Support Us Button Widget

Local vending machines dispense sci-fi and fantasy books

All titles are written by Black and Indigenous women authors.

A woman stands next to a purple vending machine that gives the URL for SistahScifi

Sistah Scifi will soon have three vending machines in Seattle.

Photo via Sistah Scifi

What’s better than a soda and a bag of chips? New summer reading material that comes straight out of a vending machine. Bingo.

You may have noticed these magical machines pop up at a couple of locations around Seattle — first at the Northwest African American Museum and most recently at Distant Worlds Coffeehouse. Another will go in Black Coffee Northwest‘s upcoming cafe in the Central District.

The book dispensers are part of a project from Oakland-based Sistah Scifi, an indie bookstore that celebrates genre lit written by Black and Indigenous women.

Just press a couple of buttons and you can buy a fantasy title like “The Deep” from Rivers Solomon, or even a selection from Sci-Fi icon Octavia E. Butler who used to live in Lake Forest Park.

We’re itching for a new book, so let us know if you tried the machine or have any local recs.

More from SEAtoday
Bring on the Year of the Snake with lion dances, live music, and lots of good food.
Whew, 2025 is shaping up to be an eventful year in the Emerald City.
These city gifts are way better than a Jelly of the Month Club membership.
‘Tis the season for steaming bowls of comfort.
The highly popular doughnut chain will open its new Capitol Hill doors on Tuesday, Dec. 10.
Seattle is made up of so many wonderful small businesses, here are a few our readers love in honor of Small Business Saturday.
Including gifts for neighbors, foodies, significant others, homebodies, students, and gifts under $20.
Grind still going well after the sun goes down? These late-night studying spots in Seattle provide a comfy place to get cracking on your project.
Here are a few creative ways to get rid of your Halloween pumpkins and fallen leaves instead of tossing them in the garbage can.
A mysterious aerobics bike at Gas Works Park converted into a secret photo booth — it doesn’t get more Seattle than that.