When you finally get here, you're in for a treat. The entrance is easy to miss (a signboard on Main St, which you can see here: http://www.pe.com/localnews/sbcounty/stories/PE_News_Local_R_used06.43019ec.html). Also, a friend of mine insists that there's two floors, but I never saw the other floor - only the main one. Loads of used books, very well categorized. A huge cookbook section too, which took me by surprise - I thought cookbooks were for keeps! Bookshelves that go up to the ceiling - but don't worry about things being out of reach, they have stepladders and stools at every aisle. Prices are penciled in on the flyleaf of the book. I nabbed an edition of "A Wizard of Earthsea" that I've been hunting for FOREVER, and all for the low low price of $6. (Because of this, I will always remember Downtowne Bookstore for giving me the used bookstore bug.) I've managed to get good deals on books for my college classes - call to check first. Sure, you could buy online, but sometimes the shipping just isn't worth it. This bookstore probably won't have your calculus textbook, but they'll probably have Charlotte Brontë. read more

I was in the area & decided to check this store out. It was a fully stocked store & I found some books. However the price is a little high in my opinion for used paperbacks so I only bought 1 book. Kinda disappointed. read more

Downtowne Bookstore - Front of the entrance to the bookstore. - Bookstores Near Me - Riverside, California

I remember this store back when it was new in 1979 lol... Different people own it, and let me tell you these gals were just so nice and friendly, I felt great going there. The store is a tad bit dark, but they did have lots of foot stools and such to either sit on or grab books on higher shelves. Tons of great "atmosphere". Selection was.... Good/Modest, but these real "brick and mortar" book shops are getting so rare these days I encourage you to check this place out and support your local small business and don't give ALL your money to megacrap places like Amazon or Barnes & Noble. OK so Amazon used book sellers have a LOT more selection, but here you go for the charming customer service and experience. You can't get that at Amazon my friends. Prices seemed fine to me, and I found a book on birds for $3.50 that I can cut up and use in my art journaling. I KNOW!!! I should NOT be cutting up old books, but hey, it was a very common book and I liked this place SO much, I wanted to get SOMEthing!! Now every time I cut out a red breasted sap sucker or yellow bush tit, I will think of my fun morning at the Downtowne Bookstore lol... Cheers to the charming older gals who run this place, VERY worth your time to check the place out and support them. :) read more

The place was great. Friendly staff. Lots of selections of books. I would go back.When I went inside I was greeted with a friendly smile and a hello. Great location and easy to find. read more

I am in love. Owls + used books = the greatest. Staff is friendly, too. I came away with 6 books for about $20, so I'm unsure why other reviewers said their prices aren't great. Of course it's going to be more expensive than online; it's an actual store, staffed by real people rather than a semi-sweatshoppy Amazon warehouse! read more

Of course only until I moved out of Riverside did I stumble across this absolutely charming bookstore. I am a every other week regular here and never walk out empty handed. Such an awesome collection if you know where to look and have an idea of what genre interests you. Prices are extremely fair and the owners are very helpful and extremely nice. I LOVE this shop!! read more

Downtowne Bookstore - Heaven! - Bookstores Near Me - Riverside, California

This is hands down the best, friendliest bookstore in town. Nadia, the owner, is so knowledgeable and kind. If they don't have something in stock, they can order it or you can buy it from them on Amazon. Check them out, you'll be glad you did. read more

This bookstore is a hidden gem! The prices here are super reasonable and the staff is always very nice! I really enjoy how this bookstore looks, the feeling you get going in there, and also the smell of all the books (if you are a book lover like me then you know what I am talking about). I have been going to this bookstore for years and will continue to do so (: read more

A very cute store. I was hanging out in downtown Riverside, saw their sign, and went in to pursue. Good selection. Numerous categories from theatre, film, plays, science, literature, etc. I'm used to buying my books online for $1-$3 + $3 in shipping. The prices here are comparable since the books I viewed run around $4-$6. Roaming the shelves, I found a lot of the authors that I've read and was reminded of all the books I still have yet to read. The staff is really nice. They're extremely helpful in locating books for you, but not obtrusive. They take credit cards and you can bring books in for credit towards purchases (a cool idea)! Next time I'm in the area, I will definitely be visiting again to stock up! read more

It's a nice little hidden book store that's in a little alley. I mainly just browse and hang out there for a bit just because of the ambiance. read more

HOLE IN THE WALL AMAZING!!! i love the smell of old books and that's what you get OLD BOOKS -love- textbooks, magazines, all kind of books. love it ((: the books are a bit more expensive than what you would find at the antique store by coffee bean though. read more

I can spend all day here at this wonderful book store! The service is superb, very friendly ladies & super helpful. I love finding rare books & vintage Sunset & other magazines. There's a drastically discounted book section outside too for your happy book hunting. Love this store! read more

love this shop!!! i was able to find really awesome reads for good prices. staff is extremely helpful and friendly!

I love the smell of books. Haven't been here in a while but it is definitely one of my favorite escapes. Even just browsing fills me with awe and makes me want to read everything! It also inspires the artist in me to get back to it. Literature is life. read more

Downtowne Bookstore - Bookstores Near Me - Riverside, California

I took more than 50 books, some hardback, some classics, to give to them free. They were open for business but wanted me to make an appointment and come back to give them hundreds of dollars in free books. Obviously, I'll be donating and buying my books elsewhere. read more

Discovered this hidden gem while exploring Downtown today. As soon as I walked in I was in love! Many other reviewers have said this already, but you don't see places like this anymore. I came across books from my childhood that I hadn't seen in years, I found some first editions from my favorite author, and I even found a copy of the same cookbook my parents used when I was growing up! The gentleman who was working at the counter was very kind and helpful. Definitely will be going back! read more

If you actually enjoy books and have good taste then take a pass on this one. Meager selection with a proprietor that has a penchant for passive aggression and likes to hang her own horrid art on the walls. And there are lots of Jesus books. Everything was well organized but only because she follows you around to make sure you aren't putting them back incorrectly. Moderately priced but there really wasn't anything of value to buy. It was an overgrown library book sale where if you dig and dig you could find something you might want to read some day. You're Ruining it for everyone. Sub-par. But it is Riverside. So... read more

I'm all for these kind of bookstores! Usually the place I find the item(s) I'm looking for. Trying to finish up my book collection from when I was a kid. Passing through from out of town and saw it...I couldn't help but go in! Don't see many classic bookstores these days. Didn't have what I needed but it definitely was the vibe of the right kind of place. Maybe next time I'll find my treasure! :) read more

Cute bookstore, little of everything. Not terribly much depth of anything that I could find. Owl figures and art everywhere. Cool wall art too. They told me they sell art on consignment but don't really keep in touch with all of the artists and they end up effectively having a lot of awesome art for free. Some art they've never taken the courtesy it seems to label with artist's info. I asked about a few rather striking art pieces and they didn't seem to recall the artist and even said the artist may have passed away. They told me their key to inner peace is never reading any online reviews of their store. read more

This is a little hidden gem. I found this on a walk around downtown Riverside. The first bookshelf I turned on I found the book I had wanted for a long time. Definitely coming back. read more

One of my favorite hidden book stores!! I always find something to get with such a great selection! The woman who runs it is always friendly. Love that they have an actual horror section!! read more

Recently renovated my house, cleaned out my office and stopped here to see if they would take a bunch of old books off my hands. Due to the lack of space, the owner does not accept text books. No worries. I am happy I came by. I ended up browsing the store for over an hour, left with a copy of Sara Gruen's Water for Elephants for $6. Its a shame that I've lived in Riverside for 16 years and have just recently started exploring the Downtown area. This little used bookstore will surely become one of my frequent stops. Its quiet, organized, and has an antique-ish feel. Note: cards are only accepted for purchases over $12 read more

Neat little book nook. Their customer service leaves something to be desired, though. Very unfriendly and unwilling to price a book I was interested in ("come back in a couple hours"). Shame, I love to support local. I would have bought a few books during my visit had it not been for that interaction. Found the same used book on Amazon for $0.04 and free shipping w/Prime. read more

My girlfriend and I were walking around after having a nice little lunch and just happened to stumble on this place. It is so nice. It's how a bookstore should be. Cozy, just a little cluttered, but not too much. Their history section, which my girlfriend browsed, was very well organized, and their religion section, which I browsed through, had nice, unique books. I also liked the little political cartoons and pictures that are taped up on the shelves. I will definitely come back whenever I'm in Riverside. read more

Be watchful for the entrance! It's down a sidewalk and off the main path. Loved finding a place where old and used books are given a home and a second chance. The owner is a warm and friendly personality, with a quick wit and good book recommendations. Will be back. read more

Absolutely love this place! Great selection of used books and prices are unbeatable. The staff are polite, helpful, and very knowledgeable.

Does anyone else miss the days before Amazon sold used books, when you could go to a used bookstore and feel like you were really getting a steal? Amazon turned used book selling into a competitive business, and I no longer leave a used bookstore with the same bargain-induced sense of thrill. Downtowne Bookstore is about the closest I've come to that old thrill because of the great selection they have, and a few chance finds I've made there. Her prices are based on Amazon (she has it open on her computer all the time), but I've picked up obscure biographies here, and their selection of fiction is more than just last year's bestsellers. I wish they had a better arts book section, but once or twice I picked up an old exhibition catalog that was pretty great, so I can't complain, either. Make sure you check out her rare book cabinet and the books in the display at the cash register. Sometimes there's some cool things in there. They also have a location in Lake Elsinore, but I've never been there. This is the best of its kind in Riverside, and definitely worth checking out. read more

Good little store. Not a big selection of books though, unless you're into romance, sci-fi or western. Got a great historical book on the California Gold Rush though, so, that was awesome. read more

Disappointing. Lots of books, but not any in my interest range, which is broad. Reminded me of the selection at a typical garage sale. If you are looking for a used romance novel, this place is for you. Nice lady running it, though. read more

The last time I was here I told the clerk that it seems dark and look like it would be haunted. They said they actually had a ghost hunter come in and check it out. Very cool place, wish they had newer books but you can go to barnes and nobles for that stuff. This place has personality. Found a Bukowski book I was looking for here that I couldnt any place else except online. It was slightly cheaper than amazon but not by much. Still love stopping in whenever I'm in downtown. read more

Absolutely love this bookstore! Everyone who works there is SO nice and helpful. They have an excellent selection of books, in great condition and at amazing prices. I could spend hours in there! read more

This place is fabulous. I love killing an afternoon here. They have a huge selection of books in different subjects, and a huge variety of literature, novels, and children's books. My favorite section is all the art books. Also, the people I encounter here (the workers) are very friendly. read more

Not sure if it's normally this barren of a bookstore, but there really wasn't much to choose from. The owner was very nice and helpful, but with such small selection it wasn't that great of a bookstore. read more

This bookstore is quite neat. it's a little hidden but that just makes it the more special. There are so many books to look through and it's also relatively cheap compared to other places. It's really organized and there's always this cozy atmosphere with soothing music playing in the background. There aren't many bookstores like these around the area; I'm glad this one caught my eye. read more

Neat bookstore! Try to count how many owls they have... or just enjoy the fact that wherever you look, you know from the multitude of owls, that it's their friendly mascot. Great book prices, used books of course, and that's part of the wonderful sense of adventure and mystery: you never know what treasure you'll find. And even if you don't, you're sure to come out at least having enjoyed the owls and an old historic building. Friendly staff. read more

Exactly what I hope to encounter in a used bookstore. The place is literally stacked floor to ceiling with books, but they are well enough organized to make the search exciting, not thwarting. The ambiance is similarly well-balanced: clean but with enough clutter to be intriguing. The proprietor was very welcoming and the prices were fair. This stop was a fulfilling interlude in the day. read more

Amazing little store. These type of bookstores are few and far between these days. I'm one of the older shoppers from 20 years ago when Steve worked there. Still a cool shop today and hopefully for newer generations to come! read more

I've been here 3 times and all 3 I've either found the book I was looking for, a cute little knickknack or just a book that I've found great. The employees are really nice and helpful. And .... it smells great, like wood and the indescribable weird scent of a good book. read more

This is a very nice used bookstore. I especially love the kids corner with couches, stuffed animals and tons of books! Being a history teacher, I also checked out that selection and found tons of books. I wish I had had more time to look. With a two year old, however, my focus was on the kids section. There were things to play with (blocks) besides the books and it is perfect for the young reader. The main entrance is down an alley so it is easy to miss, but definitely worth the trip if you are a bibliophile. read more

Such a cute old bookstore feeling! If you are a book nerd you'll love this store! It's old and used books. You're immediately welcome into a world of that familiar scent of pages worn down with love. Tons of cute old covers for book crafts and isles of books waiting for the right person! Definitely not Barnes and noble so don't expect that. It's cute, small business owned I would think and full of exactly what an old book store it. I wish they had more seating for relaxing and reading but they do have a sectional up front by kids books. People working here appear to be the right kind who love books and want to help everyone find one. read more