As a book collector and avid reader, I love exploring new bookstores. This one is located in the…read moreheart of Libertyville and such a fun place! When you walk in you can immediately feel the charm and there being a bookstore pup, what more is there to ask for! From best sellers, to cook books, to a fun children's section and even local authors. There's something for everyone. They even host book clubs and local events. I've bought a few of the recommended books, stickers and books for the little man that we read for bed time. Can't wait to come back and find some other fun reads soon!

Love this local Libertyville bookstore! The books offer a phenomenal cross section of different…read moregenres and cultures reflecting the diversity of the world we live in. There is a small children's section with creative, interesting books for newborns to teens and the adults section has themed sections with suggested topics. There are a few cozy seating areas where you can relax and read a bit, and the staff are very helpful and knowledgeable if you need assistance. I love this bookstore and plan to continue patronizing and ordering books directly from them rather than using other sources, to keep this community gem in business!

Such a cute bookstore in the heart of Lake Forest. Located right next to Starbucks if anyone is…read morehaving a hard time finding it! When you walk in, it looks small but it carries tons of incredible titles. To the left you find all the shelves with trinkets, and fun gifts along with toys and children's/young adult books. Our little guy loved looking and exploring the toys. On the main side of the store you'll find best sellers, bookseller recommendations, even a section for Chicago Themed goodies. I love support indie bookstores whenever I can, the staff were so friendly and the shelves were super organized. They even had hand written notes of book recommendations which actually helped me pick out the book I purchased. Overall a great experience and I look forward to visiting when I'm in the area again soon!

This is a small shop with a great selection of books, cards, gifts packed into the space. I stopped…read morein to see what might be available for the neighbors and there was a plethora of items in all price ranges. I loved their seasonal Halloween offerings and the kids section was the best! When I have more time, I'll gladly peruse the titles of this independent book shop. Conveniently located close to the square and train station. Lots of available street parking. Friendly staff.

This shop is just magical. I drove past after work one day and couldn't wait to spend my saturday…read morethere! Immediately transported to a world of warmth love and joy of story telling and books! very fair prices Pam is such a kind owner with great stories herself! Not to mention the wonderful bookmarks she makes as well!

Very friendly, excellent selection! My daughter loved shopping here! A local treasure!read more

I love bookstores. This is a very large space but I was surprised by how empty it seemed. There…read moredoesn't appear to be a lot of inventory, and the back area is set up with a lot of chairs as if for a reading or lecture and there are a few alcoves being used as storage space. Is this a temporary situation? There are other Barbara's locations throughout Chicagoland.

I've tried to read Kindle books for years and it never took. I've gone back to physical books and…read moreit has motivated me to read more in this screen-infested society. I don't live very close to Barbara's Bookstore, so I do a lot of my browsing online. When, in the past, I would have ordered a book on Amazon, I now mostly order from Barbara's. If the book isn't on their shelves, they order it for me and let me know when it's ready. They can also just ship it directly to me, but since my wife works nearby, she can usually pick it up and I don't pay shipping. It's worth the wait for me to support a local business. The customer service is top notch. Once I place an order, Cory replies very quickly and keeps me updated. Employees in store are nice too. Finally, anyone can join their free club, "Barb Wire", and get 10% off. As a teacher, I get 15% off. This is great because Barnes and Noble discontinued their teacher discount and usually charge for their membership. Finally, when I do have a book shipped by Barbara's, they are packaged well so there's no damage to the book. Even if I liked Amazon, they stopped packaging books well years ago. Now they throw it in a loose box or bag and it often arrives damaged. I've returned many damaged books to Amazon due to careless packaging.

Love this bookstore so much. Love that it's second hand books and decently priced. Service is…read morealways super friendly.

Wonderful community volunteer-run store with well organized books and great selection! Fair prices…read moreand kind service. Would definitely visit again!

This shop is AMAZING! I stopped by here while tooling around shops in the west and northwest burbs,…read moreand I was astonished by the selection of newer back issues. These guys had prints that I haven't been able to locate at other shops, and everything was extremely well organized. Books were in great condition, and the staff were so kind and helpful. Very much a "reader's" comic shop, but they have tables set up for your D&D game or Magic or really whatever your fancy is. Best of all, the prices are fair, and you'd be hard pressed to find a better value in the area. I'll definitely be back. I would die for more time to dig through their back issues.

I wanted to like this place -- the location is nice and most of the staff were friendly and…read morehelpful. Unfortunately, several experiences left me really disappointed. First, their store credit policy makes no sense: you can't use it on "premium" items, which defeats the purpose of having store credit at all. On top of that, when I sold them some premium Magic: The Gathering cards, the prices I was given were for the wrong versions. Because I had my three kids with me at the time, I didn't notice until later, but it felt dishonest and not worth the argument. What bothered me most, though, was how they treated me as a newer customer. I stood waiting for about 15 minutes with my kids while staff ignored me to casually chat and eat with tournament patrons who weren't even doing business at the time. They had recognized me, but still dismissed me while I was clearly trying to complete a transaction. It made me feel like my time -- and my business -- weren't valued. Most of the staff were nice, but the older bald gentleman was rude and dismissive, which really stood out. Between the poor credit rules, the card pricing issue, and the way I was treated as a customer, I can't recommend Thunder Comics. If they want to encourage more sales and playtime in their store, they should focus more on being fair, welcoming, and attentive -- especially to new customers

This is one of the coolest shops around. If you're a book lover or looking for a kitschy gift this…read moreis the place to stop by. It's one of those places you could spend hours in. It's cute, quaint, and quiet. The staff is friendly and the space itself is very clean.

Quaint, cute coffee shop bookstore. Independent. Some unique sweets, cute stuffed groundhogs, good…read morerecommendations for reading. Nice card selection too. I don't like that they have n only disposable cups for coffee even if you sit down here.

Matchmaker Bookshop is exactly what downtown Highland Park needed. It's the rare independent…read morebookstore that feels both thoughtfully curated and genuinely welcoming. The space is cozy without feeling cramped, with inviting book nooks that make you want to slow down and stay awhile. The selection stands out--smart, eclectic, and clearly chosen by people who actually read. You'll find titles you didn't know you were looking for, for both adults and children, and small, interesting gifts. What really sets it apart, though, is how well it works for families. There are comfortable spaces to sit and read with your kids, along with playful areas that make browsing feel like an experience rather than a chore. It's a charming, well-executed addition to the neighborhood--and the kind of place you'll find yourself returning to often.

Love this little shop! The staff was so kind and friendly and they had such a fun selection of…read morebooks and trinkets. I was overjoyed to find the Dungeon Crawler Carl special edition of Maeve chocolate there unexpectedly. It has been my white whale and I think I scared everyone in there when I involuntarily gasped upon seeing it. The joy it brought me cannot be overstated. I also chatted with the staff about books we like and I forgot for a second that they were strangers I had only just met. What a gem of a store!!!