Talk Story Bookstore

I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to check out “The Westernmost Bookstore in the United States” while in Kauai for a workcation. The Talk Story Bookstore is exactly what you want in a quaint book store with a mix of new and old books, some great gifts, and a cat! The cat wasn’t cooperative for a photo so excuse me for not including a pic. I did pick up a couple of books that I previously hadn’t heard of and am excited to read.

I love stopping into different bookstores wherever I go. This one is the furthest west bookstore in the USA. It is a cool little store and appears the be well and thoughtfully operated.

We ran out of books to read on our vacation, so had to find an "emergency" bookstore. This place was an unexpected gem and is TOTALLY worth a visit. I would recommend heading here at the beginning of your trip and picking up a Kauai history or tourism book! They also feature gifts, art, and books by local businesses and authors. I wish we had found this place sooner, and I wish we had time to return so I could trade in all of the books I read before leaving!

What a wonderful little bookstore! One of the highlights of my visit to Kauai with my wife. They have an admirable selection of used books and new releases, the artwork and stickers made my day, and on top of it all they have a BOOKSTORE MASCOT? Celeste rang the bell for her treat because she’s The Boss, and Yuriko’s stickers of her are adorable. This was the BEST “Westernmost Bookstore in the U.S.”!

Great bookstore filled with a variety of books as well as collectibles. There was an especially neat corner with a bunch of vintage Nintendo games in a case. Lots of fun memorabilia also line all the upper shelves of each wall.

“All proceeds go to me.” - Celeste_the_cat_boss The owner said that the cat’s Instagram has more followers than the bookstore itself. No kidding. Nicely decorated, fully air conditioned, and with a good selection of books to browse. We found the newest edition of “The ultimate Kauai Guidebook”, and a used hardback novel in tiptop condition from 2021.

Nice little bookstore with new and used books from several genres. Great locally made pieces like stickers and artwork too. There are multiple cats in the store so beware if you have allergies!

Beautiful book store. Well organized and treasured. MSTK fans will find the original robots standing guard near the register. So many science fiction books. Old reads and new. Books available in languages other than English. Neat spot.

Can we just agree that bookstores with cats are the best thing ever? The whole reason my husband brought me here during our vacation was because he knows I LOVE two things: books and cats. Together? Absolutely. If you're visiting Kauai, this place is worth the visit. Shop local and get a fun souvenir from the friendly neighborhood cat bookstore. The owner is so friendly and helpful, and the kitty Natalie is so cute. It's such a peaceful environment. Oh to be a cat lounging in a bookstore. On top of cats, they also have new and used books, video games and fun souvenirs. I got a bunch of stickers because I know books wouldn't fit in my checked bag. I would love it if they had an online store we could support. There is truly something here for everyone. I recommend coming here even if it's a little ways away, there are a lot of other neat spots nearby you can check out as well.

LOVE this small bookstore. It's located in a small town in Kauai and lots to eat and see around this area. Bomb shave ice, the swinging bridge, some spices/herbs, souvenirs, etc. I wanted to see the Lilo & Stitch mural and to the left of it is this cute bookstore. We stepped in and loved the variety of books they have. They also sell discounted used books which we purchased - a children's book. We also loved the selection of Hawaii-themed children's book if you want to bring something home. We also loved all the cat stickers/poster cards because of their "mascot" of the cat that lives in the bookstore. So cute! So much to see around this little town so you should definitely stop by here as well!

We came to see the lilo & stitch mural and stumbled upon this bookstore. It was filled with so many different types of books and I loved the kids section they had. My daughter picked two books, one was ocean life and the other was a Hanapepe themed book which we thought was really cool. The boss of the store is a cat that likes to walk around or lounge behind the counter. The boss was sleeping when we came in but his employee was very friendly and helpful. Prices are great at this store and I feel like this is an excellent way to get a souvenir or just pick a book to read on the beach. Parking can be hard to find but we got lucky when we came. If you're in Hanapepe, definitely come by the bookstore!

I will find *any* bookstore I can while on vacation and was pleased to find one in the small town of Hanapepe not far from our condo on the south side of the island. The store is one of the only main shops and attractions on the Main Street of the town and it certainly stands out. They are a used bookstore with a fairly robust selection books across most genres you can think of, as well as a local/Hawaiian authors section. They have some lovely store merch too featuring their resident cat and everything was priced well! I got a sticker of the store which I love. The store clerk was helpful and chatted with us at the register. We really enjoyed it!

I was really excited to check out the most western book store, I even drove 30 minutes out of my way because I love supporting local bookstores, however I was completely ignored during checkout- even after waiting 5-10 minutes in front of cashier- then an older man budged in front of me and the cashiers checked him out but then continued to not help me nor did not talk to me- even though they saw me. Then they went back to helping other customers but did not talk to me at all to me. Will not be back. I have never given a bad review ever, & I love supporting local bookstores every time I traveled, but the service was so disrespectful I felt like I had to say something.

Imagine this... you're on vacation, you've seen almost the whole island of Kauai and you just finished the only book you brought with you. You Yelp bookstore and one bookstore pops up. One! We drove from Wailua specifically to this bookstore. It wasn't quite opening time yet so we lingered closely. A kind lady let us in a few minutes early and within a few minutes, the bookstore was the busiest place in old town Hanapēpē. I found a couple of used books to satisfy my inner bookworm and perused the cute gifts they had, best of all are the cat-inspired stickers, art and gifts made by the owner's wife. Don't bother the cat though, she's a cat through and through. This bookstore is a gem and so is the staff. My daughter was thoroughly entertained for a good 10 minutes searching for a treasure box, affording me time to peruse to my heart's content. Great selection- fiction, local authors, cookbooks, biographies, young adult, comics, you name it!

Today my husband and I visited Hanapepe with friends and we went to this awesome bookstore!! They had a beautiful and very large selection of books for every interest and genre. They also have a resident in store kitty that is an amazing supervisor who is perched at the register in his own little basket. The ladies at the register were pleasant and helpful. If you are in ever in Hanapepe, This delightful bookstore is a must see!!

I love this bookstore and make it a point to shop there every time we are on the island. They have a nice selection of used books and gift items. The resident cat is an added bonus!

This was such a cute find when we were in Hanapepe! We didn't have as much time to browse - I could have spent hours here! I bought some stickers as a souvenir and found out the owner's wife was the artist. If you find yourself in this sleepy Hawaiian town on Kauai, check it out! You can boast that you've visited the Western-most bookstore in the United States!

Adorable little shop in a quaint walking area. Not a huge store but well curated selection of books including highlights of local options. Small selection of gifts or goodies near the register great for souvenirs or to add with a book and gift! Fun to add the westernmost bookstore in the United States to the list of bookstores visited through travels!

My husband will always look for a book store and we found one and he purchased a couple of books. It had a little of everything that you can read . We enjoyed this book store very much

Talk Story Bookstore is such a dope little bookstore. Has new books, used books, vintage collectibles and stickers. The guy working is a really nice guy. Seen me walk in with my son and immediately told me the kid section was and other books would be. What I found really fascinating was there was some vintage Nintendo and SNES games. Best part of all, I found this verrrrry cool vintage Disney Record that was free! The sticker said "free/damage" which I thought meant "free of damage" but when I asked how much the piece was, he said "it's free". I gladly took it. It's definitely worth coming in to check out "The Western most bookstore in the United States". Also, buy some dope looking stickers that his wife makes. Very artistic and great look stickers.

The staff was great and prices were reasonable. I ended up purchasing 4 books and had a great time going through the plethora of titles that are on their shelves.

No visit to Kauai is complete without a visit to the talk story book store. My kids and I love going to the store for many reasons. It's a great way to find local books, local art, and browse through an incredible collection of LPs and comic books. It's run by a husband and wife team, who are extremely friendly and happy to help with any questions you have. We love this book store and will keep coming back each time. We are in Kauai. Please visit, spend some money and keep this charming bookstore in business for decades to come !!

Amazing bookstore with a good selection of books, passionate owners and very nice atmosphere!

okay, this is gonna be long, but there's a tldr at the end. and before i begin, i should say that i downloaded yelp just to make this review. a few weeks ago while on vacation i happened to stumble across this beautiful little bookstore. there were shelves upon shelves of new and used books. i love books, especially used books, so this place was like heaven to me. my hands started shaking im not even kidding. i could only spend 10 minutes in there cause we had to go, but i guarantee you if i had more time i would've walked out of there with WAYYYY more books than i did. anyways. i got 4 books. i got 1984 by george orwell, priced at $7 the other three books i got were labeled as "unpriced" (the owners are just a married couple and no one else works there, so they don't exactly have time to go through, sort, & price every single book) they were: notes from the underground by dostoyevsky, the grapes of wrath by steinbeck, and the death of ivan ilych by tolstoy i walked up to the counter and told him that those three were marked as unpriced and he said "okay just give me a second to look them up" the first one he checked was the dostoyevsky. he said "this one is from the mid 1960s so it's gonna be-" (i'm thinking at least $20) "$7" next one was steinbeck. the cover was partially ripped, but i noticed when i picked it up and didn't mind it. he told me that because the cover was ripped it was only $3 last one was the tolstoy. this one appeared to be in good condition. i thought the spine might've been cracked, but again, i didn't mind it at all. he started to tell me how much it would be, but as he was speaking, he pulled the book out of little plastic bag it was in, opened it, and like i thought, the spine was cracked. he stopped, looked at it, flipped through a few pages, closed it, put it back in the bag, and said "well. i didn't notice it before, but the spine is completely cracked. you can just take this one, i'll give it to you for free." all i could muster up was "o-okay." he said "your total will be $19.89" (i also bought a $2 postcard) "is that alright?" i just nodded and said "y-yeah, that's alright." at my local bookstore, $20 will only buy me one book, so to be able to walk out of there with 4 books and a postcard was incredible. oh and the owner is a cat btw tldr: super affordable, massive variety of books, vinyls, comics, & more, the couple who owns it is amazing, and the actual owner is their cat

The furthest west you can find a bookstore in America! Not just a bookstore, but gifts, in house designed stickers, used books, new books, and vinyl! Great, friendly staff, but the cat is the boss and CEO! A must stop if you are on Kauai.

Great bookstore with some nice vintage books, comics and vinyl as well. Owner was friendly and traffic was surprisingly heavy given how early in the season it is. The cat is awesome too!

Great spot in a really cute town. They have vintage books, records, CDs, tote bags, stickers and a cute cat in the store named Natalie. Highly recommend stopping in and exploring the town & shops nearby :)

This place is the coziest bookstore I've ever visited. They have a great range of new, used, and vintage books as well as vinyl, prints, comics, etc. The owner is very nice as well as Natalie the cat. If I lived in Kauai, I would try to visit here as much as possible. However, I'll have to wait until I get back!

What a charming bookstore in a charming, seemingly unspoilt Kauai town. I finished the novel I brought on vacation to Kauai, so sought out the Talk Story Bookstore for another while driving back to Poipu from Waimea Canyon. The store is in the once native Hawaiian village of Hanapepe, just a few miles southeast of the site where Captain Cook landed in 1778. It is small but has a wonderful mix of new and used fiction, nonfiction, and travel books, as well as novelty items/souvenirs. The owner was polite and helpful but unsmiling, busy watching the shoppers. I happily found a used copy of a great book, and I would recommend both the store and the town as a destination on your Kauai adventure.

Rustic well ran bookstore, reputedly the westernmost located bookstore in the world. Worth a stop for its extensive offerings of Hawaiian Books. Talk Story Bookstore was caddy corner from Bobbies where we enjoyed a rustic lunch.

They have a lot of vintage books and had a fun vibe with their Back to the Future/Dr. Wall. They also had a bunch of fun stickers, other souvenirs, and fun books like crush coloring (Jason Mamoa coloring book w him doing all kinds of hilarious stuff, like lumberjack, making food, rock climbing...). Also, got to check off "most western bookstore in the US" off our list.

Talk Story Bookstore is the westernmost bookstore in the US! (One of my friends said, "Um, is it though? Have we looked for bookstores on Guam?" I'm assuming the slogan pertains to the United States-states and not a territory...? Or maybe Guam is so far to the west, it becomes the east...) Apparently Talk Story is the only bookstore on the island of Kauai, which surprised me a little. I mean, Kauai is definitely a smaller island, but it can take hours to drive from one corner of the island to the other, so it feels significant. Talk Story in Hanapepe surely can't be the only one? But if you do a search for bookstores on Kauai, it's the only result, so. It's super cute, and while it had a good selection of new releases, I was also impressed by the number of used-good-condition books and vintage stuff for sale as well. There was a huge shelf of Kauai guidebooks and Hawaiian history books available too, though only a few gifty items. I bought the only Talk Story branded item in the store, which was a tote bag. I really wish they'd sold t-shirts or something, but I don't think there'd be room in the store. There was also a bookstore cat! Totally worth the visit.

The western-most bookstore in America. It is a treat to visit and shop here. They have used and new books and cats. Natalie is the newest member of the family. She is the boss now that Celeste has passed on the torch. I always find good local authors and stories to read. They also have a collection of comic books to browse. It's in the cutest town of Hanapepe, the street follows the river and is only 2-3 blocks long. Fridays are the art walk night. Good food to eat at a few restaurants and lots of shopping!!

When I visited Kauai for the first time at the beginning of this year, I searched for local bookshops to find Native Hawaiian reads and authors. I came across this place in Hanapepe and I've started ordering online. Great, great customer service also. Very friendly owner. So sad the store's cat passed away, but glad I was able to see him when I was there.

Lovely bookstore , with resident cat boss . Selection of current titles , vintage books in many categories . Great selection of children's books . Charming stickers , design by one of the owners . Lots of music , including vinyl .

While traveling, I always make it a point to visit a local bookstore. If possible, I find one with a great story and Talk Story may have the best narrative. It is the westernmost bookstore in the United States and the only bookstore on Kauai. It was a highlight of our visit to Hanapepe and a great way to conclude our day after hiking in the Waimea Canyon. Talk Story offers a great selection of books with a fantastic focus on Hawaii. The staff was knowledgeable and welcoming. I picked up a few books and enjoyed the time spent browsing Talk Story. If you love cats, you will appreciate Talk Story's Boss - Celeste.

Love the store. Ed is great. And beat Hawaiiana book collection. I come here every year and it is a treat!

We've made a point of visiting this little store every time we've visited Kauai. It's a real treat. It had all sorts of good local-interest books. Everyone I've encountered working there has been nice and knowledgeable.* As a newbie scuba diver, for example, I picked up a small Hawaiian fish book, the thick yellow comprehensive Hawaiian fish guide dive guides use, and a laminated Hawaiian fish guide one could bring along on a dive. (That last was probably an unnecessary purchase, since it's easier to learn all the fish on the card than to fumble with it on a dive, but I digress. We've also bought some Hawaii-themed children's books. Our child was two last time we were here, and we found some books for that age; this visit, we found some that delighted him at age four. But it's not just for visitors like us. I've browsed the store, and there's a decent variety of stuff for locals who want a popular book right away, rather than waiting for mail order. (Even Amazon Prime takes a week or more to Kauai.) If you want something today, it's worth the drive, even all the way from Hanalei. My guess is that the best thing about the store for locals is the used books business. I've seen such good stuff there that I wished I could bring things home without exceeding my baggage weight limit. (I didn't even look this visit, to avoid that frustration.) The used books are generally in better condition than in most mainland used book stores. We also have a friend who lives on Oahu (who has met up with us the last couple of times we've been on Kauai), and he likes the store too. It's not just the only book store on Kauai, and the western-most book store in the US, it's a really good little book store. * Exception: the store cat is largely indifferent to books, and not much help to customers, except to bring smiles to those who like cats.

There aren't that many bookstores in Hawaii. Talk Story Bookstore is the farthest west bookstore in the United States, out in the island of Kauai. This wonderful little independent bookstore has a great selection of new and used fiction, cookbooks, genre books, YA, comic books, and even vinyl. It's fun to see some selections that you can only find on the island. I spent a good amount of time here browsing. When I left the owner ran out to offer to take my picture in front of the store. This place is a real gem and if you're on Kauai, I hope you support this business.

Yelp 100 Challenge 90 What an unexpected find in the little town of Hanapepe! The owner is so friendly and his cat, Celeste is adorable. This bookstore has an eclectic collection of books, greeting cards and such available including many books about Hawaii. There's Hawaiian music playing overhead making browsing very pleasant. If you're in town, check it out!

Found this gem on the island of Kauai. It's a really sweet spot that has some real unique books. They have really rare finds at affordable prices, even to ship! We found a full telling of the Mahabharata in comic book style. It was beautiful so we had it shipped home.

Charming bookstore with 2 shop cats and a really kind owner. Mixture of old and hot off the press books with a fun collection of comics, vinyl, and sheet music, etc. I love this place and will return every time I come to Kauai!

Super cute book shop with lots of variety. Lovely section on Hawaii both fiction and non fiction. Owner was very friendly as well. If you like book stores you'll like it here!

We discovered this bookstore just walking around in Hanapepe. It's always cool to walk into a place when they claim things such as "The westernmost bookstore in the US". Of course, we had to buy a souvenir! The kids picked out a book that takes place in Kauai. It is a charming bookstore from the exterior to the wide selection of books inside. The lady at the cash was nice too, telling us her story of what she was doing during the flooding. She gave us some advice on places to go and where to avoid. Great little shop and definitely stop in if you're a bookworm!

This was my second time coming here, but this time I bought a few books. The woman running the store was really nice and asked us if we needed any help. I looked mostly at the Hawaiian books and classic literature. I got two Hawaiian books and one classic literature book. The prices were pretty good. The most expensive book I got was sixteen dollars. All the books were in very good condition, even the older book that I got from the classic literature shelf. My Mom also got a couple of books and my Dad got one. Behind the cash register there was a cat in a basket which was really adorable. I really love this store, it's quite the gem. We always have to come back when we visit Kauai.

A must go to. Wide selection of titles and great prices. The lovely lady working there Saturday went out of her way to help me find whatever I was looking for. Located in a very cute Hawaiian town with great shopping. Had a great day here!

I admit to being initially dubious about their organizational methods: fiction in alphabetical order, with authors separated by gender? However, as I continued to browse, their structure became more sensical and by the time I left the store I was mostly pleased by their design. In my continuing quest to read as many of the titles on the 100 Notable Books of 2008 list from the editors of the New York Times Book Review, I snagged a slightly rumpled paperback copy of American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld. I contemplated the purchase of A Mercy by Toni Morrison but ended up passing on the hardcover available. I was pleased to see three different titles on the shelf from Jhumpa Lahiri (including Unaccustomed Earth which earned a spot on the 10 Best Books of 2008 list, culled from the larger 100) but sad that I had already read them all. I had hoped to find Nothing to Be Frightened Of by Julian Barnes but could only locate his earlier work, Arthur & George. In total American Wife and the other title I chose, Girls of Riyadh by Rajaa Alsanea, cost $14; a reasonable sum, I think, for the bibliophilic pleasures they will no doubt provide.

Wow! They have an amazing selection and wonderful staff who are always willing to help you find just the perfect thing. Found stickers in a book for a grandchildren. Really enjoyed the cats and it was a spectacularly good location

This is the first Yelp review I've ever left, for anything. But, I was so stone-cold delighted and moved by my experience at Talk Story that I had to break my internet silence. This place is extraordinary--Ed has a truly unique and obsessively detailed vision, and his knowledge and joy for books & music is infectious. I told him that I liked the music that was playing--some beautiful contemporary Hawaiian slack-key guitar--and said I was interested in some vintage vinyl with a similar tone. He then looked through the store's entire Hawaiian record collection--probably 150+ titles--and pulled selects for me. Every. Single. Record. Was. Amazing. I am now obsessed with '60s and '70s Hawaiian pop music, thanks to Ed. We also picked up a 2nd edition copy of Philip Roth's Portnoy's Complaint, so that was cool too. Go to Talk Story! It is a perfect place!

The Western Most Independent Bookstore of the United States I love bookstores, regardless of where I might find them. In this case, the Talk Story Bookstore is located on the main street in Hanapepe, in the old Yoshiura store. The outside of the store has big windows full of books, and that's just the beginning. Book organization seemed to be a bit random, which pretty much matches my browsing style. I paid particular attention to books featuring local sights and authors, of which there's a really good selection. Other books were old and new (and borrowed and blue?). The folks here were also very nice, welcoming, and helpful.

We've wandered though Talk Story Bookstore before, several years ago. My memory is that it was across the street, but the nice woman behind the counter didn't think so. I remember an extensive selection of greeting cards as well as books. Those are still here, as is a kitty in a basket behind the counter. Every bookstore should have one. There are used books and new. Alan bought a used one. There are funny books, like books about farts and books about/for Jewish Buddhists. It's the westernmost bookstore in the US, it's independent and it's cool.

A wonderful variety of new and used books! I could have spent way more time there. A very fun treasure hunt!

We drove over an hour to check out this bookstore. When we arrived most of us had to use the restroom. We asked the owner if we could use the restroom and he said sure but make sure we closed the lid. I guess they have a problem with rats or something. While we were back there the owners wife asked what we were doing back there and we told her that we were waiting to use the restroom. She replied all of you? Then she rudely asked if we were buying any books? I just ignored her because my back teeth were floating. Again, I'm not sure why all 10 of us drove all the way out there. My dad and sister bought a current book that they could have bought at costco for a lot less but I an all in favor of supporting local businesses. At least at costco I wouldn't have to get permission to use the restroom. The owner was really nice and friendly and helpful. His wife, not so much.

Only bookstore on the island. Has an eclectic selection of reading materials. Has a resident cat! They offer water for those of you who can't otherwise be torn from your browsing. This was a gentle haven to step into, and a rich participant in the creative, artistic tapestry of Hanapepe. We bought a number of books. Thank you, Talk Story!

Excellent and I mean excellent customer service. Lots of local authors and are quick to get you any title you wish. The staff went out of their way to help me. Everyone needs to visit this store

Love this bookstore - the westernmost bookstore in the US. The selection is engaging and the owner is awesome!

The only bookstore in all of Kauai. Amazing that their is only one. But it was a lot of fun to peruse the shelves to find so many books from authors I'm familiar with and quite a few I'm not. I also love the massive single comics section. Quite a few from long ago I remember reading were on the shelf. I wish my suitcase was bigger...