Parnassus Books — Local services in Ketchikan

Thoughtful and well-stocked local bookstore with a tremendous selection of Alaska-themed books covering nearly every facet-- history, wildlife, trails, poetry, photography and art, etc. Terrific selection, and well-worth your time browsing. Having been to a bookstore called Parnassus in Nashville TN, we got to thinking about the meaning or significance of "Parnassus" in regards to books. Casually, I inquired as to the meaning of the name, and obviously touched a nerve-- we were quickly informed that the bookstore in Nashville had only had been around for 10 years, and they had been around for 40, and basically assumed that I was so idiotic as to be confusing the two places or thinking that they were a chain. The owner was still sputtering about it as we made our purchases. Other than that, great place, just don't mention the other bookstore-- it's a...

DONT SHOP HERE! The woman who works here is incredibly mean and rude for absolutely no reason to innocent, well-behaved kids. There is a rocking chair near the kids section. My younger child asked her 15 yr old brother if he would read a short kids book (Peppa Pig) to her while she sat in his lap in the rocking chair. While he was gently doing that (a moment almost any adult would find joy in the sight of), the rude woman came up to them, yelled at them, and told them to put the book down, and ordered them to leave.

Wow! What a way to associate sadness, fear, and the feeling of having done something wrong with the idea of reading in such a young impressionable mind.

Definitely NOT the person who should be around kids nor engaging with patrons in a store.

DO NOT...

This store smelled like new books and happiness. My wife and I stopped in while in town for a cruise, and it was my favorite place we visited in an overall nice place to visit. The window boasted multiple indicators of being queer friendly, and it had that beautiful, curated, almost overfull feeling that the best little bookstores have. I found a great book for my sled-dog-obsessed teen and a gorgeous, illustrated book of fairytale retellings for myself. The folks behind the counter were also welcoming and helpful but didn't...