Entry No. 25 — the Durango file — filed under: oddities
White Rabbit Books & Curiosities
“Tourists walk out with rare editions.”
A 150-square-foot bookshop you can only reach from the Animas River Trail — walk the back side of the Riverfront Center between the Powerhouse and the river and watch for the white rabbit sign. Keena Kimmel has packed it since 2013 with classics, Egyptology, occult and metaphysical titles, pop-up books, and her husband Jason’s hand-blown glass. Beside the door, a little garden runs chess afternoons and music jams all summer. Locals trade in paperbacks; tourists walk out with rare editions.
The story
You won't find White Rabbit Books & Curiosities by driving down Main Avenue. The store faces the water rather than the street, tucked into a 150-square-foot footprint on the back side of the Riverfront Center. To get in, you have to leave your car in the front parking lot, walk around the building toward the Animas River, and spot the wooden white rabbit sign along the river trail.
Owner Keena Kimmel opened the shop in 2013, packing every square inch of vertical wall space with a dense, highly specific inventory: ancient Egyptology, occult treatises, sci-fi, contemporary classics, elaborate pop-up books, and hand-blown glass crafted by her husband, Jason. It operates less like a standard retail store and more like an eccentric personal library that accidentally ended up on public land.
Because the interior barely fits four people at a time, the shop spills outward into a tiny riverside garden. In the summer, locals trade paperbacks over informal chess matches and outdoor music jams, turning the patch of dirt next to the Animas River Trail into a quiet neighborhood salon.
What it's like
Stepping inside feels like squeezing into a ship's cabin stuffed with rare paperbacks and glass oddities. Browsing requires navigating around whoever else is standing in the single aisle. If more than three people are already inside, kick back on a bench in the riverside garden and wait for someone to exit. Don't expect corporate opening hours—check their schedule ahead of time, bring a used book to trade if you want to blend in, and watch for the trail entrance behind the Powerhouse.
The move: Walk the Animas River Trail from the Powerhouse, find the white rabbit sign, pick one strange title for each other, then split a local ice cream in the garden.
📍 Before you go The door faces the Animas River Trail at the rear of the Riverfront Center, not the street — park in the lot out front and walk around the building, or arrive by bike along the trail. The shop is about 150 square feet, so a few browsers fill it; the garden beside it is the overflow hangout. It keeps small-shop days rather than a daily schedule, so check ahead before a special trip. Pairs naturally with the Powerhouse Science Center next door or a longer river-trail walk.
- 📍 Durango
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 128 W 14th St, Unit C-2 (Riverfront Center, river side), Durango, CO 81301
Hours: Added 2026-06-11 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- The Powerhouse Dark Sky Celebration — The Powerhouse sits right next door along the Animas River Trail, making it a seamless transition from rare occult paperbacks to hands-on riverbank science.
- The Subterrain — Trade the daylight riverside bookshop for Southwest Colorado's only floor-to-ceiling immersive installation-art basement bar downtown.
- Guild House Games — Walk five minutes up into the Main Mall to pivot from niche literature to tabletop board games and miniature painting.
- Colorado Clay Studio & Gallery — Head into downtown Durango to pair browsing hand-blown glass curiosities with watching live wheel-thrown ceramics.
Good to know
How do I find the entrance?
Park at the Riverfront Center (128 W 14th St) and walk around to the rear of the building along the Animas River Trail. The shop door faces the river between the building and the trail, marked by a white rabbit sign.
How small is the shop actually?
It measures roughly 150 square feet. A crowd of four people fills the entire room, which is why the garden outside acts as the waiting area and lounge.
What kind of titles do they stock?
The selection focuses on used and rare editions across Egyptology, occult and metaphysical subjects, sci-fi, classics, and pop-up books, alongside hand-blown glass pieces.
What are the shop's hours?
Hours vary and keep small-shop consistency rather than daily corporate schedules. It is best to check their active social media or call ahead before planning a specific trip.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: durangoherald.com · Atlas Obscura · durango.org · Yelp · Facebook · downtowndurango.org
last checked: 2026-06-11