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Midtown Scholar Bookstore

4.1 (168 reviews)
ModerateBookstores, Cafes
Closed 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Midtown Scholar Bookstore Photos

MIDTOWN SCHOLAR BOOKSTORE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Quiet
Good for kids
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - Midtown Scholar Bookstore

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Mary C.

Gorgeous multi-level bookstore! Right across from the Broad Street Market. The interior is a lot bigger than it looks from the outside! The front main entrance area has new/popular books with shelves with famous authors while the upper floor is a used books section broken down by genre. Towards the back they have an old archive that winds down to basement level with everything from economics to sociology to Chinese culture. They have a small cafe up front and a soup/bakery built in next to the children's section on the left. They also have outlets and places to sit. Friendly staff!

Teresa B.

Should be called the Midtown Souk! Mazes and mazes of books. Nicely organized into.nichey categories.

Abigail R.

Ugh. I love this place. We came back a year later and had to stop on in again. The selection of sign books is unrivaled. The yuzu mocktail I had was killer. This bookstore is just MASSIVE. New and used, every genre. Rare books, reference, horror, anything you could want. All incredibly reasonably priced. I wish this was closer to home.

Coco G.

Really enjoyed this local bookstore in downtown Harrisburg earlier this month. Very inviting atmosphere, seating upstairs to enjoy coffee or tea and pastries. Great selection of new and used books! Special archives open on Fridays only. All the staff are friendly and helpful. Very walkable neighborhood. Everywhere in downtown Harrisburg has metered parking.

Midtown's cavernous main floor.
Michael S.

Midtown Scholar is an amazing spot. It is a unique independent bookstore that combines a large selection of used books with a nicely curated collection of new titles. The used books are grouped by topic and generally well-organized by author's last name. Midtown also has a rare book area and other unusual documents such as antique maps. Midtown's charming space also houses a small cafe with coffee and a small selection of baked goods. If you're a bibliophile, plan to spend several hours here. Other very nearby attractions include the Broad Street Market (across the street) and Susquehanna Art Museum (a short two-block walk).

David C.

REVIEW APPLICABLE FOR CAFE, SPECIFICALLY: I had the sweet potato cheesecake here, one of many options offered. Value; quantity; texture; taste; flavor; creaminess; and distinctiveness are above grade relative to comparable local offerings, and in excess of what I was expecting from a bookstore cafe. Highly recommended.

Eric K.

Great local bookstore - finally got to check it out over the weekend. easy parking across the street - not sure how it would be on a weekday, but for a rainy Saturday - no worries. multiple levels with nooks & crannies for perusing the selection of tomes. Was also drawn to their selection of antique maps. Can also get food & drinks and sit a bit if you can find a seat. Really nice atmosphere for a booklover! Recommended!

a long row of books
Christopher C.

I've been to Harrisburg a lot, but until a recent review by my Yelp friend David H. I had no idea Midtown existed. I think I drove by it once or twice but never knew how extensive their offerings are. A few random notes: If you're looking to spread out and hang for a while it's not that easy here. They have some limited seating upstairs on the 2nd floor, but again, it's limited. Just like I would imagine that if you're a gadget whore they probably don't have enough outlets which should be a given considering the age of the building and that it wasn't built to be a bookstore. I don't care about any of the F&B offerings but others do and they sell what seems like a fair amount. Good/Bad prices? Don't know/Don't care. In terms of book pricing, I don't know. I put more value in books then most do and I think what they charge is fair and in line. I see a few other "reviews" where people are in a twist about some of the pricing but honestly, nothing here is out of line. Don't forget to visit all three floors. It would be very easy to miss the basement which is easily the biggest space. Everything is down there. 18th century books for $20, 1st editions that go into the thousands, weird European litho-prints, sci-fi and economics as an example. Parking in Harrisburg is a two sided experience. On weekdays when government is around things can be horrible but I've been here now three times on weekends and you simply park across the street in the Millworks lot for how ever long you want without issue. Can you do that on weekdays? Beats me, but you sure as hell can on weekends. Some other joker Yelpers compared this place to Powell's in PDX and honestly that's stupid. That place is on a whole different level compared to Midtown and you also can't compare it to B&N or the defunct Borders back in days of yore. What makes this place so unique and neat is that it has it's own character, charm and is an experience that is hard to quantify. Midtown is a great place to turn off, tune out and just browse for things you never knew existed and in the words of Depeche Mode - "Enjoy the Silence".

David H.

I passed by this place during my long walk in search of street murals in Harrisburg. I entered the store with the intention only to warm myself up on this cold winter day; however, I was immediately intrigued once inside.  The main space has a 2-story tall ceiling featuring an old oxidized copper/brass bell. The entire upper walls on the right side was a huge mural of people engaging in all kinds of leisure activities.  There were staircases in the back leading to the loft, and on the sides leading to the second floor.  The structure, the ambiance, and the smell of books were so inviting, begging me to stay longer and explore more.  Yeah, the setting is so very "scholarly" that it really reminded me of a library I used to spend time studying while in college. There's a café right at the entrance which doubled up as book checkout registers.  There are used books in the second floor gallery.  And there's a separate room through a door on the left for children's books. It's very rare these days to find an independent bookstore, let alone a cool one like this one. I strongly recommend a visit if you're in the area.  Together with the Broad Street Markets just across the street, it'll definitely be worth your trip.

View from balcony
Molly M.

Go explore the basement! So many twists and turns and books! Books! Books! Had a matcha latte at the cafe, it was good. Server was so pleasant and engaging. Stickers were a little expensive --$5 each. But I bought one anyway ‍

Carts of $1 and $3 books line the outside of Midtown Scholar!

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4 years ago

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7 months ago

Amazing shop for used books great selection of books and in an amazing shop. 100% will return again

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1 year ago

Vibes, selection, in-house coffee and breakfast is a major yes! It's cozy, hip and inviting! Coffee is good!

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1 year ago

Loads of books with cheap coffee that still tasted good! Not a lot of seating area or outlets to do work, though.

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Ask the Community - Midtown Scholar Bookstore

Is this store handicap accessible?

There is a street level entrance to the main floor where there are many books and the coffee bar. However, there are multiple levels of the store accessable only via steps.

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Review Highlights - Midtown Scholar Bookstore

If you love books, Midtown Scholar Bookstore is a must visit bookseller in the greater Harrisburg area.

Mentioned in 4 reviews

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Midtown Scholar Bookstore - bookstores - Updated May 2026

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