I always love going to half price books. Their business model of buying used books means that the…read morethings they have in stock can change from week to week, so I always have an excuse to stop by! They have both hardback and softback books, used and new, and all are in at least good condition, although most are in creat condition. A couple are well loved, but they tend to be older softback books, and they mark their price down accordingly, which is nice if you're looking for a deal. They have a small selection of vinyls, which isn't my thing, but I always see a couple people browsing the selection. They also carry boardgames and puzzles, so you can find fun stuff for game night if you're interested! My favorite thing about this store, and the reason I keep coming back, is that they have a selection of foreign language books! Not just how to learn the language, but content in the original language! It's perfect for putting your language learning work to practice! It's not the biggest section, but because of the rotating selection, you get a couple of gems every now and again! Oh, and they offer discounts to teachers too, which is pretty cool :)

I haven't been here in years so it was good to go back. They have nice and updated displays right…read morewhen you walk in. The staff immediately greeted me when I walked in. Then they have great signage with all sections well marked. I was there looking at childrens books and the section was super cute. They had nice displays and even some stuffed animals. They have tons and tons of books, it's amazing and a little overwhelming. I was surprised some of the prices weren't better. One book I picked up was the same price online as it was at half priced but then other books were very discounted. Overall a good experience.

I was walking toward the lake and noticed books displayed in a window by my knees. I had to…read moreinvestigate. Lucky me, I stumbled upon Lake City Books. Looking at the sign on the door, I realized I was making this discovery 13 minutes before closing. I was greeted when I walked in and assured them I just wanted to poke my head in, as I saw they were getting ready to leave, and was told I was welcome. I made a quick lap around just to check them out, and stopped by their merch counter to grab a quick souvenir. I love a local bookstore, and grabbed a coffee mug to remind myself to come back. They had a cute setup and a table dedicated to my current favorite obsession, Dungeon Crawler Carl. They had signs everywhere informing everyone of their planned move, apparently out of the basement. I am not sure where they will be next, but I will make a point to search them out the next time I am in Madison. And come in plenty of time to peruse.

Love, love & more love for this indie bookstore. The owner & staff are so much fun & really know…read moretheir stuff. The selection is huge for a smallish store & they also buy used books for fair prices. Journals, candles, socks & other cool swag like t-shirts for sale, too. And they are moving to a new location on Carroll St in July! Get thee downtown asap!

Frugal Muse Books, Music, Video, Inc. was established in 1994 and has been locally owned and…read moreoperated since. DVDs, CDs, LPs, graphic novels, audio books, and real books means they have something for everyone. They donate books to systems that support people in need and at least one other local business! I learned through The Barrymore Theatre that Frugal Muse is a ticket outlet for it. It is super convenient having a neighborhood ticket outlet! I enjoy paying cash that goes directly to the theatre (the bookstore being supportive enough not to add a fee) and that I get a physical ticket! No scan a phone here. I got paper tickets and I love it! My friend that has been with me on each of my ticket procurement outings finds quality low cost dvds for her family at Frugal Muse. Yesterdays selection: "Toy Story 3" still in the shrink wrap. The store is clean, organized, quaint, quiet. It's what I imagine book stores "used to be like", I say having grown up only in national chains environments. There are always a half dozen or more other shoppers when I've been here. Join them! There are always a couple gentlemen working behind the counter and I suspect they would talk books and authors if you engage them. Key tip: Frugal Muse can order new books! Drop in here to order what you want - avoid the national chain! Support local.

We love coming here to see what else we can read or research! I love the selection of cookbooks and…read moremy husband likes they have an assortment of cds/records. They have a good teen section that's grown over the last few years and a new manga section. Prices are always reasonable and they have a good selection of $2 books. People behind the counter are always friendly and helpful.

Little bookstore within the library that sells library surplus books and CDs at very low prices…read more The selection is odd, you never know what you will find here. Because of the low prices it's hard to walk out of here empty handed.

Lots of great used books (including some new releases) for just $1-2. I'm always tempted to buy a…read moredozen when I volunteer. Because the store is volunteer-staffed, hours are limited and a bit irregular. The store is usually open 1-3.

What a wonderful find! We were just passing through and decided to stop in on a whim, in part…read morebecause they were open later than most small businesses on a Sunday night (although the Yelp hours were wrong - they're open til 6). This is a lovely, welcoming space with a terrific selection of books, including a wealth of children's titles. They also have a great selection of gifts, featuring a number of local artists and other small businesses. The upstairs has comfy seating to stay for a while, a nice selection of games and art, and a neat playspace for kids. We were also delighted by their chicken run - you can peek into their tastefully appointed space through a window in the back room. This is definitely a keeper on our rambles up toward Madison. I look forward to checking out their events and stopping back in!

Do you love a well curated bookstore? Kismet is for you! Do you have kids who could use an outing?…read moreKismet is for you! (They have a whole playroom with lovely wood and fabric toys upstairs.) Are you looking for a really wide array of fiction for adults or books for kids? Kismet is for you! Want locally sourced gifts like jewelry, soap, cards, bags and toys? Kismet is for you! Want to check out a brood of backyard chickens from the comfort of indoors? Kismet is for you! This is a GEM of an independent bookstore - check it out!

Hands down one of my favorite coffee shops I've been to, and it's combined with a store selling one…read moreof my favorite pastimes, a book store. The decor is super cool and vibe-y. I wish I had stopped by later in the day for cocktails - but for now, we were here with a desperate need for coffee. There were so many cool options in the menu like the Red Bean Matcha Latte, the Fig Apple Chaider or the Ca Phe Sua Da. But of course, I had to order the Pandan Iced Latte. I absolutely loved the nuttiness of the Pandan in a latte - I'm just surprised more coffee shops don't offer it. And the perfect offset to it was the Ca Phe Sua Da, or Vietnamese Iced Coffee. It wasn't as mind blowing, but still tasty. Next time I'm in Madison, I'm definitely stopping through for some cocktails!

We really enjoy the trendy vibe of Leopoldo's and if you hit em at happy hour they have featured…read moreand discounted craft cocktails. We ordered oyster and cocktails this stop and everything was so delicious. Friendly and attentive service and the aesthetic couldn't be cooler. Who doesn't love a bookstore.

I absolutely loved stopping into this bookstore! It has such a charming feel, and I could easily…read morespend way too much time browsing all the different titles. I especially love when independent bookstores add personal touches and recommendations because it makes discovering your next read feel more exciting, so I really loved all the sticky note recommendations. The staff were welcoming, and the whole place felt like somewhere you'd want to visit on a slow afternoon with a coffee in hand. Good thing there's a bakery and coffee place next door. I'm always happy to support local bookstores, and this is definitely one I'd love to visit again!

Friendly and helpful staff. Enjoy the book talks by Kate Laack. Great location with a wonderful…read morevariety of books to choose from.

Mostly Latin American textiles and art, but... Decent…read moreselection of Persian and Afghan rugs. Great sidewalk book sales! Old National Geographic magazines! Maps! If only the used book section was bigger...

The owner had his door wide open, books on tables outside yet when I walked in he said "I'm not…read moreopen, only allowed to shop here by appointment."

As we all understand, Barnes & Noble is this great bookstore that spans numerous locations around…read morethe United States and beyond. This location is no different. It is a very large bookstore, offering all kinds of reading material, and other things. The one thing that I love about this location the most is that they have a very-very large used book section. This is located on the upper mezzanine level of the shop, near the back of the business. Walk up there, and you never know what you will find. It's a great experience. They, meaning Barnes & Noble describe the books in the used book section as being alphabetized by author. I don't know, as that's not really the case. It's all kind of a mess. This being said, that does not take away from the quest. Looking through there, you'll find a little bit of everything. Something for every reading taste. They even have a pretty nice selection of art books, featuring the works of various artists. Great place to shop for a book or a gift. Other than that, Barnes & Noble is a fully stocked bookstore. They have all of the modern, popular books. Plus, a whole lot of the everything else. Like most Barnes & Noble, they also have a café over to one side. This is where people gather, and talk, and read, and a little bit of all of that kind of stuff. One thing that is a bit unique to this Barnes & Noble, is that they have a very large toy section. This is a great place to get that unique gift for a child. Because, they have a whole lot of really unique and different items. This location also has a very nice manga section, if that's your flavor--if you're looking for Japanese anime art, and similar genres, you may well find it here. Overall, this Barnes & Noble is a great place to shop for books, and other items. You never know what you may find, or what may surprise you.

I didn't want an auto renewal and they wouldn't let me out of it and took the money out of my…read moreaccount anyway not cool. I am never going back to Barnes & Noble ever again. I'd rather go online to Amazon or somebody else Barnes & Noble used to be a great place to get books now it's not they've changed. They're not a friendly bookstore and they don't have anything in their bookstore everything's online so it's kind of a waste of time. Thanks a lot Barnes & Noble. You lost this customer.