I mean it's a book store…read more Always end up getting 2 or 3 books. Great selection, staff are always friendly and their recommendations allow for expanding your reading interest.

I think, if you're going to come to a chain bookstore, this should be the place you visit. It's so…read morenew; it's got that new book smell (not really, but... maybe, kinda, sorta?)! 1. So much easy, free parking in their huge shared lot. 2. There's a Starbucks-adjacent cafe. NOTE: it's NOT actually Starbucks though, so you can't order ahead or pay with your app. Just a heads-up! The cafe portion of the bookstore is spacious and clean, with the tables themselves also being spaced quite far apart from one another. It creates a real sense of privacy no matter where you sit! 3. The atmosphere/layout here is very modern and inviting; the selection itself is enormous. Genres are clearly labeled, and there's a tremendous amount of content available no matter what you're looking for (so be prepared to spend some time here wandering around and taking it all in... then you'll probably have to come back, because there's no way you'll actually be able to take it all in on the first visit!). They've got new releases, popular books, recommendations, board games, and more. And, of course, the random armchair for you to sit and peruse your possible purchase. Obviously, support local first. But if you're looking for a slow-paced, wide open, very quiet, very tidy spot to spend a little bit of time (without feeling rushed or forced to purchase something) finding your next favorite read, I'd suggest visiting here!

Ok, this place is amazing. It would make The Strand very proud. The selection of unexpected…read moretreasures is incredible. A perfect mix of contemporary and classic books, Green Hand is a magical bookstore. The staff is friendly and welcoming. On the day we visited, we took the number 1 bus along Congress Street, but it's also easily accessible on foot. We almost missed it because of the scaffolding outside, but we were so happy we didn't lose the chance to visit this local treasure. And it IS a treasure. It was recommended to us by the kind folks at Print, a Bookstore. I highly recommend it.

First time visit to this used bookstore located on Congress after visiting Uncharted Tea. Which you…read more will even find books from here inside Uncharted as well as some other local spots. Don't mind the scaffolding outside and make your way in to explore if you are close by exploring when they are open. The store goes a lot further back than you would expect and the huge amount of books here means you could spend a long time browsing. Despite the narrow spaces and books being everywhere it is organized well and you will find lots of signs listing the current genre you are looking at. Which speaking of they offer so much I think everyone will find some books that catch your eyes here. Being a used bookstore they did have a good mix of older books while appearing to have more fresh and modern titles available as well. Prices seemed reasonable for the few I looked at. My wife almost bought a couple books but in the end just browsed but would highly recommend coming here for any book lovers. I would even say one of the better used bookshops we have visited! You may just find your next unexpected book you have to read.

Having visited every Sherman's location besides one last location my wife and I know what to…read moreexpect. We revisited the Portland location to browse before a show we were seeing. This location seems to be the most similar to the OG Bar Harbor location. Located on Exchange Street you'll find exactly what you would like and want from an independent book store. Plenty of classic books everyone knows plus all the new and trendy books and everything in between. They keep the store well organized and sections are labeled well including sections with staff picks, Maine themed/authors. Really well thought out layout and besides books you'll also find a random yet great assortment of gifts/items tempting to buy for yourself or others. The only real knock I could mention for this location would be due to the fact the buildings are older space can be limited inside and if busy you may need to go around in some areas to get where you want to go. The staff have always been friendly and helpful during our visits here which is great. A top notch Sherman's location! Worthwhile stop for book lovers and even non-readers for the other things they sell.

This is a fun bookstore with a robust children's toys and trinkets section! A definite must stop…read morespot in Portland!

I was thoroughly impressed by the excellent selection of gifts and good-quality used books. I…read morewalked into the bookstore just to browse, and I ended up leaving with a bag full of souvenirs and used books!

Longfellow Books is in the heart of Portland- within walking distance to a number of my favorite…read moreshops and restaurants. They always have a great selection, and I especially love their bargain section. So many of my favorite books have come from Longfellow's, and I'll forever be thankful to them for that.

If you are a book lover and looking to get lost in browsing for a few hours this may be the spot to…read morecheck out. While my wife and I did not find anything to buy it was worth checking out. They definitely seem to lean more towards history/war/military and older books. If you are a fan of those types of books you could find a lot of hidden gems I am sure. There is a little bit of a musty smell due to a combination of the old books and lack of airflow in the older building. Also beware space is limited so be ready for for changing directions or getting out of the way if other patrons are nearby. Shelves upon shelves of books with some taped to papers letting you know the section you are in. While it does have some order in this sense at the same time it's chaotic mainly due to crammed space. Can't really speak to value all that much as I did not see the prices for many books and honestly I would not have a good sense of the actual value of the books either. As I said a must visit for book lovers in or visiting Portland to lose yourself while browsing. You can tell a lot of time and effort went into building this collection of books! The one star deduction is solely due to the largest portions of their books are just genres I generally don't have any interest in. I do appreciate it for what it is though and would recommend it.

Yes Books- I stumbled in here one day, and spent an hour looking around. Honestly, it felt more…read morelike five minutes. Everything was so wonderful, I was sad I had to leave. I've been back quite a few times since then and I must say that Yes Books always gets a Yes from me!

Cute book store which is far bigger than you might expect! Loads to choose from in many genres, and…read morethe prices are unbeatable! A definite gem for any bookworms in the area!

Awesome place! Mostly used books in great condition usually in the $4-10 range unless brand new and…read morepopular. We go here all the time to grab a book for cheap when we're on vacation at OOB. Nice people. Somewhat disorganized but in a charming way.

Don't judge a book by its cover…read more On the surface, it's a bookstore in a stripmall and it looks a little run down. But this spot is an ABSOLUTE GEM. It feels like a bookstore in Portland for Mainers: it's not trendy, it's not trying to wow you with its aesthetics, it's not in a part of town you'd just stumble upon. You are going out of your way to come here, and the immediate community you'll feel inside isn't something you're going to find at tourist-located spots that are dependent on foot traffic. + There's parking! + It's women-owned! + Got to overhear some lovely conversations between the owner and the customers like she genuinely knew everyone who shopped there/everyone was an extended family member! Segue... + When I went to cash out, the owner introduced herself to me, shook my hand, welcomed me into the store! She commented on my book selection and said it was the perfect thing to read for this season in this lovely state we call home (and that just kind of felt like getting an A+ in elementary school again)! + It's a clean, well organized store with places to sit; and, there were plenty of little printed out recommendations from the staff for some particular books on the shelves which I appreciate and always take the time to read. I can see this becoming a spot I stop at more regularly (of cooooourse, I joined the loyalty program)!

Letterpress has recently expanded and renovated, yet still maintains the friendliness of a local,…read moreindie bookstore. I can always count on the staff for personal recommendations. If they don't have a book I'm seeking, they'll order it and I have it in hand within a couple days. So happy to have an indie bookstore in the same plaza where I get groceries, handle my business's postal stuff, take my dog for supplies... so convenient and neighborly.

I didn't even make it ten feet into the store before I already had an armful of books (three I had…read morenever heard of including a sequel to a book I really loved, how exciting is that?!)! The first two shelves when you walk in are the "Best of the Year" (which is front and center) and (on the right hand wall) the "Staff/Locals Recommendation" - how cool is it that they promote recs from their regulars?! They've done such a good job putting short descriptions under each book for customers to quickly peruse! But I don't think quick is the pace here anyway; it seems very much like you can, at your leisure look at, pick-up, and thumb through as many books as you want. I don't get the sense of urgency here at all, which is lovely. What would make it MORE lovely, though, is some seating options (though I did see a couple folks sitting right in the middle of the aisle like it was no big deal). There are an overwhelming amount of knick-knacks and trinkets and random souvenirs... I wish they'd scale that back to add a couple benches or armchairs. This is one of those places you WANT to sign up for their rewards program: you just need to give them your name and phone number and for every $200 you spent you get $10 a credit!

Anyone whose been in Maine for any decent amount of time knows Sherman's is/should be a go to for…read morelocal bookstore. Today was the first time my wife and I have visited this particular location and we agreed it has been one of the nicest we have visited. Quite a large space with all the genres you would expect with plenty of classics while also having the new hyped releases as well. Another huge plus was how many sections of heavily discounted books they had. Could spend a long time browsing and finding great sales. Besides books they also have other offerings including many Maine themed goodies, Lego sets, socks, and more. Staff was friendly and greeted us with a smile and while we didn't need assistance we noticed they helped other customers with questions and made it a very welcoming environment! Book lovers nearby or visiting this is a must check out spot!

Following first speculation I saw online of Novel closing then after they confirmed they would be…read moreclosing my wife wanted to make sure we came by before that! She is a book lover and we both love our coffees and cocktails. This is a spot that offers all of that and is a third space I think that has been popular and will in general be missed. We even visited during their opening day back in December 2023. They will be closing their doors on April 17th 2026. I will say that due to them getting their books from a local used bookstore they do not have the latest and greatest selection of books that you'd expect if they were a bookstore. I have not had complaints during any of our visits here. I have enjoyed their coffee as well as their chai lattes along with enjoyed all the cocktails I have tried. I have especially enjoyed the espresso martinis and have liked the fact you could in fact get the coffee drinks and cocktails any time of their hours opened. During the majority of their time open they would offer specialty espresso martinis as well. Some of my favorite cities to visit have many coffee cafe meets cocktail bar and is a concept I wish were more popular in Portland. It is a difficult time currently for all and any local business so with yet another closing I encourage you to support your favorite places when and how you can! Cheers to Novel and thanks for the space you offered to locals and visitors!

A place like Novel was long overdue in Downtown Portland. Coffee, cocktails, and books all day…read morelong? Yes, please. And they're open on Mondays?! The minute I walked in, I was surprised by how big the space was. But heads up, it's already a popular spot. I assumed a Monday visit would mean a quiet, empty cafe, but nope. Every table, couch, and chaise was taken, so I grabbed a seat at the bar. Not a problem, but if you're expecting a hidden gem, this isn't that. The ambiance was cool, hip, and laid-back. It's the kind of place where being solo feels encouraged. The only group chatting while I was there was practically whispering, so if you're looking for a catch-up spot with friends, this probably isn't it. But if you're in town alone and want a good drink and some quiet time, then it's the perfect spot. I ordered The Raven, and it was a delicious and balanced drink, just pricier than expected at $14 (though that's sadly the new norm in Portland). I also got a Negroni, which I just asked for offhand, and surprisingly, it was great and cheaper than my cocktail. Wish I'd known that was an option first. Overall, a fantastic addition to Portland and one I'll absolutely be back to.