The verdict
Before the long version
Go if
you are a serious reader, a browser who wants to wander out of your usual genre, or anyone hunting for something rare, and give yourself an afternoon; it was quiet on the Sunday we went, and there is room for a crowd.
Go elsewhere if
you want a cafe with your books, a comfortable seat you can count on, or step-free access to every floor from inside the shop.
01 / The visit
What it felt like
Weller Book Works is the kind of bookshop you lose an afternoon in on purpose. It sits in Trolley Square in Salt Lake City, it has been around, as one of our reviewers pointed out, for ninety years, and it stacks new, used and rare books floor to ceiling under high ceilings and good light. One reviewer called it an infinite library. Another called it a bookstore with a brain.
Eighty-one out of a hundred. Outstanding. Four reviewers, twenty criteria each, and totals from 74 to 92. They agreed about the books and the building, and they parted ways over the people.
Selection and Curation is the top category at 23 out of 25, and it is why you go. Breadth and local authors both scored 4.75, and staff picks, rare finds and special collections all scored 4.5. New and used books share the shelves, modern titles sit beside classics and unique finds, and the history and art sections are large enough that one reviewer listed them as the surprise of the visit. The rare and special editions are, in one reviewer’s words, fun to look through, even when you are not buying. The mythology section is a little gem: one reviewer was surprised by how far it went and left with Star Stories: The Myths Written in the Skies by Anthony Aveni. And if the book you want is not on the shelf, they will find it for you. There is even a one-dollar section, which means nobody has to leave without a book.
Atmosphere and Design comes in at 21.5, and architectural interest is the only criterion all four reviewers scored a perfect five. The room is the draw. One reviewer described an underground vibe, but in the light: high ceilings, great lighting, clean but rustic, and of course the smell of books. Another said it felt like riding a historic trolley in San Francisco, except it is a bookstore. It is calm and quiet, close to a library in feel, and every reviewer who described it wanted to wander. Photography potential scored 4.5 and overall comfort 4.25. Reading spaces scored 3.75, and that is the gap our reviewers noticed most: there are chairs, but not enough of them, and the changes two reviewers asked for were more seating and a cup of tea or coffee. For the people who run it, one reviewer had a thought worth taking: the storefront and displays could be livelier, because the inventory to fill them is already there.
Community Connection scores 18, and it is where the panel split. Cultural significance and neighbourhood integration both scored 4. The walls carry fliers and posters for local events, local authors and special-interest groups, from an adult book fair to LGBTQ+ support groups, and one reviewer called Weller the heart of the shopping centre it lives in. On staff, the reviewers met different shops. One found them around but not especially chatty. Another found exactly the opposite: whatever your question, and however rare the book, there is someone here who can help.
Practical Considerations comes to 18.5. Hours scored 4.5 and parking 4.25; our reviewers found a spot easily, though it gets tricky when Trolley Square is busy, and transit is an option. Accessibility scored 4. The main floor is ADA friendly, with wide aisles that suit wheelchairs and strollers, but there are tight corners, and reaching the upstairs means leaving the shop and taking the mall elevator. Amenities is the low score at 2.25: there is no cafe, though one reviewer found the wifi good enough to settle in. Family accommodations scored 3.5. The children’s section is on the small side, but it is easy to find and well chosen, and one reviewer had to talk themselves out of a pile of picture books. Another found the gift selection smaller than on past visits.
The reviewers’ totals ran from 74 to 92, a spread of 18 points, and almost all of it is Community Connection, which went 21, 10, 25 and 16. Events went 4, 1, 5 and 3, local partnerships 4, 1, 5 and 1, and staff expertise and passion 5, 2, 5 and 4. One reviewer scored a shop that keeps itself to itself; another scored a neighbourhood institution with a noticeboard to prove it. The scores show both.
Go if you are a serious reader, a browser who wants to wander out of your usual genre, or anyone hunting for something rare, and give yourself an afternoon; it was quiet on the Sunday we went, and there is room for a crowd. Go elsewhere if you want a cafe with your books, a comfortable seat you can count on, or step-free access to every floor from inside the shop.
Eighty-one puts Weller Book Works fifth among the ten places we have scored. It is a shop that knows what it is, and what it is, above all, is books: more of them, and more kinds of them, than you will get through in one visit.
02 / Photographs
Inside the bookshop
03 / The receipts
Look under the score
Nothing is cleaned or hidden. Open as much of the record as you want.
Reviewer wordsEvery comment, exactly as submitted
What the reviewers said
Every scorer gets a box to write in beside each category. This is what all 4 reviewers wrote, word for word, unedited and in the order the responses came in.
Selection & Curation
The mythology section was a little gem. The breadth of the books in that section was a welcome surprise. If the study of mythology is your thing, this is your place.
Huge selection and range of genres. A good amount of modern books mixed in with classics and unique finds.
This place feels like an infinite library! Their selection is vast, from used to new books, and all the genres you want.
If the book you are looking for is not here, they will find it for you. Floor to ceiling new and used books.
Atmosphere & Design
It has a unique and nostalgic feel. Imagine that feeling being on a historic trolley in San Francisco, but it’s a bookstore.
Very calm atmosphere. Local library adjacent.
The library-like feel made me want to wander and explore for hours. Weller’s is quiet, calming, and everything else you’d need for a pleasant afternoon of browsing and reading. The only thing missing? A cafe to get tea or coffee.
Gives an underground vibe, but in the light. High ceilings and great lighting. Clean, but rustic feel. And of course, the smell of books.
Community Connection
Staff were around but not overly friendly or chatty.
Placed in Trolley Square, Weller’s is an instant classic in an already classic part of Salt Lake City. They have fliers and posters about local events for local authors, special interests (an adult content book fair! LGBTQ+ support groups!), and more.
This book store has been around for 90 years and is the heart of the shopping center it is housed in. They even had a $1 section making buying a book, for everyone.
Practical Considerations
We found a parking spot easily but, if it were busier, public transit would be easier. No amenities, smallish children’s sections but still plenty to choose from. The entire main floor is ADA friendly. To get upstairs you’d need to exit the shop and use the mall elevator.
Parking can be tricky if Trolley Square is busy, but it seems manageable most of the time. The store itself is easy to navigate but there are tricky corners and an upstairs that didn’t seem super accessible to wheelchairs or strollers. No cafe, but good wifi. I could hang out here for a while.
Wide aisles make it wheel chair and stroller accessible. Not a huge children’s section, but it was definitely visible with a great selection.
What would you tell a friend about this place?
There is this great bookstore in historic trolley square in Salt Lake City Utah. And it feels like you are in San Francisco California. The vibe is great!
Not as polished as a new bookstore but more cozy and lived in. Feels like a bookstore that knows its own identity and is better for it.
A fantastic spot with a great selection of books for any reader.
This is a book store with a brain. If you have a question about a book or were looking for something rare, there is surely someone here that can help.
What surprised you?
The expansive mythology section surprised me.
Lots of rare books! Large sections in history and art.
I loved the character and feel of this place more than I expected to. It felt like an old-school bookstore to get lost in.
The gift selection was smaller this time than I had remembered from past trips.
What did you nearly buy or borrow?
I bought STAR STORIES: THE MYTHS WRITTEN IN THE SKIES by Anthony Aveni
Their selection of rare or special edition books was fun to look through!
So many picture books tried to jump in my pile, but alas they had to stay.
Who will love this place, and who should go elsewhere?
All hardcore book people will love this place.
Serious readers or readers who want to look outside of their comfort genre.
I think Weller’s serves any reader- book lovers and occasional readers like myself. It’s got a cool vibe and a great selection.
If you need a book, want to talk about books or just to be surrounded by books, this is your place.
What one change would improve the visit?
More sitting would be great.
I would suggest a more dynamic store front and displays - especially because they have the inventory to pull from.
A cafe with tea or coffee to accompany the exploration of the store
More gift shop items would be nice.
How busy was it when you went, and when would you tell a friend to go?
Not very many people were there today.
Not busy, 5-10 other patrons. Sunday afternoons are great.
It wasn’t incredibly busy during my visit but the store is big enough to manage a good group of customers.
Sunday afternoon was perfectly calm time to browse books.
Full scorecardAll twenty criteria and every reviewer total
How this score was made
4 reviewers scored twenty criteria on 27 September 2026, each from 1 to 5, under method bookscore-1.0. Their totals were 79, 74, 92 and 79 out of 100, and the published score is their average, 81. Nothing has been excluded, adjusted or reweighted. Every number any of them gave is below.
Reviewers are anonymous. They are labelled in the order their responses were submitted, and Reviewer 1 here is not necessarily Reviewer 1 in another visit.
| Category | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | Average | Of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selection & Curation | 19 | 25 | 25 | 23 | 23 | 25 |
| Atmosphere & Design | 20 | 22 | 24 | 20 | 21.5 | 25 |
| Community Connection | 21 | 10 | 25 | 16 | 18 | 25 |
| Practical Considerations | 19 | 17 | 18 | 20 | 18.5 | 25 |
| Total | 79 | 74 | 92 | 79 | 81 | 100 |
Every criterion
| Criterion | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selection & Curation | |||||
| Breadth and depth of inventory | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4.75 |
| Local author representation | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4.75 |
| Staff picks quality | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4.5 |
| Unique or rare finds | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4.5 |
| Special collections | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4.5 |
| Atmosphere & Design | |||||
| Architectural interest | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Reading spaces | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 3.75 |
| Photography potential | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4.5 |
| Music and ambiance | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 |
| Overall comfort | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4.25 |
| Community Connection | |||||
| Events calendar | 4 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 3.25 |
| Staff expertise and passion | 5 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Local partnerships | 4 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2.75 |
| Cultural significance | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Neighborhood integration | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Practical Considerations | |||||
| Accessibility features | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Parking and transit | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4.25 |
| Hours of operation | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4.5 |
| Amenities (café, wifi) | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2.25 |
| Family accommodations | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3.5 |
Where they disagreed
The reviewers’ totals ran from 74 to 92, a spread of 18 points. The widest single splits:
- Events calendar: 4, 1, 5, 3, a gap of 4
- Local partnerships: 4, 1, 5, 1, a gap of 4
- Staff expertise and passion: 5, 2, 5, 4, a gap of 3
- Staff picks quality: 3, 5, 5, 5, a gap of 2
- Unique or rare finds: 3, 5, 5, 5, a gap of 2
The review we postedThe short version, reproduced word for word
The review we posted
We posted this short review of the bookshop to Google Maps after our visit.
Read the review on Google Maps ↗
Hello Book Nerds! Weller Book Works is an independent bookshop in Salt Lake City’s Trolley Square, stacked floor to ceiling with new, used and rare books under high ceilings and good light. Bring an afternoon.
The selection is the reason to go. New and used share the shelves, modern titles sit beside classics, and the history and art sections run deep. The mythology section is a quiet gem, and the rare and special editions are worth a slow browse even if you are not buying. If the book you want is not here, they will find it for you, and a one-dollar section means nobody leaves empty-handed.
The room does the rest. Our reviewers described it as calm, bright and a little rustic, closer to a library than a shop, with the smell of books to match, and every one of them wanted to wander. Fliers and posters for local authors, events and community groups cover the walls.
A few things to know before you go. There is no cafe, and seating is limited, so this is a browsing shop more than a settle-in-and-read one. The main floor is accessible, with wide aisles for wheelchairs and strollers, but reaching the upstairs means leaving the shop and taking the mall elevator. The children’s section is small but well chosen. Parking is usually easy, though it gets tight when Trolley Square is busy. Our reviewers found staff anywhere from quiet to wonderfully knowledgeable, so ask.
Weller is for serious readers, for browsers ready to wander outside their usual genre, and for anyone hunting something rare. If coffee and a comfortable chair are part of your perfect bookshop afternoon, this is not that shop.