Made a special trip into Haines on a rainy day to get a book. Although their hours are 12-3 on…read moreSunday. They were not open! What a way to run a business!

When I was a kid, I lived in a bookstore in Haines. It was an interesting, quirky sort of a…read morebookstore, offering very serious tomes, mushroom manuals, books for the finding of flowers, and often when the customer came in the door she would be greeted (as it were) by a menacing glare from ten-year-old me, who did not want her to go buying something and forcing me to calculate a 4% sales tax. You could also buy a multicolored felt pig there. I made it. It was there for some time. I guess someone must have bought it, eventually, for I don't seem to have it anymore. Anyway. What I mean to say is, the Babbling Book is not like that. It is a real store, which makes a certain effort to provide things that its customers may actually want, and for that it is to be applauded. I think it's absolutely splendid that Haines now has a real bookstore, serving the needs of both the community and the tourists who pass through in the summer. It's a small store, but it makes good use of its space. If you're looking for something in particular, and it's not popular, you probably won't find it, but if you're just in a book mood, there's going to be something there worth buying, to take off with you and read in the rain in a tent above tree level, or in your house downtown in February, as the case may be. Don't know the owners, but more power to them.

On a recent Alaskan cruise, I was very pleased to find a bookstore in Skagway, a light among the…read morestandard fare of jewelry stores and souvenir shops. While this storefront is small, there is a great mix of local Alaskan titles as well as national best sellers. I was very glad to find a book written by one of the speakers on my cruise. I neglected to purchase his book before they sold out on the ship gift shop, so finding it here was a blessing. I'm very excited to read it back at home.

My husband and I were in port on a cruise, and of course, we had to stop at a bookstore! This was…read morethe perfect little shop with categorized shelves (women, Alaskan, etc) and progressive titles! The prices were even better! If you're in town, I highly recommend stopping by!

Nestled in the heart of Skagway, Alaska, this small bookstore may have a modest selection, but its…read moretrue treasure lies in the delightful worker who is not just an employee but a true local and the cornerstone of the community. Walking into this quaint haven feels like entering a friend's living room, where the shelves may be compact, but each book has been handpicked with care. The delightful worker, a true local gem, doesn't just recommend books; she share stories, anecdotes, and insight of the everyday life in the community. In a town where everyone knows everyone, this bookstore serves as more than just a place to buy books. It's a communal space and a hub where ideas are exchanged. We got a first hand experience seeing how the community interacts. We were able to better understand that the luxuries we take for granted are harder to come by in a remote town such as this. However, people here make due, and look out for each other. We came here on a cruise and are so glad we walked into this bookstore. We definitely recommend!

We came there on a cruise, like most people, and I was excited to find this book store. there was…read moreno customer service, nobody said hello or offered to help. There was a rather round woman with dyed hair and piercings, who paid attention only to the dog on the counter and texted on her phone. When approached for assistance she acted like we were wasting her time. I bought the book on Amazon instead. I'm coming back to Skagway next year but will not be shopping there