The Wandering Shelf is a mobile bookstore located in Arlington, VA that is owned and operated by Tessa Cannon.

Our mission is to create a welcoming space where our community can explore new ideas, discover inspiring stories, and connect through our shared love of books. We offer a curation of cozy, fantastical, and impactful reads, cultivating an inclusive environment where readers of all backgrounds can learn, grow, and feel at home.

We are:

Hyper Local: Arlington Virginia is our home and we love it! We curate our selection of books for our neighborhoods and pour into local small businesses, charities, and communities here.

Wildly Passionate: We started The Wandering Shelf with the intention to inspire change in our community. Books are magical and their stories can spark readers to change the world. We strive to advocate for the needs of others and lift up their voices. We are in the business of standing up for the rights of others!

Always Learning: We are professional mistake makers, but we are lifelong learners. We inspire change, which means we learn from our mistakes without shame. We are confident we will continue to make mistakes, but we hope to spend our years learning and growing alongside our Arlington Community

Who We Are

Our Story

Coming soon!

FAQs

  • What is a Mobile Bookstore?

    • We are a bookstore on wheels! Our store is built within a Ram Promaster van and you can walk up the stairs and actually shop inside of it!

  • What types of books do you sell?

    • We sell new and used books within the genres of cozy, fantastical, and impactful! Our books are primarily for adult/young adult audiences, however we do have a few options for kids.

  • Where do you get your books?

    • We work with publishers for new books and our used books are acquired through donations or used book sales (we do not buy from thrift stores or take from little free libraries)

  • What is your return policy?

    • We have a 24 hour notice return policy. If you buy a book and change your mind or notice the book is defected, you have 24 hours to notify us (via email or instagram) and we will coordinate a pick up and refund

  • Can I request a book and have you order it?

    • Of course! We can usually accommodate most orders, just ask!

  • How do I know where you will be and when you are open?

    • We are currently only open on select days in select locations, you can find our weekly schedule on on our instagram or website

  • Do you close for bad weather?

    • Yes, we currently close when it’s raining or below 20 degrees

  • Can I buy your books online?

  • Do you take cash?

    • Yes! We also accept card and any tap to pay (including apple pay)

  • Is the van wheelchair accessible?

    • We are still working on a permit friendly ramp - I sincerely apologize for this delay, I am hoping we will find a solution ASAP!

  • Can anyone go inside the van?

    • Everyone should duck their head when entering the van (peep the caution signs), once in the van, there is a rough 6'1 clearance

    • All minors must be accompanied by an adult

    • Dogs are welcomed too!

  • Do you take donations?

Have a question that is not listed? Contact Us!