Some of the best road trip stops in Arkansas have no gift shop line and no ticket booth. They have shelves, and lots of them. This list covers eleven used bookstores from the Ozarks to the Delta, each with its own personality.
Some are huge and maze-like, some focus on bargains, and a few mix in gifts or new titles. I pulled together the practical details like hours, parking, and specialties so you can plan a quiet detour that fits your route. Bring a tote bag and a little extra room in the trunk, because these stops make it easy to leave with more than you planned.
1. Dickson Street Bookshop, Fayetteville, AR
Plan to lose your sense of direction here. Dickson Street Bookshop is an expansive used bookstore with a maze-like layout, and the rows keep going longer than the storefront suggests.
The selection is wide and varied, so a browse can turn up historical titles, newer reads, and plenty in between. The shop also buys used books, which makes it a handy stop if your trunk is already full of paperbacks.
It sits at 325 W Dickson St in downtown Fayetteville. Hours run Monday through Thursday 10 AM to 6 PM, Friday and Saturday 10 AM to 8 PM, and Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM. Saturday is the busiest time, while Tuesday and Wednesday evenings are calmer.
Parking options nearby include a free garage, on-site spots, and several paid garage, lot, and street choices. In-store shopping and pickup are both available.
2. Snooper’s Barn Used Book Store, Fort Smith, AR
Block out more time than you think you need. Snooper’s Barn is a well-organized used bookstore with an extensive selection, and the collection leans toward older titles with some newer ones mixed in.
Organization matters in a shop this big, and it keeps the browsing from feeling like a chore. Books are generally in good condition, which helps when you are hunting for something to keep.
You will find it at 208 Towson Ave in Fort Smith. The store is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM and closed Sunday and Monday, so it fits best into a weekday or Saturday stop along the Arkansas River Valley.
3. The Book Worm, Benton, AR
Horror fans, this one is for you. The Book Worm says it holds one of the largest horror sections you are likely to run across in a used bookstore.
The shop carries over 50,000 used books across almost every genre. One room is dedicated to fantasy and sci-fi, another to history, and there is also a large young adult selection and a big theology section. The nonfiction area is being updated and expanded.
The store takes in books for store credit and also buys books. It is at 1500 AR-5 in Benton, with a free parking lot on site.
Hours are Tuesday through Friday 10 AM to 5:30 PM and Saturday 10 AM to 4 PM. Sunday and Monday it is closed.
4. Book Traders Bookstore, Conway, AR
Conway has a spot where books and garden decor share the same address. Book Traders Bookstore is a used bookstore with a large selection of titles and genres, and a friendly staff.
It is located at 1120 Hogan Ln, Suite A, which makes it simple to find. The shelves are big on quantity, so the best approach is to wander without a strict list and see what turns up.
Hours are generous. The store opens Monday through Saturday from 9 AM to 6 PM and Sunday from noon to 6 PM, which helps if your travel schedule is unpredictable.
Monday evening tends to be the quietest time, if you prefer fewer people in the aisles.
5. Books by the Pound, Searcy, AR
Here is a stop for bargain hunters with a big appetite for paperbacks. Books by the Pound is a spacious used bookstore offering a vast selection of affordable books and media.
The pricing is the draw, and it makes stocking up on road trip reading feel easy on the budget. Media is part of the mix too, so it is not only about books.
You can find it at 1010 E Lincoln Ave in Searcy. Hours are long for a bookstore: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8 AM to 7 PM, Wednesday 8 AM to 5 PM, Saturday 10 AM to 7 PM, and Sunday noon to 6 PM.
Saturday afternoon is the busiest time, while Sunday and Tuesday evenings are quieter.
6. Timeless Books, Pocahontas, AR
Pocahontas, a northeast Arkansas town of roughly 7,300 people, has an independent bookstore worth a pause. Timeless Books sells both used and new books, though most of the stock is secondhand.
The store is laid out with themed sections, so browsing has a bit of a walk-through feel. New titles that are available are marked down.
It is at 108 N Bettis St. Hours are Tuesday through Friday 10 AM to 5 PM and Saturday 10 AM to 2 PM, with Sunday and Monday closed. That short Saturday window is worth remembering when you plan your route.
7. Once Upon A Time Books, Springdale, AR
Parking is one of the nicest surprises here. Once Upon A Time Books has a free lot and free street parking, which is a relief when you are carrying a stack out to the car.
The store describes an extensive selection of vintage and affordable used titles. The staff is known for being helpful and knowledgeable, which comes in handy when you are chasing a specific book. It also buys used books.
Find it at 1094 E Henri De Tonti Blvd in Springdale. Hours are Monday through Saturday 9 AM to 6 PM and Sunday noon to 5 PM.
Weekend afternoons draw the biggest crowds, while weekday mornings and evenings are usually calm.
8. Bookish Emporium of Arkansas, Heber Springs, AR
Heber Springs is a small lake gateway town in the Ozark foothills, and this shop gives it a bookish side. Bookish Emporium of Arkansas is a gift shop first, with a varying selection of new and used books, gifts, and decor.
The range of titles is broad, covering classic literature, romance, local authors, and LGBTQ themes. Bookish merchandise rounds out the shelves.
It is at 514 W Main St. The shop offers free Wi-Fi, a gender-neutral restroom, and free parking, and it supports curbside pickup and delivery.
Hours are Monday through Saturday 10 AM to 6 PM, closed Sunday.
9. Turn the Page Again, Bono, AR
Bono has fewer than 3,000 residents, and a used bookstore on Highway 230 West gives road trippers a reason to slow down. Turn the Page Again sits at 1163 Hwy 230W, a bit off the beaten path.
It is a dedicated secondhand shop, and not the typical bookstore setup. That is part of the draw if you like a stop that feels local and unhurried.
Hours are Tuesday through Friday 9 AM to 5 PM and Saturday 9 AM to 3 PM. It is closed Sunday and Monday, so check the clock before you detour. The shop keeps updates on its Facebook page.
10. Beautywood Books, North Little Rock, AR
From children’s books to Harvard Classics, the range at Beautywood Books is wide. It is a charming used bookstore with an affordable, diverse selection and a family-friendly atmosphere.
The shelves are well curated and organized. The shop buys used books, is LGBTQ+ friendly, and has a gender-neutral restroom.
You will find it at 1704 N Main St along historic Main Street. Curbside pickup is offered as well as in-store shopping.
Hours are Wednesday and Thursday 11 AM to 7 PM, Friday 11 AM to 5 PM, Saturday 10 AM to 6 PM, and Sunday 1 to 5 PM. It is closed Monday and Tuesday.
11. The Book Store, North Little Rock, AR
Trade-ins are the specialty here. The Book Store is a community-focused used bookstore with a vast selection and trade-in services, so you can swap what you have finished for something new.
The shelves are clean and organized, which makes a large inventory easy to work through. The store is LGBTQ+ friendly and has a gender-neutral restroom and a free parking lot.
It is at 3832 John F Kennedy Blvd. Hours vary by day: Monday 1 to 6 PM, Tuesday and Wednesday 10 AM to 4:30 PM, Thursday 10 AM to 6 PM, Friday 10 AM to 4:30 PM, and Saturday 10 AM to 3 PM. It is closed Sunday.
That last stop makes a fitting end to a Arkansas bookstore run, with plenty of reading to carry home.
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