Paperbacks Ink – Newport News’ Oldest New and Used Book Store

If you are a book lover, you most likely know about Paperbacks Ink in the Hilton Shopping Center. If you don’t know about this book store, read on and make plans to explore!

Paperbacks Ink, located at 9716 Warwick Boulevard, is the city’s oldest new and used book store. This unique store carries mostly used books and you can quickly get lost exploring their many genres of books.

Mary Wood Bullard opened the store in 1981 as “The Book Rack” and, two years later, changed the name to Paperbacks Ink. The business is now owned and operated by Tara Brandt. Ms. Brandt and her husband’s love of reading and their passion for physical, paper books led her to be inspired to take a leap and purchase the store in February 2020. When Ms. Brandt bought the business, she had no idea that the nation and world were getting ready to dramatically change due to COVID-19. During the pandemic, the store was fortunate to receive many donated books from people who were “quarantine cleaning.” Those donations helped keep Paperbacks Ink open and the shelves stocked.

The store has over 40,000 new and used books for sale. It has a small selection of newly released books and other new releases can be ordered upon request. In addition to a diverse array of books, Paperbacks Ink hosts a monthly craft night, frequent book signings with local authors, a book club and a writers group.

Within the store, a charming coffee shop, Kaffee Kultur, serves gourmet local coffees, teas and cookies. All of their products are purchased locally and their knowledgeable staff is mostly comprised of veterans and military spouses with a passion for all genres of literature.

Ms. Brandt plans to continue to grow Paperbacks Ink by expanding their selections and increasing their activity offerings. Next year they will take their current craft night to the next level by launching take and make options, allowing customers to enjoy activities at company functions, team fundraisers, restaurants and more. Ms. Brandt is committed to serving the community, especially local children, and is already planning the store’s annual school-age summer reading program.

To learn more about the business, visit their website at paperbacksink.com or stop and shop at 9716 Warwick Boulevard.