Every good trip to Hampden should start at Atomic Books and Celebrated Summer Records. Atomic has an excellently curated selection of books, comics, zines, and art toys. I can't tell you how many new artists I've discovered just from flipping through the graphic novels. Eightbar is a Dan Clowes themed bottle bar in the back, and it's always stocked with great beer and wine selections. Atomic always has interesting events going on, and several different book clubs to choose from. Atomic Books is simply a neighborhood and city institution. read more

I lived 3 blocks from Atomic Books in Hampden for a year and got in the habit of stopping in to pick up neat stationary and zines. Now that I live farther away I still try to go back now and then -- Atomic Books is irreplaceable! Definitely worth going out of the way to visit if you are interested in graphic novels, John Waters, local zines, or alternative news. read more

I wound up at Atomic Books in search of a book for my father. I was impressed by the wide and offbeat selection, as well as the layout and decor of the store. Additionally, the staff was friendly and helpful. If you are in search of indie or local authors - or quirky books you won't find in mainstream bookstores, this is the place go. If only I lived closer, I would frequent Atomic Books more often. read more

I've loved atomic books since I was a teenager. My taste in comics, novels and art books happens to overlap a lot with the curated selection you can find in this small bookstore. I have treasured every single book I've bought here. Although I am a student and I usually just buy books off amazon for the prices, when I have enough cash I do like to make the trip to hampden and purchase something at atomic to support a local business. I do agree with other yelpers that the people working here are not really keen on giving you a warm welcome when you walk in. I know that they like to preserve an "alternative" atmosphere, but I really think more people would come in and buy things if they put a little more effort into being hospitable. For me, I've been here enough times that I don't really care about being welcomed. I just head straight for the "new" section and check out what novels and comics have been added. Something I've noticed on a recent visit - I think it is pretty strange that they put up signs telling customers to put away cell phones. Atomic, don't you know that having customers posting photos with #atomicbooks on instagram, facebook, etc would help spread the word about you and bring you more business? Having this policy really ruins the "hip" factor at this bookstore. read more

It pains me to write this review because I have enjoyed visiting Atomic Books since I was in high school. I'm afraid that it is not the welcoming, progressive place that it claims to be. My mom has been very sick lately and I have been taking care of her around the clock. She wanted me to take a break on Saturday, so my fiancé and I went to eat in Hampden and then visit Atomic Books. While browsing books, I called my mom at the hospital to quickly check in and I was speaking to her quietly on the phone. Keep in mind that they were blasting loud music and there were a bunch of people talking loudly in the bar behind me. The employee who was working at the cash register came over and tapped me on the arm and told me to go outside to talk on the phone. Also please keep in mind that this was this past Saturday when there was crazy strong wind, the wind that the day before was knocking down trees and power lines. It shocked me and I wanted to talk to my mom so I just went outside, but this still hurts me days later. My fiancé, who is not afraid to tell me when I am loud, told me I was talking quietly and he didn't understand why I had to leave. I'm just disappointed and I won't be going back to Atomic Books and I will discourage others from going, too. read more

This place is like all of my Internet searches in one store! Great to browse or find a nice gift. No one will expect anything you purchase from this store! A bit pricey but pick and choose as you wish. While you are here, check out the rest of "the Avenue." read more

Excellent selection, hip friendly staff, the apotheoses of Baltimore in store form. I hit Atomic Books as often as I can for my book (comic or otherwise) needs. read more

So when a place makes your child happy it goes on the list of unforgettables. My baby turned 4 last year and usual Mommy Bell fashion I was picking up the gift the day before. She lives Totoro and this place has a stuffed one!!!! Myosaki (I'm sure I butchered the spelling of his name) movies aren't necessarily mainstream so Atomic Books is one o those places you can score on those off the beaten path items. At least it was for me!!! read more

This is a really cool shop that I like to check out whenever I'm in Hampden despite the fact that it makes my hipster alarm go crazy. The selection of books in this place ranges from odd to bizarre. One thing that I did find when I was in here during the summer is that the place was uncomfortably warm which isn't exactly a great environment for casually checking out books and trying to decide on a purchase. I like the selection of comic books and such from local artists who are trying to get work exposed. They do it on consignment, so that's a pretty cool way for them to support the area's young artists. Check it out if you're in Hampden, just wear your hipster repellent. read more

I come primarily for the city writing/urban section of the store--lots of great books that I hadn't heard of when I began my Jane Jacobs/Lewis Mumford studies of cities and how they operate and interact. The sales clerks are aloof but I don't care. I like to browse and find it on my own, anyway. Neat little shop if your interests align with their offerings! read more

I adore this place. Christmas isn't the same in my house unless there are bizarre zipper pulls, or small collectible figurines that I have purchased for my kids here. Where else can you get the glow-in-the-dark zombie action set? Even though by day I am a suit, the staff is so nice to me. This place is a gem. Get the frequent purchaser card - accumulate purchases for discounts. One minor thing, I think it should be renamed Atomic Comics. It sounds better rolling off the tongue. read more

I love big, old, meandering bookstores. And that is not what you'll find here. Rather, you'll get creatively organized, carefully selected offerings of graphic novels and traditional literature. There is so much to love about Atomic Books - just come and shop for yourself. It is impossible to leave empty handed. read more

The kind of place that i could spend all the money! Not only do they have an amazing selection of the type of things that I read, but the best(and only, as far as i know only vinyl figure collection in the city. This place is heaven for those with 'niche weird' interests. read more

My favorite store in Baltimore! I always find too many things I want. And it informs me! I discover new artists, zines, authors etc. and the events are awesome too. And then you can add John Waters to the list - what more could you want. You gotta go and support this store because they support the community. read more

Why can't NY have comic book stores like this? Great selection, great layout, great mix of magazines, books, etc. Fun record shop in the back. The people working here are nice. Everything is perfect. read more

Easily one of the best book stores in Baltimore. The staff is very friendly, and the products range from awesome to totally awesome.

Atomic is *the* local store for indie books, comix, and unusual trinkets. Benn & co are good at what they do, and they make Baltimore a better place. read more

While I will always have a certain level of appreciation for this eclectic bookstore, few things are enough to compensate for service with a sneer. I used to love shopping here, and this is a great spot to find a gift for nearly anyone. Their selection, while not necessarily diverse, offers the feeling that it has at least been selected with care - not at all like some of their employees such as the particularly nasty girl who's almost always camped at the front counter to remind you that photography isn't allowed (even when you're clearly in the midst of writing a lengthy text message). Indpendent bookstores are a dying breed, and it's always a disappointment to feel as though your money is better spent on Amazon. Despite the slightly hostile atmosphere utterly devoid of help, it's worth at least walking through once, and only once, if only to reminisce. read more

I love comic book stores- ahem- graphic novels. the place has a bar in the back?? whaa.. need to come back and see what that's about. I went on Halloween day and they were giving out a few free comics. Nice selection of comics, graphic novels, books, and zines read more

Atomic Books was on a to-see list of places one of my friends made up while we were in town for a little Baltimore trip. John Waters had recommended Atomic Books, so we of course had to check it out! It's a long, but not too skinny, store, typical of city stores i suppose. The collection of books you can find here is impressive. They have everything from Murakami to Poe to How to Grow Marijuana! Atomic excels at providing books to a rather niche market I suppose, although anyone with a open mind will be sure to not regret a stop by here. They have a respectable collection of comics and underground literature types of works. In the front and along the side are also little non-literary knick knacks for you to enjoy. I would for sure recommend Atomic Books to you if you're visiting Baltimore. read more

Love this place, but it was 5 star when it was on the Avenue. The new Falls Road location has more asian kids crap and not enough Comics and slightly offensive books. That's what made that place great! The rest of the stuff can be found in other places... read more

I think all the previous Yelpers have more than canvassed how amazing Atomic is so I won't bore you with repetitions of how much I love it (I so do) or how great it is to have a truly unique and indie bookstore down the street (it's pretty great). I did want to add that Atomic also has a kick-ass book club. Since this year is 2012 and the end of the world is nigh they've chosen to feature an apocalyptic theme for each month's book. Check out the list here: http://www.atomicbooks.com/calendar.html. I personally am not usually the book club type but it's laid back, easy to join and fun. Plus they have beer. It's not to late to join, or just read along at home with your own beer. read more

Atomic Books is a great store. They have some zines and magazines and also a good selection of books. They also have little stuff like zipper pulls and lunch boxes, etc. All the prices are really reasonable. I wish they had a bigger and better selection of zines, but otherwise it's a really great store! read more

Visited last week on a whim, which is probably the best mindset to have when you go. This isn't the kind of bookstore you visit with a title in mind to buy---odds are, you won't find it. Atomic Books specializes in novelty reads, with an extensive collection of comic books and hipster-esque pop culture anthologies. If you're looking for something bizarre and obscure, like zombie erotica or a guide to low-budget cult horror films, this is the place. The books seemed a little expensive, but that's the price you pay for indie. read more

Nice little place. But super small selection, I was looking for a much larger sort of store. If you're looking for comics and anime, this is your spot. read more

I never end up buying anything here (which is why I give 4 stars I guess) but I always wander inside when I pass by in hopes that I will. I can't attest to their comic/graphic novel selection because I'm not a fan of either genre. However they've got a great selection of magazines you won't find at the grocery store as well as a giant rack of zines. I really appreciate that they have a small section of books dedicated to bicycling. The store layout is conducive to long stretches of browsing so it's easy to get lost in there for a while and I've never been bothered by anyone working there about reading while in the store. Sometimes they've got discounted random prints and posters that can be pretty cool. Stop by if your around, it's worth a look for sure. read more

Carefully selected book collection geared to their audience. A great place to shop for yourself, for last-minute gifts, or things to read on vacation. read more

The store is great, and while I love books, that's not why I visit. I come for the TOYS. I like to buy open box Dunnys especially. I will see whatever new Japanese toys they have or any new blind box items (I'm a sucker for them) and stock up! Oh, and I buy the occasional magazine. read more

I have been to Atomic Books several times and have been greeted with rude and sarcastic employees every visit. Answering questions seems like an annoyance and there is a general tension in the atmosphere. Just this morning I saw an audio book version of a novel that I was interested in reading. I asked if they had paperback version, to which the cashier rolled her eyes and responded, "That's the audio version, NOT the book version..." I restated my question, to which she responded, "Listen, we don't have any more copies, the ones behind the counter have been purchased, don't you see the receipts in them?" A few months ago, I found a novel that my roommate had been trying to find for quite some time now (granted, this is a good store to find hard-to-find, quirky books). I took a picture of the cover and sent it to him, telling him to to hurry on over to get it. The cashier ran from behind the register and furiously requested that I refrain from using my phone and taking any pictures, explaining that "they already take pictures of the covers and put them on the website to prevent 'people like me' from doing so." "If you want a picture that badly, just look it up," she said. She then told me to leave the store. While it's a cool store with an interesting selection, I don't think I will be returning for quite some time. read more

Stopped in for the first time yesterday. The atmosphere was very elitist. Lots of "turn off your cell phone" signs, a special tray to set your drink if you brought one in (like I'm going to leave my drink unattended, I don't think so), it was very very quiet and I felt like I should be as silent as possible. When my friend and I asked a couple questions the woman at the counter seemed annoyed that we would ask her anything! Will not be returning. Gave three stars because they do have a lot of merchandise, and it is well organized. read more

The book selection is ok. They can order some stuff, but not a whole lot. Why is feminist lit next to the cook books? The dude that owns it is smug and full of himself. His attitude towards the customer stands to be improved. read more

This is alright, but a little more . . . _something_ than I expected and a little less book-filled paradise than I'd wanted. (A little more "hipster" maybe? "trendy"? Neither sounds right. Whatever it is it isn't bad; it just wasn't what I expected and, while good, wasn't really what grabs me.) It's a relatively small, very bright and clean space, with shelves along the sides and tables down the middle filled with a wide assortment of books -- including small-publishing-company 'books' -- and comics. There's also a pretty large selection of figurines covering Anime to Disney...-ish. There were significantly fewer books than I expected; however, despite the limited selection, what's here covers literature to the occult and everything in between and beyond. (I was impressed that they also had a good number of translated foreign books peppered throughout the sections.) In the back of the store is a good sized coffee shop and bar, which was well-occupied on the day I was there. read more

My daughter and I came down to Hampden yesterday for the Halloween Trick or Treat on 36th street. We couldn't get a parking space on 36th street so we circled the block. and parked on Falls Road. We saw what looked like a scarey monster sitting in front of this store...but it moved. It turned out to be a live person. We asked him if they had candy for Halloween. He did better, he gave us some comic books. I have been trying to get my 8 year old to read, but aside from a little interest in Captain Underpants, my daughter would rather pass on reading. I was so surprised at how nice this guy was to us. Me being an ol' school person, I asked did he have any Archie comics since I thought that might be of interest to her. Well, waddya know, he had some outside and gave me one. Both my daughter and I were so excited about our new "treats". What an awesome bunch of people working in this store. I was most appreciative to get comics as opposed to candy because it benefits my daughter anytime she can read and enjoy doing it. After we got home with our treats, my daughter played around with her candy (she doesn't bother eating the candy, the thrill for her is getting it) and then we started browsing our new comic books. Now that we've found this store, we will definitely have to go back. Oh and as a side note, the trick or treat festivities were great! Hampden is a great place to visit and hang out.....so many cool stores and nice people! read more

fun, wide selection to satisfy all but the most annoying tastes.

The staff refused to respond to a simple question I Tweeted, then e'mailed because they ignored my Tweet. I had to call the store and spoke with Ben, who personified this store's poor approach to customer service, and the absence good will and good faith necessary to acquire a potential customer. Nice first impression. It's a bold move for the management of a brick-and-mortar bookstore to allow this kind of approach, what with the bookstore holocaust still in progress and the economy still in poor shape in general. No wonder Amazon is the only game in town. read more

This is a cute bookstore with a quirky selection and definitely fits the Hampden neighborhood well, but I have some issues with it. First, the staff appears to be deliberately unhelpful. I have never been greeted upon walking into this store and I find that really odd because, as a small, independent bookstore, customer service must be pretty important to them retaining any business. It's just a really frosty atmosphere, where you're made to feel like you're doing something wrong by walking in (as other reviewers have noted). Not only that, but the books are ridiculously overpriced. I would be willing to pay a little more to support a local business if the local business were a little more friendly, I think. Their selection is quite small and books you might expect them to have, they most likely don't. They do have a lot of toys, comics, and novelty items (I would say at least a third of the inventory is toy-ish things). I would say definitely call ahead if you're not just browsing and are searching for something specific. I respect what Atomic Books is trying to do and I think it has a lot of potential. I really appreciate that they highlight local authors and are trying to stay alive in the world of Amazon and one-click shopping. But I think they have a lot of work to do to meet their true potential. In the meantime, thankfully, we have Red Emma's! read more

Awesome book store! We don't have these back home. I picked up a couple great reads. The special was Twelve Years a Slave for $6!

this is hands down my favorite bookstore and one of my favorite shops of all time. i really wish i lived closer so i could visit more often, i could spend the entire day in that store. the selection is just fantastic- they offer the titles that i look for, and is a treasure chest of other titles of all kinds of books that are off the beaten path/alternative and are just awesome awesome awesome. i always keep an eye out for books for my niece and nephew that have a unique story and great illustrations and this store is also a gold mine for those too. they also sell great collectibles and funny/funky miscellaneous- if anything i wish that section was a bit bigger but for what they do have, its very well curated- so is their magazine and indie zine section. anyway i guess the point is this place rules and you should go. it's also at the top of that street in that shopping area, which is perfect as either a starting point if you are in there for the day, or if it's a quick visit you can go and get out without getting sucked into and stuck into a shopping vortex, ya know what i'm saying? 10 thumbs up, if i had 10 thumbs. read more

The perfect bookstore for me. 1 1/2 hrs away, and I gladly make the trip. The best! Great people, too.

They no longer accept bitcoin, which is why I made the 45 minute trip out there. I was definitely disappointed but I'm still going to give them 4 stars because it's a cool store. read more