If your interest is aviation, maritime, railroad or Civil War visiting Black Swan is a must. The store also has a great selection of books on Kentucky. The books on sale are in excellent condition at a fair price. I never visit without purchasing one or two books.

Brick and mortar (as opposed to internet only) antiquarian bookstores are getting rarer and rarer. This is perhaps one of the better ones around. We've visited it a few times on trips to the Lexington area and always find some good and reasonably priced books - it is clear the dealer has a good stock that he appears to be refreshing with new acquisitions (a lot of these bookstores seem to be treading water, not investing in adding new books so all you see visit after visit are the same tired books). He also keeps some new small run local history books, usually signed, sitting on the table next to the door. While most sections of the store are pretty well organized, others are a bit harder to fathom, but that's half the fun. Overall the shop is kept very clear, well lit, and inviting - not always trademarks of used bookstores. The building itself is pretty interesting - probably dates back to the last turn of the century. The dealer himself is a real hoot, knowledgeable about the business with a quirky sense of humor, it's worth the stop just to engage with him for a few minutes - good for a chuckle every time. We have yet to walk away without an armful of books and have no doubt that we'll do the same the next time we stop by.

Black Swan houses an amazing selection of books...rare, used and new. Mr. Courtney has an in-depth knowledge of Kentucky writers (all writers, really). Worth a visit. Nice selection of Wendell Berry books, poetry, etc.

Worth going out of your way if not to far. Plenty of books to look at. The owner is an item in his self. Knowledgeable on more book subjects than most store owners. Near KU campus.

This shop, located on the Woodland Triangle, is unassuming from the outside, but step through the door and you'll be amazed at the size of the collection. I stopped in on a walking tour of the neighborhood and was so glad that I did.It's mostly rare and used books, but prices are reasonable and the place is clean and well-organized. Be sure to chat with the shopkeeper; he's been selling books here for over thirty years and can tell some great stories about the history of the neighborhood.