Port Bookshop

Port Bookshop has occupied a prime corner of Kennebunkport's beloved Dock Square since 2001, its elegant blue-and-white storefront beckoning visitors into a thoughtfully curated world of books. The store's philosophy is that a smaller, hand-picked inventory serves readers better than overwhelming volume, and every title on its shelves has been chosen with intention by the knowledgeable staff. The literary fiction section skews toward atmospheric, character-driven novels that pair well with the rhythm of seaside life, while the coastal living and design section celebrates the aesthetic of the Maine shore. A seasonal cafe in the store's sunlit back room serves iced lavender lattes in summer and spiced chai in winter, accompanied by pastries from a nearby bakery. Port Bookshop's annual summer reading list, published each June, has become something of a local tradition, with vacationers and residents alike treating it as an essential guide to the season's best new books.