This was my 8th stop on the Indie Bookstore Passport tour, and it is close to Macalester. I was impressed with the book selection; they seemed to have a little bit of all genres. There was an abundance of local authors featured throughout the store. I liked the bookish events offered, including silent reading club. The staff were warm and welcoming, and they checked in as I was browsing, asking if I needed help. There is street parking, and a public parking lot around the corner from the store. read more

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Lovely bookstore with great selection of fiction, nonfiction and international topics. They also have a section for local authors. The shop is beautiful and staffs are very friendly. I got some travel and nonfiction books :) read more

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Excellent little bookstore with lots of variety and staff recommendations. We enjoyed our visit very much read more

My friend and I stopped by Next Chapter when we were visiting Minneapolis this weekend, and we were really impressed! It's a good size (not as tiny as some independent bookstores) and really well stocked (there were so many books I wanted to buy). The staff were really friendly, and the store was really well organized and laid out. Just a really nice independent bookstore! read more

"Common Good Books has a new owner and a new name. Long-time St Paul resident and customer Nick Ballas has purchased the bookstore. We are now Next Chapter Booksellers." -from their website. This "new books" only indie bookstore is just lovely. Modern, spacious, and bright with random spots to sit to help you decide on what books to purchase. So many tables organized by topic with a plethora of choices. Friendly and helpful service from the cool employees. Quirky and cool miscellany available too. Definitely need to stop by when you're in St. Paul on Snelling! read more

Lots to select browse and select from. Pleasing display placements and arrangements. Lovely windows welcoming in plenty of natural light. Lack of acknowledgment or friendly greeting upon walking into shop was disappointing, as was never being acknowledged at all during the entire 1 hour+ time I was in there one recent afternoon. read more

This is NOT the place to go for diverse children's books. I saw a few books that had nonwhite characters but a quick Google search showed that ALL the authors were white. There was a "children of the world" book but under the U.S. page, it showed a blond white boy (smh). I mean usually there's at least ONE children's book about the civil rights or underground railroad but nadda! I was also disappointed by the very limited family/adoption book selection too, especially since MN has so many adoptee authors. (If ur interested, here's a good list: http://www.npa-mn.org/book-list.html) When I went to offer my feedback, the clerk brushed me off by saying that topic doesn't sell. I don't think that excuses the poor selection of what they do have though...just sayin. The same guy did try to help me find diverse children's books but he admitted he didn't know about that section of the store so really wasn't much help. I did like the layout of the store and it was bright with wood floors & quiet. I still left with 3 books - a children's book about cats, "Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates, & "A Good Time for the Truth: Race in Minnesota" edited by Sun Yung Shin. Make sure u sign up for Common Good Books' free rewards program if u end up purchasing anything here. I was very disappointed by the lack of diverse children's books & authors since I know there's so many good ones out there! I like that this is a local bookstore and so I'd choose it over others, but hope they update their selection to better reflect the changing demographics in its own backyard. read more

Keillor's famed Book Store Next-door to Mac's campus swag Good stories spun here #NOLA_Haiku #LakeWobegone #GarrisonKeillor #CommonGoodBooks #STPaul #IndependentBookStore #Minnesota #Skol #Lutherans #Minneapolis #TwinCities #BlackAndWhite read more

Next Chapter - Keillor's famed Book Store Next-door to Mac's campus swag Good stories spun here #NOLA_Haiku #LakeWobegone #GarrisonKeillor #STPaul #Books - Bookstores Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

So cute! The staff is super nice and the selection of books was really diverse. The books they offered were something you weren't really gonna be able to find anywhere else. There were regional books, graphic novels, a wide poetry section, and a ton of progressive kids books! I bought a book I'd never seen any where else. read more

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The booksellers here helped me to find exactly what I was looking for--and I was surprised at the wonderful atmosphere! I would recommend Next Chapter to just about anyone, I'm happy to say! read more

I am partial to the previous location on Selby. This store is just ok-nothing cozy about it. Doesn't inspire me to buy anything on a whim. I guess "common" seems to fit this place perfectly. read more

How I've lived outside of Saint Paul for a year and only ever visited this store last weekend is BEYOND me. Don't make my mistake, because this place is an absolute GEM!!! It is incredibly gorgeous, spacious, tons of cozy nooks and areas to settle in and read. And their selection is top notch! read more

Garrison Keillor has a book shop. Of course he has a book shop. Voyaged to St. Paul specifically for this gem. There's a free public parking lot around the corner, and the half a block walk was delightful on the sunshine-filled day. This is the place to go for poetry. One of the biggest poetry sections I've seen, it's made up of a couple (not just one!) book cases and a display scaffold. And it's in the FRONT of the shop, not hidden in the back corner! You can see it if you peer in the front windows! Oh, there are other books too, of course, but the poetry section is worth raving about. Notable is the presence of a sale rack that has a good selection with recognizable authors. I almost walked away with a David Mitchell before coming to my senses. So beautiful. A perfect haven for book lovers. read more

I just stopped in yesterday to buy some books by Minnesotan authors for some Canadian friends. The booksellers were helpful, kind and caring. The vibe has changed for the better under new ownership. I'm grateful for a great neighborhood bookstore! read more

A perfect independent bookshop. An endless supply of fascinating titles, clearly arranged and enticingly written up with shelf-talkers. Comes complete with reading nooks, for those so inclined - and who isn't, if you've got a few minutes? It's a 30-minute walk from my hotel, but I'm going back tomorrow. And the next day. read more

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W.O.W. Very impressed. Common Good Books has one hell of a buyer. It's amazing the quality of books housed in this relatively small footprint. I could have spent hundreds here without even blinking. The staff kicks ass as well. When you are in Nina's, take the stairs down and you'll be transported on to literary heaven. If all bookstores were merchandised this well, there'd be no need for the big box retailer. read more

I. Love. This. Store. It is truly one of the best small bookstores I have ever set foot in. Despite the fact that it's approximately the size of a postage stamp and crammed into a weird basement space, the shop is packed to the gills both with books you should read and also books you want to read. I'm not sure what criteria they follow when they order books, but I approve. I'll also admit that every time I come here I feel inspired to read that Garrison Keillor book that's been collecting dust on my bookshelf since 1992. It's similar to that feeling I get every time I see a concert at Orchestra Hall--it makes me want to go out and buy a piano and start playing again...and also, I wish I knew what possessed someone to make them think giving a 13-year-old girl a Garrison Keillor book for Christmas would make sense... ...but yeah, whether you're a fan or not, the bookstore is worth visiting. And so is Nina's Coffee Café upstairs. read more

I am all about indie bookstores, and this is definitely my favorite *new books only* bookstore in Minnesota. The way the store is organized helps me explore a variety of different titles, and find something new every time. I am thankful to have this establishment in St. Paul! It is definitely worth a stop, and eat lunch/dinner at the African restaurant next door! read more

This is a lovely little book shop with unique, intuitive arranging that not only helps you find the book you're looking for, but also helps you stumble upon something that, well, maybe you wouldn't have found otherwise. Presentation can be key in a book shop. I know I'm not supposed to judge a book by its cover and all, but sometimes something just *grips* you and you have to pick it up. Common Good Books has its merchandise arranged in such a way that you're not facing an endless garden of spines; there are featured titles and enticing tables with unique subject/topic groupings. Okay, so Common Good Books doesn't have the *biggest* selection--but it's also not a sterile, boxy, bookstore. And, as another reviewer mentioned, they tend to stock the most *interesting* books--the ones that you might not ever discover if lost in the sea of spines in a huge bookstore. The ones that the big bookstores might not even *have*. This is the perfect place to visit on a hot summer's day, by the way. Well, or a cold winter's day... It's a cool little downstairs place in the summer--a bookish retreat from the heat--and a warm, cozy nest of books in the winter. J'adore. read more

New location did not solve old problems. I was excited to hear that Common Good Books was reopening at a new location. I really enjoyed Common Good Books in its old location on Selby underneath Nina's Cafe. They always did a great job of displaying books from local authors and lesser known titles that deserved to be read. However, it was cramped and a little dark. There were so many books in that small space that it was easy to get lost for hours. Getting side- tracked every time a book caught your eye. Not a bad thing, but it could be difficult to find a specific book. So the idea of Common Good Books in a larger, brighter, space was very appealing to me. Unfortunately, they kind of blew it. I spent about 30 minutes browsing the new location recently, and what made the old Common Good Books great still exists. They have a great selection of books, including what may be the largest poetry selection in the cities. They still do a great job a displaying lesser known titles, encouraging readers to try something new. I could have spent a couple hours just walking around if I had the time. Other than that, I was a disappointed in their use of new space. They're not using it to its potential at all. I hope it's because they have recently opened and are still working out the kinks, but the layout is confusing and the lighting makes no sense at all. I don't know if Garrison Keillor designed the layout himself or not, but I hope he didn't pay anyone to do it. When you walk into the store, you are met by the side of a long A-frame display. The display has books on both sides for the customer to peruse. A great display, but its location makes no sense. It's so long it separates the cash counter from the rest of the store, limiting the interaction customers will have with the employees. It also breaks up any flow the store could have. It makes the store awkward because you are constantly walking around this A-frame to get from one side of the store to the other. Maybe it's a sales tactic to force you to look at books they want you to buy, but I just found it annoying. Then there was the lighting. They claim it's a "new brighter location", and that is true for the sections near the windows. The new location has a lot more natural light. The rest of the store is not so lucky. They chose to use small hanging spotlights to illuminate the rest of the store, and I hope they are still tinkering with how to use them. I found the display areas to be very well lit, but the rest of the store to be hit or miss at best. You walk from spotlight to spotlight, so the amount of light is constantly changing, and there were a few areas that were darker than the old location. At one point I had to step into a light to read the back of a book! Bookstores should be well lit and conducive to browsing; currently Common Good Books is missing the mark. Don't get me wrong, neither of these concerns will stop me from going to Common Good Books. I will still be found milling around the shelves from time to time. It's just disappointing that the store is not taking advantage of the new space to improve the problems they had at the old space. read more

Nice book store but damn so liberal it hurts. Not for everyone but I like local book stores and supporting them but it is a bummer how much of a bias I see at this store and a lot of small book stores. Yeah, we get it, you hate trump, cultural appropriation is bad, blah blah but at least have some credible books for the reasonable conservatives in this town. Eh they probably do not want my business anyways. read more

I bought two online deals for Common Good Books recently so I had to check this place out. One deal for me and one for Lindsey D. - we made an adventure out of it as always. I was surprised by the limited selection of materials and shocked by how quiet it was, like a library. I felt embarrassed trying to talk to my friend while perusing since it seemed like we were shouting. Also, it felt dark which I don't find helpful while trying to read. With such a small selection it was easy to go through the whole store in a short amount of time. In these cases I like to think that each book was selected for a reason by the bookstore staff however it can be a draw back if you're looking for something specific. After 45 minutes of browsing I panicked (because I couldn't find some well known books on the shelves) and settled on "Rabid: A Cultural History of the World's Most Diabolical Virus", only time can tell if that was a wise purchase. read more

This is more like it. The new website is up and really nice. They are going to have a lot of events and speakers at this location. I don't like that they don't have a mystery section for a new store. It's all under fiction. I think the old store had one. It's been a long time since I was there. The run the gamut of avantgard books and magazines. Their mainstay is art and poetry. They have a pop culture and cookbook area too. It's an attractive store, and it's just right for students of a liberal arts university area. Parking is gonna be hard with the ongoing Snelling Ave. construction. No parking on that street for awhile. I might make it there on a rare occasion. read more

What's not to like? The only reason I'm giving it 4 stars is due to the lack of seating areas. That said, if it was more comfy they'd have people camping out all day. Despite the small space you'd better give yourself at least an hour - and that still won't be enough time to appreciate the selection the staff has put together. It would be difficult to have a bad experience here. It really hits all the right notes of a small independent: - Piles and stacks that look random, but are actually placed with logic only true book nerds (or record nerds) could understand. - Expected, eclectic & eccentric inventory - Quirky groupings ("Quality Trash", "God / Adventure / Travel") - great location (Blair Arcade basement) and great coffee (Nina's) The only negative comments I've ever heard about this shop are from people who dislike GK - and haven't even been to the space. I'm not originally from the TC, so the local animosity towards Keillor puzzles me. It seems absurd to slag on the guy that opened this place. read more

I LOVE this book store! Yes, it's small, but there are so many nooks and cranny's in the place that I feel like a little kid snooping around in grandma's attic (er, basement). In my quest to only shop local, I was ecstatic when this book store opened - thanks Garrison! If they don't have the book you want, they will order it for you and it will arrive in just a couple of days. read more

4 reasons I like Common Good Bookstore. 1. Its like being in a library rather than a Target's teen clothing dept. 2. It sells books (not candles, games, stuffed bears, Darth Vader dolls). 3. The staff read a lot. 4. They didn't ask for Hesiod's first name. read more

This is a quiet, open, and bright space with plenty of books and helpful staff. A good children section. The website has a useful search option. Convenient location right on Snelling Avenue with plenty of free parking out front. read more

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walking downstairs from nina's i found myself in common good books - delightfully owned by garrison keillor. (let me sidestep for a minute and make myself very vulnerable and probably disliked by minnesota and radio listeners across the united states. when i heard the name garrison keillor, it was like i was hearing the name of antoni gaudi - i knew i had heard the name, but i couldn't think of where i heard it...please forgive me as i have heard his voice over the years as much as i've heard the noise of rain falling, but i just didn't connect the dots) as for the bookstore g. keillor, it was a nice little place. and by little, i mean a few rows and one wrap around hallway nook thing. if you think small is bad, go back to barnes and noble and continue on to the big box stores around...yuck. if i were in st paul regularly, i would go to this book store for every book need. i'm sure they would order if they didn't have it. i went away with "on the road - the original scroll," by jack kerouac. if you're not into reading, don't go to a bookstore. if you need a book, head straight over to common good books. read more

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I have in truth been here only once, but based on that experience I would return. I was hunting for a book and my usual big corporate locations were sold out. I called here and they said they had four(!) copies, and would hold one for me. Sure enough, they had it all set and waiting for me upon my arrival. The store is small when compared to the Big and Notable stores, but a brief stroll indicated a comparable selection, and the service certainly was a cut above those other stores. I was impressed, thanks Common Good Books. read more

This bookstore on the active corner of Snelling and Grand has an inviting exterior which has that magnetic effect to catch your eye and draw you in. The interior atmosphere seems to be geared for the very serious (but rapidly fading) bibliophile. The shop is bright with whites and greys and large windows. Although a bit unpretentious it is a pleasant experience to browse. Talk about politically incorrect in the children's section there is a large attention getting cover of "Tank Girl" with the girl looking tough and a cig hanging out of her mouth. The selection overall is fairly standard with a smattering of used books which I didn't realize they dealt with. I thought there may be a bigger selection of rarer titles and themes from obscure dead writers and poets but that was my over expectation. Still a fine and quiet place to browse and the neighborhood also provides for some interesting shops. read more

I have to concur with the other reviewers-- this is a GREAT bookstore. And, as most of us know, it's locally owned. There aren't many truly great "small" booksellers around anymore, as so much of the treeware trade's been taken up by Barnes & Noble and Borders. Mind you, I still like B&N and Borders, because they sell books, and I LOVE books, but I try to patronize the smaller, locally owned Mom and Pop stores as much as possible. Common Good is located in the basement of an absolutely awesome building, and its many small book-nooks are perfect for rainy-afternoon book browsing. The staff is helpful and professional too. Common Good reminds me a lot of the erstwhile Odegard Books, which used to occupy part of the northeast corner of Victoria Crossing on Grand and Victoria in St. Paul... perhaps there are some St. Paulites of my general age range that remember Odegard Books? read more

I was around the corner for breakfast and had a lot of time to kill before I needed to head back to minneapolis for a play at the Guthrie. Consulting Yelp told us that this place was just a block away, and we knew of it, well, cause of Garrison Keillor. The store reminded me a lot of his "Good Poems" book - an good selection with a lot of hidden gems amongst the expected contents. I spent a lovely 45 minutes wandering through this store, walking out with 4 or 5 finds that I would have otherwise been unaware of: a book that turned the periodic table into a series of illustrations where each element was a character and their various features corresponded with facts about the element; a handful of tags on keychains for identifying {trees, garden insects, scat !, etc}; a book on the law of superheroes and more. I checked out 3 times because I kept finding more things that I wanted to own or gift ;) This store is exactly what I love about independent bookstores - helping me find books that I am interested in reading and not just books that the publishers want me to read! read more

Really cozy lovely book store. I love that they have some little notes hanging out of the books explaining why the employees loved it. That is the best part of independent book stores, they are run by people who have a deep love of reading and sharing. This particular book store is owned by Garrison Keillor, which makes it even more exciting. People there are friendly and lovely and kind. read more

This is a fantastic bookstore. I love the lay out of the shop with all the little nooks and crannies. Every time you turn a corner you find a part of the store you had know idea was there. This makes it very fun for browsing because everything is setup for you to make new discoveries. For instance, I recently went with my roommate for about an hour and he never made it further than 10 feet past the entrance. He just kept stumbling from great book to great book. The staff is very knowledgeable. They were able to tell me all the books they had of a certain author, show me where they were, and offer some suggestions of other books I might like all without looking it up. Awesome. Be sure to sign up for their e-newsletter. There is always a coupon in it. read more

This is such a special bookstore in St. Paul! I unexpectedly stumbled upon it while at Nina's coffeeshop up above. I love their focus on local authors. I found an insightful, poignant memoir about eating disorders while browsing around. I never would have stumbled upon it unless there were such great notes and displays from the staff. Poetry lovers, be aware, this place will tempt your pocketbooks! read more

Once I am gainfully employed I will return for a serious glance through Common Good Books. Right now I am relegated to the role of library rat. The selection in this place is deceiving, and the space is very well used. read more

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Great social justice selection. Small but good young adults. Knowledgeable staff. Very nice.

Yes, I'm a #LakeWobegon fan. That, above all, is what sent me to explore Common Good Books while on a visit to St. Paul - Garrison Keillor owns a bookstore! Yay! It's small, but packed with an amazing range of titles, as well as various memorabilia of Mr. Keillor's, including a desk on which he wrote some of his notable books. There's humor in the bookstore, in the way the books are displayed (when I was there, a table was labeled "I know the cover was blue," and all the books on display had blue covers...fun! It was a little quiet, but there weren't many people there. If the "All-Star Shoe Band" had been around, it would have rocked! Local, independent, books! Do go, do buy! read more

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The space is open and the light is good. The book selection is fine, overall, though there are large gaps in books by local authors. Some are over-represented, while others are not represented at all. The staff is stand-offish, usually gathered together behind the counter, chatting and laughing. One gets the sense that asking them a question is an interruption, and this creates an uncomfortable atmosphere. read more

Okay, here's what I don't understand: I can go to the big spacious Barnes and Noble downtown Minneapolis in the Midwest Plaza Building (of Mary Tyler Moore fame), and find six or so books I'd like to read. I can descend into the cozy basement that is Common Good - approximately one fifteenth the size of the BN behemoth, and find two dozen. Yes, I'm a fan of its illustrious owner, and I share his politics. But that does not color in any way the simple fact that I love damn near everything in this tiny labyrinthine basement corner. From the focus on local authors to the comfy reading couch over by the god/travel corridor to the many stone niches stacked high with multiple copies of paperbacks I never knew I ached to read, I think this bookstore just claimed the number two spot in my heart (sorry, but Citylights in SF still has more literary history bragging rights - but you did replace Powell's in Portland). Another reason for me to spend more time on the east side of the river. read more