Purchased one of my favorite books in my collection at this swanky little spot on high street! (Once upon A Time in Hollywood - book based on movie) Running around the city in search of used bookstores for art/design reference material and stumbled upon this gem and every time I stop in a find this place to a go to stop every time I'm in Columbus! Well priced Material and great staff depending on the day you go! All in all if you're a book nerd - this should be on your list of places to shop. read more

Prologue Bookshop - Bookstores Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

See all

Whenever I travel, I always visit bookstores. This one was new to me and among the hundreds of bookstores I have been in, I found their offerings to be some of the most unique I have ever seen. They clearly put a great amount of thought into what goes on their shelves and have a lot of written recommendations on the shelves. There also were a number of books that I have read and enjoyed (many of which were not necessarily bestsellers -- as I enjoy finding off-the-beaten path selections). Five stars. read more

Prologue bookshop is a book store located in downtown Columbus Ohio short north district. While in town for my daughters cheer comp held down the street at the convention center me and my oldest daughter was exploring the area for public art and shopping. She had a Bridgerton book She was hoping to read so we stopped in. The store was very organized and clean and the workers were helpful. They did have the book she wanted in paperback and it was only $9 so we made the purchase and we left happy. Overall a good experience. Clean, organized, good service and they had what we was looking for. read more

See all

Prologue has quickly become my favorite bookshop in Columbus. It is a smaller shop, but I appreciate that - the books are curated so it makes it easier to discover new books while browsing. I have found so many interesting, new books based on the staff recommendations. They specialize in translated and international works as well as books on social issues. But if you are looking for a specific book, they are also able to order it for you. I also think they may have a wider selection than what is on the shelves because their website catalog lists many other books I haven't seen in the store - I will have to ask them next time I am in. They also have a limited selection of board/card games, stationery/notebooks, and gift items. They do lots of fun, community-building events like book clubs. I feel very lucky that Prologue is my neighborhood bookshop! read more

It's so small! The selection is extremely limited. No used books. I liked the staff recommendations, but.... Half the books that there are staff descriptions for are not even on the shelf anymore, having been sold.... Finally, it's downtown, so you need to pay for parking, either in a garage or on the street online. There were some cute Japanese notebooks. A relatively large manga section if you're into that. Puzzles, tote bags, journals for gifts. read more

This small bookshop is packed with tons of high quality finds. I appreciate the fact they try and squeeze some chairs in here too. Each section of the store is marked clearly and well organized. The staff were friendly and I enjoyed the music they had on as well. read more

Excellent service, employee book reviews are a nice touch, and rewarding loyalty program. Great clearance deals. (Just got a book for $5!) Offers handy reusable shopping bags for purchase. Nice selection of journals, stationary, and assorted clothing, socks, stuffed animals, puzzles, and other gifts. Open late (ish!) Free bookmarks. read more

Prologue Bookshop - Recent book haul - Bookstores Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

A nice bookshop in a cool part of town! There are plenty of restaurants around for anyone wanting to grab a bite to eat and a good book. I snagged a hardback young adult novel off Reese Witherspoons book club list for $6 so that kind of deal is hard to beat. Make sure to include this shop when looking for a bookstore in Columbus! read more

See all

I noticed this new bookshop was coming to my neighborhood a few months ago, thanks to the signage they had up on the windows, and I got so excited! I rarely buy books online because I love walking through bookshops and discovering new reads. I walked by yesterday to see that they were finally open and I just had to stop in and take a look around. I was immediately greeted by the owner Dan and was pleasantly surprised by how they turned around the space (before being a bookstore it was deli biz). I browsed around and found a great local section, an adorable little kids corner, and a nice selection of two of my favorite authors, Kurt Vonnegut and Malcom Gladwell... amongst many others of course. To my surprise they had a Malcom Gladwell book that I haven't been able to find in the big book stores and I just had to grab it up. As soon as I finish the book I'm reading, it's going to be next and I can't wait! At the checkout I was informed of their rewards program. When you spend $200 you get some money back. I can't remember exactly how much but it was about $10-$15, which honestly is enough to buy a new book. Win-win!! I am so excited to see this bookshop here and I hope they stay awhile. I'll definitely be back! read more

A charming little bookstore located on busy and fun High street. You'll definitely be surprised by how small and compact this shop is, but I'm sure you'd be able to find what you need here. They have lots of books, including a kids corner with all the latest children's books and even some plush toys. This would be a great spot to purchase a present or a book for yourself to read. They also sell greeting cards and post cards! I was just visiting town, and found the sweetest Columbus postcard for $4. This shop has a lot of character and I love the accent wall with books that you can decorate with dry erase markers. Shop local! read more

See all

This independent book store is intimate and intentional. The staff recommendations are always fun to read, some witty, some beautiful, and some anywhere in between. They are small but have a solid, diverse selection of books and some cute book-related merch. Last time I came here, they had a section of pre-loved wrapped books at a discounted price. I love the "blind date with a book" concept and loved the book I got from it. Support your local book stores! read more

Stumbled upon this bookstore after a lovely brunch in the Short North. I was so happy to find this cozy spot! They had new releases, employee picks (always love that touch), clearance racks, and super fun extras (stickers, socks, keychains, etc). Will be back! read more

Prologue Bookshop - Bookstores Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

See all

Cute little bookshop tucked away in short north. The place is small but the book selection is nice. They also have board games if you're looking for some! All in all it's a very charming store with a good catalog to choose from. read more

It's an independent bookstore, so I'm all for it. The selection is worth the trip if you're downtown. The space is small, but I can see they strive to meet their customers' needs just by overheating their interactions. read more

Pumpkin pie sans whip cream, peanut butter sans jelly, a slice of pizza without coke-a-cola, this is what the Short North had been the past 15-20 years minus an independent bookstore--something good with something missing. Such was a giant void in the city's art's district; a literal lack of literature in the figurative neighborhood of literati; an incongruity in the bookish stacks of coffeehouses, cosmo parks, and cosmic murals that ran down beside the arches and comic revery. Until now. The void was filled by Prologue Bookshop. Opened earlier this year by a former software engineer from Cleveland, it exists in a small space inside the Dakota Building between Hubbard and First Avenue. According to various news sites, the owner desires to bring the spirit of the indy bookstores he visited in California. The place reminds me of Gramercy Books in Bexley in its size and decorative style. It has a selection that inches beyond the usual co-op front-forward titles pushed at the big boxes. I really dug the recommendation cards written by the staff hanging beneath the highlighted books (though I would suggest they print card if they can, it would be much easier to read.) They had all the genres as far as I could tell, everything from OWM, bios, culture, poetry, YA fiction. A child's section exist too. I bought a paperback of Voltaire's Candide, which was serendipitous as I am working on a project that involves Leibniz theory on evil. So that's a good sign. Interestingly, they have readings, open mic nights, and even a story time for young ones. They must move around their bookcases for these for there is a want of space in the store. They have a frequent shopper program, just sign up with email and save after a couple hundred dollars of purchases. A nice return of a needed place in this area. The Short North once had some unique, free, and funky bookstores back in the day. I thought those days were gone with the hyper gentrification glitter of these post-modern times, But it seems that things past can return, that the past is--well you know. read more

See all

A magical, small bookstore right on High Street. Filled with personality and book notes with staff recommendations, Prologue is a good store to get lost inside. read more

Prologue Bookshop - Bookstores Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

One of the cutest book stores i've ever been to in my life with an incredible selection of unique titles.

Cool little bookstore, just what the Short North needs. Very small, packed with books but organized and sleek. Lots of interesting things. A small kid's area. A few puzzles, games, etc. One section is Sports/Religion/Pets, which amused me and gives you an idea of how much they have to cram in here. We will definitely be back. read more

Coolest little bookstore with a surprisingly up-to-date selection. They have everything from local authors to best sellers. The staff are also bibliophiles who will help you find what your looking for. I stop here whenever I'm in the area and almost always end up walking out with a book or two. read more

I placed an online order during the Covid-19 shelter-in-place ahead of a reading staycation. The order was understandably delayed by both Covid and the shop having to close during protests. Due to the delays and my impending time off for my reading staycation, I contacted the store through their website to cancel my order because I feared it wouldn't arrive in time. The owner, Dan, reached out to me and offered to hand-deliver my order in time. I agreed and he delivered on his promise. Great customer service! Support local! read more

I'm very unimpressed. I won't go back. I can't find anything positive to brag about. The environment is sterile, cold and isn't warm and inviting. No chairs for reading for investigation.... Children's area is to large for the short north clients. The shelving structure prohibits anyone of height to view or access most shelved items without crawling on the floor. That's not fun. I dislike arrangement of inventory. I couldn't find things. read more

My first time in and I absolutely loved it! They have a great selection of books, very well organized, and visually appealing layout. Libby helped me at checkout and made sure I found everything I was looking for. Even though I'm from out of town, I'll be sure to stop by again when I'm in Columbus again! read more

Great book store, i love this place. The staff is especially nice and helpful. The event here are really fun.

I was very impressed with their selection, especially given the small footprint of the store. I found current bestsellers as well as books that I could show my mom (who I was with) and tell her how much fun I had reading that years ago. Only downside? I left with more books than I had planned to get! read more

Prologue is a cozy bookstore with a great selection. It's perfect for browsing and finding something unexpected. They are always getting new items and their friendly, knowledgeable staff is happy to help you find what you are looking for. This is a locally owned, small business and it's easy to see the passion and dedication of the owner and staff. read more

Good place to find your new adventure! Awesome bookshop.