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Manteo, NC

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Downtown Books

4.6 (30 reviews)
Open • 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

Downtown Books Photos

Recommended Reviews - Downtown Books

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Jillian S.

Lovely local bookshop in downtown Manteo. It's quiet, stocked, and organized. We appreciated all the labels for staff picks. A storm was rolling in so we didn't stay as long as we hoped to. Prices varied as they sell new and used books. Overall, they seemed to have a good selection including a children's area.

Mystery book
Erin S.

A must stop for us every time we visit Manteo. A super cute local bookstore that is easy to navigate and well stocked. They have tons of picks by local authors in addition to national best sellers. Their sticker and accessory game is also on point! Do yourself a favor and check out this local gem. The staff are lovely and very helpful!

Inside the store.
MeeMaw V.

This is a must stop when visiting Manteo. It is a beautiful shop with many treasures. Loads of books, reading accessories, stickers, journals, etc. We picked up a few books about the OBX and cannot wait to start reading. Everything was priced fairly and they even had a selection of used books. The people who work there have always been kind and helpful. Overall, my family and I highly recommend.

Apparently these seats aren't for kids excited to read.
Carl O.

Don't visit this store. Just visited 9/2/2023 about 2:35PM EsT. The person working there asked my wife and two toddlers to leave for sitting and reading a few books. They're sitting right here at the rocking chair and stool provided. My daughter (4) had two learn-to-read books and we were reading them for a couple minutes to choose. My Son (2.5) had a Bluey book and was excited about a stuffed witch toy. We were in the store less than 15 minutes. The older man working there asked my wife and children to leave because 'they needed to make space for other customers' and was making a hand gesture to 'wrap it up' in the same vain as someone who is asking an award speech to be wrapped up. The store wasn't even very busy, 6 or so other people and we were in the kid-specific section. That's pretty rude to do to someone. We put the children's books and toy back. I wouldn't suggest shopping here. Apparently if you sit to decide which book to choose or if your kid gets too excited you're a nuisance. Genuinely my children were not disruptive at all and we were going to make a purchase. I stepped outside for a couple minutes and they came out after being asked to leave.

Handwritten reviews to help you choose your next book!
Diane R.

I lived in Manhattan for 20 years before moving to the Outer Banks. I used to take my son to the sweet children's area in the Borders book store next to the World Trade Center. After 2001, we walked a little further down Broadway to its new location. But with Amazon taking off, eventually this location closed as well. We switched to Barnes and Noble, happily browsing and reading quietly before choosing our next treasure. When I moved here, I was happy to stumble upon independent book stores, most notably, Downtown Books. This magical place is a great place to browse, and read the handwritten reviews by the owner and her employees. I highly recommend you go there if you haven't already, and support our local businesses. It's a win-win for all of us. "The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go. "--Dr. Seuss

Downtown Books in Manteo, NC

(Formerly known as Manteo Booksellers.) Great mix of books for an indie bookstore. Lots of regional books - Outer Banks, NC - as well as current bestsellers and some used books. Would definitely come back. Friendly staff too. Pet-friendly! - our dog was welcome...and enjoyed the AC. (The sales clerk even pointed to a pet bed under a table so I guess we're not the first to ask.) Social distancing follows Dare County guidelines - masks required.

Daughter left her beloved doll at the shop on vacation.  We received this in the mail shortly after

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6 days ago

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3 months ago

Great service, selection and atmosphere! Such a great store and I make a point to go every time we are in the Outer Banks!

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6 years ago

Love this bookstore. Every year we visit the OBX, we make a point to come here. I highly recommend

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Review Highlights - Downtown Books

“Awesome little book shop with a nice selection of local authors and books about the Outer Banks.”

Mentioned in 6 reviews

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Traveler's Moon - Something special to add to your collection.

Traveler's Moon

4.9(11 reviews)
5.7 mi

Such a pretty store, i went with my mom yesterday and the selection of crystals, books, trinkets,…read moreteas, jewelry and stickers is amazing. tons of moth stuff too, they're my favorite insect lol. the service is amazing too, the lady at the register was so nice and the store is very affordable for what it is, crystals can be very expensive. I love this place so much, i wish it was in my hometown but i'll definitely visit next time we're in the OBX.

Traveler's Moon is a really visibly lovely spiritual shop. Everything is laid out nicely,…read moreorganized, and there's a good variety in terms of merchandise available. On the day that I visited, the employee working was warm, welcoming, and kind. She directed me to a table of merchandise that was on sale, and told me about some other deals going on in the shop. I spend a good 20 minutes wandering, taking everything in. Although there was a lot to choose from, I ultimately ended up leaving empty handed. There were a lot of beautiful selections, but at the end of the day I felt that the price of most items was a little too high to justify the purchase. Even for shops in this genre where you'd expect higher price points (independent spiritual shops in small towns that feature a decent selection of locally-sourced merchandise from local artisans), the prices felt a bit high. That all being said, I would imagine that there is a customer base of folks living in or visiting the Outer Banks who could more easily swing the higher price point than I could. If you're in the area and spiritual shops are your thing, this place is definitely work a visit.

Photos
Traveler's Moon - Clusters, Spheres, Points, and more ...

Clusters, Spheres, Points, and more ...

Traveler's Moon - Embrace your inner LEO

Embrace your inner LEO

Traveler's Moon - Twin Moon Teas

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Twin Moon Teas

Duck's Cottage Coffee & Books - Indoor seating.

Duck's Cottage Coffee & Books

4.5(202 reviews)
18.6 mi
•$

Awesome spot to get coffee and breakfast among all the books and souvenirs. Went a couple different…read moretimes and the people are super friendly. There's also fun outdoor spots to sit by the pond.

Duck's Cottage is a coffee and book shop located in the waterfront shops in Duck, NC. There's…read moreplenty of free parking in the lot in the complex, but there's limited indoor and outdoor seating. They've recently changed their weekend hours to close earlier at 12pm on Saturdays. They also accept tap to pay, but enact a % charge on all credit transactions. The ambiance inside can be described as rustic and quaint. It's really cute if you're looking to read and chill. It can get crowded as they're usually busy, but this is a great place to come if you're looking to relax. They have both hot and iced drinks with milk alternatives. The iced drinks come in medium (16oz) and large and the hot drinks come in small (12oz), medium and large. The banana cream pie latte was delicious. It tasted like caramel and bananas, paired well with the coffee, and was the perfect amount of sweet. The bumbleberry pie was okay too but the fruit and coffee combination wasn't my favorite. I'd definitely recommend coming here in the morning for coffee and browsing for books if you're in Duck, NC.

Photos
Duck's Cottage Coffee & Books - Books and books and books. Actually, an impressive array of "beach reading" titles. A cool browsing spot with a specialty latte in hand.

Books and books and books. Actually, an impressive array of "beach reading" titles. A cool browsing spot with a specialty latte in hand.

Duck's Cottage Coffee & Books - Back of tee

Back of tee

Duck's Cottage Coffee & Books - Shirt

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Downtown Books - bookstores - Updated October 2026

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