Had high hopes for this bookstore. Especially since it was…read moreremodelled and new ownership if I'm not mistaken. Staff was not welcoming at all. Atleast the older gentleman that was there. Children's section was small and don't have any classic books. Everything was so political and liberal. (Not just books for gifts) Which doesn't fit a bookstore. Wish they could have just focused on books and had a great section for children with seating and all. This was more of a "doing it for the 'gram" type of store

Downtowne Bookstore is in Riverside. It is the nicest bookstore with a huge selection of books and…read moresome gifts. They have new and used books and have it all from history to novels. It is family owned and a true independent book store. The owner is wonderful and the staff is just great. They have good prices and I bet they have what you want. It is clean and well organized and if you need help, they will help you. They pretty much know everything they have. If they don't have a book you want they will order it for you.

10/10 experience. The staff are so nice and helpful. We paid for the experience and it delivered!…read moreThe cats were so cute, well taken care of, and the overall experience was exactly what I was looking for. Everyone including my daughter and everyone who came in and enjoyed their time. I got to read a book while sitting with some of the cutest cats. I didn't want to leave. I hope to come back very soon.

BEST TIME OF MY LIFE. Happened to stumble upon this place exploring downtown and it was such a…read moretreat. The staff are all very welcoming and informative. We did the 1hr experience and all of the cats were very friendly and loving. The hour was filled with lots of love, snuggles, pets and relaxation. I wish I could take them all home with me! Will definitely be stopping by this place everytime I'm in town.

I had a wonderful experience at Renaissance Bookshop, Music & Movies in Riverside. I was searching…read morefor a specific hardcover book that was not currently in stock, but Gene Berkman went above and beyond to help. Instead of simply telling me he didn't have it, he took the time to recommend several websites where I could find the book at a very reasonable price. Thanks to his guidance, I found exactly what I was looking for, and the deal was so good that I ended up ordering two books. Gene Berkman and Jayne Hanson clearly care about their customers and have a genuine passion for books. Their knowledge, friendliness, and willingness to help make this shop a true gem in Riverside. I highly recommend Renaissance Bookshop to anyone looking for books, music, movies, and outstanding customer service.

A very cute and quiet little mom and pop shop type of bookstore! We went in on a whim after…read morevisiting the coffee shop next door. Parking is available across the street near the goodwill or if you can get a spot on the street. We came in and there were piles of books next to the bookshelves. The sections aren't completely labeled, but if you read enough, you can see what category the bookkeeper has placed the books in. There isn't a certain order (alphabetically or anything). You go in and you peruse what is available . The bookseller is also hanging out in the front and will let you look at the front room or the back room. We saw the children's section, science, graphic novels, AAPI, and fantasy. Their romance was scattered around the store. I did end up leaving with a book purchase. I will say it's hard to look at everything because the lights were also flickering, although there is sunlight coming in. It was quite overwhelming to look at books. Overall the prices were cheaper than a bookstore chain. It's very nice to see these stores still operating. I'd choose this over a chain any day.

The cutest little children's bookstore!…read more I grew up coming here as a kid so it was heartening to see that it was still alive and active l when I brought my LO! The store is well thought out and very inviting to adults and children alike! There is a great selection of books for kids and adults, book merch, and so much more~! Everyone was incredibly kind here and the service was lovely. The book selection and the reachability for my LO was perfect for him in the younger kids book area. Everything is priced as marked. Come support your local indie bookstore!!! Parking was easy to find around the area! I street parked for free.

Such a fun well curated tri-level children's bookstore with an additional selection of books for…read moreparents/adults as well in the lower level. Fun memories of bringing out daughters here when they were little. There's a fun sitting reading arrangement upstairs and a space under the stairs for little ones to sit and giggle as they "hide" from their parents. There's staff here know their stuff about all things children books, and they are happy to help!

This is almost certainly the smallest bookstore--new or used--you have ever seen. It is one small…read moreroom, smaller than a kid's bedroom. But there are some nuggets to be found here. The store is located in the upstairs shopping "mall," along with a bunch of either tiny stores. I would estimate at least a quarter to a third of the books are of the sci-fi/fantasy genre. Here is where you may find some very obscure but excellent out of print titles. The fiction section is also well-curated. The rest of the books are a bit of a hodgepodge (travel, humor, etc.). I found the prices to be very fair. Be careful, though: some out of print books are priced accordingly. Worth checking out, if you are a book nerd.

The address takes you to a stairway to a business that has maybe 15-20 separate stalls one of which…read morewas this used bookstore. I spent several minutes trying to follow my GPS before finding a stairway to an "upstairs mall" and realizing I should go up it. There were a fair amount of books, looking to good shape, organized in a way that made sense and priced reasonably. Unfortunately out of my several favorite authors, there were only two represented, both by one only book each which I had already read. I finally saw a store sign at the bottom of the stairway as I was leaving, partly obstructed and hard to see. They really need to do a better job of helping people find them.

The book selection is good if you can find what you are looking for, since the various genres are…read moreplaced in an unfathomable order, and often changed. But on my latest shopping stop here, the store really failed in supporting good hygiene. Three soap dispensers out of four had no soap in them in the restrooms, and the men's restroom had no papter towels on hand, plus the air dryer on the wall there did not work. Customers have a right to expect more than this.

Came in today as my wife was looking for a cookbook but the book wasn't in the Barnes and noble…read morelibrary of books! They stated we would have to order from an independent bookstore or online from the author!

They are the most wonderful people at this bookstore. I will miss them when they move. They have…read morethe best books and are the most helpful if I ever have a question their service is friendly and thoughtful

Had a cvs appt and was waiting, decided on finally going in this bookstore because of the lgbtqia…read moreflag. I don't find many places in the area that vocally align with my beliefs and values. Once I got closer to the door I saw stickers about anti-ice and Palestine... so awesome. Staff was so kind and also very attentive when I asked about books on Sudan. They hadn't had any but considered my topic for future book inventory. Left with a book to restart my reading journey again. I praise them for their values! The selection of books is perfect for someone who leans more towards the left and beyond.

Newer location a street over and still a strong store. Good to move to get more traffic as this…read morestore deserves it. For being a smaller store, they have a great selection in many genres. The person working was very helpful to everyone browsing and several purchases while I was there. Prices are reasonable and top new books available. They also take orders you can pick up when they arrive.

I just wanted to write a quick update to my review. I decided to give this small bookstore another…read moretry since my first experience wasn't exactly a great one. I wanted to purchase a book that was on my TBR list, so we decided to visit the bookstore. I walked in, and the same woman greeted us with what felt like a forced hello. I asked if they had a certain book. I wasn't sure whether it was classified as a thriller or a mystery, so I said thriller. They did have the book, but when she handed it to me, she said, "It's actually horror," in a condescending and mean tone. I certainly hope she isn't the owner because she could use some serious customer service training. At the very least, she could learn how to be kind to customers. I definitely will NOT be back.