SEATTLE — Seattle's Elliott Bay Book Company is celebrating its 50th anniversary with events and limited-edition merchandise. Here's a look back at the bookstore's 50-year history.
The renowned independent bookstore located on Capitol Hill was founded in 1973 on Main Street in Pioneer Square by Walter and Maggie Carr.
In 1978, the bookstore held its first author reading, establishing an industry-renowned reading series over the following decades.
The bookstore's original cafe opened in 1979 downstairs. According to the bookstore's website, the coffee shop in the television show Frasier was based on the cafe.
Peter Aaron joined the bookstore when Carr retired in 1999 and became the sole owner in 2001.
The bookstore moved into its current location, a former Ford truck repair shop, in Capitol Hill in 2010 following suffering sales.
In 2022, Peter Aaron sold the bookstore after 23 years to General Manager Tracy Taylor and Murf Hall and Joey Burgess, of Burgess Hall Group.
"It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as steward of this unique and wonderful haven of literature and civility for the past 23 years," Aaron said at the time. "I am deeply grateful to our customers, suppliers and most emphatically to the scores of dedicated and talented booksellers who have sustained and supported the bookstore since its inception."
The new owners said they don't plan to make any major changes to the bookstore's brand.
The bookstore is celebrating its anniversary Saturday with a special family day featuring local authors, treats, and more. For more information, visit elliottbaybook.com/50th-anniversary/special-events.