Here’s a look at three new bookstores opening in DC this fall. JF Books 1509 Connecticut Ave., NW  The interior of JF Books. Photo by Daniella Ignacio. The Chinese bookstore in Dupont Circle is new to DC, but it’s actually a revival of Jifeng Books, a hub for political and intellectual thought in Shanghai. The store shut down due to pressures from cultural authorities in 2018. On the shop’s final night in Shanghai, patrons wrote goodbye messages on postcards, now hanging on the wall of the Washington store. There, new customers add their own postcards to the mix, trying to make sense of what happened in Shanghai.  For owner Yu Miao, the store has three goals: “Meet the requirements of Chinese and non-Chinese readers trying to find various Chinese books here in DC. We want to set up a spiritual connection amongst the Chinese community through knowledge, through ideas, provided by the books and by cultural events. Beyond the Chinese community, I want to cultivate the whole local community.”  Readers can discover rare Chinese texts in political science and humanities from Shanghai and mainland China (in simplified Chinese), Hong Kong and Taiwan (in traditional Chinese), Thailand, and more. You’ll also find Chinese history, grassroots classics, Asian studies, fictional stories “of normal people and their fates,” English translations of Asian-written works, and titles by Asian Americans.  Miao curated special sections in the store dubbed “the Center” and “the Periphery.” “They’re important words, talking about relationships and history among China, Taiwan, and other Asian countries,” says Miao. “The position of center and the periphery is always changing.”     The bookstore is hosting “salons,” discussions with leading figures in Chinese literature, which have been reaching capacity. Miao plans to have lectures, forums, reading clubs, and documentary screenings weekly, some in Chinese, some in English. The store opened on September 1.  Barnes and Noble Georgetown 3040 M St., NW The exterior of Barnes and Noble in Georgetown. Photo courtesy of Barnes and Noble. Barnes and Noble is returning to the same building it left in Georgetown 13 years ago. The opening is currently slated for November 6, though it has already been pushed back multiple times. Spanning three floors, the shop offers a wide selection of reads, including a section dedicated to the history of DC and Georgetown. It’s part of the company’s new effort to make each bookstore feel less corporate and more connected to its location. “To me, books on the history of the town will be important,” says store manager Elisabeth Swift. “Whenever I go to a bookstore in a different city, those are books I’m looking for.” To celebrate the opening, the store will host a series of book signings with local authors on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays throughout November.  Wonderland Books 7920 Norfolk Ave., Bethesda Amy Joyce and Gayle Weiswasser. Photo by Stacy Beck Photography. The bookstore is opening in Bethesda later this fall, stocked with titles for all ages. Children’s literature and young adult novels are co-owner Amy Joyce’s focus (she’s the former writer and editor of Washington Post column “On Parenting”) while co-owner Gayle Weiswasser (who has a blog and podcast about books) has her attention on the adult fiction and non-fiction selection.  Beyond the books, the shop also plans to host events including panels, readings, and other community gatherings. A designated children’s corner will have story time for kids. Joyce and Weiswasser are also using the bookstore to highlight cultural happenings in the area: They intend to carry scripts of plays produced at local theaters such as Imagination Stage and Round House Theatre. Though both Weisswasser and Joyce have covered books in the past, owning a bookstore is a step in a new direction. “I was always been attracted to stories about people reinventing their lives,” says Joyce. “I did a whole series on women who turned their lives around when they were my age. It felt good to actually be doing it instead of writing about it.” The shop’s name is a reference to the transformative power of books. “We truly believe that reading takes you to wonderful places, and wonderful lands, no matter what age you are,” says Weiswasser.The post 3 New Bookstores Coming to the DC Area first appeared on Washingtonian.