving us her best with some beautiful, sunny days and a good mix of snowy ones too...
04/03/2023

Happy April y’all! Colorado has been giving us her best with some beautiful, sunny days and a good mix of snowy ones too (hope y’all enjoy some spring skiing!). Trident has some great first flush teas, well balanced coffees, and exciting new reads coming your way this month. Don’t forget to check out our variety of events happening each weekend (as well as our classy selection of wines and beers in the bookstore!).
Hope to see you soon!

New Books Releases this Month!

Don't forget to check out our April Best Sellers and Staff Picks (https://bookshop.org/lists/april-staff-picks-bestsellers) or more recommendations! Or stop by to see us in-person!

NEW from Idle Hands: Ethiopia Halo Beriti (https://idlehandsroasting.com/shop/p/ethiopia-konga-boledu)

Abeyot Ageze is a Gedeo farmer who has been running the Halo Beriti washing station for many years, and in 2017 he partnered with Mebrahtu Aynalem to form Boledu Coffee, who we have had the honor of working with for two years now. Abeyot, being a Gedeo farmer himself, and Mebrahtu work to with local farmers, developing farmer trainings, sharing profits with farmers, and by processing farmer lots individually to achieve the highest price possible for the farmer.

The result of this longstanding and intimate relationship with the local Gedeo farmers is a cup that ensures equity across the supply chain with maximum value remaining at the birthplace of coffee. This partnership between the growers and Halo Beriti continues to export a beautiful coffee profile of raspberry candy, lemon sorbet, sweet tropical fruit with a vibrant and syrupy mouthfeel.

April Event (https://www.tridentcafe.com/events) Calendar!

4/3 7-9p Language Exchange Night
4/7 6-7p Acoustic Guitarist: Derek DeMuth
4/8 6-8:45p Cosmic Joke: A Comedy Show
4/9 6-8:45p MCMR: An American History Film Series
4/10 7-9p Language Exchange Night
4/12 6-8p Community Writing Circle
4/13 6-9p Boulder Old-Time Jam
4/14 7-8:30p Student Showcase: CU Boulder MFA Writing Candidates
4/15 6-8p Songwriter: Pamela Machala
4/17 7-9p Language Exchange Night
4/19 5:45-8:45 Gender Justice League: Art for Healing
4/20 6-8p Variety Show: And Now... Featuring
4/21 6-8p Songwriter: Emily Margaret
4/22 6-8p Songwriter: Cory Simmons
4/23 6-8p Songwriter Duo: Moonstruck Melodies
4/24 7-9p Language Exchange Night
4/26 6:45-8:45p Vacancy: An Open Mic for Poets
4/27 6-8:45p Musician/Poet/Artist: Sneaky Bandit
4/28 6-8p Reading/Interview: Erika T. Wurth
4/29 6-8p Songwriter: Lauren Frihauf
4/30 6-8p Acoustic Duo: Whiskey Revolution

For more info visit:
tridentcafe.com/events

All events located on our back patio.

The Trident Tea Spotlight

Interested in learning more about fine teas?
Join our Trident Fine Tea Club (https://www.tridentcafe.com/merch/trident-fine-tea-club) !

More About Trident (https://www.tridentcafe.com/our-story) : Trident Booksellers was opened in the summer of 1980 by Hudson Shotwell and James Gimian, two members of Boulder’s Vajradhatu Buddhist community. A year later Trident expanded and added espresso and drip coffee service, becoming the first espresso bar in Boulder. Now Trident Booksellers & Cafe is proud to have a 42 year-old history in Boulder and even prouder to be employee owned since 2020.

Thank you for being part of our community!

Click here for an update from Trident Booksellers & Cafe!

Spring is in the air, the many street glaciers around Boulder are beginning to melt, we’re losing an hour (on March 12th...
03/01/2023

Spring is in the air, the many street glaciers around Boulder are beginning to melt, we’re losing an hour (on March 12th) and the equinox is nearly upon us. This month we transition to an inventory system for our bookstore (for the first time in our 42-year history) and we’ll be bringing back cold brew starting on the equinox. Lots of things to look forward to! We hope you’ll stop in and say hi!

Coming soon to the bookstore!

Don't forget to check out our March Staff Picks and Bestsellers (https://bookshop.org/lists/march-staff-picks-bestsellers) for more recommendations! Or stop by to see us in-person!

NEW from Idle Hands: Brazil Fazenda Das Almas (https://idlehandsroasting.com/shop/p/brazil-fazenda-das-almas)

Brazil has a complex history of conservation in the agricultural sector and the Muniz family came to understand early on that protecting the natural habitat of the farm not only benefited the environment, but also increased production yields and lowered the need for fertilizers. Today an impressive 37% of the farm is a protected forest area, 18.5% more than is required by the Brazilian Forest Code, including 7,000sq km of APP and ecological corridors including 21 natural springs. In 2017 the family set up a generator that runs off of biogas from the decomposing coffee fruit, making the farm fully self-supported by their own electricity.

The Muniz family continue to keep up-to-date extraordinarily well with modern processing techniques and methods and have continued their education more formally with courses in 2019 and 2020 to increase the production of exemplary lots. The coffee presented in this lot is a Catucaí, a naturally occurring cross between Icatu and Catuaí, which was machine pulped to remove the exocarp (skin) before being placed into sealed tanks and finally heading to the drying patios after roughly 69 hours of anaerobic fermentation. This “slow” process and care keeps the coffee astoundingly sweet with plenty of yellow fruit, stone fruit, mango and passionfruit, with a snappy apple like acidity. A true example of expertly produced coffee.

Check out these March Events (https://www.tridentcafe.com/events) !

March Events

3/1 Wednesday 7-8:30p: Book Event: Alexia Parks and Dr. Joel Rauchwerger
3/2 Thursday 6-8p: Songwriter/Poet: Raef
3/3 Friday 6:30-8:30p: Acoustic Guitarist: Dominick Antonelli
3/4 Saturday 6-8:30p: Jazzetry
3/6 Monday 7-9p: Language Exchange Night
3/7 Tuesday 7-9p: Static Parade Reading Series
3/8 Wednesday 6-8p: Community Writing Circle
3/9 Thursday 6-9p: Boulder Old-Time Jam
3/10 Friday 6p: Solo Guitarist: Jimmy Mitchell
3/11 Saturday 6p: Cosmic Joke: A Comedy Show
3/12 Sunday 6-8:45p: MCMR Presents: An American History Film Series
3/13 Monday 7-9p: Language Exchange Night
3/16 Thursday 6-8p: Variety Show: And Now... Featuring
3/17 Friday 6-8p: St. Patrick’s Day Irish Music: Bangers and Blunders
3/18 Saturday 7-8:45p: Band: Ambush
3/19 Sunday 6-8p: Film Featurette: Van Abbey Visual Art
3/20 Monday 7-9p: Language Exchange Night
3/21 Tuesday 5-7p: Music Student Showcase (TBD)
3/22 Wednesday 6-8p: Neuroscience of Psychedelics Ramzy Abueita
3/23 Thursday 6-8p: Reading: J.P. Greene
3/24 Friday 6-8p: Songwriter: Kohanna McCrary
3/25 Saturday 6-8p: Band: Emerson & Goldwoman
3/27 Monday 7-9p: Language Exchange Night
3/28 Tuesday 6-8:45p: Double-Bill: Blvck Hippie w/ Shadow Work
3/29 Wednesday 6:45-8:45p: Vacancy: An Open Mic Night for Poets
3/30 Thursday 6:30-8:45p: Songwriter: Xue
3/31 Friday 6-8:45p: Double Bill: Unicorn Hits + TBD
4/1 Saturday 6-8:30p: Jazzetry

For more info visit:
tridentcafe.com/events

All events located on our *heated* back patio.

The Trident Tea Spotlight

Interested in learning more about fine teas?
Join our Trident Fine Tea Club (https://www.tridentcafe.com/merch/trident-fine-tea-club) !

More About Trident (https://www.tridentcafe.com/our-story) : Trident Booksellers was opened in the summer of 1980 by Hudson Shotwell and James Gimian, two members of Boulder’s Vajradhatu Buddhist community. A year later Trident expanded and added espresso and drip coffee service, becoming the first espresso bar in Boulder. Now Trident Booksellers & Cafe is proud to have a 42 year-old history in Boulder and even prouder to be employee owned since 2020.

Thank you for being part of our community!

Click here for an update from Trident Booksellers & Cafe!

Address

940 Pearl Street
Boulder, CO
80302

Opening Hours

Monday 7am - 9pm
Tuesday 7am - 9pm
Wednesday 7am - 9pm
Thursday 7am - 9pm
Friday 7am - 9pm
Saturday 7am - 9pm
Sunday 7am - 9pm

Telephone

+13034433133

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