Iowa Indie Bookshop Tour

06/06/2026

Yay!! Passports and Bingo cards are ready for the Tour!!

Thank you to our sponsor, Prints Copy Center, for making these for us!! ✨💛

06/05/2026

Hey bookish travelers — here is a compiled list of days our bookshops will be open for the start of the Tour in July!

We know you love to plan and this will help you.
🗓️✍️🚙

✨Reminder- please check each bookshop’s socials for updates near and on travel days. Each is a small business and life happens.

05/29/2026

Hey bookish travelers — we have curated unique themed routes for you as well!

You can find these routes and more on our website to help inspire your journey across Iowa to our bookshops. This includes a link to Google Maps.

Fun Routes:
🚌Read Along the River
🚌I-380 Corridor
🚌Just the New Ones
🚌Scoop the Loop - Hit all the bookshops!

✨Days until the Tour- 33✨

05/28/2026

Hey bookish travelers — we have curated even more routes for you!

You can find these routes and more on our website to help inspire your journey across Iowa to our bookshops.

Part Three:
🚌Southwest Route
📚Hedgie's Books, Toys & More
📚Books & Bubbles
📚The Honeyed Page Bookstore
📚The Latest Edition Bookstore
📚The Velvet Nook & Roast
📚Pageturners Bookstore

🚌Des Moines Route
📚Wandering Raccoon Books
📚Reading in Public Bookstore + Cafe
📚Storyhouse Bookpub
📚Nos Books
📚Shelf Love DSM
📚Beaverdale Books
📚The Little Book
📚Dungeon's Gate

🚌West Central Route
📚Books and Bakery
📚Century Farm Books & Brews
📚The Book Shoppe, Inc.
📚Dog-Eared Books Ames
📚Fizz & Fiction

✨Days until the Tour- 34✨

05/26/2026

Hey bookish travelers — we have curated more routes for you!

You can find these routes and more on our website to help inspire your journey across Iowa to our bookshops.

Part Two:
🚌Iowa City Route
📚Gnoll's Loot Table
📚The Haunted Bookshop of Iowa City
📚Prairie Lights Bookstore
📚Sidekick Coffee & Books
📚Captain's Book Shoppe LLC

🚌Cedar Rapids Route
📚Wren and Purl
📚Swamp Fox Bookstore
📚Alter Ego Comics - Iowa
📚HEA Book Boutique
📚Next Page Books of Cedar Rapids
📚I'll Meet You There
📚Sisters Books & Nooks, LLC
📚Shady Character Books

🚌South Central Route
📚Pioneer Bookshop, Grinnell College
📚Mattingly Music, Book & Hobby
📚Pella Books
📚Book Vault

✨Days until the Tour- 36✨

05/23/2026

Hey bookish travelers — we have curated routes for you!

You can find these routes and more on our website to help inspire your journey across Iowa to our bookshops.

Part One:
🚌North Route
📚Perennial Pages Bookshoppe
📚Three Bells Books
📚Prologue Books & Wine
📚Dragonfly Books
📚The Silver Birch Christian Books and Gifts
📚The Shelf
📚The Nook
📚Books on Main

🚌Northwest Route
📚Book People
📚The Book Vine
📚Goose Feather Books
📚 Volume J
📚Night Owl Books
📚 The Green Dragon Bookshop

🚌East Route
📚Paper Moon
📚River Lights Bookstore
📚The Book Worm
📚The Book Rack
📚Good Spot Bookshop
📚The Brewed Book
📚Source Bookstore

🚌South East Route
📚The Corner
📚BurlingtonBytheBook
📚Bent Oak Books
📚By the Hearth Bookshop

✨Days until the Tour- 39 ✨

05/19/2026

Hey bookish travelers — our new 2026 merch is live!!! Including a bonus of three Iowa Cryptids!!

You can find the link to our bonfire shop in the comments below and on our website.

Each design comes in various styles, color options, and sizes.

Perfect for you to wear as you travel Iowa this summer, visiting our bookshops.

Art by the amazing Kevin Cannon

05/10/2026

You can participate in our neighboring state’s book trail!!

Introducing….the Nebraska Book Trail!

Explore more than 20 independent bookstores across the state and experience Nebraska’s vibrant communities one bookstore at a time!

When:
🗓️ June 1 - September 30

How:
1. Pick up a passport card at your first participating indie bookstore.
2. Sign the guestbook at each location. It’s fun to see where our visitors come from!
3. Turn in your passport to be entered to win prizes!

To find out which bookstores are participating, follow this account as we highlight each one over the coming weeks!

05/08/2026

Both can be true. 🥺👉👈💛✨

05/08/2026

Bus tour!!!💛✨🚌

Save your gas money for BOOKS and join HEA Book Boutique and Swamp Fox Bookstore for the Iowa Indie Bookshop Tour Bus Trip on Saturday, July 11!

Knock out FIVE stores on the tour and meet new bookish besties. Tickets available at https://swampfoxbookstore.com/bustour