Owner is super nice and knowledgeable on his books. Good selection of books. I also watched him…read moregive a homeless man duct tape for his shoes. Great business to support if you can.

Stumbled upon this bookstore as I was dilly dallying in the neighborhood. The storefront looks…read moremodest but inside there are SO MANY books across all kinds of genres (they have a whole floor of non-fictions and 2 different shelves for world war 1 and 2 books!) It was systematically organized (unlike some used bookstores where you kinda have to guess the owner's thought process haha) and clean! The owner was very nice and walked me through different shelves based on the genres I was asking about. He seemed very knowledgeable and friendly, even offered to order some new books for me if I'd like! Pricing was fair (less than $10 for most books) and selections range from older publications to more recent (within the past 10 years). This would make a cute neighborhood stop!

I really like the vibe of this store and they have a huge selection! It's organized well though can…read morebe tough to get around, since it's a bit cramped, especially if you come at a time when it's crowded. They have used books and records and the prices are not bad. The employee working was friendly and service is quick.

Excellent bookstore with used books that are diamonds and vinyl that is gold…read more Family business. In the heart of Little Italy. Excellent experience here. Friendly service. Good value. Signed and collectable editions.

Bindlestiff has a great feel. The book shelves remind me of a Shell Silverstein sketch, all high…read moreand of many shapes and colors. The organization is minimal and that's a great thing. This volunteer lead bookstore is an adventure. I loved the variety of books from smaller publishing houses to national award winners. I got a lovey greeting card too! The book was a little steep (older paper back for $17) but I loved supporting this shop! Also they have a bathroom.

Awesome prices on books! If you need children's books this is the place to get them. They give a…read morediscount to teachers which is awesome. A great variety of genres provided.

This store is huge and has a great variety of both new and used books, dvds, clothes, and more. It…read moreis definitely heavier on the books than anything else, but if you keep walking around the store you'll find new things everywhere you go. They have a heavy focus on LGBTQ+ options, which can be really hard to find elsewhere! The people working were very kind and friendly and the prices were actually pretty good as well. It's a cute place that feels like an old house and I recommend even just to look around.

Quirky queer bookstore with a great selection of both used and new books covering a wide variety of…read moretopics. There are plenty of community resources at the front of the store, as well as some thrifted clothes. Books are fairly priced, clothes are fairly expensive. Limited seating, but all very cozy if you can snag a spot. Unfortunately there are no bathrooms. The shop is 3 stories tall, each story with a unique vibe. Excellent customer service and employees give great recommendations!

Very cozy feeling and some cats. Good book selection. The owner seems like a very knowledgeable…read moreperson. And friendly.

Absolutely lovely bookstore in Philadelphia! Wonderful kind staff, great selection, and awesome…read morevibes.

We liked stopping by this bookstore. Wooden Shoe Books had an array of books on race, social…read morejustice, and so much more. Their prices are a bit higher than you'd expect online or at a chain bookstore, but I find that very justifiable as all of their profits go towards running the shop and other social justice missions. The volunteers at the store were great as well and were happy to answer questions or direct us to where certain books were.

First, to address the person claiming "they are all racist here"…read more This is an ANARCHIST BOOK STORE. They have books on critical race theory, yes. They also have books on queer studies, feminist literature, Muslim education... the list goes on and on. Do you understand what anarchy is? At any rate I seriously doubt the black and brown employees who have or do currently work or volunteer at Wooden Shoe would appreciate being called racist, so why don't you, you know, fuck off and shop somewhere else? That being said. Wooden Shoe is an exceptional resource for books on any number of topics. They tend to skew toward literature on social justice issues that run the gamut, so you're not going to find the latest pop culture biography or new fiction. Books are full price, so expect to pay $35 for a new hardcover, but they also have a ton of $1-5 second hand books, plus a really cool section of free and cheap zines and small print publications. I've been shopping here for it seems like a decade, and as a queer, gender non-conforming biracial person, the idea that they are racist is comical bordering on fully ignorant.

Hidden gem of a local mom n pop bookstore! When you walk in it's like those mysterious, haphazard…read morebookstores that you see in movies, and it's got all the categories plus some DVDs and CDs. Chairs interspersed throughout random spots so you can sit down with your finds. Literally a mom n pop LBS, so it wont be like 99 cents but you can get an encyclopedia of baseball, a literary criticism of Shakespeare, and a jazz CD (saw all three!). The vibe is peacefully cluttered with that awesome book smell we all love. Def a visit I'll make whenever I'm in Philly!

I stumbled upon this bookstore and it turned out to be huge inside! I didn't have much time to look…read morearound so I'll definitely be back soon, but they seemed to have a nice variety of used books and good prices. They also allow you to trade or donate books, which is good to know! The lady working seemed friendly and it was overall a cute store that I need to revisit to buy some books.

I happened to be in the area of the 3400 block of Sansom Street today in West Philadelphia and a…read morefamiliar sign caught my eye from 22 years ago; Avril 50. Avril 50 was a regular stop in my patrol days and I loved walking into the shop. Always the wonderful aroma of brewing coffees and chocolate dancing with other exotic smells and the smells of fine papers and magazines. It always felt to me like stepping from West Philadelphia into a magical pocket of Europe. As it looked exactly the same, I wondered if anything had changed in the past 22 years and as soon as I crossed the threshold, I found that it was the same - like stepping back 22 years, yet somehow I was that much older. The proprietor was still there, still the same and looking no different - something that confirmed my belief that this was a magical and wonderful pocket paradise tucked away on a small West Philadelphia street. A brief catch-up chat, a shopping bag of fine teas and a perfectly brewed double-espresso to takeaway later; I stepped back into the bright Fall sun of West Philadelphia. I found myself smiling as I sipped the espresso, happy that one of the best things for me in that neighborhood has remained unchanged for others to enjoy and to continue to discover. It will not be another 22 years before I make my way back - that is for certain.

Interesting little shop. My sister's boyfriend took us here when we mentioned we needed coffee and…read moreI was a little perplexed when I walked in. I'm still not entirely sure what the shop is supposed to be but it was an experience going there for sure. The coffee is self serve and there are several different selections, each with a short description up on the wall. My boyfriend and I each got a medium (I believe it was $2.25 per) and loved our coffee. Both were tasty and exceptionally strong. I'm not sure if they do anything fancier (lattés, etc) but I doubt it. Nonetheless, if I were a student at penn and needed a coffee this is where I would go.