I like visiting independent bookstores when I travel. We walked here after visiting Whole Foods across the street. This place reminds me of Elliott Bay Book Company. Cozy aesthetic with character. The bookstore was pretty busy. They have a coffee shop. I ended up buying a souvenir. They also have a satellite store at the airport. read more

BookPeople - Bookstores Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

We drove from Dallas for Ciney and Flint to be part of a book event at BookPeople and I have to say I was really impressed with this book store. The employees are all wonderful and extremely helpful, especially Rachel, who was our host for the event. She took wonderful care of us and the guests at the booking, from the moment we all arrived to the moment we left...thanks Rachel!!! Now some more about the store. It's a really nice sized independent store that carries a great selection. The books are laid out in pleasant ways and you really enjoy browsing the shelves and exploring! They also have a really nice sized Children's Book Section and host Storytimes here as well. If you are a book lover, this place is worth a trip to Austin to check out, you will not be disappointed! read more

See all

Local bookstore in Austin where I attended an author event. Highlights: - Nice staff - 2 floors of books and very large space - Set up area upstairs with some chairs for the authors to speak Lowlights: - Bit older and worn read more

Continuing my tour of all-time Austin favorites, I made a stop at BookPeople. It's hard to remember a time before it, at least for me, it has always been there, and always been my favorite bookstore. I remember when they sold records and magazines, and while the post-pandemic version leans more into books, gifts, and coffee, the heart of the place hasn't changed. It's still a space that invites you to wander, discover, and hang out. There's something special about its scale and presence as it stands as one of the largest and most iconic independent bookstores in Texas, but never loses that personal, neighborhood feel. Still one of my favorite places to spend time. read more

BookPeople - Magazine aisle and cafe. - Bookstores Near Me - Austin, Texas

I am a total sucker for independent bookstores. I want to buy them out. Category killers are always there, but I feel like the curation and dedication put by the staff of independent bookstores make the journey so worth it. I stopped in and explored last Saturday and was absolutely mesmerized by their great selection of book. I left with a copy of Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar which had been on my list to read bit by recommendation. It was hoping when I went with plenty of people in the cafe and people shopping. Such a cute and vibrant place. I will be back for more books! RIYL: Books and People read more

BookPeople - Coffee People - Bookstores Near Me - Austin, Texas

BookPeople has it going on! It was very busy on a Thursday night! Highlights: There's a large selection of genres and curated sections with staff recommendations from a large independent section, translated lit, banned books, sci-fi, romance, historical fiction, etc. A saw a few awesome books to buy! The books like selected were both $19 each. It was nice to see an elevator near the cafe for those who need it to access the second floor. From the cafe I ordered a matcha and banana bread from the cafe both were amazing! Another plus is the spacious parking lot! read more

See all

Before relocating to ATX, we would visit family here twice yearly, and at least once a year had to make a stop here. This is my first visit as a resident, and wow, did I forget how much I dig it. I'm all about supporting local businesses, especially independent book sellers. It's a welcoming and relaxed environment with employees who know their stuff; true book lovers. I like that you can get almost anything from the obscure to mainstream. If they don't have it, they'll do their best to get it ordered for you. It's a pretty impressive selection of books, and I often find myself losing track of time. That's a good thing. I like the little cafe too, good coffee, tea & treats. read more

BookPeople - Bookstores Near Me - Austin, Texas

My fav local bookshop. Fully stocked, helpful staff, and prices are the same as anywhere but without the chain store vibes. Great selection of new and old books. Great coffee shop too. read more

Support your Local Independent Bookstore :) I love independent bookstores and make a point to visit them in various cities. BP is exactly one the independent bookstores cities need. The broad selection, categorization, and [employee] reviews are awesome. A bookstore by BookPeople for BookPeople with some extra book (& knowledge) related merch thrown-in for good measure. The value indies provide is in their selection and curation or titles; well worth it. read more

See all

One of the best book stores we've ever been to. Highly extensive collection of fantasy and sci-fi including some harder to find books. Delicious coffee brewed fresh on the first floor in the back. Cute European toiletry items such as marvis toothpaste and French soap. Great cards for all occasions and super nice staff. Highly recommend visiting if you can, everything was a great value and not overpriced. read more

See all

I've been going to this book store for years now. They have a great selection of books on various topics. My favorite sections are translated literature, cookbooks, and health. They seemed to move some stuff around a little bit on the second floor (not drastically, but I couldn't find a specific topic last time I was there). The prices are about average for the books with occasional discounts. The staff is usually really friendly and helpful. I also enjoy their cafe since thay have pretty decent coffee and pastries. For people who struggle with choice, there's a fun "blind box" of a book where you only know a vague description of it and you're to find out what it is after check out. read more

See all

Love! Love! Love! Nice selection. Upstairs and downstairs. Staff was very friendly and helpful with finding books and making recommendations. Love the decor/set up. Especially in their romance section. read more

See all

Cute book store Lots of fun things and great books Friendly people and helpful. Lots of parking and even a little coffee shop inside read more

BookPeople - Bookstores Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

So many books in here! And I love the layout and the organization of this book store. The parking lot doesn't have many spots open on the weekend, but people are always coming and leaving, so there shouldn't be much of a wait for a spot to open up as long as you make a loop or two around the parking lot. I'd say the books are priced pretty similarly to other book stores, but the selection is amazing. read more

BookPeople - Bookstores Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

This is my favorite bookstore. They have an amazing selection of signed books, and constantly have author events so you can hear your favorite authors on tour and get a personalized signed copy of your own! If you have a little time to spare, I highly recommend reading through the book recommendations they have placed on books throughout the store. It's a fun way to learn about a book you might not have considered picking up otherwise! Their book recommendations are always stellar, and the staff are all passionate readers who are happy to recommend something for any reading taste. It's so nice to support a local independent Austin institution, and I'll be coming back for years to come. Beware, though: you will leave the store with a lighter wallet than when you entered. read more

See all

I love this bookshop! It's both cozy and large with a great selection and so many little odds and ends. You can find local romance author Ali Hazelwood's signed section, browse all the fun gift-y chotchkes, and flip through some travel books -- including one with a great little excerpt about Austin. read more

BookPeople - Austin travel book - Bookstores Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

I still love this bookstore! It appears that many people in Austin do as well, since every time I'm there, there is a good number of patrons in the store. They truly have a great selection of books to choose from and numerous displays of relevant groupings of books to catch your eye. Recently I found displays for St. George's Day, Mother's Day, scary books, and the Pink Pony Club. Sometimes the displays will include other thematic items such as mugs, socks, puzzles, or notebooks that relate to the theme. BookPeople is one stop shopping for your book-loving friends/family members. Stop shopping at big-box book sellers, and stop supporting the monsterous Amazonian machine! Support local business and come visit BookPeople! read more

See all

This is a beautiful indie bookstore. It has a massive selection of books and it's on par with Vrooman's bookstore in Pasadena, California. They books are all divided up perfectly into sections and subsections (genre's, by author name, and displays) so it doesn't feel overwhelming. On top of its book selection, it also hosts author Q&A's and signings so you just might find signed copies of books from your favorite author. They also have great gifts and knick-knacks, making this the perfect place to get a gift as well. I went with my niece on a mini book crawl and this was the last stop. We went into the kids section and found that it was well organized by age number, YA, graphic books, and non graphic books. I really liked that aspect to ensure that the books my niece was reading was age appropriate. That being said, there were so many books to chose from. So much so, that my niece had trouble deciding which one to purchase (we were doing one book per bookstore). Ultimately, she decided on a book with lots of pictures. The prices are very fair and the service was wonderful. I also some magnets from Austin that I loved to bring home to friends and family. I would really like to come back here for Christmas shopping or for a gift. read more

This is a great bookstore in the downtown area. I took an uber from my hotel and it was about a 7 min drive from the convention center area. It's two stories with plenty of parking. When I walked in I was greeted immediately but mostly left on my own after that which was fine. They have an information desk if you need help. They have a great selection of books and gifts, signed editions, banned books, cultural books, Austin local authors and different languages. My favorite part of the store is the middle shelf of all the bookshelves where staff have written descriptions of their favorites books. I read through them all and picked out two books I've never heard of based on their reviews. Before I left I visited the coffee shop inside. They have free WiFi and plenty of people were working inside. I ordered the iced latte with brown sugar syrup. Better than Starbucks! I would return it's a great book store. read more

See all

I could spend hours at BookPeople! The selection of books is unmatched. There is a book for everyone, from children to adults, even a Spanish section. Pricing is a bit higher than most big box retailers but keep in mind, this is an independently owned store and you will find a lot of books here that you won't find at chain stores. I purchased two books and I'm so excited to dive in. They also host author events and book clubs so I'm looking forward to participating in those events. read more

BookPeople - Bookstores Near Me - Austin, Texas

This is a great bookstore in the heart of Austin. Great selection of books and I really like how they have little summaries with the staff picks on them. The staff is very friendly and helpful with recomendations as well. Price was competitive as well. It's a nice place to spend some time and browse their books. They have a great kids section as well so we always end up leaving with a bunch of new books. read more

Amazing book store and I love all the random trinkets everywhere you can buy too. I always spend way too much money here and I already can't wait to go back. Delicious cafe too and they host cool events some times. read more

BookPeople - Books on the table in the cafe - Bookstores Near Me - Austin, Texas

Great book shop. Great selection. Great ambiance. Good coffee. Alright people. Decent service. As to value--expect to pay MSRP, and don't expect bargains if not for the little discount section by the registers. Still, it's a great bookstore. read more

Huge selection because this is a huge book store. I really love the variety and the fact that in every section there are staff picks and summaries of top books so you have some easy quick hits to look at if you don't want to spend hours sleuthing. Prices seem reasonable and in line with other stores but with 2 floors to explore i feel like this definitely beats out the big chain bookstores in terms of selection. Overall my sister in law and I had a great day exploring this store. While we did not purchase anything from the coffee shop there is one with looked like a good variety and a small seating area where you can relax with your coffee. Overall recommend if you are a book lover. The staff was also super friendly and willing to help at every turn. read more

Great store but employees (managers) are the biggest idiots you will ever meet. This staff has no business organizing a meet and greet in any capacity. We attended the book signing for Jet Li and was rushed and treated like cattle. We weren't even able to shake hands or thank the martial arts legend. The moron that they had in charge of taking our phones and taking candid photos for us was amazing at taking pictures of the back of my bf's head. We drove 3 hours to be treated like absolute sh!t. read more

Terrible, rude, and cruel employees. After 10 years of avoiding this place due to their incredibly rude staff, I was finally convinced back for a Jet Li signing. What a horrible experience. The Jet Li event was the worst singing I've ever attended. I didn't even get to see his face. No one in line behind me but Book People employee yelling at you while your waiting, grabbing your phone out of your hand and by the time you turn to look at him you're shoved out of the room. I got to see the blur of the top of a baseball cap and that's it. The photo they took with my phone is of the wall behind us. However, now I'm seeing posted and clear nice photos of people being able to actually look at him? What's the deal? Why was I not allowed to actually see the person signing the book? Do you have to be a friend of a Book People employee? An experience so terrible it's ruined Jet Li for me. Never going back to this dump again. read more

Huge bookstore. I was disappointed to miss out on seeing author Lisa Jewel's appearance. However the employees are super friendly. I was fortunate enough to have a fun conversation with the employees about Stormlight Archive and Mistborn books. Prices are fair and looking at employees recommendations for books were solid. read more

See all

How many actual brick and mortar book stores have you been to recently? This store is so poetically put together for the true book lovers to experience feeling and smelling the paper of a book and seeing what's out as you walk through the many sections. Right off Lamar and close to Whole Foods. They sell other stuff in addition to books with two floors. If it's out, it seems like they have it in stock. Shopping here is more of an experience than just coming in for a specific book. Today it was a book signing of Austin Heat with the author doing a talk and book signing. I already have the book from a prerelease event but I wanted to come hear her talk about the book in a more relaxed environment than the big book launch party. read more

See all

The BOOK STORE here. We sadly don't get to this place enough and it is great. It has an upstairs and downstairs area, a coffeepeople, a whole section for local authors. Several information desks and lots of employees around to help and keep things in order. Everyone we spoke to was friendly and the lady who rang us up had fun information about the author of one of the books we bought. They use the space great and while I didn't get upstairs I was impressed with the flow of books with knickknacks and items for sale. They had a wide range from the usual shirts and coffee mugs to unique ashtrays and evil eye things...Not sure what they were. They are a bit pricey so something to look out for, We didn't get a coffee or a souvenir so I only looked, some of them were cheaper then you would think but others not. It's hit or miss. But don't misunderstand, the place is great and if you haven't been you should go. The outside signage is like a movie marquee. Its' fun. read more

See all

Wandering through Book People is one of my favorite pastimes. The selection is incredible and I recommend setting aside a good chunk of time to commit to browsing--our last trip to Austin included 2 visits on the same day because we couldn't get it all in during the first visit! Friendly staff and a cafe make this even more of a destination experience. Do not miss! read more

So sad I just now found out about this gem! Tons of parking first of all and honestly in a super convenient location right downtown! Walking into the bookstore I was absolutely mesmerized. It reminded my of my favorite bookstore in Seattle with that old rustic feel. There's high bookshelves everywhere you look with every section or topic you could imagine. Nestled within the shop there's a little coffee shop with a good amount of seating and it's super quiet so perfect for reading or working from somewhere other than your house! The staff from walking in to checking out to ordering a coffee was super nice and helpful! Really want to come by and work here sometime, can't wait to come back! read more

BookPeople - Bookstores Near Me - Austin, Texas

every time I come here I find what I'm looking for and more, the employees are kind, it feels like home.

My favorite indie bookstore in Austin. Spacious with good selection of all sorts of books from fiction, to cookbooks, games, cards, children corner etc. Their staffs are always helpful and I also enjoy buying Austin branded gifts and books from here too. There is also a small cafe inside too. I love books but buying full price frequently is not sustainable for me - the library is great and Bookpeople has an awesome rotating sale section with brand new books. I have been trying to support more local businesses and Bookpeople makes it easy to do so. read more

There's so much to look at in this bookshop. Took two book loving kiddos here and fun was had by all, adult and kids. There were so many sections and chairs to read. They even have a coffee shop on the first floor. There are books and little knick knacks that would great for gifting. Enjoyed our time here perusing through books, toys, trinkets, and such. read more

See all

Truly an Austin gem. Massive selection of books and incredible subgenres for organization. You can see why they are one of the biggest and best in the country as an independent bookstore. There is alot of flavor for Austin with gifts and stickers and all kinds of treats you would want that remind you where you are at. I was helped by two folks just naturally as I looked for the books I needed and they both were incredibly kind and came to be when I was looking, didn't need to ask for help! Parking lot is nice and big too. read more

See all

Came on for what I thought would be a quick visit, but not so much. Lol I learned that this is Texas' largest independent bookstore and I can definitely tell! Two stories of all the genres for all ages, and plenty of other non-bookish items as well. The employees I interacted with were so nice and welcoming. Although this bookstore is large it's cozy, and to up the cozy vibes there's an in-house coffee shop! Match made! I didn't try any coffee this trip though. My rating is solely based on the Romance section they have in store. They have a fantastic romance selection. Shelves and shelves full of beautiful, wonderful romance. I was happily surprised. Prices are what you expect when purchasing new physical books. Plenty of parking. Come in and take a look! read more

BookPeople - A few romance offerings. - Bookstores Near Me - Austin, Texas

Can't go wrong with BookPeople. If you want the selection of a big box store, but with a soul...this is your spot. Good folks, great coffee shop, awesome events. Tip: coffee corner carries local vegan bakery, Zucchini Kill, products. Nomz. read more

See all

Giant local bookstore near downtown Austin. Book People + REI in the same free parking lot. What an afternoon! The selection is amazing. Well known books and local finds. Authors in the store pretty frequently. Cute gifts for yourself and others, sassy cards and stationary. Coffee shop in the back has tasty food and beverages and a decent amount of seating. Check it out! read more

I try to make an effort to visit local indie bookstores whenever I travel someplace new, and BookPeople called me right in. The space was incredible! So many sections for books of course, but also fun literary-inspired socks, t-shirts, pins, decor, and more. It's also much bigger than I expected; two floors, large floor plans, and each space is well optimized. The organization in the store is great, including sub categories on the shelves with signed sections, local authors, etc. among the larger sections like romance, history, fantasy, etc. The staff were so nice and welcoming, very personable too. read more

BookPeople - Bookstores Near Me - Austin, Texas

A new favorite place to visit! Good way to escape the heat during the summer and get lost in the shelves. Even felt randomly inspired by their cooking books. Will definitely be back again. They have plenty of staff at information booths throughout the store. They have flyers for book clubs and special guest speakers. I love how they have brief little handwritten (and sometimes drawn) descriptions of some popular titles as well. Their "banned" book section is also a fun section to explore! read more

BookPeople - Bookstores Near Me - Austin, Texas