“One of the jewels of Philadelphia. Doesn't matter what you're looking for you gotta go. Vinyl? Check. Cookbooks? Of course. Fiction? Duh. Poetry? Like 15 percent of the store! I love going to Molly's. I wish I could go write there and let the magic live in me.”
10AM - 8PM
422 South St, Philadelphia“IN 2021....The gentleman who ran the store was very informative and knew all kinds of information about mostly all the products.I enjoyed my visit and my products that I purchased and will be returning as soon as my seamoss and Shea Butter supply gets low.UPDATE FOR 2024***Just recently visited after a VERY LONG time away and I must say that the NEW LOCATION is even better!!It's so inviting and there are soooo many things to look at as soon as you step in the door.My favorite host ( he doesn't feel like a salesman) was still running the store. I enjoyed my talks with him while shopping. I tried a NEW PRODUCT and purchased sea moss. Go visit them. It's wonderful”
“Small and cute bookstore! Fairly well organized, though some of the labels were hard to read/peeling. A very big variety of genres, including well known + lesser known series/authors! Might be a bit tough to get to upper floor if you have trouble with stairs. Two lovely cats stood guard within the store, well behaved, peaceful, and very cute. Photo is of the poetry section.”
“Larry and his cat Lester were my favorite part of living in University city. I spent a lot of afternoons there looking through the shelves after class and when I moved away, I missed this spot the most.”
“This is a phenomenal second hand bookstore in Philadelphia. Not only is it in a great location on South Street, but it has a stellar selection of new and used books. Curtis, the owner, makes an effort to find and stock highly sought after and well kept editions. He's also a great conversationalist. I come for the books, but stay for the 30+ minute conversation. Great shop. Great owner. I couldn't recommend Neighborhood Books more.”
“Went in, haven't been here in some time. Glad I stopped in, purchased two books, had some great dialogue. The best Gem in West Philadelphia, and a Historic Landmark.”
“Went for “Date Night” last night and it was wonderful. On “Date Night” a couple has the book shop to themselves with a carafe of wine, candles, and music for 90 minutes. My wife is an avid reader and I knew she would absolutely love it.Claire, one of the owners, set everything up before we arrived at a small table with lovely napkins, and glasses, filtered water, etc. We brought some munchies to have with the wine.It was very relaxing to peruse the collection of books especially local authors.Before we left Claire and my wife discussed some of the books and authors they both read. Could not ask for a better experience.Highly recommended.”
“Cute little bookstore. Go when you have time to look. There are 2 floors. (I didnt get a chance to chech out 2nd floor) LOTS of books on just about everything! Loved it.”
“Excellent toy store! Beautiful selection of toys, books, games and so much more for all ages. The staff are very helpful and genuinely care about imaginative play, creativity, and learning and development. They also offer free gift wrapping.”
“Absolutely great experience! Never been and brought my sister for the first time as well as she visited from down south. The staff is super nice & helpful! The vibe was great! Will definitely be returning!”
“I was recommended to come here from a very knowledgeable person in the neighborhood. I went to see what it was like, and A Novel Idea on Passyunk seems like a wonderful experience in a local Philly neighborhood.
The room is spacious, and carefully curated with literature. The contrast between this space and other bookstores may be that there is not an overwhelming sense of choice. This is different and it is refreshing, because it allowed me to peruse. It felt as if the space offered a moment to have deep conversation amongst well-written authors.
I would recommend grabbing a coffee from one of the neighboring coffee shops and browsing A Novel Idea on Passyunk. It may be the modern day feel of a Paris salon during the Enlightenment!”
“Cool space with a good selection of anarchist and leftist books and zine and some really cool merch and posters. If you are in the neighborhood I’d recommend stopping in if you are interested in that sort of thing.”
“If you love new and used books. Then this is the place to be. I spent $8.09 for a used hardcover copy of Dodsworth published in 1926. Plus a $1.00 donation to the cause.The staff here is awesome.I have such a high regard for used books. Sometimes just settling in with a cup of tea and some sunshine. To read a great story. Being transported to the author's vision. There is nothing like it.You have to see this store. They also have clothing items for sale.I highly recommend this store.”
“They no longer carry back issues. It's only new comics and account stuff now. It still gets a solid 5 stars from previous times I have gone over the years, sadly though it no longer has that gorgeous back issue section. A shadow of its former self, great staff, though.”
“Absolutely adorable shop, I am absolutely charmed and won over by my like 5 minute experience ? Everyone was so nice, I got a gift certificate from my boss for Christmas and I'm so glad I finally decided to use it today! Great selection of books but also so many little gifts and super cute cards ❤️”
“Great customer service. He was patient and attentive to my needs. Store was stoked with many many beneficial books to choose from. Shukron for the great service. May Allah swt grant to all that your working and striving for.. Ameen”
10AM - 6PM
311 N 20th St, Philadelphia“Nice little book store with good prices and a wide variety of genres- though not many well known books/series on the shelves. I personally wish the poetry section were larger! Organized nicely, and not cramped. :)”
“House of Our Own Books is a charming independent bookstore located in a Victorian house on the edge of the University of Pennsylvania campus in Philadelphia. They offer a wide selection of new and used books, spanning nearly every genre and featuring a balance of hardcover and paperback volumes. With a cozy atmosphere and friendly staff, House of Our Own Books is a haven for book lovers in Philadelphia.”
“Love this place. Best sci Fi selection of any independent bookstore in Philly. The definition of chaotic good in a bookstore. Also-- If you are a teacher you get an extra discount!”
8:30AM - 8PM
3601 Walnut St, Philadelphia“Toni & Ronnie are seriously the best! I made multiple trips to the bookstore during alumni weekend and they handled the busy store with grace and an amazing sense of humor!”
10AM - 7PM
619 S 2nd St, Philadelphia“Fantastic indie bookstore in the cutest neighborhood in Philadelphia. As a fellow bookstore owner (Huxley & Hiro in Wilmington, DE), my rep Jason Rice recommended that I come check out Head House Books, and I'm glad I did. Beautiful displays and a great use of the bookstore space. They also carry a good selection of greeting cards, lots of children's books, and various gift items. Highly recommended!!”
“Tree House Books is a *free* bookstore - but so much more as well. The books are free for the taking, but I'd hope that you'd leave a donation if you can.If you have books you'd like to donate for other readers to take up, keep this place in mind. That's how I found it - looking for a place to donate gently used books. I assumed (incorrectly) that they only needed children's and YA titles for the many kids involved in their out of school program. But in fact they also have books for adults. A true literacy center. So I'll be back with the many non-kid books I'm parting with.I wasn't taking on more books during my visit, I was getting rid of them. But glancing at the adult section shelves, I saw several of my favorite books there.The staff are friendly and welcoming. And after dropping off a box of kids' books, I received within 24 hours an email thank you, which noted the number of books I had given and suggested an estimated value per book - in case I might need some documentation for a tax deduction. That's wasn't my motivation, but it speaks well for the organization that they attend to thanking donors.Stopping in on a weekday afternoon, I found ample street parking available, and had a spot right in front of the store.Will be back!”
9AM - 5PM
13500 Philmont Ave, Philadelphia“I attend Calvary Chapel of Phila. They have a great Christian Book Store, and great prices.and the people are awesome!!???? come and see for yourself, you won’t be disappointed.”
11AM - 7PM
709 S 4th St, Philadelphia“A lovely, well curated bookstore in the heart of South Philly. Everyone there is extremely kind and helpful - you can tell that they support and care deeply about the community.”
“Delilah was super friendly and very helpful in being responsive and coordinating communication in-person information between me and Dr. Parenti as well as fax information to a third party when an insurance issue came up. Great staff at this office!”
“The proprietors of Authentic Publications are always helpful & patient with me. They make suggestions, based on my questions, as to what books and or CDs might best benefit me.”
“The place gives you more of a feel that you're meeting at a family friend's house then a regular bookstore. They have a great selection of books for all ages and genre interest. And they have an area where you can go and have tea and coffee while enjoying your book/magazine.”
6:30 - 8:30PM
4722 Baltimore Ave, Philadelphia“Books Through Bars does excellent work in sending free book packages to inmates in Pennsylvania and surrounding states. They're completely volunteer-run & host volunteering sessions for people to help pick/pack books. Volunteer organizers are friendly and helpful. I highly recommend volunteering there! You can just drop in & spend 30 minutes or a few hours, whatever you like. Whenever I volunteer there, it feels like I'm really making a difference in someone's life -- because I am. It's an eye-opening experience that gives me a new perspective. Books Through Bars also takes donations (money, books they need, supplies) so there are lots of ways to support them even if you can't make it down there in person.”
“Cool little shop with a great back patio area. I got a really engaging novel—two chapters in and I’m hooked! Kay was friendly and helpful; she even let me post up for a bit to charge my phone before getting back on the road. If I lived in town I would totally be a regular!”