My wife and I road trip across California at least twice a year, stopping at every local bookstore we come across along the way. After visiting dozens across the state, we know a great bookstore when we see one. Leigh's Favorite Books is hands down one of the best we've ever been to. The store has a fantastic selection of books and is very well organized, which makes browsing easy and enjoyable. I always love seeing staff picks in bookstores, and this place had plenty across a great variety of genres. They also offer a book buyback program for store credit, which is a fantastic option for readers who prefer to keep their shelves from overflowing. They also carry used books at discounted prices. I personally love used books because they have character, and the bindings are already nicely broken in, which makes them even easier to read. Leigh's Favorite Books also earns our unofficial award for the best non-book inventory of any bookstore in California. Most shops carry the usual boring gift-store items, but this place had a genuinely fun and unique selection. They had such a fun assortment of random items that we wanted to purchase just about everything they had lol. The service from Becky was exceptional. When I mentioned that I read across many genres and especially enjoy biographies, she personally recommended one and even wrote the title down on a sticky note for me. When we talked about our road trips visiting bookstores, she also suggested a trip to Vermont, where you can get a bookstore passport stamped along the way. She was incredibly friendly and great to talk with. We can't wait to come back and pick up more books. read more

Leigh's Favorite Books - Unofficial award for the best non-book inventory of any bookstore in California. Great selection of books and used books! - Bookstores Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

Located inside Sunnyvale downtown, this book store pleasantly surprised me in many ways. We entered the store after the sun was set, the warm lights inside the store glowed welcomingly. Stepping inside, there are books, gifts, tea, chocolate, hats, bookmarks and cute stationaries and gifts. I love the croissant shape eye patch and the eye gel patches with the cute cat graphics, the fany novel choclate bars, the unique flavored tea bags, I can go on and on and on. The books are neatly organized with thoughtful staff notes and recommendations. They have a program which for their book store members, you can return certain books in 3 months as a "buy back". The "buy back" % is clearly listed on the book cover, a few of the hot items I see that they are buying back for 50%! The staff member is very friendly and helpful. She helped answer questions, looking for items and she was on top of her job. They have events like meet the author once or twice a month. Overall, this is a great local gem and I'm happy that I stumbled upon it! read more

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I love Leigh's Favorite Books. Such a lovely bookstore with a wide range of different books available. I especially love the Bay Area / Sunnyvale merchandise as well. Everyone is super friendly here, and they are always willing to do additional research to find a book if they don't have it available in stock. read more

Cute book store with a variety of cute stuff and gifts. My friend picked up a guitar shape scoop measurement as a gift for a friend. Overall, if you need a last minute gift in downtown Sunnyvale, this store is a great option. read more

Leigh's Favorite Books - Inside store - Bookstores Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

I always love visiting Leigh's downtown! Great service to help find what you need! So many local gift options for the holidays, games, books, cards, something for everyone. read more

Leigh's Books is a treasure and a neighborhood gem. We mostly get our books from the library but try to buy from here every so often or when we need a gift for someone (they have a great gift selection and something for everyone). Also, they have gift cards! FYI that the smaller bookstore right next to Leigh's is owned by the same people but it's specifically for kids. Go and support them! read more

Leigh's Favorite Books is everything a great independent bookstore should be--warm, welcoming, and full of personality. The selection is thoughtfully curated, with a mix of popular titles, hidden gems, and unique finds you won't see at big chain stores. The staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and always happy to make recommendations or help you track down something specific. There's a comforting, nostalgic vibe to the space that makes you want to linger and explore every shelf. Whether you're a casual reader or a serious book lover, this place feels like home. An absolute gem in the community! read more

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A hidden gem on Murpy Street. They have a large selection of books. The lady here (Leigh I'm assuming?) is very sweet and genuine. She recommended some books that she was currently reading. I love how they have a buy back program in case you want to sell your book back for discount. Love supporting these small businesses who genuinely love books & reading. read more

This is a special store that you'll root for to stay in business forever. Growing up with neighborhood bookstores seems to be a thing of the past, but not here. Although I'm not part of the book club, every time I visit it seems to be a sense of community. The staff know their customers and versa. While their selection is smaller as it is a mom and pop shop, I appreciate that they have a buy back program and sell used books. It's actually the smartest program I've seen a bookstore roll out and it incentivizes me to read more and gives you an opportunity to save more money. Also, they give generous discounts for some books that rival larger retailers, so it's a great value and opportunity to save money and support a pillar of the community. There is always something for everyone here, especially if you like to shop small. read more

Leigh's Favorite Books - Bookstores Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

The staff here are very friendly and they carry a good variety of books. I was very happy to see how many of the Star Wars books they have, and if they don't have it in store they can check their catalogue to see if any nearby warehouses have the books you're looking for. I ordered two additional books (not pictured), which came within 1-2 weeks of ordering. read more

Leigh's Favorite Books - Bookstores Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

Leigh's Book Store is outstanding! It's an awesome place to buy books of all kinds, including new hardcover books, best sellers, and used books in excellent condition. I love that she has solid sections in so many genres. It's always fun to browse the selection! Plus the store stocks fun gifts, including cute socks, journals, jewelry, stickers, fidget toys, and more. I've picked up some charming items to give friends and family here. Leigh herself is delightful and welcoming. She's so genuine and will give you her honest opinions about books she's read, which is another benefit to enjoying patronizing her small business. Leigh's also hosts great author events. Highly recommended! read more

Very warm and inviting bookstore. Lovely music playing softly. Enthusiastic and helpful staff. The new release buyback program is also nice for voracious readers. Just the place to spend a couple hours to soothe the soul. read more

++++ SELECTION ++++ Great selection of books with nice recommendations. A lot of classics along with lots of new books, they are good at curating books here Sells lots of art pieces and small trinkets and gifts. Small venue. ++++ SERVICE ++++ Daniel was helpful. He helped me when I asked him questions regarding book and if they have a list of recommendations. THEY BUY USED BOOKS! Bring your giant bag of used books here and they will go through it and pick out the ones they can purchase. Then they will give you a giftcard! Awesome! ++++ OVERALL ++++ SUPPORT THIS LOCAL BUSINESS! Amazing book selection, buys and resells books, a great neighborhood establishment! read more

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I always love coming here when we are down in Sunnyvale (we live in Fremont so not far). It's a wonderful bookstore that has so many hidden gems! I bought Psalm of the Wild Built and I LOVED it!!! The buy back and used selection is so good and I'm always finding something I didn't know I needed! read more

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Another independent bookstore in the South Bay that's been a favorite of mine for several years now. This review has been long overdue! I used to live around the area and would come here often with my mom. The barista at the Starbucks I used to live by at the time even complimented how much she loves Leigh's. When I started attending school at the local junior college, I had a 3 hour gap in between my classes in the evening, so I would kill time and take the bus to go grab a coffee at Philz, do some work, then head over to Leigh's until I had to go back to school for my night class. The staff here is phenomenal. Their book buy-back service is super simple. I got the wrong book for my world literature class, and the guy who helped me purchase the book was the same worker that helped me again the following day. We did the book buy-back process and it was a breeze, I just paid the difference of what I owed. They sell new and used books at an affordable price, along with cute stationary stuff and small gift knick-knacks. Definitely worth checking out--grab a coffee at Philz across the street or at Coffee & More right in front and you're all set! read more

Leigh's Favorite Books - Bookstores Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

Super cute bookstore that fits well in the downtown Sunnyvale plaza! Arrived with my friends around 5 pm, and it was great place to shelter in until the heavy rain subsided over the weekend. Not that many people at the same time, but a steady flow of customers throughout the day. The bookstore has a great, expansive selection from children's books, history, fiction, romance, and more! The gifts that they sell are cute, memorable, and affordable. I got myself a new notebook for 2023, so it was worth it to support this independent bookstore. Can't wait to visit again! read more

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A really sweet bookstore with fun gifts, a wide selection of stickers, stuffed animals, books, and notebooks, and helpful staff. Some incentive buy-back programs, but I am not local so I am not versed in them. It's a sweet enough space that I often stop in when I am in town. There's a toy store owned by same family in the next space. Worth a visit!! read more

This is a nice bookstore to go to. They don't seem to have every book that you need or want, but you can open yourself to going through any books that you see from the shelves. They label different genres in every shelf for us to search for books based on them. The place may not be as neat, but that doesn't really matter. I'm pretty sure that they will add in more books in the future. read more

Leigh's is one of my favorite bookstores in the South Bay! they have a great selection of books and the staff is very knowledgeable. they have 20% off discount for a lot of current best sellers as well, and give a 50% discount if you bring your book back to them for resale. it's a must stop for me every time i'm in downtown sunnyvale! read more

Great trade-in program here! Plenty of time to finish the book. You get brand new books for the latest releases and get to read them at a much reduced price. read more

Lady at the front desk was lovely. I bought a couple of books and since I don't collect them I love I can return them for 50% value and exchange for another read. I will be back soon. read more

This little shop seems to carry a lot of unique stationery items and brands that not all shops carry. Went for the stationery specifically so cannot comment on the bookstore. Hope to visit again when I have more time to browse. The staff (owner) is nice and friendly. Please support this little shop read more

I just love this little shop on Murphy street. It's small and quaint but always has all the books I'm looking for. I also need a little inspiration sometimes to find the right book, and I'm just drooling over all the books at the new fiction displays (don't worry owners, not literally) They have a nice collection of used books as well and I love their buyback program. Most of the new hardcover books are 20% off which is already awesome, but they also will guarantee buy back at 50% value (of course if it's in decent condition). I love that you can use the buy back credit for new books (which Recycle West in Campbell does not allow). They are a little pickier with what they will take compared to Recycle West since they have a smaller space. The other day though, I brought in some books to trade and walked out with the new Celeste Ng book for free. I felt like I was stealing- it was great! read more

If you are a book lover, this is the place to visit. Every time I am around downtown, I go to this bookstore. Although it is little, they have a great book selection and lovely stationery. Staff is very helpful and friendly. read more

The last independent brick and mortar book store in Sunnyvale, battled Amazon for two decades on the internet, and now battling the pandemic! Years ago used to buy and trade used best selling paperbacks here. Leigh's hasn't bought used books since at least 2017. Store was closed for two months from March 16 due to the shelter in place, while Walmart, Target, Costco, and Walgreens open, selling not only food, but also bestseller books and books for children. Reopened in May for curbside pickup and then in June for in store purchases. Used to come here right after the Farmers Market on Saturdays, but the pandemic has closed that event indefinitely, along with the Sunnyvale summer music series Wednesday evenings June-August. July, the city closed Murphy street to auto traffic so that restaurants could expand outside dining into the street, as no indoor dining the past 4 months during the shelter in place. Come by Leigh's, and surprise, the store is open, for browsing and purchasing. Hand sanitizer at the entrance, masks required, maximum of 8 customers in the store at any time, 15 minute browsing time. Tonight, only 1 other customer in the store. Wife waits on the sidewalk by the entrance outside. She would normally browse through the science fiction for any of the 21 Mercedes Lackey books they have here, while I would check out the World War 2 section. Seniors like us are not coming out yet, as confined indoor areas with no air circulation -the store has no air conditioning- are a high risk area for catching the potentially life threatening coronavirus. Box fan operating right at the cashier behind plexiglass shield at the front. On display John Bolton's best seller "The Room Where It Happened", $34.50 retail price, here $26, and Mary Trump's best seller "Too Much, Never Enough", retail price $28, here $22.40. Bolton's book has sold 750,000 copies in 2 weeks, while Mary Trump's book has sold 900,000 copies the first day! Placed a hold on Bolton's book with the Sunnyvale Library, and estimated availability is 6 weeks, while purchased Mary Trump's book on Amazon for $17.99 on July 15, with estimated time of arrival August 8! Best seller nonfiction books like these books have a 50% buy back policy here at Leighs. Purchase the book here, and return it within a set period of time, and get a 50% gift certificate from the store. Time to support your local bookstore, before they are on their last legs! read more

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What a cute bookstore! I was so happy to stumble upon Leigh's while strolling through DT Sunnyvale on Saturday afternoon. I was there to check out the outdoor jazz concert, but like usual... I was early. LoL. Yes, I am that early friend. So I had about 20-30 minutes to kill. I always park at the Caltrain station, and after walking under the Murphy St. gate, I saw a bookstore on the right. I walked in.. so many unique & cute items! On the left were California tote bags, coasters, nice journals (I love to journal & plan), and fun knick knacks. I saw a few books that caught my eye when I walked in, but could not stop browsing the section on the left. Finally I walked towards the back and saw a few non-fiction books, including historical biographies (my favorite!). I will definitely be back next time I am in downtown Sunnyvale. Happy browsing! read more

Leigh's does a great job of curating the books it sells and highlighting great new books. I purchased a book I'd never heard of today, and I'm already 1/4 of the way through it! I love that they have a trade-in program if I return the book in very good condition in four months. Leigh's also has a great selection of greeting cards, stationery and gifts. I purchased a few perfect cards for people, and can't wait to use the stationery I bought. I plan to visit again soon! read more

I always stop by this bookstore when I'm in Downtown Sunnyvale! It's just nice to get away from the busy day and stroll the aisles of books in a book store. It's always so peaceful in here and there is such a wide variety of books, I'm sure every book lover can find what they're looking for. The staff is always so kind and are willing to help with anything. They also have a buy back program where you get some store credit if you return a book you originally bought from them in a certain time frame. What's also convenient is they have some cute knick knacks that make the perfect small gifts in case you ever need to get a gift for someone while looking for some good books! read more

Nice bookstore. They have a decent selection plus some cheaper used books and you can trade or sell. I purchased some puzzles and gifts here before. read more

Leigh's Favorite Books - Bookstores Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

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I love this bookstore! + The owner is very sweet! It's been around for 15 years... + It's in a great location in downtown sunnyvale with parking in the back :) + Has several cute trinkets and items that can be gifts in addition to the diverse book collection. + Lots of cool decals and stickers + Blind date with a book (see pic) for the more adventurous readers + they have a buyback program for some books P.S support your local bookstore if you can :) read more

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Dive into written words. Swim in literature. This local bookstore has been around for years. It is an important institution in the community. More bookstores like this are needed. It is located on super fun Murphy Street. A great place to take a walk, get a meal, a beer, a cup of coffee (perhaps all three). It is not a large bookstore, but it will inevitably have something you will like. The people that work there are super nice and appreciative of their customers. My journeys to Sunnyvale include side trips to this favorite bookstore. read more

Leigh's Favorite Books - Ha! - Bookstores Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

I love this bookshop and i don't even live in Sunnyvale. The people here know there books, what is out, and when paperback is coming out. If they don't have it they order it. read more

The kiddos asked me to walk into the bookstore to check it out and I followed them right in after finishing my Gelato from a couple doors down. I looked around and was intrigued by how much stuff was in this bookstore I decided I'd come back to explore it. The kids found books of interest and gathered what they wanted to purchase. I stumbled upon a box of "Healing Stones" (something which I had been looking for and hadn't found) and took another box and made our purchase and we were on our way. My kiddo was so excited that I had purchase two boxes of the "Healing Stones" and really enjoyed the lovely purchase. I came back the next day and browsed the selection of books, cards, and gifts. I found a used book I've wanted to read and bought 3 more "Healing Stone" boxes as gifts. Valerie helped me by grabbing several more boxes from the back so I could purchase all 3 as they were running out of them on the shelf. She asked if I wanted anything gift wrapped and she offered 5 different choices of wrapping paper. She also let me know the children's section was next door and if I wanted to check them out she could bring over the wrapped gifts next door. SWEET! I loved the overall feeling of being surrounded by books. This is a beautiful independent bookstore with so many cute gift options, books, cards, and even cute socks. They offer complementary gift wrapping. They sell new and used books and you can trade in your books too. Valerie has a lot of sass and keeps the place lively. Excited to return for another book, birthday, or just because purchase. read more

Leigh's Favorite Books - Purchased 5 in total. Beautiful gift! - Bookstores Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

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I love both Leigh's and Bookasaurus (the kids' bookstore owned by Leigh's and next door). The used books help me stick to my budget and they have a great selection of new books and gifts. Leigh's program of being able to buy a new book, read it, and return it for credit is so good--buy a new book, read it within 3 months (keep the receipt--cause they make great bookmarks), and get a gift card for half the price of the book. I wish they had a loyalty program for stickers, cause they have great stickers and I usually end up with a few books and stickers each time I go. read more

Love this place! Super cute little bookshop... great local shop for little gifts and cards as well. Not massive like Barnes & Nobels, but they will often order books you are looking for if needed. Workers often have recommendations and have a discount if you are a returning customer and return your original book is good condition. Cute location too. read more

Our local bookshop! They have a nice selection of books. I enjoy browsing, even if I don't find something to buy. The staff is always friendly and helpful. And they have local swag, like Sunnyvale stickers! I like them so much more than Amazon or even Barnes & Noble. read more

Friendly neighborhood bookstore! convenient hours. Great selection and if they don't have it in stock they can order it for you. Friendly Staff! read more

This place is the gem of downtown sunnyvale. They have a great selection of books and household items (oven mitts, etc.) with really helpful reviews on the shelves from the employees to help with decision making. The main cashier who works there is also very friendly. Plus the value can be pretty good as well since for many of their books they either do a sale, or a special where if you read it and return it within a couple months you get 50% of your money back. 5/5 definitely check this place out. read more

I've enjoyed this bookstore on and off for the past few years but have become a more frequent visitor of late! My kids really enjoyed visiting the bookshop when they were younger and exploring the kids section. Love that there is a very large selection next door and that I can call in if there's a book I want that may not be in stock. Customer service is always spot on and this is truly a gem of a place! read more

Beautiful bookstore amongst the hustle and bustle of the ave. Extremely kind and knowledgeable workers who are willing and passionate about their book selection. They offer younger children guided reading time outdoors that is a real treat and an amazing opportunity for community. They offer great valued books with 50% buy back matches and a variety of their personal favorite books. Such an adorable shop that is needed and WANTED on this majorly restaurant business street. Love this spot, and recommend it for all age groups :) read more