With More Than 200,000 Titles, Big Chicken Barn Books is a Must For Maine Booklovers

When most people think of things to do in Maine, the first few that come to mind are usually outdoor activities such as hiking, swimming, and sailing. However, Maine is also a haven for booklovers and thrifters—and my favorite example is Maine’s largest bookstore: Big Chicken Barn Books in Ellsworth, along the coast.

One of the things I like best about this bookstore is how quintessentially Maine it is. A family-owned and run business established in 1986 by Annegret and Michael Cukierski, their son, Chad, would eventually run the operation in 2001. What started out as a part-time hobby for the Cukierskis is now an ode to the printed word that’s open seven days a week, closed only on New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

I could spend days wandering this 21,600-square-foot cavernous space, exploring more than 200,000 books and magazines while sipping the coffee, tea, or hot chocolate the Cukierskis so kindly offer for free. Biographies, cookbooks, coffee table books, gardening books, graphic novels, textbooks—any bookworm or devoted hobbyist will surely find a title to tickle their imagination. I also always make a point to peruse a small portion of their more than 50,000 vintage magazines from more than 100 different publications that span from the 1850s to the 2000s.

Their 150,000 rare book collection is truly astounding, as it includes some amazing finds, such as deckled limited editions, leather-bound classics, autographed editions, translations, and even hand-set tomes printed on handmade paper. If you’re hunting for a rare, out-of-print book, there’s a strong chance Big Chicken Barn Books is where you’ll find it.

The bookstore’s specialty is titles about Maine and books by local authors. In fact, there’s an entire Maine Book Room on the first floor near the stairs that holds works by writers like Louise Dickinson Rich and Stephen King, as well as books on local artists such as Andrew Wyeth and Frances Kornbluth. Browse Maine Civil War regimentals, town histories, and even antique county atlases and learn more about the state’s fascinating and often wild past.

You can break up your book shopping with a visit to the antiques floor, where you’ll find home goods from furniture to clocks to cookware; personal items like vintage clothing, jewelry, and hats; and technology from days gone by like rotary phones, vintage radios, and typewriters. Both casual thrifters and seasoned collectors will find themselves quickly engrossed in the thousands of items that make unique gifts and conversation pieces.

If you’re looking for a more contemporary collection, there’s BookStacks on Main Street in Bucksport—just a 15-minute drive east. Established in 1997, founder Andrew Lacher moved to Maine after reading Helen and Scott Nearing’s The Good Life and Louise Dickinson Rich’s We Took to the Woods, so it should be no surprise that BookStacks also boasts a Maine-dedicated section. Moreover, they carry over 5,000 new titles (latest additions to their inventory are released on Tuesdays), and more than 1,000 periodicals. You can further unwind among the stacks by sipping a cup of coffee or a glass from their global selection of wine for sale. 

Is Big Chicken Barn Books now on your bucket list of must-visit bookstores? Planning a trip to the Maine coast and thinking of adding BookStacks to your itinerary? Be sure to bookmark this article and share it with your fellow bibliophiles!