The Old Algonquin Bookstore, owned by John and Helen Dunning, opened for business in east Denver June 1, 1984. The store dealt in books ranging from the cheap and recently out-of-print to unusual and scarce items. It joined another bookstore that had been in the block for several years, and soon a third, then a fourth, opened for business. For a time that block between 5900 and 6000 East Colfax Avenue was a lively book community.  Denver and surrounding areas still have a number of independent used book stores, several of which are on South Broadway.

The publication of John’s fifth novel, Booked to Die, demanded a new commitment to writing, so the store closed in June 1994 but has continued on the internet as Old Algonquin Books. The stock reflects the same tastes and interests as the open shop had–a great variety of books, many cheap and recently out-of-print, some still in print, some scarce and long out-of-print, a few somewhat pricey, but most, we hope, having the main characteristics we looked for in the store: is it interesting, is it useful, is it in very good or better condition? The books are mostly first editions, and unless noted otherwise, this also means first printing.

Founding member of the Rocky Mountain Antiquarian Booksellers Association RMABA.