Spivey’s Books

Well, I don’t know if the e-​book did it in, but Spivey’s is closing, I heard. Hopefully someone will buy up everything and keep it in the same building and keep selling the stuff, but probably not. Time will tell. In the meantime, you can tell your friends that you knew of a place like Spivey’s…

This is an evil, evil place. I am fascinated by the printed word, among other things. It’s a small bookstore that also has tons of prints and old maps, which are just hard to find. I fancy myself a fledgling collector of first editions and classic children’s books, and well, I found a place I want to visit frequently, or at least the next time I’m anywhere near Kansas City. They had an odd assortment of books from all different eras, a few that were autographed, and so many lovely prints! I was able to find quite a few books that really struck my fancy, and then had to pare it down to what I could carry and afford to take home. It’s a very nice problem to have when travelling. For a book or American map collector that wonders where to look when they think it’s too hard to find, I recommend trying Spivey’s before giving up.

This is the best bookstore in Kansas City.
It’s in Westport, in a quasi-​sketchy area, so you have to be buzzed in and you automatically feel awkward when you walk in. The first two things you will see is that the place is extremely messy and the help judging you. If you’re a literary nerd, you’ll be used to embarrassment and disorganization quickly.
The two best things about this store are that it’s like walking into a museum with thousand-​dollar items for sale and that you can slink off through the labyrinth to browse. I have never been asked for help (i.e. pressured into buying something) at this store. You can easily get lost in this store. The store’s size is on par with the Strand for floorspace.
In addition to books, Spivey’s (pronounced like chive) sells maps, autographs and other knick-​knacks.
I love this place and I feel lucky to have it in KC.
I have seen various cats and dogs in the store. Usually they’re in the basement.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again– I love bookstores. They are one of my most absolute favorite places to be on the entire planet. The name, Spivey’s, even has a whimsical tone to it, and that combined with the old building it was housed in, beckoned me in.
Being a fledgling antiquarian book collector myself, I can fully appreciate Spivey’s and all it has to offer. I could spend hours and hours pouring over the 1000s of books, maps, and antiques. Words just can’t explain how I feel to see or touch a book that is 100 years or more old, as if you are connected with its prior owner who loved it just as much as you did. I think Spivey’s fully encompasses that feeling.
If you have a book or map collector in your life, or if you are one yourself, then this is a must-​stop.

I was a little intimidated when I first went into Spiveys. It was so massive and cool and different.
I loved looking at the pictures and altough maps do not necessrily excite me – I once dated a topographer – they were impressive even to the novice eye. I spent over an hour looking through the books. I collect books and it was such a cool store. I agree wtih Scott D that there is nothing corporate about Spiveys and that in itself is über-​refreshing.
Spiveys is not a store you go to to just «pick something up». It is as much a destination spot as well as cultural entity rather than simply a retail establishment.
I will be back for more and suggest anyone and everyone – book worm, map nerd, jazz lover – or not check it out!

Yeah, Spivey’s is pretty cool, –a museum as much as anything. I’ved never seen anything like it for maps, vintage photos of Kansas City history, and vintage posters, some of which are huge. You know the moment you enter that it wasn’t developed by a corporation and the august Mr. Spivey never ran anything by a focus group or did market research.