This was the 15th stop on the Indie Bookstore Passport tour. I was so surprised by this store. It…read morewas larger and better stocked (approximately 9,000 books) than I expected. It was a little hard to find; even with GPS prompting me that I'd arrived at my destination. I had to double check the address and hunt and peck to find the store. As a result, I really think they could improve their signage. But that aside, I loved everything else about the store. They had comfy seating to curl up with a book for a spell. The selection of books across all genres was top notch. Parking was on the street only, and with road construction, it was a bit of pain. Despite all that, this is relatively close to me, and I can see making a return visit. In looking at their event and bookclub page, they have some great options.

I attended a book reading/signing here back in October - and what an adorable, locally owned…read morebookshop! The bookstore feels like something out of Diagon Alley in Harry Potter - stuffed to the rafters with colorful, exciting wares. The owner, Sue, was SO kind and made us feel so welcome.

I was out walking today when I noticed this little bookstore and decided to step inside. It's a…read morenice size not as large as some independent bookstores but the selection is excellent. There were so many books I wanted to take home. The staff was very friendly and welcoming. She asked what I was looking for and made me feel completely at ease. I ended up buying one of my favorites, Children of the World. I believe this is a newer edition, which made me like the store even more. It's a lovely bookstore with a strong mix of fiction, non-fiction, and international titles. I really enjoyed my visit and plan to come back again.

This was my 8th stop on the Indie Bookstore Passport tour, and it is close to Macalester. I was…read moreimpressed with the book selection; they seemed to have a little bit of all genres. There was an abundance of local authors featured throughout the store. I liked the bookish events offered, including silent reading club. The staff were warm and welcoming, and they checked in as I was browsing, asking if I needed help. There is street parking, and a public parking lot around the corner from the store.

Local shop. Excellent service with recommendations from staff. They even gift wrap for free…read more A delightful shopping experience!

Red Balloon is a kids bookshop, but with plenty of cool stuff for adults too!…read more I've been coming here for 20+ years for story times and book clubs and gift buying and all the good vibes. It's a true gem of a store. And of course the people who work here and who visit here are the absolute best too! There's even a nice bathroom and a great community bulletin board! My family still loves the summer reading challenges. I personally love human rights. If you're not into basic human rights, you might not love this place, but then again in you're not into basic human rights you probably don't love that much of anything.

Very well curated selection. All the other positives in the other reviews here are true!read more

Weird and wonderful, eclectic selection of used books in a pocket-sized space. The first book that…read morecaught my eye was a book in French about China. My husband saw a book about making soymilk and a graphic introduction to Derrida directly opposite. How many bookstores can give you that kind of experience? It's the kind of store where you will find your college reading list (words of one fellow customer). Or that old cookbook that your Mom used to have. That random book your college friend told you about but you never bothered to pick up. A classic graphic novel that your art class peers recommended. You won't find everything you ever wanted to read, but there's a good chance you will find something that you didn't know you wanted to read. The store is a real community effort. One of the owner's friends happened to be there, and said that the owner had another store-full of books in his house. He had been collecting books over 15-20 years, carefully curating them for just this time. The shelves were made with brackets from a local department store that was closing. The owner's brother made the beautiful book cases on the floor. We found this place by chance looking for something to do Christmas day. In the spirit of the bookstore name, they had Jewish trivia, bagels, and mimosas. Some other people trickled in for the trivia, others did kind of float in and browse the books. We gathered around a small table toward the front and had a blast. The store was closing up soon after our trivia game ended, so I'll be back at some other time when it's warmer. A great addition to the neighborhood!

This was my 7th stop on the Indie Bookstore Passport tour. This place is huge, with three floors,…read moreand you could browse here for hours if so inclined. It is an eclectic mix of over 100,000 books on every genre from books to comics to magazines. It was nostalgic to see a complete collection of Nancy Drew books, a series I read as a child. They also had a large area devoted to comics in the front of the store. If you seek used or rare books, this is the top choice to come in the area. The door is locked and you need staff to let you inside the store. There is a shared parking lot behind the store, which was very much appreciated.

Indy used bookstores are friendly safe comfortable places for retired professors in a strange town…read more I easily spent a couple of hours here and if you love books, you may too. Impressive collection of vintage and collectible, which as categories go, have more overlap than outside of the shaded part of the Venn diagram. The worker sized up my interests from my small pile and made an intriguing suggestion. Prices are good.

Love Black Garnet! A great variety of curated books of all genres spotlighting BIPOC authors. We've…read moremade a few orders for books that weren't available in store and those have come in pretty quickly. Prices are comparable to the big box stores and you get to support a local business. Booksellers are always helpful and friendly. Loved going to the book club meetings- hoping to go more in the new year.

What a cute and perfect little gem in St. Paul! Offering a huge variety of books from lots of…read moredifferent authors, and tons of gifts, toys, and kids' options! Check it out when you are in the neighborhood!

Extremely knowledgeable owner- many rare editions. A bit of a drive to get there but in a cool…read moreneighborhood and well worth it

This bookstore is a national resource that happens to be located in the Twin Cities. The owner…read moreoffers a magnificent collection of books, but more than that, he is driven by passion, expertise, and care. The selection tends to the antquarian and collectible, moreso than the "used," but as a result, there are books available at this shop that are impossible to find elsewhere.

Great selection! Good topics and great vibe. Pricing is reasonable. Will return for more.read more

This was my 19th stop on the Indie Bookstore Passport tour. Parking was tight, with limited street…read moreparking available. The store is located on the second floor. It's a used bookstore with more than 40,000 books; so prepare to spend at least an hour (if not an afternoon) perusing the bookshelves. It's easy to get lost in the stacks here, as there are LOTS of hallways and a labyrinth of rooms. There is a room for small gatherings, a rare book room, and an alcove to tuck away with a book. One window in the store has a bit of nostalgia as it overlooks Bob Dylan's old apartment (and is now the Loring Bar). If you love a used bookstore and a historic site, this place is worth a visit.

The Barnes & Nobles in the very vacant Har Mar Mall.. stopped in a couple of days ago because I…read morestopped in to Har Mar Mall to go to Marshalls which is also one of the tenants in this vacant Mall to do a return from another Marshalls since I happen to be in Roseville. After the depressing visit to the rather empty Marshalls store, I decided to stop in to Barnes & Nobles, the other open tenant. I love Barnes & Nobles because it always cheer me up with all the colorful books and a Starbucks! But not here. I walked into to the coffee shop and I was rather disappointed as all the pastries and coffee cakes were lacking... I decided to just order iced tea. Then I found it annoying that the barista being preoccupied with talking on the walkie to security about a shoplifter than making my iced tea...so...as soon as I got my iced tea in hand, I left the immediately to get out of the uncomfortable space.

The size of this B&N is unbelievable! My fav B&N, I always find books that I don't find at any…read moreother location. You can easily spend hours in one section alone in this location. The cafe has to be the biggest in the state. The seating in this location is extensive. You can find a spot to sit and read or eat. Phenomenal kid space, stage and areas for kids to find the right section for them. Staff are to themselves, a great place to sit and read because no one will bother you but not a great place to ask questions. The upkeep of the location needs to be better. Carpet looks like it needs changing or cleaning, other fixtures and such seem beaten. I love coming here despite the dinginess.

I'm so happy this bookstore is in my neighborhood! It's surprisingly large, with a great selection…read more I went in a few days ago to get several kids books for party favors for a birthday party, and was really impressed by the selection. The books were in great shape and cheaper than other used bookstores I'd visited recently. It's like buying brand new books, but for literally half the price. I'm more than happy to give my money to this store rather than Amazon.

I've been to this store a few times. Today I arrived @ 10:50 after stopping in to the Maplewood…read morestore to ask if hey had the Hair dvd? The cashier said she found a copy at the St Paul store but "it's at the buy back counter and it hasn't been shelved yet so I can't request it". I darted out of the store, making haste to SP before it hit the shelf and was bought!! I walked in, where the buy back counter is right inside the door. I excitedly told the fellow of my prior conversation. I was met with "She shouldn't have sent you over, there is a lot of places that it could be!" I didn't tell him "she wasn't stopping me". Feeling a bit defeated I had a seat while he looked for the dvd.... as I began to worry if I would have to change my noon oil change appointment? There he stood in front of me, holding out the dvd for me to take, as he said "here it is". I let him know "you are my hero!". Proceeded to the checkout where I told that cashier "he is my hero". She politely said "I hope you enjoy the movie!" So 10 minutes, $2.16 and two lovely employees later I was out the door. Thank you Half Price Books St Paul!! Day? Made!