I ended up going to Second Story Books over a MLK Day weekend vacation in D.C…read more They had a 20% discount on books over the weekend so I felt I should take advantage of that and at least purchase a book which I did. Their selection and feel was good. Though, I was specifically looking for Agatha Christie books and was kind of stunned they really did not have any. Though they did humorously have some sort of John Grisham original collection for way too much money to the point that I have no idea who would love/care about Grisham to that extent. Anyway, I enjoyed the experience there, worth checking out while being in the popular area that is Dupont Circle, and still am using my Second Story Books bookmark.

I was so busy going through the books that the fact that they also sold antiques was lost on me…read more Their literary selection is fantastic and extremely well organized. I went in without expectations but left very happy with an unexpected book find at a very reasonable price. If I were local, this would be the first place I'd visit any time I was looking for a book.

Capitol Hill Books is an institution which is simply which I just enjoyed visiting there and…read moreroaming around, experience their wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling books. However, their pricing was just a bit annoying to me. Almost every used paperback was at least $7.50, even if in fact the book when priced new, was less than that. For that reason and what I was looking for, it just did not seem worth it. I usually just get paperback books between $2-$4, read them, and then place them in a Little Free Library. Nevertheless, Capitol Hill Books was still a great time for a visit and to just be around books.

Cute cozy bookstore near the Eastern Market that's floor-to-ceiling with books! You'll feel…read moreenveloped by them, which for most book-lovers, is a welcome feeling. In the front you'll find the current bestsellers and staff picks, which is what we putzed through during our visit. However, there are shelves upon shelves categorized throughout the space that you could spend hours going through. We came as a group of 3 and were chatting about the books displayed, but got the sense that they'd prefer we not talk out loud here. Great spot that's a neighborhood staple!

I stopped by Lost City Books with a friend yesterday, when we spent a beautiful spring Sunday…read moremorning on a walk and mini bakery crawl through Adams Morgan. We both love to read and love bookshops. I love big bookshops, little bookshops, romance bookshops... Lost City Books was a wonderful surprise and immediately became one of my favorite bookshops in DC. Why? It isn't huge, but it makes such good use of its space that I found it to be one of the best stocked independent bookstores I've visited in a long while. I always try to support local independent bookstores when I can, and some of them are tiny (if your neighborhood bookstore is one of the tiny ones, remember they'll probably place orders for you if you want/need something they don't have in stock). But - at the risk of sounding silly - we got lost in time at Lost City Books. We meant to just pop in and quickly pick something to take home. But we wandered through their fiction section and staff picks, pointing out books to each other we loved or have been meaning to read and all of a sudden a half hour had passed and we only really explored one tiny section of the shop. We walked out with four books between us, too. The customer service was friendly to boot. Just a great independent bookshop and another reason to love Adams Morgan.

Great selection and wonderful vibes. The best part all of the staff recommended books throughout…read morethe store. The reviews are thorough and helpful and makes you feel lol they care.

- volunteers work there - lots of books from different areas…read more- well labeled areas - the money goes back to education which is a great cause! - not a lot of books that pique my interest though since most are donated - areas for sitting sometimes block path to some books

Very big and overwhelming, without much sense to how things are organized. The average age of their…read morebooks has to be at least a couple decades, without a lot of noticeable recent pubs. However, the woman who I perceived to own it was a delight. I went for Independent Bookstore Day and had to get my crawl page signed and she was SO EXCITED! They also do everything by hand there, so while you can pay with cash or card, she'll write the books and cost of them when you purchase down in a book. Very pure.

Washington, DC - L'Enfant Plaza - Dolly Parton!! Yes! Walking past this small outpost of Carpe…read moreLibrum located amongst the fast food offerings of L'Enfant Plaza, I spotted the book I didn't know I needed- Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors. Sure it's a kids book, but sometimes that's what we need - a reminder that everyone deserves love and respect. I glanced around this small shop - books are organized by topic with kids on the left and grown up options on the right. The person in the line ahead of me seemed to be dropping off some books and purchasing others. So maybe they have trade in options? When it was my turn the employee noted they had a lease for the next month or so. They're going to see if this location works out. Checking out was quick and easy. I was asked if I wanted to donate extra to the charity they fund. My kids book was $3 as it was a softcover. This seemed like a pretty good value. I plan to return.

What a great used bookstore! Across Franklin Park from The Washington Post, Carpe Librum sells…read moregently used books, vinyls, CDs, and DVDs all under $7. Shelves are filled with books in every category, including children books in hardback and paperback. Vinyls are $5 each and CDs and DVDs are $3. The space is inside the old Leon restaurant and the signs on the walls speak to that. It's a no-frills space, but worth a visit. Proceeds help education non-profit Turning the Page.

This bookstore is awesome! When I went on a Friday afternoon recently, it was pretty calm and…read morequiet. Not too crowded which I liked as it can get pretty tight since there's many books and many shelves. Service was fine although I didn't really talk to many people while there (was more preoccupied with finding the books and checking them out). I'd say this place has great value as the books i got (3) were charged a total of just under $5. I can see why the staff put up flyers stating to be mindful with how many books the customers get as they're priced pretty low, allowing you to collect a decent amount. I'll definitely be back to check this place out again :)

Second Story Books is worth the drive or long Metro ride from Washington, D.C. Housed in a large…read morewarehouse within walking distance of the Twinbrook Metro station, Second Story Books houses over 500,000 used books on literally every topic. Want three aisles of kids books like Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys? Go here. Need every book C.S. Lewis wrote? Stop by Second Story Books. After visiting nearby ZavaZone with our seven-year-old daughter, we stopped into Second Story for a few minutes, which easily turned into an hour. Every book is 50% off. We left with 15 books for just under $21. The books are well organized and maps help navigate visitors to each section, but know that the warehouse's narrow book aisles can get cramped. It adds to the appeal! There are even harder-to-find rooms with other items like posters for sale. They also sell CDs and DVDs. Staff are helpful. I lost my wallet and within an hour a staff member messaged me on Facebook letting me know they found it and it was safe at the checkout desk. If you have used books, Second Story Books buys them from people.

I love, love, loved this place…read more A full-fledged bookstore with tons of books, sections, accessories and gifts PLUS a legit breakfast/lunch/dinner restaurant with great food, gorgeous patio/dining area? I am SO in. We stopped in bc my husband's last name is Kramer and it's spelled the exact same and I saw the brunch/breakfast options and wanted to eat here. We loved it. Tried the avocado toast, brioche French toast and a smash burger and everything was delicious. Service was good, food was out quickly, portions were huge, all A+++. Enjoyed shopping after and will 100% come back. They are very active on Instagram and usually have seasonal specials and neat events.

A DC institution, I will always be a fan of Kramers. It's not the best restaurant, but it's a…read moreclassic that I hope remains open for decades and decades to come. Service is great, prompt and professional, and some of the items are hit or miss, but there is a lot of light lunch fare to choose from and my salad was fresh. Make sure to stop in at the bookstore at the end of your meal.

As you walk down the brick sidewalk, you will come across the cutest local book store with a warm…read moreand inviting exterior. As I walked inside it gave off a library atmosphere. Of course it even had that classic book smell. My favorite. There is an upstairs and a downstairs. It can be a little tight depending on the amount of customers inside. There is a wide range o books. Of course there is a lot of political themed books, its the area we are in. I was lucky to find Kamala Harris's book, "107 Days." Pricing was what I expected and supporting a local book store than the large box store down the street was where my heart was at. The books were well organized, and everything was nicely categorized. There was one employee working. They were not super engaging, but I chalk that up to library atmosphere. But, whenever they were asked a questions they were helpful. There is a lot of local advertising and they are supportive of the LGBTQ population.

I loved this place. Went today and it felt very small and cozy. The staff were very kind and…read morehelpful. I appreciated the selection, however, it wasn't organized very well and kind of difficult to browse titles and navigate. If there was some more labels for genres that would be amazing too!

This is one of the coolest used bookstores I've been to, they are part of a nonprofit that raises…read moremoney to support programming for Montgomery County through the sale of old library books. They had an amazing curated selection of band books as well as a whole Harry Potter section and a lot of the latest best sellers. They also take donations, they don't buy books. The staff was really friendly and kind. I picked up a book that is set in Rockville to commemorate the trip! This is a feel good use bookstore because your purchase also helps fund the activities for children.

Always find hard to locate books here! :) The books are always well organized and there are plenty…read moreof sections and misc prints as well.

Great neighborhood bookstore right on 14th Street and a good spot to browse after dinner or before…read morewaiting for a meal. The interior is spacious, well organized and plannogrammed, and brightly lit. I could spend hours here, and so can you! Except for one bench I didn't see an area where you can cozy up and read or hang out with a coffee, but it has a great vibe, with so much more beyond books---totes, bags, games, magnets, gifts, and more! Definitely worth stopping in!

Service: super friendly and approachable. After my purchase asked about local places to burn an…read morehour or two and and was given great recommendations for food, people watching, wine bars, and murals. Selection: smalllllll store. But wide variety. All subjects covered. Also chose this tote as a possible place to get a local souvenir based on other reviews. Not so much a good place for that. They do have branded items. Value: prices as marked.