We happened upon this delightful independent bookstore after enjoying a late lunch at the…read moreMediterranean restaurant next door. It's brightly lit and beautifully arranged by theme, with lots of staff pick summaries/comments posted all around. Friendly staff and welcoming vibe. Great book selection of books!

This is such a cute and cozy bookstore! The River Bend Bookshop is set inside a refurbished old…read morehouse in downtown Gastonbury. It's an adorable New England town that looks like it was plucked straight from a movie. When you go inside, the store is so cozy. It's packed full of books and bookish merch, but so well set, there is plenty of room to explore. There are books in every nook and cranny, sorted by genre, with bookseller recommendations and plenty of signed copies. The booksellers are very knowledgeable and helpful too. If you are looking for a gift for an avid reader, they will definitely be able to help you find the perfect present. This is going to be a permanent stop for me every time I head through Connecticut.

Can I just tell you how SUPER PSYCHED I am that a) this…read morebookstore is actually still open (when you drive by, it often looks like it's closed) b) it's just down the street from my house c) they have an absolute TON of books Upon first glance, Redbrick (one word) looks like a relic of times past. The red brick industrial building has it's own parking lot, which is a bit of a kamikaze move to get into. Once inside, you're surrounded on all fronts by books upon books upon books. A treasure trove of literature! The books are grouped into general sections: children's, self-help, religion, cookbooks, fiction, classics, romance, etc. The distinctions between these groups aren't as clear as they could be, so this bookstore is more for the patient, the ones who get great joy out of finding a really cool classic or a collection of stories from their childhood. It will take awhile to peruse the whole store, but I guarantee you'll find some winners in there. Most of the books (paperback, hardback) and magazines are from decades past. I saw few "newer" books on the shelves interspersed. Some of the books, particularly the children's books and those by the windows, have had their covers sun-bleached. I, for one, love the classics and enjoy collecting antique books and quite enjoyed myself here. Many of their older books (away from the windows) have aged very well. I purchased two of Hemingway's novels, another smaller antique book, and a fictional hardback from the 70s, with a very "period" cover. We spent the better part of an hour in there, enjoying the opportunity to browse! Check out is toward the front, where a husband and wife team sit and chat, read, or browse the web. Being in business for 34 years (!), you know they really have a true love for literature and I really hope they have no intention of closing down. Their prices are pretty affordable: the four books (2 classics, 1 antique, and 1 retro) came to about $14. And, as a note, they do accept debit cards for purchases over $10. A sign spattered about the store claims that most books are 50% off, unless written otherwise inside the cover. If you're a bibliophile, an avid reader, a book collector, an imaginative mind, you'll absolutely love stepping back in time at Redbrick. I highly recommend this as a "cool" place to spend a little time and a little cash.

1st stop this morning on my "Used bookstore trail in MASS" journey. The SF/Fantasy section was…read morefairly diminutive, only took me a short time to scan everything and realize there was nothing I was interested in purchasing. Didn't see anything else interesting, but as another Yelper stated, the Romance section was pretty extensive. On a side note, they had the music cranked up REALLY loud. Decent tunes, but I still found it a bit annoying. Jumped back in the vehicle and Hit the road again !

I stopped by here on my way back from a dr appt and when I had searched for "used bookstores" on…read moreyelp, it didn't even pop up! I actually found the location on Apple Maps. I was extremely satisfied with the planner sticker section. Some of those stickers are $15-$20 per booklet and these were 2$ each.... Granted most had a few stickers missing... nonetheless a great deal. They had a card section for all occasions and my only complaint is that the cards were rather thin!!! I also liked the washi tape section -- many floral options and they even had sets available (maybe included in pictures). There is only 1 entrance despite many doors to the outside and it is a little musty inside ... but I expect that from a used bookstore. Large children's book section and large Christian book section... and then just about everything else can be found here as well. Parking is adjacent to the building and had a handful of spots available for patrons and then hardcovers are often less than 5$ in this store. I will definitely be back! Thank you!

It may not be the Strand in NYC, but this little store offers a wonderful selection of books. Just…read morepurchased Shelby Foote's Civil War Trilogy in pristine condition and Will Durant's Story of Civilization, also in mint condition. All for very reasonable cost. The store is clean and well organized. All profits go to St. James Grammar School. I recommend a visit, I know I'm going back for a second and much longer browse. Jeff R.

Came in for the books, left with smoothie. Great little shop includes all sorts of used books from…read moreantiques marbled books to newer books and a great mix of anything that you could possibly want. From my perspective I perused the books but was more interested and purchased some of the oddities that filled in the gaps for the buying options, vintage cut out card stock dolls posters and maps. Treasure trove out of the Neverending story book store. My daughtervwas content to sit and read in one of their comfortable chairs for the 14-20 minutes we were there

Probably one of the best used bookstores I have been to in the Worcester County area! They have a…read morelarge selection of books for most genres. If you are looking for the most popular, new releases, this isn't the place for you. They have a few new books displayed out towards the entrance, but not much. I tend to gravitate towards the "older" books, so I enjoy looking through the bookshelves for some gems. As for the cafe inside of the book, there a few tables and a sofa for you to sit, drink coffee and read. I got one of their special drinks (don't remember the name but it was a chai latte with espresso and other stuff added in lol) I do remember it being absolutely divine of a drink. I would go back and try the other drinks, but I'm mostly there for the books.

I am more of a food reviewer but will still give my honest experience and insight…read more Came in to assist my girlfriend in setting up and promoting her book, "A Tale of a Service Animal." When we arrived the store had already had a table set up with balloons and such to add a nice touch. It was nice of them to also allow her to promote her artwork as well as an abstract artist. It was a good crowd for a Sunday, she sold most of her books and made a bunch of connections too. The store aloud her to stay a little later than her allotted time with the traffic that she drew in. A success in both our eyes. I was able to walk around the store and look around so she could do her thing at times. I found the place fascinating, I draw mazes so I was really into the puzzle area of the store looking for such books. The children's area brought back memories of books that were once read to me. There are games, legos, and much more throughout the store. I don't read much, have picked up a book more within the last year though. I can always find something at a tag sale for a quarter so spending money here seems silly short term. Could see myself doing some last minute Christmas shopping here though in a punch knowing what is inside.

I love this store and the staff. Today, I had the pleasure of working with Trudy and she was…read morefantastic: professional, thorough and friendly!!

Nice local bookstore owner. Love purchasing to support small female owner businesses.read more

Staff were kind and helpful. Lovely bookstore with cool gifts and books. I would recommend and…read morevisit again.

Love this place! If you love books, old and new... this is your place to be! The owner is super…read morenice! Always love chatting with them as we walk around and look at their fantastic selection! Def worth stopping in! Jon & Terra Scantic Antiques

Well... Size really isn't everything. This warehouse (no kidding--it's huge) full of used and…read moresometimes rare books caters to every interest and every taste in that interest. The staff is friendly, able, well-read, and genuinely helpful. And many of the books are remarkably affordable with some rare gems going for under $10 and more common books priced under $10 (often $6, $7, or $8!) Size, selection, service and value,--well, what could possibly stand against that? On my latest visit to this bookshop after more than nine months, I actually found little turn-over in much of its well-stocked shelves. Indeed, my experience recalled my last experience. And that, the one before... New titles leapt out me as I scanned books that I remembered languishing on the shelves for... well...years and years. Many of the books, while old, are actually rather common and, for the person interested in a deep dive into a subject, not particularly useful. Indeed, the bookstore suffers one of the most uncomfortable drawbacks in the antiquarian world of used and rare books: stale and/or stagnant stock. Now, that's not to say the place isn't worth the trip--it definitely is! One is almost certain to find something in any agglomeration of books this large and varied, but the compelling book, that genuinely rare and special book, is often elusive in the overwhelming power of the seemingly endless stacks of this shop. Nevertheless, it is a great spot to browse at your leisure and--yes, buy at reasonable prices, but don't expect to find the truly fabulous... Though it could be there... Somewhere... Who knows? Check it out and find out. It's well worth some of your time.

Explored this place as a random Yelp find. It certainly takes a minute or two to find being in the…read moreart space multi building parking lot, and figuring out how to get buzzed in by calling, however, there's some really good book hunting here in the decent sized space, particularly if you're a fan of old books. The owner was very friendly and chatty to me and I had a pleasant experience, found a few old reads, and would return. Thanks!

Weird little place in a weird little space. The whole store is under lock and key--one must buzz-in…read moreby telephone request unless one has made a prior appointment to access what could be a browser's paradise. The owner (as he announced himself) is, on every third Thursday of each alternate month, a nice-enough-fellow full of the love of books. But every other day at the store, he cements his love of books at the cost of a passing indifference for his customers that borders on hostility. While the book selection is as comprehensive as it is well-organized, something about the place seems... well... 'off.' It's as though one is being watched--or rather scrutinized--by unseen eyes, suspicious you may be replacing a book in the wrong place, disturbing the piles of rarities without regard to how the newly imbalanced feng-shui will impact the owner as he lingers scowling from the sequestered bowls of the shop. The books are, nevertheless, excellent and priced clearly in the "almost-too-expensive-but-still-just-affordable" range. Comparatively, the prices here are fair to good. You will not be finding any shocking bargains or hidden but neglected treasures here. The books are carefully selected, after all, and intended to turn a profit for the owner. After all, buying low and selling high is the name of the game--and yet, listening in on the owner's bargaining with one collector attempting to sell her books, I'd say there are fairer prices to be had from other buyers. But after exhaustive talks ranging from condition to author popularity (when has it been hard to sell Orwell?), she settled on a price with our peculiar host all the same. It was, in a word, creepy. Upon leaving with my new acquisitions, I was reminded of John Locke's description of this weird trade which combines refined erudition with predatory avarice: "Printers, binders, sellers, and others that make a trade and gain out of them have universally so odd a turn and corruption of mind, that they have a way of dealing peculiar to themselves, and not conformed to the good of society, and that general fairness that cements mankind." True enough of this odd little place, I thought. And then I went home, placed the books on my desk, and retired to take a nice long shower.

Booklovers Gourmet has been around for quite awhile now, but they recently moved to a larger…read morelocation with plenty of parking. There's frequently something going on in Booklovers, author talks, book signing, and demonstrations. They have a large book selection to pick from including local authors and autographed copies of books. There is also a good selection of used and children's books in the back part of the store. I love the selection of gifts also, cards, jewelry, honey. I'm sure you could find something here for lots of people on your list! Make sure you try one of their delicious made to order drinks, coffees or smoothies and take a look in their dessert case for an amazing treat!

It's one of the few small book stores still around. They have used and new books and cute…read moreknickknacks. I haven't had their coffee yet but everything looked clean and smelled good.