How to Support Independent Kitchenware and Cookbook Stores Right Now

Due to health precautions, both for their own teams and the safety of their customers, small businesses across the country have made the decision to close their doors. While this is ultimately in service of the community, the shutdowns mean significant loss of revenue, which can have lasting repercussions. To ensure that our favorite places will be able to open again once it's safe to do so, it's important to support them now—however we can.

The Epicurious team rounded up some of our favorite places across the country to shop—in particular, stores for kitchen goods and cookbooks—and the inventive new ways they've come up with to do business safely. Support a shop near you, or take advantage of shipping opportunities where applicable to bolster a favorite store somewhere else in the US. Things are changing every day, so be sure to check websites and social media accounts for the most up to date information.

Kitchenware stores

Cooking at home more means we're getting a lot of mileage out of our favorite tools and supplies. If you need to re-up on pre-cut parchment paper for baking or are on the hunt for a new silicone spatula, consider supporting a local kitchenware store through one of their new shopping policies, either online or in-person for curbside pick up.

Peppercorn • Boulder, CO

Cookware boutique Peppercorn has been serving the Boulder community for over 35 years. Though its doors are currently closed, customers can shop for specific products and gift cards on the store's website and via email; local delivery is free.

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Toiro • Los Angeles, CA

The LA home of all things donabe, Toiro is equal parts store, event space, and culinary classroom. While the West Hollywood shop is currently closed and the shipment of online orders is operating on a delay, you can still buy beautiful Japanese cookware for the website—or a gift card for later use.

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Whisk • Brooklyn, NY

Whisk is a beloved neighborhood kitchen supply store, stocking tools and appliances for the novice home cook and professional chef alike. Support the shop by purchasing bakeware, cookware, or tabletop products from their website, or ordering online or over the phone for curbside pickup.

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Kitchen Kaboodle • Portland, OR

Kitchen Kaboodle has been a PDX favorite for over 45 years, thanks to its stock of a serious selection of tools, appliances, and serving ware. The store highlights one item, and all of its uses, on their website in a "Gadget of the Month" feature. Shop online for shipping or, if you're local, call for same-day curbside pickup.

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Stock Culinary Goods • Providence, RI

Stock is a cheerful and welcoming shop located in Providence, with wide selection of kitchen supplies and specialty ingredients. Now, some items (including gift cards) are available for purchase online, but if you're local, take advantage of their grocery and tool pick-up program: Owner Jan Faust Dane is running the show as a one-woman operation, taking safety precautions very seriously.

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Ettiene Market • Dallas, TX

Named the Best Kitchen Accessory Store in Dallas by D Magazine, Ettiene Market is beloved as much for its collection of specialty spices and beautiful tools as its spunky owner, Coryanne. Shop online and receive free shipping for orders over $35, or call or DM for curbside pickup.

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The Cook's Warehouse • Atlanta, GA

The Cook's Warehouse is a large kitchen and bakeware store that also offers a variety of cooking classes. The shop's website is expansive and well-stocked, so shop online for free shipping over $49; if you live nearby, you can also Facetime with an employee who will do your shopping for you, then bring your order directly to your car.

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Kitchen Collage • Des Moines, IA

Kitchen Collage prides itself on offering a true collage of cookware and kitchen items, "from classic to quirky, practical to eccentric, from elegant to waggish." Though the store is currently closed, a few featured items are available for sale on their website—including gift certificates—and on-the-phone and Facetime shopping is an option as well, for curbside pickup, local delivery, or shipped to your door.

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Salt & Sundry • Washington DC

For good looking ceramics, tabletop linens, barware, and giftable pantry items, Salt & Sundry is the place to shop in Washington DC. To support the store during this time, shop online, buy a gift card for future use, or participate in their Goods to Go Hours: During specified times (check their Instagram for details) you can shop over the phone and have your purchase available for contact-free pick up.

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The Kitchen • Nashville, TN

The Kitchen stocks a ton of bake- and cookware as well as specialty pantry items, and they're currently adding new items to their online shop every day. Get your purchases shipped directly to your door, opt for free local delivery, or arrange a curbside pick-up time.

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Bookstores

Whether they're cookbook-centric or just an independent shop with a serious cookbook selection, these stores are some of our favorites. Support them through the means listed below, or by donating to BINC, the Book Industry Charitable Foundation, whose COVID fund directly supports booksellers affected by the pandemic, "with serious medical expenses, eviction prevention, funeral expenses, disaster assistance, domestic violence survival, utility shut-off prevention, unexpected loss of household income, and more."

Now Serving • Los Angeles, CA

Now Serving is LA's only cookbook shop, and it's so well-stocked that the city hardly needs another. Find all the latest titles, older favorites, and a small collection of kitchen items as well. To support the store, shop online (media mail shipping is free and priority shipping just $8, and curbside pick-up is available). Also, follow Now Serving on Instagram to keep up with their author talks, now totally virtual through Zoom.

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Archestratus • Brooklyn, NY

Archestratus is a Brooklyn favorite, a "food interest bookstore" that also functions as a cafe and event space. While the shop's doors are closed, their online store is open, featuring thousands of books, specialty pantry items, gift cards, and totes. If you're local, follow them on Instagram as well to keep abreast of their weekly curb sales, which involve paying in advance for produce boxes, artisanal bread, and more.

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Omnivore Books on Food • San Francisco, CA

The Bay Area's beloved culinary bookshop, Omnivore, stocks new releases, limited edition titles, and out of print favorites. Their website has tons of new, vintage, and signed books to purchase, as well as gift certificates, and even features a "Quaratine Quenchers" section, a curated list of books well-suited for the moment.

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Stir • Boston, MA

Part cookbook store and part demonstration kitchen, Stir is the brainchild of chef and owner Barbara Lynch, who also heads up a few restaurants and bars across the city. Buy a gift certificate online to support the group during this time; they can be redeemed at Stir or any of the other locations.

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Book Larder • Seattle, WA

Book Larder is Seattle's "community cookbook store," known just as much for its wide selection as the events, classes, and discussions that it hosts. While the doors are currently closed, online shopping is up and running, with free shipping to boot. You can also email the shop to set up a Facetime date for a guided virtual shopping trip.

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Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks • New York, NY

Bonnie Slotnick is a New York icon, and her cookbook store holds the same esteem. While she does stock some newer titles, the store's focus is on vintage, out-of-print, and hard-to-find cookbooks and books on food, making it a collector's and researcher's heaven. Slotnick is currently accessible by phone or email for virtual shopping; per her website, she's "happy to put books in the mail to you or deliver them locally on [her] bike."

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Tattered Cover • Denver, CO

Tattered Cover has been serving the Denver area for over 40 years. All four of its locations are currently closed, but by shopping online, you'll receive free shipping on any order over $10. Check out their live-streamed author events and cookbook of the month as well!

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BookPeople • Austin, TX

This year marks BookPeople's 50th in Austin; the beloved bookstore is the largest in the state of Texas, and a favorite for locals and visitors alike. Currently it is fulfilling online orders through a third-party partner, where 30 percent of all sales go back to BookPeople. You can also buy a gift card to redeem in the store once they're open again.

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Women and Children First • Chicago, IL

Women and Children First is a Chicago icon. It's one of the largest feminist bookstores in the country, priding itself on its vast collection of "books by and about women, children's books, and the best LGBTQIA+ literature." The shop is currently operating only online; buy through the website to have books shipped straight to you, and follow WCF on social media for more information about upcoming virtual author events.

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Point Reyes Books • CA

Point Reyes Books originally opened in the town's historic Emporium building in 1969 and has been a fixture in the community ever since. To support the store now, order books online or consider donating to their Book Angels Fund, a program that provides books to children in West Marin through local schools and libraries and West Marin Community Services. While the program usually runs just during the holiday season, they reopened it due to recent school and public library closures; Point Reyes Books is covering 20 percent of book costs and distributing books safely through the school lunch program.

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Kramerbooks • Washington DC

Even before COVID-19, Kramerbooks, a favorite independent shop and cafe in DC, has been delivering books through Postmates; if you live locally, call or email to have any title in the store—or a piece of company merch—delivered to your door.

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Green Apple Books • San Francisco, CA

Famed San Francisco bookshop Green Apple had to temporarily close its doors, but the online shop is fully operational. Buy books, gift cards, and topical "Stay Home, Read Books" merch to help keep the store afloat. Also, check out their social media pages for curated suggested reading lists.

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Books and Books • Miami, FL

All of the Books and Books locations are currently closed, but their online shop is fully stocked, with books, e-books, audiobooks, signed titles, and order books and gift cards. All purchases include nation-wide free shipping.

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Greenlight Bookstore • Brooklyn, NY

A neighborhood favorite with two locations in Brooklyn, Greenlight has an enviable cookbook selection and hosts many readings and author discussions throughout the year. To support, order books or online gift codes through their website (any purchase of over $100 qualifies for free shipping), or sign up to participate in an author event or story time via ZOOM.

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Powell's Books • Portland, OR

Not called the "World's Largest Independent Bookstore" for nothing, Powell's is a Portland favorite and a destination in its own right. New and used books (as well as gift certificates) are available for sale on the website, with free shipping (with a slight delay due to safe-distancing measures) for sales over $25.

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Originally Appeared on Epicurious