Favorite book store to get me all stimulated over cozy coloring books and markers! Crayons too!!!! Value is honestly a bit much but it's worth supporting local. Staff is super nice too. I purchase cards here over the store across the street. Books Inc is much friendly and never watches me like a hawk read more

Books - A little girl can still dream of loyalty and love. But does it actually exist? I'll let you answer that question - Bookstores Near Me - Alameda, California

Books Inc is now under the umbrella of the Barnes & Noble brand. Despite this, this location still retains its independent/community feel. The staff are helpful and kind here. And I love coming in to peruse their curated and staff choice books, which changes a d rotates frequently. There's a decent selection of books on sale at the back left corner of their store if you want to shop for deals. The kiddie corner has a seated area for families/children to spend a little time looking through the books before you purchase. There's also regular author readings/signings and poetry recital events during certain early afternoon or evenings at the bookstore, which is posted on a section of their wall, facing out from their left window display. If you had a rewards membership with Books Inc, you can transfer your points and member ID info over to the Barnes & Noble rewards program. read more

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This is a nice looking store, lots of great stock, cute employee recommendation signs. However, I did not find the employees at all friendly. Bookstore employees are a unique breed and they traditionally don't do friendly. My best friend and her husband worked at Aardvark Books in San Francisco for decades. The one thing that all the staff had in common was they loved books. Which doesn't necessarily correlate with social skills and friendliness. They were all extreme introverts and it sometimes came across as rude or condescending. Every time we've stopped in to Books Inc, we always come away with armloads of books. Just don't expect a "thank you for shopping". read more

Books - Bookstores Near Me - Alameda, California

It's right downtown, so parking can be a pain, but it's Alameda. You're not that far from a parking garage that you can walk from. It's such a cute small bookstore and they have wonderful selections. They're very helpful when you're looking for a book. The website isn't always as accurate because it said they had a book in stock, but by the time I got there they didn't have it. Overall, such a cute local bookstore. I'd definitely recommend this for any books you're looking for. read more

Books - Bookstores Near Me - Alameda, California

NOT black or brown customer friendly! Came here for the first and last time today and was throughly followed around the store while checking out the books they had to offer. The short stubby older white male did not ask me once if I needed help or if I was finding everything okay, but made sure to breathe down my neck as I looked around. He took it as far as going behind the checkout desk to watch me check out with the other cashier. There wasn't a moment while I was in the store that he wasn't there right beside me, making me extremely uncomfortable. So much for a friendly neighborhood bookstore... read more

Customer service is terrible. I noticed the screen now said Barnes and Noble and said "oh yeah, you're B&N now" to which the cashier annoying replied that they aren't. It's not my fault Books Inc got bailed out by B&N. Maybe they should focus on helping people find good books to read and to feel welcome, then they wouldn't need a bail out. read more

Books Inc is such a great local bookstore in Alameda. It's super well organized, with sections by genre and a nice new books section in the front. I love how their new books section seems to highlight books from more diverse authors. There is also a nice discounted books section in the back. One of my fave parts of the store though is the puzzle section - it has the bestttt selection! So many cute puzzles!! read more

Books - Bookstores Near Me - Alameda, California

I've been in a few Books Inc in the Bay Area, and they're all pretty similar. Clean, quiet, and well organized!! This one in Downtown Alameda on Park Street was all those things! I came in here to get a book as a gift for an avid reader that I know, but I soon ended up browsing for myself, you know how that goes!! This store is a bit small, but they had a very good selection of all types of books, magazines, greeting cards, and an assortment of other items. The staff here was very friendly also!! read more

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Amazing customer service. Usually I enjoy looking around but this time I wanted to save a trip and called. The item was there and one is allowed to but a book on hold for 3 days by last name. I did not know they had rewards and I think this is great because it makes guests want to come back for more. And for signing up one already gets perks and then being an independent bookshop is a plus. As I picked it up I asked for gift wrapping and during the holidays they have an extra table with holiday, winter, Christmas, and Hanukkah wrapping paper. Very satisfied. read more

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Really like the curated displays, they have special sections for Latinx and Asian authors, and special handwritten notes on recommendations. In the summertime they have book bingo for k-12! They have great programs engaging the teens and youth- wish I had a bookstore like this growing up. read more

Books - Summer book bingo! - Bookstores Near Me - Alameda, California

Open during Covid Times! Practicing social distance by allowing limited amount of folks. There is an amazing timely selection of books called "Black Excellence" Love all the cute items you can get beyond books like cards, soaps, calendars, and random fun trinkets. If there isn't a book available they can help order it too. And the gift wrapping! So cute. Support your local bookstore! read more

I always love the vibes here. Nice, quiet, and chill. The place is also always super well organized and stocked with lots of different options for everyone. The employees are also really friendly :) read more

Books - Bookstores Near Me - Alameda, California

An honest, well thought out selection of books for all ages and interests. Books Inc is located on a street where you can stroll in a safe environment. There are some great local restaurants and other retail shops that look inviting. Staff are friendly and very helpful. They will order books for you and let you know when they arrive. Matt says Book Inc is worth a visit. read more

I just love this bookstore where the staff actually read and love books and can give recommendations!

Very nice small bookstore. Friendly and helpful staff. Not very much of a travel book selection. But it's definitely a place to stop in and take a look. read more

Tonight was my first time in this bookstore. We just picked up Poke Koma for dinner, and needed to kill time while we wait for our son's soccer practice to be over. They had a wonderful children's Halloween display at the window which attracted us in. At the door, they have mask, gloves, and hand sanitizer for customers; Which was great! Upon entering, we were greeted right away by an employee at the register; a BIG plus as it made us feel very welcomed! We were very pleased by the selection of books. It's like a cozier Barnes & Nobles. What we were really drawn to was the Sales area! They had a great selection of books that there significantly discounted! Definitely a section I'll be checking out regularly! We got a baby board book that showcased California. And we got a large sized Earl Carle "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see?" Both books for under $7. Again in the Children's area, an associateasked if we needed help. I told her I was looking for a larger print of the Very Hungry Caterpillar. She searched around and told me that she can order it for me if I'd like. However, we needed it like yesterday. So, we bought the small board book. The person who rang us up was so personable. Despite Covid and the safety precautions, it was nice to feel normal and have a friendly conversation that makes you forget that everyone's wearing masks & gloves. We will definitely be back as books are just as equivalent as food in our household! read more

Books - Sales section is not one to sleep on! - Bookstores Near Me - Alameda, California

Amazon has put so many bookstores out of business so it's always nice to have a brick and mortar bookstore to be able to browse books, flip pages, etc. I've always enjoyed this Books Inc location as they have a nice selection of books, have some sales books, and the store has a nice layout. Always fun to come in here! read more

Great local shop service, products l, gift ideas , etc. highly recommend this shop. Xxxxxx

I'd like you to put yourself in the shoes of a seven week old baby for a minute. Imagine going to a new place for the weekend, being out of your regular routine, and being a flower child with your daddy carrying you down the aisle while 200 sets of eyes were watching you. That was the experience my nephew had this past weekend. He was an absolute CHAMPION and did so well, so I wanted to get him a little present! I went to Books Inc on Monday morning and was delighted with their selection of autumn books for small children. I bought two books, one of which being "Little Blue Truck's Halloween" which he absolutely LOVES. Next time you need a new book and the little neighborhood libraries aren't meeting your desires, check out Books Inc!! They have a fabulous selection and it is a super chill, quiet environment. I will certainly be coming back! read more

This is such a wonderful bookstore! I've bought books here in person and ordered online for in-store pickup. Very friendly and generous staff, super fast, and they offer an excellent selection of books and merchandize. Plus, they host fantastic events and support local authors, both new and established. The whole chain is a Bay Area gem. Thank you, Books Inc! read more

It's always nice to find a Books Inc. on a leisurely Sunday stroll, which is exactly how we came upon this one on Park Street in Alameda. The low-key suburban vibe of this city makes it the perfect fit for this local chain. By contrast, Barnes & Noble, the last of the mastodon super-bookstores, always take up a big chunk of real estate in a shopping center and sell coffees and Nooks as much as they do books. That's not to say Books Inc. is immune to illiterate merchandise like baseball caps and candy poppers (photo: http://bit.ly/2I6q5sD), but it sure felt more like a bookstore from days of yore. You know what yore is, right? It's somewhere between a fortnight and eternal damnation. But you won't be damned if you come here. You'll relax and just browse like we did. It's Alameda. Chill. read more

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We get books here all the time. Lovely store. Fun to visit. Great staff. Rewards program.

Note: This is my first time reviewing a bookstore and also the first time reviewing a place that isn't a bar/restaurant/event venue. I walked into this bookstore looking for "How to be an Antiracist" and "American Dirt" after having watched Oprah's Apple TV+ series - they carried both. While perusing the shelves, I also noticed a section titled "Latinx". Not sure if the curator of the store saw the same episode I did, but I was surprised and delighted to see how this specific store took initiative. The folks in the store also seemed very friendly - I'll be coming back! read more

Great local book store. Cozy store that is well stocked. My kids really like the childrens section. Warm and friendly staff. If they don't have a book on in stock, then they will get it for you and call you when it arrives. You can even pay in advance and do curbside pickup durning COVID. read more

Books, Inc., is an indy bookstore with pretty cool employees and I stopped in about 2:45 pm to purchase the book, "One Last Strike" by Tony LaRussa. I thought the book signing would be held at 7:00 PM, but I'm glad I did not have to wait long. His scheduled appearance was changed earlier in the afternoon to 3:00 PM...much, much better - a 15 minutes wait. The line was slightly long, and that is to be expected. All of us who stood in line were patiently waiting; nobody went totally ballistic and there was no drama. I used to get a newsletter of their upcoming events. I will have to do better and visit the bookstore more often, along with the other small businesses on Park Street. read more

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A local long-standing bookstore that has outlasted others like Barnes & Nobles. I'll go in here to browse books to read for the month or as presents for friends and family. They have many options from non-fiction and fiction to mangas to cookbooks to progressive books for children and adults. While smaller in comparison to places like Barnes & Nobles, they have a relatively extensive selection of books to choose from. Obviously, not everything. I particularly like the small business feel displayed through the handwritten descriptions of select books, which sort of gives it more character aside from its cover art or inside panel or back cover synopsis. The books in here, for the most part, are affordable. I say this because - while books have their published price - they often have really good sales here and can even decrease the price by nearly 50%. Staff also seem friendly and knowledgeable enough. read more

Pre-Covid, I took my kids in here every Saturday and we bought new books for them. They loved looking at the new books and finding something they liked. Pre-covid, this would have been a 5 star review, but now...WOW! They have a girl there with green/blue hair who basically told me never to come back with her attitude. We went in to buy books for my little ones (4 and 2), and as usual, they came with me to help pick out what they wanted. My 4 year old made the unholy, and life threatening mistake of sitting down. In a heartbeat, this green hair witch jumps over yelling "DON'T SIT DOWN! I CAN'T HAVE YOU SITTING DOWN!" I even apologized for my daughter sitting down. This girl insisted on giving me a lecture on not sitting down and signs stating not to. I brushed it off and went to the front to pay for the books we found before she rudely interrupted our search. While we were leaving, the same girl came up and loudly, and rudely, said "if you don't want a book, bring it up front, don't put it back, we can put it in the right place". I know every book that I looked at and didn't get, was put back on the same spot I took it from. Bottom line, we went from buying 4-6 books a week to nothing ever again. I'll find a new store, there's no way I'm going to go back to this store as long as the colored haired nazi still works there. read more

This was my first time in this shop. Lovely bookstore with lots of diverse selections as well as bestsellers, popular new releases and booktok popular books. Large selection of unique cookbooks too! This store is a book lovers heaven. Staff was super nice. I gave this place 4 stars, because my daughter and I bought a large number of books our first time in, we then ended up popping back in later the same day, and I picked up two more books. The 2nd bookseller asked if I wanted to join their frequent buyer club, which I said yes to. I was disappointed that the first one didn't ask, since we bought at least 8 books the first time, it would have been nice to have those included in our book purchase count! I wonder why the first person didn't ask? Disappointing for sure. read more

Super friendly, downtown book store. I didn't get much of a chance to look around, but the kid section here is really great, and very accessible. Full of small children of course, so perhaps not the best place for a quite browse. But definitely check it out. My daughter's favorite. read more

great place, sweet children's section the first time I went in was approached by a toddler to read her pinkalicious, each time I get a poignant book, either by a local author, a known author like tonight I'm getting Gabor Mate's new book, the Myth of Normal. Last weekend I picked up Michael Fanone's book, Hold the Line. Great, thoughtful, helpful staff, sweet patrons, I live a few blocks away so it's a good habit. read more

This books stores is my daughter favorite comic books Collection nowhere else. I make this store is Convenience to me n shopping around the area close to freeway read more

Books - Bookstores Near Me - Alameda, California

Great independent book store with friendly staff. Decent selection of current books and they can order a wide range for you.

I love Books Inc. and have visited them regularly since I moved to Alameda 5 years ago. Usually I buy a few bday presents there and a few books for myself. I'm only removing one star because a couple days ago I walked in and the 3 workers were wearing cloth masks - not enough to protect them or customers from Covid. Hopefully that can change - Books Inc can you provide KN95 masks to your workers? I'd love to keep supporting my local bookstore in a safe way. read more

We've frequented this beautiful bookstore for the past 10 years, before dinner, after dinner, before movie, after movie, etc. Wonderful location and ambiance, the spacious store is well-organized, comfortable and well-lit and there's something for everyone: gifts, toys, greeting cards, stationary, magazines and, of course, all genre of books. My fourth grader has been coming here since he was a toddler, and we always find something new and interesting to buy. The staff is truly welcoming, pleasant and super helpful. All of the staff is very nice, and the older lady is the best! What a gem! She is very caring and personable, she's always busy re-organizing and greeting us and offering book recommendations. I enjoy chatting with the staff and spending time here as much as my little guy does (like all the kiddos, he loves that long spacious bench in the back, and can park himself there for hours if it was up to him) I noticed they had a wonderful summer reading program here, and hope they will continue next summer! read more

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A vast book shop with a great deal of choice for every type of readers out there. It is very well organized and easy to navigate but if you fancy being pampered the staff are there for you. The discounted price books table is my guilty pleasure. read more

Park Avenue Alameda is the closest thing to an economically vibrant Midwest downtown that I'm going to get in Northern California. Yes, there is also College Avenue (Berkeley or Oakland), Solano Avenue (starting in Albany), and even Burlingame. But none of these enjoyable streets matches the small town feel that is Alameda. And if you're willing to walk around, the nearby Victorian houses, nicely wooded streets, and other architectural attractions are well worth the exercise. Just don't drive into to town too quickly, as Alameda's Finest are ever vigilant. This Books Inc. is the neighbourhood bookstore. When my son went to school near here, I would stop in before class let out, browse the stacks, and then maybe head across the street for an ice cream. After class, my son would skip the books and head straight towards the toy store. Nowadays, a film at the wonderful Art Deco movie house or maybe dinner (from a wealth of choices) invites a visit either before or after the show. This Independent Bookstore is well lit, nicely arranged, and features a robust selection of magazines and books. Staff is friendly and helpful, and I always try to buy something when I'm here. I missed the Groupon, but I'll still happily pay the price to help keep folks like this in business. read more

Cute bookstore on the supercute Park Ave. of Alameda. It's not at all overwhelming like a B&N or Borders. I really like the cards, "Staff Recommends" because it can help to sway my decision in what book(s) to purchase. In the middle of the bookstore is a sale selection. I found a great book for my mom, the dog lover, which highlights places in the Bay Area to take your dog. I swear her dog, Carl, could be her third child but I digress. read more

Books Inc. is a small chain of independent bookstores, with eleven locations across the Bay Area. The Alameda location is wonderful, spacious and well stocked with a friendly staff. It's an essential piece of charming downtown Alameda, the kind of bookstore that makes a neighborhood feel like a neighborhood. I came to this Books Inc. as an author on a recent book tour, and I had a great time. Jerry Thompson was a warm, enthusiastic host, and he'd read my book in preparation for the event. I felt welcome, and my friends and the few lovely strangers who came by had fun, or so I'd like to think. I enjoy going to author events as a reader, and find they add a lot to any bookish community. Amazon warehouses can't bring authors to your neighborhood in the same way bookstores can. Books Inc. has a full event calendar--worth checking out if you're in the mood for some literary culture. I browsed for a while after the event, and bought a novel and got a gorgeous Paperblank notebook as an author gift. I've already read the novel, and I'm putting the journal to good use. Thanks to Jerry and Books Inc. for being excellent hosts, and I hope to come back again soon. read more

This is my favorite book store in the Bay Area by far. I go here for books, kids' gifts, magazines, cute greeting cards and their great book clearance section. If you are visiting the east end of Alameda I definitely recommend you visiting this book store for a special gift for yourself or a loved one. Every time I have needed help finding a book or needed a recommendation, their employees have been super helpful and friendly. This book store also hosts book talks and discussions from time to time. They also partner up with local schools and organizations by giving them the space to do fundraising with bake sales and holiday gift wrapping. read more

Absolutely amazing bookstore! Alameda is kinda far for me, but made the trek in order to meet one of my most favorite authors: Sally Thorne! The event was super organized, the area in which they had the book event was spacious and there was enough seats for everyone. Hank (I think that was his name) the event coordinator, was super friendly and knowledgeable about the event- making sure to let people know that if we wanted books to get signed we should make sure to purchase them ASAP since there was a short amount! (Which I appreciated although I brought my own copy) this was my first book event with books inc and I think they did an excellent job. They got me to travel from the peninsula to the east bay- a very rare feat for this peninsula girl lol. The event was organized. I liked that they put a newsletter on every chair to notify the other upcoming events! It was also mentioned that there's a creative writing community that gathers together once a month on a Thursday (forgot the details lol) to share short stories and excerpts from stuff they're writing!!! I thought that was so amazing since it's something I always see online but have never thought I'd see somewhere close to me. I'll definitely be back here to check out the Thursday's with the writing sharing! read more

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