Old Firehouse Books

Northern Colorado’s Largest Independent Bookstore
Named after the historic building we call home, Old Firehouse Books is a local, independent bookstore in Fort Collins, Colorado. We sell new and used books and many other items such as cards, t-shirts, and bookish gifts. We strive to maintain a large and diverse selection of books on our shelves, with everything from fiction to nonfiction to children’s books. You can browse online and if there is a book we don’t have that you want, let us know and we can almost certainly order it at no extra cost to you. If you are excited about a book that’s not out yet, you can pre-order two or more weeks before its release date, and you’ll save 15%!

Our staff is friendly and well-read. Collectively, we have knowledge of a vast array of genres, including science fiction, fantasy, mystery, young adult, graphic novels, and various non-fiction subjects. We love books, and we love to help you pick the perfect one.

We take pride in being a part of both the Fort Collins community and the independent bookselling community. We are members of the Better Business Bureau, Mountains and Plains Independent Booksellers Association, American Booksellers Association, IndieBound, and Be Local Northern Colorado. Our store regularly partners with other Fort Collins organizations and businesses to provide the best service we can to our patrons.

Store History
Old Firehouse Books began its life as the Book Rack of Fort Collins, started in 1980 by Bill Hawk. It was a used paperback store, built on trading books. Over time, Bill’s wife, Maggie, and their daughter Marta joined the store. The store grew over twenty years, always carrying one of the finest collections of used titles in Fort Collins. In 2001, the store sold to Susie Wilmer and Dick Sommerfeld, long time Book Rack owners in Cheyenne and Greeley. The present owners increased the used stock and began ordering new books. The store moved to 1801 S. College in the spring of 2002, thanks to many hours of work by staff and volunteers. Even with all the changes, the store has never lost sight of Bill Hawk’s goal to have lots of fun while selling books in Northern Colorado. The ultimate mission is creating a local store that reflects Fort Collins’ unique lifestyle. In 2009, the store moved into the old historic firehouse, a Fort Collins landmark. In honor of the building in which the store is now located, the name was changed to Old Firehouse Books. With more space, the store is better able to hold author signings, book club meetings, and other community events.

PreK-12 Teacher Discount
Old Firehouse Books is excited to announce they will now be offering a teacher discount to anyone at a K-12 school! Next time you’re in our store shopping for items for you classroom, just present a valid school ID and receive 20% off each classroom item. The teacher discount cannot be paired with Trade Credit or other store discounts, and used books are exempt. This discount does not apply to personal items being purchased.

CSU and FRCC Student and Staff Discount
We know students and teachers don’t always have a lot of extra cash, so we are happy to help out by offering a 15% discount to CSU and Front Range Community College students and staff with a valid school ID! The student discount cannot be paired with Trade Credit or other store discounts, and used books are exempt.