Kachemak Bay Books

Kachemak Bay Books sits on Pioneer Avenue in Homer, the little town at the end of the Sterling Highway where the Kenai Peninsula tapers to a long gravel spit reaching into one of the most beautiful bays in the world. The store was founded by a collective of artists and writers who wanted to create a space that reflected Homer's identity as a haven for creative souls drawn to the edge of the continent. The art and photography section is stunning, featuring oversized volumes of Alaska landscape photography, catalogs from the Pratt Museum, and monographs on the painters and sculptors who have made Homer their home. The natural history shelves cover everything from the marine biology of Kachemak Bay to the glaciology of the Harding Icefield, and the Alaska wilderness writing section includes memoirs of homesteaders, fishermen, and modern-day adventurers. A small cafe serves espresso and homemade baked goods, and the walls rotate exhibitions of work by local artists. The store hosts a beloved summer reading series on the back patio, where audiences listen to authors read against the backdrop of the bay and the Kenai Mountains.