The Independent Bookstore That Fills Downtown Bethesda’s Biggest Gap
Downtown Bethesda lost its last bookstore in January 2018.
Barnes & Noble, a three-story neighborhood fixture for over two decades closed its doors, and Anthropologie moved in that fall. Amazon Books came and went by 2022. For six years, residents and the reading community had nowhere local to browse.
Wonderland Books, on Norfolk Avenue, changes that.
Co-owners Amy Joyce and Gayle Weiswasser opened the doors in late 2024, and since then, have been hosting events like in-store author signings, readings, and a monthly book club.
The bookstore is also bigger than it may look from the street. Upon entering, you’ll find shelves lined with clearly labeled sections for Fiction, Mystery & Thriller, Sci-Fi, and more genres, so you can go straight to what you’re looking for. You’ll also find puzzles, board games, gifts, and a kids’ section with picture books and small toys.
Just a few blocks from the Bethesda metro, it fits neatly into the Woodmont Triangle landscape, ideal for a slow browse on a sunny day, and right on the path of Bethesda’s annual events along Norfolk Ave.
Wonderland Books joins our list of small businesses we hope the community will keep supporting, especially now, when third spaces feel more important than ever!
