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    Sidetrack Bookshop

    4.7 (29 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

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    Sidetrack Bookshop interior!
    Amanda L.

    Finally such a delightful and intentional bookshop in Royal Oak!! It's right off of Main Street in downtown Royal Oak like one block, perfectly next to the train tracks, halfway between Main Street and the Royal Oak Music Theater. Sidetrack Bookshop may be small, but the quality and quantity of what they carry is SO solid! It is so intentionally curated, many bestsellers, but also many more niche books creating the perfect environment for you to discover new favorites! The booksellers are so kind and inviting, but also completely respect your space to browse at your own pace! I love the categories of books they have too - you have the classic romance and fiction, etc. but then I loved the special Michigan section AND YA LGBTQ+ sections! Much appreciated, Sidetrack! They are also doing such a great job fostering a community around their bookshop with their monthly bookclub picks! I love every little thing Sidetrack is doing and I will definitely be back soon to pick up more book and bookish goodies!!

    mandy T.

    Excellent selection, very well organized, easy to find what you're looking for. Staff was very friendly. If I'm in the area again I'll definitely be back.

    Interior
    Ryan L.

    I first learned about Sidetrack Bookshop when I saw that Aaron Foley, the author of Boys Come First, would be visiting. I am originally from Michigan and I was visiting family so I decided to visit the bookstore and see the author. The bookstore is located in Royal Oak, just off of the railroad tracks, hence the name. It's a small bookstore but with a great curation of new books, some popular books, some modern classics, across all the genres. This store is owned by queer people, so there are a number of options for readers of LGBTQ+ books. But the bookstore has a range of books for people of any age and genre. I really liked this store. The staff was friendly. I liked the selection of books. I am so thrilled that new bookstores are opening and I'm so happy to support a lovely bookshop online. If you live in the area, I hope you check out this store before clicking that buy button online.

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    4 months ago

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    Jennifer C.

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    5 months ago

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    Jennifer C.

    Thank you so much, Theresa!

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    11 months ago

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    Jennifer C.

    Great review with terrific detail! Thanks, Tim!

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    1 year ago

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    Jennifer C.

    Thank you, Carolyn! We're looking forward to seeing you again!

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    10 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    Jennifer C.

    Yay! Thank you, Amanda!

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    Jennifer C.

    Thank you, Stephanie!

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

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    Jennifer C.

    <3 <3

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    8 months ago

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    Jennifer C.

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Went here for the first time about 2 days ago and I would say that it is definitely a cute bookstore! The selection was great also!!

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Such friendly people and they have good info/ suggestions of books by genre which helped me pick out a great new book. Would recommend!

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    2 years ago

    Super nice staff and wide selection of LGBTQ+ books! Went for the first time and it was so welcoming :)

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    "It's pretty cozy in here." "Thanks for being such an awesome bookstore!" "It feels peaceful and safe." - Three young humans

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    Jennifer C.

    Oh, wow! This is EXACTLY what we're trying to create. <3 <3

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    4 years ago

    The most amazing, friendly, kind and inviting bookstore that I've ever been to! I absolutely recommend this place!

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    Review Highlights - Sidetrack Bookshop

    This store is owned by queer people, so there are a number of options for readers of LGBTQ+ books.

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    Barnes & Noble Booksellers - Kids are

    Barnes & Noble Booksellers

    3.0(48 reviews)
    4.1 mi
    $$

    This Barnes & Noble in Troy is one of those places that immediately feels welcoming when you walk…read morein. The space is clean, well-organized, and somehow manages to feel calm even when it's busy. The staff really stands out here. Every time I've needed help, someone was genuinely friendly and actually knowledgeable (not just pointing vaguely in the direction of a shelf). Whether you're looking for a specific title or just browsing for something new, they're happy to help without hovering. The selection is excellent--books, journals, gifts, and that dangerous section where you go in for one thing and leave with five. It's also a great place to just exist for a while: grab a coffee, flip through a book, and unplug from the world. In a time when so many bookstores are disappearing, this Barnes & Noble feels like a reminder of why they matter. Reliable, welcoming, and always worth the visit. Barnes & Noble offers great value, especially for the quality and variety you get. Whether you're buying books, magazines, journals, or gifts, it always feels like your money is well spent. The prices are fair, and between deals, memberships, and discounts, it's easy to walk out with more than you planned in the best way. Beyond the value, the store itself is clean, organized, and easy to browse. The atmosphere is calm and inviting, making it a great place to take your time and really enjoy the experience. The staff is helpful and friendly, adding to the overall positive vibe. Barnes & Noble continues to be a reliable go-to and a place that delivers quality and value every time.

    This place is such a throwback I mean it is really hard to find a bookstore these days. I was…read moreimpressed by the selection that they had here I went looking for gaming puzzles that puzzles to be specific. They didn't have many of those, but they did have quite a few crossword puzzles, and Word search puzzles to choose from including magazines which I appreciated. It was really nice to see the best seller books and get a chance to read the cover jackets of some of the more popular things that are Out. I spent a good amount of time looking through various sections. They have a kids playroom area that is all kid themed with children's books and I kind of looks like a jungle gym sort of zoo. I think learning at a young age is really important so highly recommend anyone with children bring their kids to this location. The lady that helped us was really nice and she was able to search the database and let us know that although they did not have what we were looking for in the store that we could get them to custom order it for a shipping order. One of the cool things about Barnes & Noble is that they do give a large percentage off for the best selling new releases, and if you are one that still likes the feel touch, weight and smell of our actual buck. This is definitely the place that you would wanna go ahead and pick up your latest or a classic from.

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    Barnes & Noble Booksellers - Kids area

    Kids area

    Barnes & Noble Booksellers - Best sellers

    Best sellers

    Barnes & Noble Booksellers

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    John K King Books North

    John K King Books North

    4.1(29 reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $

    What a fantastic place. When the only complaint I can think of for a place is it's too difficult…read morenot to spend too much money there it's pretty much a slam dunk for five stars. And the thing is most of the books here are very reasonably priced if not outright bargains. It might be heresy but I think I like the Northern iteration of John K King books more than the OG King store in downtown - and that too is five stars. With just one level and a layout nothing like the sprawling labyrinth of the flagship store, the Ferndale spin-off is much more manageable and browsable. Not too mention not as freezing in the winter or boiling in the summer. (I just gave my review of John K King South - now nine years old! - a quick reread and I was so reverential to that store I didn't even mention that. No crying in bookstores, I guess.) It's been far too long since I've been to JKKN. In fact I asked the sole employee tonight, wearing a bandana almost just like mine as a mask - I think his might have been midnight blue and not black - if they still had a cat. He told me no, that was before his time. I already figured it wouldn't be the same cat, but it's too bad that late feline doesn't have a successor. Bookstore cats are even more of a dying breed than old school indie bookstores like this. I came in for a cookbook or three, as it's embarrassing how little cooking knowledge and experience I have in my forties and I'm looking to step my game up. I ended up leaving with almost $70 worth of books, with a $5 2 disc DVD set of Cream in concert being part of that total. I got a John Waters hardcover memoir of hitchhiking for $8.50, well below the $26 cover price. I picked up the first collection of Walking Dead comics for $5.95, a big beautiful coffee table called Masters of American comics for $12, Academic Graffiti by W.H. Auden and some sports guidebooks from the 70s for my dad. Nothing local, St. Louis Blues, New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Flames, but they're wonderfully vintage. There were also a handful of books that tempted me mightily but some modicum of self control kept me from snatching up. A book about The Stooges, one about erotic comics and one about the Cannonball cross country race are still on the shelves waiting for a lucky patron to take them home. When I finished cashing out my bandana clad clerk asked me if I wanted a bag or a box. That dude knows what's up, as I had some serious weight in that stack. Now I got a nice old Xerox box when I get my purchases filed away. The North remembers!

    This is the kind of place where quantity starts to struggle with quality. Lots of books and a lot…read moreof sections, but I personally haven't found a lot of great finds. When I came here, I spent more time and bought less than other bookstores in the area. The bookstore "smell" is like a 3/10, which means you know you're in a used bookstore when you walk in, although the inventory is all clean and well-maintained. Parking can be tight, but there are a few spots in front; otherwise, I've had to park on the side streets and walk in. Because this is a larger than normal used bookstore, they have some other items like ephemera and art and some distinct book sections you don't usually find in the smaller independent bookstores. The collectible and children's areas are quite lacking, and many filler titles help fill the store's shelves. The name is shared with the giant used book depository downtown, but this is a distinct shopping experience.

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    John K King Books North
    John K King Books North - I swear this was not intentional. It seems every time I've gone to a bookstore with Cam, since the 80's, I've ended up here.

    I swear this was not intentional. It seems every time I've gone to a bookstore with Cam, since the 80's, I've ended up here.

    John K King Books North - I could've spent hours here but I arrived less than an hour before closing time.

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    I could've spent hours here but I arrived less than an hour before closing time.

    Library Bookstore

    Library Bookstore

    4.0(37 reviews)
    1.9 miDowntown Ferndale
    $$

    This bookstore is tied for second best in the area for me…read more The inventory is varied and well-priced, with enough turnover that there is usually something new for me whenever I return. There are no new books, just an excellent selection of hardcovers and paperbacks. The book smell is a 2/10, which on my scale is the pleasant smell of nostalgia and antiquity without the borderline aroma of musty questionability. The only two people I have seen there seem to be quiet but friendly and knowledgeable about the inventory. A nice throwback is the manual credit card slider if you've never seen one. I appreciate the variety of the children's section, a well-stocked science fiction section, and a small cabinet of collectible titles. The adult corner of the store seemed seedy and out of place. If you're a fan of used bookstores, you'll place this in the category of quaint and interesting; worth your time to check out. Note that this is a used bookstore, not a place selling unwanted library books! Parking is tight, but there are a few spots behind the store reserved for customer use.

    My first time make a review about a book store now I'm no book expert by any means but I'm a book…read morereader I love a good book the store is ok they have decent book nothing special that caught my attention the only thing I had a real issue with is the customer service the guy i spoke to really did not have customer service skills sounded angry or maybe he was having a bad ask him about a book I wanted to sell I feel the offer he gave me was a low ball offer I did my own research found out my book was worth way more than what he told me yet they are supposed to be trained book experts or was it because he just wanted to make money by paying less to me however that's something they need to work on other than that clean bookstore

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    Library Bookstore
    Library Bookstore - Rear entrance with free, small lot parking; access from W. Troy Street

    Rear entrance with free, small lot parking; access from W. Troy Street

    Library Bookstore

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    Sidetrack Bookshop - bookstores - Updated May 2026

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