The painted porch is such a lovely book store/ our favorite so far actually! It has that small town…read morecharm feel, but it's quirky and unique all on its own. My daughters especially love the Lego building table and the treehouse & can't forget the 2 cats inside there, Junior & Gordo ^_^ we make sure to be extra careful opening and closing the doors so they don't escape the store! We always bring our out of town guests here & it's always a hit :)

Adorable little bookshop on the Bastrop Main Street! There is literally a tree and fireplace made…read moreof books on the inside! We were visiting with a large group and strolled around here for almost an hour. I loved the different sections and high ceilings. It appears the shop may have a few cats that roam around during the weekdays and am dying to come back to say hello! A great way to support local on your next drive between Austin and Houston, or simply if in the neighborhood! The entire strip is really cute with a variety of shops, art, food, and live music.

We found this place due to looking for independent bookstores when we travel. This one is tucked…read moreaway in a nice little spot. Parking is pretty good. It is not super big but it makes great use of the space it has tons of pre loved books, stickers, various gifts, oracle and Tarot cards, witches candles and so much more. SHANA SAYS: Super cute atmosphere, fun organizing of the books like pre loved, and lots of cute gift items. Plus a cat with its own hours! Kathy was super friendly and helpful. Made the whole experience better and is a genuine person. They do have a game room and a snack bar with free water as well as a keuring and snacks for sale. The bathroom is for everyone and they are very welcoming. Of course as an independent bookstore they have a wide variety of titles with some new books thrown in. They do mystery sells and bundles where you get a vague description of a book that is covered up and you take a chance. It should go without saying but as you are supporting local businesses the prices are a little higher the HPB or Amazon but it means more here and you should buy local when you can. I highly recommend this place. They even have a section where if you spend $50 you get to choose a free gift from books to sunglasses to other items. Go in, say hi to Kathy and The Cat!

What a wonderfully weird place! I was looking for a local bookstore that was close to my hotel and…read morewould let me explore a little. The Book Burrow did the trick! I will start with the "downsides" (as few as they are). This place is pretty small. Like smaller than I thought. Because of this, its not the greatest place for browsing. They had some "witch" stuff which was interesting, but I was looking for a book. Also, most of the books are used which isn't terrible, but not exactly clear. As for the positives, this place is a true small business so you really get the personal touch when it comes to service. I also picked this place because it did a "blind book" service where they will pick out a book or two for you based on your description. A bunch of bookstores do this, but the Book Burrow understood the assignment exactly. They got me THREE books and all of them were PERFECT. I was surprised how they found my vibe and found me unique books! They also wrapped it in a beautiful paper and addressed it to me! It was like a little birthday gift to myself! As you can tell, I was very floored by the selections. This is the small business of small businesses so I am so HAPPY that I was able to stop by! While the place is small and their selection is in flux, I really appreciated the personal touch from the staff at The Book Burrow.

Lots of variety. Everything from bible studies, and reference bibles, to gifts. The staff were…read moreextremely friendly and helpful. I'm sure some of the items you could have gotten a little cheaper online, however I love supporting our small local businesses. You just can't get the same customer service elsewhere. I came in for bible highlighters and bible tabs. They not only had them, but multiple options as well. I'll be back for sure.

Hidden gem. Great selection of gifts and items you'll want for yourself. Local family owned…read morebusiness that is very knowledgeable and helpful.

I regularly hang out at this B&N even just for vibes. The book prices are pretty expensive so I…read morerarely buy things here, but sometimes I'll get a book as a gift for someone when I want it to be in new condition. I like to look around the bestseller areas to get inspiration for books to find at the library, and sometimes I'll read online books on my phone in the Starbucks area after getting a drink. The shopping center it's inside of has lots of other stores too, it's not a bad place to take a little walk.

Where do I even begin? Firstly, I am a big philosophy guy, and the selection at this barnes and…read morenoble for philosophy is very vast! The translations present are only of the finest quality. and these translations are in abundance! Value is very good, the price is that which is in the label. Thank you!

This is a a great little bookstore and boutique focusing on LGBTQ topics. I don't know how long I…read morehad it bookmarked but it caught our attention some time ago and it was great to pay a visit here. The selection is great as it has fiction and nonfiction books. I also spotted some photo books and coffee table books which I do enjoy getting from time to time. The accessories are various items and they are fun and unique. There is cards and if I recall correctly socks for example. The gentleman that worked here was very nice and helpful with all of our questions. This bookstore reminds me and take me back to the 1990's as I just came out to myself and was curious and eager to learn about LGBTQ history and I would come across these little independently owned stores that specialized in this and I learned so much. So coming here was a slice of nostalgia of my younger years which was a pleasant reminiscing.

This store is genuinely great for gift shopping. If you need a present, you'll probably find…read moresomething perfect without the usual chaos of fighting traffic and crowds on Congress. Much easier to just slip over to 12th Street, do your shopping, and then reward yourself with a drink next door (as you should). Highly recommend for a relaxed, feel-good browse. Also, I've heard about their Pride Market in June ...definitely on my list to visit!

HPB is quintessential to Texas. I think it started in Dallas actually but this location on Lamar…read morewas a frequent haunt of mine growing up. They have pretty much every bestseller; they do sell some new books too which tend to cost about as much as they would at any commercial bookstore but obvs buying a used copy can save you a bit. They do buy books and media materials but know you won't get much (around 50% of the book's selling price assuming it's in excellent condition seems to be the pattern I've noticed). The staff are always really helpful and knowledgeable. They have plenty of parking too. Will mention I have noticed the location on N Lamar tends to have more books in general (it's bigger!) but as a South Austin native I'm glad to have a location down here.

Really excellent store. Over the years I've always enjoyed visiting this place. They have an…read moreincredible selection of used books, CDs, DVDs, Records, you name it. They're also a great place to bring your old books and music when you want to clear out space in your house. I know some people grumble that they don't pay much, but come on, they have to make a living. I've sold many books and CDs back to them and they're always nice and honest. Really great employees there make me appreciate their company culture.

We came here as our city is being a jerk and closing this down. I know some of that is that our…read moreolder generation didn't want any new taxes on anything as they are selfish and don't want to pay taxes on the 3 houses they own or whatever. Still it sucks to see this going away. We came in, bought some books and browed a bit. They place had a fair amount of people, still quite a few books, music, and movies. I couldn't find much I was intersteied in but Shana did and even found me a book or two. The bathroom is weird, it is around a corner that looks like you are not allowed to go to and there is a key on a hanger that you take in with you, you don't need to unlock the door and I am not sure it even locks. If the key is missing that is how you know the bathroom has someone in it, there is a small hook on the inside to hang the key while you are in the restroom. So you have to hope people notice it is gone and you have to hope everyone puts the key back. But they are clean and they have a sign in the bathroom that the front desk can supply you with pads if needed. The one misstep here was the guy running the front desk, he was not super friendly, I heard his reaction to a lady gushing about how great the place was and how many books she found for such a good price, some were gifts and he could care less. He wasn't rude but he was doing that thing where you just nod and say uh huh. I also heard him later say he was from another branch of the library, I don't know which but I hope we don't run into him again. We got something like 7 or 8 books for 9 bucks which is fantastic. He checked us out fast, as he had better things to do and we headed out.

Recycled reads is a really interesting place. I found out about it from Google when I was looking…read morefor a used copy of a specific book. Let me start with - it's not a big place, and the selection isn't huge so it's not terribly likely you'll find something very specific, much less a popular title. However, it's a nice concept. They sell retired library books for VERY cheap, so if you're list looking for a new book in general, this is actually a pretty decent spot to get some and save money. They have a small lot out front but I had no trouble finding parking. The staff there were really friendly and helpful; they don't have a catalog because of all the turnover but they do have things arranged by genre so they could point me toward where I might find the book I was looking for.

Support local businesses! Super cute store with so many great finds. Went in the other day to get a…read morebaby gift for my boss. Every item was a hit! Charming and woman owned. Will definitely be back again and again!

Paper Bark Birch Books is a delighful children's bookstore. They also have a YA section. The store…read morehas reading nooks as well for the kids and teens.

I love Book Woman!! Been here several times over the years (even long before relocating to Austin)…read more So rad they've been around since 1975 as a feminist, LGBTQIA+ shop. Always progressive, always on the right side of history. It's definitely the center of the community. They've got an amazing collection of books including the important banned books. They host lots of events with authors, they've got book clubs, and more. It's really like a collab of like-minded folks gathering together over a shared love of literature as well as wanting to make the world a better place. It's wonderful to walk into a space like this where you're always treated like a lifelong friend or family member. If I'm in the mood for a read and not sure what I want, their recommendations are always spot on. In addition to books, they carry some really neat gift items too. Support local. Reading is fundamental.

The sweetest girl greeted me upon entering the store. I was looking for some different books, as…read morewell as the usual ones. But mostly different books by new authors with different storylines. I found it here, and it was such a refresher. I mean, the selection of new authors and books was right here in front of me. So I took my time with the different genres. I like how they dedicate areas to this subject and to other types of books. She also told me she can order books that are out of stock, which is great for me. I like to keep one-of-a-kind books on my bookshelves at home. They have so much worth and lessons I like to refer back to. Well, you have to be an author or writer to understand that last sentence. I made myself laugh! I saw an area for authors to speak, and we talked about the monthly events they host. They are an independent bookstore, which is high on my list because you cannot only find the best books, but also new books and authors, but also other items like accessories and more. And it goes back to the events of hearing an author read an excerpt from their book. I always say it's worth the cost and value, which isn't expensive, to experience what the independent bookstores offer.

We drove from Dallas for Ciney and Flint to be part of a book event at BookPeople and I have to say…read moreI was really impressed with this book store. The employees are all wonderful and extremely helpful, especially Rachel, who was our host for the event. She took wonderful care of us and the guests at the booking, from the moment we all arrived to the moment we left...thanks Rachel!!! Now some more about the store. It's a really nice sized independent store that carries a great selection. The books are laid out in pleasant ways and you really enjoy browsing the shelves and exploring! They also have a really nice sized Children's Book Section and host Storytimes here as well. If you are a book lover, this place is worth a trip to Austin to check out, you will not be disappointed!

Local bookstore in Austin where I attended an author event…read more Highlights: - Nice staff - 2 floors of books and very large space - Set up area upstairs with some chairs for the authors to speak Lowlights: - Bit older and worn