About Us
Our Story
The Islander Bookshop opened in November 2019 in a small space on Mill Bay Road, founded by Melissa Haffeman with the idea that Kodiak deserved a bookstore that felt welcoming, thoughtful, and rooted in the community.
A few years later in November 2023, the shop moved into its current 3,000 square foot home in the Marketplace Building, and Kate joined the team during the move. In 2025, she took over ownership and has continued growing the shop into the community space it is today.
We stock new and used books, a hefty Alaska section, titles by local authors, gifts from local makers, and whatever everyone on the island is currently obsessed with reading. If we don’t have a book, we’ll gladly track it down and special order it for you.
More than anything, we want the shop to feel like a true third space — somewhere to browse, linger, talk books, and connect with your community.
Kodiak has a rich independent bookstore history, and we’re proud to be part of its next chapter.