With frosty weather back in Cleveland for the foreseeable future, it’s easy to retreat indoors and snuggle up. We suggest a tweak to that plan—head to an independent bookstore in Cleveland, grab a book, and then make haste back to your couch to get lost in a fictional world (or your genre of choice). If you made a resolution to read more this year, but you’re not sure where to start, check out The Daily on Thursdays in January—we’ll take you on a tour of local bookstores that you can support.
Our Cleveland bookstore series comes to a close in the heart of an eclectic neighborhood on the city’s near west side. Visible Voice Books, located on Professor Avenue in Tremont, offers a relaxed, inviting environment its owners have designed to be conducive to discovery—where quality takes precedence over quantity.
The independent bookstore has titles that cover a variety of genres and perspectives—from bestsellers to original, offbeat and commercially marginalized reads. The store’s specialties include fiction, modern poetry, beat and counterculture writing, insightful journalism, political commentary, history, collectible art and music books, graphic novels and young adult and kids’ books. Visible Voice also carries literary gifts as well as Cleveland-made merchandise, and they host a plethora of events, from author talks to musical performances in its café.
Fun Fact
Visible Voice is housed in the same building as Crust, an artisan pizzeria, and Proof, a craft barbeque joint. Why not grab yourself a hand-tossed pie or some smoked brisket after you find the perfect book? And, in the summer, check out their outdoor patios.
Café
Enjoy an oversized mug of coffee or tea in the Visible Voice café—or savor a double chocolate brownie while browsing the shelves. Visible Voice brews Gimme! Coffee, an award-winning, socially conscious upstate New York roaster. They also feature Cleveland’s own Duck Rabbit Coffee, in addition to Metolius Tea, which sources local and organic ingredients for tea blends crafted in Oregon.
Looking for something sweet? They also serve baked goods from Alesci’s, including muffins, banana bread, cookies, cake pops and brownies.
Book Recommendations
If you’re someone who prefers recommendations as opposed to endless browsing, check out some of the staff picks:
- Finding the Mother Tree by Suzanne Simard
- Matrix by Lauren Groff
- The World’s Fastest Man by Michael Kranish
Visit Visible Voice Books
Ready to visit Visible Voice Books? It’s located at 2258 Professor Ave. in Tremont, just a 12-minute drive from Case Western Reserve University. The store is open Thursday through Sunday for regular browsing, and Tuesday and Wednesday by reservation only. Find out more on Visible Voice’s Facebook page.