Always excellent personal service! Like a REAL bookstore that we used to have - rare and wonderful service, so helpful and a great variety of choices. read more

Great service; wonderful selection; welcoming enviornment! Since 1st Books is close to a Cafe, I can dine and read by just walking a few steps! read more

Such a cute store with an adorable aesthetic. Staff is so happy to be there and is great at helping you find what you're looking for. Highly recommend. read more

Cutest small book store. Has a great selection of books and the staff is very friendly!

Locally owned, sweet staff, and stocked with some of the most clever a cards and books available.

First Street has been my "go to" bookstore for years now. Tucked behind what is now Guesthouse and sharing the parking lot with Half Day Cafe, it has that charming neighborhood feel. Woody, the owner, keeps a lovely staff of engaging people working for her and I always feel incredibly welcome within its walls. My bookshelves at home are overflowing, so I try to resist the urge to stack them any higher, but they've routinely been my first call when I'm looking to special order a tome for a friend and they always call me when it comes in and have it gift wrapped by the time I pick it up. Today's visit was prompted by one of my few remaining holiday traditions: card writing and they keep a wonderful selection of cards year round. For my holiday cards, I can always find an assortment of individual cards or boxed sets, with local options, imported, traditional or artistic. I usually enjoy hunting for an assortment of all the above to match my assortment of friends and loved ones. This time, in addition to Henrietta behind the counter (who always remembers to ask me about my boys and is sweet always), I met Nancy, an avid reader who engaged me with her candid opinions of current offerings - loves and hates. We briefly commiserated over my current challenge with reading Faulkner and an appreciation for nonfiction. It's the kind of place I feel protective of in an age of Amazon convenience and hurried transactions, a place that resonates with the comfort of a cup of tea and a good book... read more

First Street Books - Welcome - Cards & Stationery Near Me - Kentfield, California

This is an amazing locally-owned shop and carefully curated by the owner who has excellent taste, a sense of humor and wonderful employees. It is the perfect place to walk into and say 'I need something for my brother who loves baseball, politics and has a sense of humor" or name almost any other need you have and they will have good ideas and get it for you if you don't have it in stock. Great cards and kids books too. read more

My wife and I absolutely love this little book store. They offer such a great variety of books and cards and some very hard to find book titles. It's a place to spend some time and browse around. We try to buy all of our books here instead of going online. The staff here has always been great, and they're very knowledgeable on their inventory and have made some great suggestions over the years of authors we'd never heard of. Please stop by if you're in the area. If you're local, there's really no better place to buy your books, cards or stationary. They really have it all for a smaller store. Lots of easy parking too. It's a win win for everyone and I'm so thankful they're still around after all of these years. read more

5 stars out of 5 for: -What an inviting place! As soon as you stepped in you are welcomed by the smell of books and more books. -Staff (former journalist) knew her stuff & very friendly. -Adored their inventory system which still uses the old way fo checking books out from the library (remember those lined beige card stock where you had to sign your name and the sate you borrowed / return the book?) -They still carry CliffsNotes (two full shelved of 'em!). read more

First Street Books - Cards & Stationery Near Me - Kentfield, California

Love this little bookstore. Just across from my workplace. I just stumbled into it while getting coffee to-go from a brunch place nearby. When you enter, this cozy little place is delightfully stacked with interesting books, literature and pleasure reading related materials in a tasteful kind of way. I love their collection of unusual book ends: from crystals to wood to metal to glass. This unique collection is nothing I've seen anywhere even in bigger franchise bookstores. I love the small colorful corner of children's books and toys near the front entrance. I also love all the pretty notecard collections all throughout the store. I will certainly be back and not just on my lunch break. read more

Great card selection. Always happy to help with selection. My favorite card shop. Highly recommend.

First Street Books sells stationary, post cards, new books (mostly fiction). everything is neatly stacked, categorized. "hot" books of interest are on the shelf (toni morrison) it's a small store so used books aren't sold here. new books not in stock can be specially ordered. cashier/owner is cool and caring. would return if i wanted i wanted a new book in fiction.(or a children's book) rather come here than the big box stores. read more

What a good reminder of this unsung bookstore across the street from the College of Marin. I wanted a book today for a birthday party tonight--nothing like waiting until the last second! Not only did they have that precise book, but wrapped it beautifully while I browsed the extensive card collection. And I had a fine discussion about recent books with the two individuals minding the store. I will go there first in the future--the "First" in the name of the store means more than just First St. where they got their start! read more

I love this place. On the day of I found TWO great Valentine's cards. I think I may get to my 47th anniversary in May after all!

Everything is perfect about this place. It's a home away from home cozy bookstores run by the owner and her friend. Very welcoming and accommodating re: customer service. Amazing cards. read more

Wonderful bookstore and card shop. I ONLY buy cards there. Also, good advice on books to read, based on what interests you.

A little bookstore with everything you need. After eating at the Half Day Cafe, I went in to look at some books. Found the book, but most importantly, got my 2012 S.F. GIANTS calendar! I was told that they were selling like hotcakes and was glad to get mine. They also have a great selection of cards, and a darling little children's book section. Enjoy! read more

How are there no reviews for this fabulous little book store? Hidden back in a parking lot, I only discovered it because I ate at the Half Day Cafe next door. But this book store is one of the rare independents left with lots of love and character sunk into it by its owner and workers. I had a lovely chat with the woman working there about favorite books, and sat down to look through a pile of her recommendations before making my final selections. It was just a pure pleasure searching around the shelves, and the stationary and journals were lovely as well. read more

This is a charming and cozy bookshop and my go-to spot for children's books. They carry a lovely assortment of affordable classic paperbacks, like Anne of Green Gables or The Little House series, with commemorative lockets perfect for a little girl's birthday. read more

This is a very very small place. However, the selections are well thought out and most importantly, at least to me, is the wonderful attention given to you, the customer. Mother's Day gifts were purchased today and what I got wasn't just some good gifts. Personalized service, which included wrapping, boxing and although I was asked to pick my selection of each, I relied on the good taste of the woman in the store ( I should have asked her if she was the owner - but didn't) and was well rewarded. If you are in the area, you should drop in and take a look around. By the way, the prices were fair, but the feeling of being treated as a welcomed customer, as well as the personalized service(and free wrapping/boxing) would have (and is) worth far more than the slightly higher prices you might pay. ( Which for the record - I paid far less for a beautiful piece of jewelry than I would have someplace else. I found something attractive after searching around for days looking for "just the right thing", and there it was along with the books purchased.) A nice place to visit. So stop by. read more

I love this store. Very thoughtful selection of books - I just go from section to section, finding treasures I can't put down. Also, I, too, love greeting cards and they have by far the most beautiful, funny, and artistic cards you can find. I've been going here for several years and the staff are very friendly and knowledgeable. She does nothing to advertise, and so I hope folks find it - once you come in, you'll keep coming back! read more

THE best selection of cards in the North Bay, and that's saying something, because I LOVE cards and check out every card store I can find. The cards here are incredible. Plus there's an excellent selection of children's books, used books (for all ages), and new books. Friendly doesn't begin to cover it --- the store lady is kind, lovely, intelligent, knowledgeable, and a genuine, lovely person. She will gift-wrap your books with the most gorgeous paper, too! Drop by the Half Day Cafe for lunch and then mozy on over to First Street books. It's the most civilized, relaxing, and delightful way to spend an almost-summer Saturday. read more

Best little book store in Marin. Henrietta and Woody are the best! The only thing missing is a fireplace and a cat asleep on a soft chair. You get the picture. Charming and chocked full of interesting new books and cards. read more

A wonderful gem. One of my favorite escapes. Great selection of books, funny, unique and unusual cards. Great place to browse and shop. (Also just across from Half Day Cafe which is a great place for breakfast and lunch and near a waterside walking path.) read more