You’ll Fall In Love With This Quiet Arizona Town That Has More Books Than People
The small town of Benson, Arizona has a population of less than 5,000. Although that number seems small when we’re referring to people, it’s an astronomical amount when referring to books. Still, this little-known bookstore easily surpasses such a collection and is stacked floor-to-ceiling with long-forgotten novels whose dusty pages long to be caressed by the gentle hands of book lovers.
At the end of this lonely dirt road in the rural San Pedro Valley is a working cattle ranch known as Singing Wind.
It's here that one of Arizona's oldest bookstores has been hiding for over 40 years.
Winifred Bundy and her husband acquired the ranch in 1956 and nearly 20 years and one Master's degree in Library Sciences later, the bookstore opened its doors.
Unfortunately Winn Bundy passed away in 2020, leaving shop operations up in the air as COVID precautions forced its closure for several months. Thankfully, it has reopened since, though customers are asked to call ahead and make an appointment before arrival.
An impressive collection of fiction and non-fiction novels pays homage to all aspects of the American Southwest.
To reach the shop, take Interstate 10 past Tucson to Benson. Exit at mile marker 304, then head north on Octillo Road for about two miles. From there, turn right on Singing Wind Road and follow it for a half-mile to reach the parking lot.
Singing Wind Bookshop is currently open by appointment only. Please call 520-586-2425 for details.
Check out this video shared by Arizona Public Media on YouTube for a virtual tour of the shop:
Have you ever been to Singing Wind Bookshop? Are there any other little-known bookstores in Arizona worth checking out? Let us know your favorites!
Katie Lawrence is a Southeast Texas native who graduated 18th in her high school class with a GPA of 4.25. She attended college in the Houston area and changed her major twice (psychology, computer science, and finally criminal justice) before taking a leap of faith and dropping out to pursue a career in freelance writing.
Today, Katie writes for the Texas and Arizona pages of OnlyInYourState.com and has never been more passionate about a job before. Outside of work, you can likely find her curled up on the sofa with a hot cup of coffee, watching a crime TV show or scary movie.
