First time visiting Bookshop Benicia and I will definitely be back! The location is perfect for whenever you're on a stroll down Benicia First Street and in the mood to window shop. Though, I did come into the store with the intention of finding a new book(s) to read and I happily did! The store is organized nicely in an easy to access manner. Everything is reachable (coming from someone who is on the shorter spectrum). I will say it was a little difficult for me to find the genre signs, but after looking harder I'm able to see it. Additionally, I appreciate the signage from fellow readers (assuming they're employees) recommending books and giving a short review on them. Overall, this was a really fun experience! I signed up for their rewards program using my phone number so I'm looking forward to coming back! read more

Bookshop Benicia - Bookstores Near Me - Benicia, California

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Fabulous bookshop in cute Benicia. The selections are great. The staff is knowledgeable about helping you find a book. They also have gifts and a puzzle but mainly books. Visit Benicia and don't miss this great shop. read more

Bookshop Benicia - Photo by local Pat O'Neill. Shop on left. - Bookstores Near Me - Benicia, California

I visited the store on 4/26/26 around 11 a.m. because it looked interesting, but unfortunately, my experience was very disappointing. The person at the counter never greeted me, and her demeanor felt very negative the entire time. I left shortly after arriving, as I didn't feel welcomed at all. If she is an employee, some customer service training could make a big difference. If she is the owner, a warmer and more inviting approach would be important to create a positive impression. First impressions matter a lot, and unfortunately, this visit left me feeling unwelcome. I won't be returning. read more

As much as I am in Benicia, I was surprised that this was my first time coming into this bookshop. There was quite a few people inside shopping, so I didn't really interact with anyone working there. But my cousins and I were greeted on our way in, and from what I could tell, the employee at the register was busy with another customer. So they're definitely helpful! They're a smaller shop, but have a good variety of new and used books. I love the featured sections of bookstores, and theirs had a great selection! From what I can tell, prices are pretty standard for new books. Didn't get a chance to really look in the used section, but I'm sure they have decent prices. Unfortunately, I didn't grab anything this visit, but I'm happy to know that there is another local bookshop in my area that I can come to! Will be back again! read more

Been going here since they opened, back when they were in the Southampton Shopping Center near Raleys. Most of my college paycheck went to them (it was too dangerously close to my job, only a couple doors down). They are a very small bookstore but they have an extremely high quality and varied selection. I've since moved out of Benicia, but every time I come home to visit, I make sure to stop by and I will always end up buying no less than three books, and that's after I've pared down my selection because uhhhh my to-read bookcase (Yes bookCASE, not bookshelf!!) is overflowing. The workers are always friendly and helpful. I love supporting a small, independent, open-minded bookstore than a soulless online one owned by a bazillionaire. This store also has some other items to supplement a book purchase for yourself or additional gifts--stickers, store shirts, earrings, calendars, bookmarks. Shop small when you can! :) read more

An awesome bookstore, so full of amazing little treasures and treats! We loved all the cute gifts and special items for birthdays and special events. read more

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Oh indie bookshops. This spot is one of the last of a dying breed. They're a tiny shop, but is as local as it gets. I do not come in here expecting to have all the books I'm in need of. I know that inventory is limited and can't compete with the company named after a famous river in South America. Or the big bad corporation that is noble and are known for barns. Coming here, I expect to purchase what they have in stock and looking for a good read. I know that if I want to buy what I want, it's as easy as a click or tap away. But I know making the extra effort to come here and making a purchase, I'm supporting a business that is part of the community. Overall, I will continue to support locally. read more

OMG this place is the best! It's literally adorable. I love shopping local and on top of that a good bookstore?! PERFECTION! There is such a wide variety for the square footage. I appreciate the layout of the store-I super appreciate that the kids section is at the front so that the kiddos don't have to wonder around to find their section (or their adult). All the Knick knacks are central and then an amazing collection of books along the perimeter. The staff are so sweet and super helpful! Obviously it's gonna be a little pricier than Amazon, but supporting local is a priority and there's nothing like holding the book and looking through it to solidify and validate the purchase. I'll definitely be coming back! read more

I love coming in this bookstore! Everything is organized and I pick up a book or a game whenever I visit. We got the glass Scrabble table on one of our trips, and it's hands down the coolest scrabble board we've ever had. I've bought a Patricia Cornell paperback on one of my visits that I haven't found in the larger bookstores. It's nice to know that this place Carrie's the books that are a little harder to find. If you like to read or play games or puzzles, this is a must see if you're in the area! read more

A great hometown bookstore! It is such an asset to the community to be able to pop in and browse when walking Main St. I always find something good. I appreciate their support of local authors as well! read more

Great local bookstore with a wonderful selection of books, children's books and toys. I love getting gifts here for kids and adults.

Having a local book store is so important to a community. This shop is wonderful. You will love walking into this sweet shop. The staff is fabulous in helping you find the right book and if needed, can order and it comes quickly. I also if I buy from www.libro.fm instead of big box stores, it helps support my local shop and not big corporations. The shop has great book clubs. So find a club to meet new people, go to the shop and meet the wonderful staff, call, to order and always use www.libro.fm if buying online. The prices are the same as big box and it supports local. read more

Bookshop Benicia - Front of the sweet Bookshop Benicia. - Bookstores Near Me - Benicia, California

The best bookstore around the area. A classic store with modern thoughtful touches. Always busy. Great selections. Extremely helpful. They answer the phone!!! A must to visit and find your next book. They are happy to help you. Hold that book! Read! read more

1st stop in, immediately felt at home in a corner nook, music playing was just right in my alley of comfort & relatability only thing missing was a chair, a blanket in the sun room with some coffee (joke).I believe I was speaking to the owner when I saw the quote from Maya Angelo on the catch board outside that fished me right in!Remind me of what I really needed for the day....Smiling helpful faces & a warm tone to help me along my journey in this local grown book store. I purchased "Milk & Honey" a poetic journey looking for poetic justice. Thank you ladies. Will visit again when I come back in town to visit! read more

I stopped in at Bookshop Benicia a few Sundays ago hear our friend Lois R. read from her book: "RVING SOLO ACROSS AMERICA . . . without a cat, dog, man, or gun". There's a lot to like about a 66 year-old grandmother who buys an RV and decides to explore various parts of the US and Canada for several months. That's something that I should do, although I'm not sure I'd want to drive such a large vehicle and enjoy the occasional KOA Campground. And I'd want to do it with Gayle. Yet, when I grew up, our family either hauled a camper behind our car or had one attached to our pickup truck. Bookshop Benicia is located within a sizable shopping center in the Southhampton area and is fairly easy to find, even for this neighbourhood newbie. The store is small, comfortable, and with a nice selection. I especially enjoyed the collection of sci-fi robots on top of the shelves. BB staff were very nice and accommodating for this reading, and the area for the reading was roomy, welcoming, and off the beaten track. BB has regular readings, participates in various community programs, and deserves your local support. read more

A beautiful small shop where the employees seem to really love books. Anytime I ask for a suggestion they're so helpful. I don't always find what I'm looking for but I love stopping at my local bookstore whenever I get the chance. The building and area is absolutely gorgeous, worth making a day of it to walk around and enjoy. They have unique book accessories as well. read more

Fantastic independent bookstore! Store displays are cheerful, welcoming, & interesting ! A friendly employee helped me find a great book for our 10 month old grandson. It was immediately a favorite book of his! The store is in a historical building too, so we loved seeing the old pictures of the area . Support local independent book stores! I recommend going into the store, but there is a website you can order from & have books shipped too. read more

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Service is #1 at this sweet Main Street shop. If they don't have what you want (pretty unlikely ) they will order it. My go to for books.

My local bookstore is small but mighty - always well stocked with the latest book releases, plus a wide selection of toys, greeting cards and gift items. It is my go-to place when I need a gift for just about anyone. If they don't have something in stock, they are happy to order it for you (or you can order yourself online). Support local - Amazon doesn't need any more of your $$! read more

Bookshop Benicia isn't at all like Books, Inc., B & N, nor amazon. u probably wont't find what u are seeking. i go with an open mind and see what's offered in small boutique booknooks. friendly hello when i entered, cashier busy on phonr. didn't need help. books are categorized. eventually found a section with interesting reads. not a huge selection, just a few samples. reads: maya angelou: "signs and swingin and gettin Merry Like Christmas" (2) -bah humbug decides to check out how others fare during the "holidays" -slowly accumulating maya's book when i see used ones. loose leaves: -checking in on my "blackness" -assume a "black writing style on another site. (closed by FBI year or so ago). -"u probably won't find what u want. u'll find what u need". jagger gets it right. read more

Wonderful store with helpful staff who can order what they don't have in stock. Awesome community of book clubs too!

Support your local independent bookstore!!!!! Yay for Bookshop Benicia! Look, I'm the first to admit it... I've done the deed and purchased books online at Amazon.com. Nevertheless, I'm a book junky, so I make sure to spend a significant amount of my book budget at independent bookstores. This place has got a great vibe, a very friendly staff, and a wonderful selection of books for you to peruse and...yes... purchase!! There's events held right at the store with readings by local authors like David Corbett and Kevin Nelson, to name just a couple. Show the world how smart you are: buy a book at Bookshop Benicia and support your independent bookstore! read more

Bookshop Benicia - Bookstores Near Me - Benicia, California

Been a Bookshop Benicia customer since my Husby and I moved here in the 90s. Loved and miss the Southampton location but also like their newer location on First Street by the city clock. Ordered special order books and gifts here at different times, and book clerks contacted me whenever they were available. Bookshop always has a wide and interesting selection of books, audiobooks, toys & puzzles, calendar, journals, magazines, literature, media, and knick-knacks. Love the free gift wrapping. Relaxing place to browse and shop. Never feel pressured to buy each time. Local hub for Benicia events and author visits. Will always come here and support this business. read more

Bookshop Benicia - Bookstores Near Me - Benicia, California

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Pretty shop, many stores nearby, cashier was nice! Many different genres to choose from as well.

Nice atmosphere, well kept, selection range modest and to the point. Shirts awesome designs but you pay more to get them than most stores I shop. read more

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Solid small, independent bookstore. Modest selection of unique reading, children's games & educational toys, adult coloring books and cute novelty, literary themed accessories. I really enjoyed browsing Bookshop Benicia on a cold and windy Saturday-it's perfect cozy spot to spend some time in. Workers there were friendly but didn't hover, which was perfect for browsing. I love to support local bookstores and hope they stay open for a long while. Great part of the collection of small shops in downtown Benicia. read more

It is and always has been a huge disgrace that a city the size of Vallejo does not have a BOOKSTORE! Shameful, even. Thanks to Bookshop Benicia for being there when in a pinch. Like other reviewers, I do most of my book shopping via Amazon. Or, at B&N when I am in Concord. It's a small bookstore and I was kinda taken back by the screaming kids in there today. My son needed December reading books for school by tomorrow... Yes, I considered the "library" but honestly, that is a lot of work to borrow and find time to return. Cynical? No, just a realistic busy Mom on the move! Thanks BB! bbb read more

NAH, I have gone in here many times and every time I want a book - it has to be ordered. Good for kids books though, but when I want a book, I want a book. Don't want to wait Days and days for it. I am a christian book reader (be it fiction or non-fiction), I think when I went there last there was like 5 christian books, eh, I went to Barnes and Noble and found lets see, about 4 aisles of christian books? So, I will continue to get my books from Barnes and Noble and christianbook.com. Its cheaper anyway. It seems you have to pay a few dollars more for book in Benicia, so If you work in Fairfield or WC or ANY other city that has a bookstore, it may be worth it to get your books there (if you are already there during the work day). Bookshop Benicia, I wanted to, really wanted to support the local bookstore - even with the higher prices, but you just don't have a large enough variety. read more

I've been going to Bookshop Benicia for years. I love it there. They don't pounce on me asking if they can help every 5 seconds, nor do they hover about me! I'm given my space to look & browse & the staff is there if I need them. It's a cozy, quiet getaway for me-and I love books! I think I look at every one when I'm there, don't want to miss anything! And on the rare occasions I have had to order a book, they called the day after, 2 days at the longest that it was waiting for me! Way to go Bookshop Benicia!!!! read more

Really wonderful customer service! Great book selection, card selection and little gifts for everyone- at affordable prices.

Shop Local!! Great little bookstore. The people there are wonderful and knowledgeable. If they don't have it, they'll get it. If they can't get it, they'll tell you were to find it. What more can you ask for? Oh, yeah a discount for frequent shoppers. WooHoo! read more

I completely agree with others' positive reviews of Bookshop Benicia. It is so convenient to have such a nice and cozy place to take a look at what's going on in the world of books, not only internationally, but even locally! Sure, there obviously will not be the same level of selection that any mega-bookstore will have, but I am continually impressed with the quality of the selection that is there. There is a broad range of interests and subjects covered, and in my experience, no matter which section I choose to peruse, the books that are carried are truly good books. You will be hard-pressed to find mere "filler" books that constitute a good amount of the big name stores' expansive selections. My only real lament is the inevitable price difference that there is between a small community business and places like Amazon and Barnes and Noble. However, as a student and someone who generally tends to buy books from the discount bin anyway, this difference is most likely exaggerated in my mind. That isn't to be said that the books are unreasonably priced, there is a great selection of used books throughout the store, and there is in fact a discount cart for $1 books. So I most often go for the used titles when I make a purchase, but BB is still my favorite place to browse for high-quality books that I will enjoy checking out from the library or purchasing second-hand. read more

Even though the store is small, there's a wide selection of books and everyone is really friendly and helpful. (Nicole, I'm pretty sure that you either showed up on a bad day or you have a different interpretation of "snippy" than I do.) I don't really have too much against Barnes and Noble type stores, but while they may have a wide selection of books, they don't have a sense of charm. Bookshop Benicia has lots of it. Besides, our town isn't built for a store like Barnes and Noble, so if you want to support your independent bookstore, this is the place to go. read more

This is a quaint little store with a small collection of new and used books. I come to browse because I love to shop local independent stores. They have a knowledgable and friendly staff. read more

Love this little downtown bookstore! Selection is really fantastic for the small space and they have just enough chatchkas and toys to create a fresh, interesting shopping experience. Friendly employees (owners?) and a nice blend of new and used books including a children's section. This is what a local independent bookstore should be. read more

As locally-owned, independent bookstore are quickly disappearing across our landscape, Bookshop Benicia is still going strong! Thanks to a wonderful and knowledgeable staff, pleasant atmosphere, comparable prices and frequent shopper discounts, they will always have loyal customers. How many corporate bookstores can you walk into and be greeted by your first name? BB carries a wide variety of books, but even if they don't have what you want in stock, they can get it for you in just a couple days; just give them a call or order it on-line. They always support local organizations, businesses; and writers. They've sponsored many great book-signings. They now carry a line of fair-trade merchandise. Long live Bookshop Benicia!!! read more

Wonderful inventory, fun store to shop for stationary , gift items and jewelry. Lots of progressive and local geography books - I love that this store is in my town. read more

Loved the spot!! The smell of books is intoxicating. Lazy Sunday afternoon and our sales person was friendly and knowledgeable!

I visited Bookshop Benicia for the first and last time on Saturday. I discovered it on Yelp...and was happy there was a bookstore so close to me. So why will this be my only visit? I don't care to spend my hard-earned cash any place that I'm not wanted. From the moment I stepped thru the doors...I was treated as if I was wearing an orange jumpsuit and the word 'thief' was stamped across my forehead. When I first entered the store...I was delighted by it's quaintness...and began to browse thru the books on the table just inside the door. I then made my way to the wall of books on the the far left. When I got to the cookbook section...I still hadn't been greeted by anyone...but I had the feeling I was being watched...and that's when I noticed the clerk...standing on the other side of the register...silently watching me. As I got closer to the end of the row...I could see that she was creating busy work...so that she could continue observing me. Now...I'm determined to cover every inch of the store...so that I can observe her. I mean...I really want to believe that she's not watching me so intensely because I'm Black! When I got to the far wall...I was once again enchanted by some of the things I was discovering in the shop...but as I rounded the corner...there she was...watching me from halfway down the row. Now...I'm mad! Not once did she ever ask me if she could help me locate anything...or greet me in any way. Her customer service...as well as her sleuthing skills could both stand to be polished up a bit. I did see a couple of books that I was interested in reading. I wrote the names of the books down...and will be purchasing them elsewhere. I sincerely hope this clerk doesn't treat everyone the way she treated me...but...I suspect she reserves this special treatment for her non-white customers. As a special message to her...you can't judge a book by its cover...and as someone working in a bookstore...I would think that you'd know that. I bet you were really afraid when another Black customer came into the store...and we spoke to each other. I mean...we could have been cousins...or something! read more

I've been there several times with mixed reviews, One time the experience was fine. The next time the woman behind the counter was a little snippy. I don't do snippy so I went across the bridge to Barnes and Noble. read more