This cute little boutique bookstore near downtown Flagstaff - I love! It was so busy over the weekend (as it should be), and the whole place just has that cozy, small-town charm that makes you want to stay forever. It's quaint, unique, and feels like a hidden gem everyone secretly knows about. What makes it extra special are the handwritten staff reviews on select books. Like actual little love notes telling you why you need to read something. It's way more fun than just reading the synopsis and it feels personal, and thoughtful. They also sell, adorable book accessories, kids' toys, and other cute knick knacks. There's even a small sale section, reasonably priced books, and some signed copies that are clearly marked. It's right by downtown, so super convenient, but definitely try to get there early because parking garages and street spots can fill up fast on weekends. Overall, it's giving cozy, and I truly loved how much personality those handwritten reviews added. It just made the whole experience feel extra special and memorable. read more

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Cute little bookstore in downtown Flagstaff. Small but they have lot of books selection, I like the little tags on the book shelfs with reader's recommendation, hand written notes explaining why they liked the book, it was so helpful for me to decide which books to buy. Since Christmas is coming, they have a holiday book drive for kids, I am glad to participate. read more

Bright Side Bookshop - Holiday book drive - Bookstores Near Me - Flagstaff, Arizona

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I had some time to kill and decided to stop in here! It was Saturday night and pretty busy. It seemed like the people working were nice and getting people in and out at the register. They had a lot of items for sale including cards, gift wrapping supplies, books and other really unique items that could be used as gifts! Everything was priced fairly and there were some items that had really good deals. Bright Side Bookshop would be an awesome spot to find gifts at or whatever book you might be looking for. read more

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Sam from California hung up on me and she was suppressing foreign language and did not know how to look up books I talked to the NAU public library, Security at City Hall, Joshua at Flagstaff Public Library and the Shane Gallery in Flagstaff Arizona read more

Bright Side Bookshop - Sam from California hung up on me, she was suppressing foreign language, I talked to Sheldon at Flagstaff Records about this situation - Bookstores Near Me - Flagstaff, Arizona

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So cute! When making up a little walking tour of downtown for my husband and me, this popped up on my research. Glad we made it in! We came in the afternoon on a Friday after a holiday and it was popping! I love books, libraries, and bookstores, and sometimes the problem for me is overwhelm, there's so much! What I absolutely loved about this shop was that there were a lot of employee recommendation tags with descriptions and why they liked it. I loved it because you don't have to judge a book by its cover if you don't want to stop and look at everything. It was so helpful, I walked out with 2 books! Felt cozy and had a great vibe. There were plenty of other things I wanted to get, but since we were on vacation I limited myself. Really cute place, definitely check it out. read more

Very nice selection of books. So intriguing and fascinating assorted topics. Super cute 3D books and kids games and colorful unique puzzles. A great place for books for oneself or cool and unique gifts. read more

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I love checking out local bookstores! I get to see the latest books available, what's popular and checking out the little knick knacks they have around the shop. One thing I like about this place is the little notes they have around the books written by the staff on why they like the books. I value this so much as opposed to reading anonymous (and maybe fake?) reviews on certain online retailer that started out as an online bookstore. The staff are friendly and it doesn't feel intimidating to walk into the bookstore even if you're not a huge bookworm. read more

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Yay for independent book stores - very nice selection and I liked the book reviewer card suggestions. Appreciated the recommendations. Other fun non-book items - stickers, bookmarks, cards - all fun. Definitely recommend! read more

I was drawn into the store as it was very busy and had several staff attending to buyers. Great selection and as an author I spoke at length with a sales person. Very knowledgeable and friendly. I recently sent them a book to read and consider with a very nice letter back declining my book as they have spent their budget for the year. Stop by its a great store for of excellent books!! read more

A bookstore loves to see me coming. Bright Side Bookshop in Flagstaff is no exception. While I've always excelled at reading, I really struggle with non-fiction content. So I'm kicking off 2025 with a New Years resolution: read 12 non-fiction books in the next 12 months. How hard could it be? I ended up picking up a few reads at Bright Side over the holidays: including a book on the female body and one on dividend growth. Interesting stuff. This local bookstore truly has it all, which can be pretty torturous when you're sticking with non-fiction. There's rows and rows of shelves stacked with every genre you could list. I especially love the small notes their team has left in books scattered throughout the store. These bookmark share team member's book recommendations and what's next on their TBR. I will forever be one of those weirdos who's curious on what other people are reading. So this is perfect for my nosey self. This bookstore is also on the main strip of businesses in Flagstaff, so it's hard to miss. Stop by this local biz on your next stroll through downtown! read more

I'm absolutely in love with this little bookstore! From the moment we stepped inside, it felt like I walked into a cozy haven for book lovers. The atmosphere was warm and inviting. It was the perfect place to get lost for hours. What really set this place apart was the amazing displays. Each section of the store was thoughtfully arranged with creative, fun themes that make browsing an experience in itself. The had quirky, eye-catching displays that highlight different genres and authors in ways that made me want to pick up everything. There was little staff suggestion surprises within the stacks that made me save so many books on my to-be-read. As we were traveling, I didn't have luggage room to buy ample books, but oh they tempted me- the staff was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, ready with recommendations and happy to chat about latest reads. It's clear that they had a real passion for books and want to share that love with their customers. This bookstore is a must-visit. Small but mighty-it's the kind of small business highly recommend for any bookworm or anyone who appreciates a cozy, charming space filled with literary magic! read more

I visited this place and really took the time to shop. I ended up purchasing some really unique gifts and I was excited to see that they have journals and drawing pencils! They have a large selection of books in many categories and the price is good! The employees are very kind and knowledgeable. You should check it out!!! read more

What a lovely bookstore in Flagstaff! They definitely got the vibes and the non book items that you can buy right!

From the moment I walked in, I knew it was my kind of bookstore. It smelled just right. There was a case of recommended reads, fiction was divided into popular and classic, the children's section had a rug for comfortable browsing, I saw a coffee urn but no seating - probably a good thing. There were also a few racks of quirky toys like mini Rubiks Cubes, silly putty, the usual bookmarks and magnifiers, etc. Staff were friendly and helpful. read more

This is a fabulous indie bookstore! I loved the set up, all of the staff recs, and the staff were super friendly! Great selection and all the little extra items were a treat! Great prices too! Highly recommend! read more

Wonderful place in the downtown area. Kids enjoyed the selection and found a few books. Staff was helpful and friendly. Would definitely go back and recommend. read more

Wonderful little bookstore. Greeted with a smile. Bought a book on AZ birds, already identified some back home! Definitely stop in on your vacation. read more

Used to love going here but after my experience today I will never be returning. My friends and I came in just trying to purchase some notebooks but our entire time walking around the store a woman, the manager Annette, was watching us like hawks everywhere we walked. Being the only people of color in the store it was clear what her intentions were. After leaving she accused my friend of stealing and threatened to call the police on them. We returned because nothing was stolen, proving their innocence the manager offered no apology or remorse for what she had done. Absolutely sickening to see in 2025. read more

Was in there with friends and the entire time was being followed around by a woman named Annette and after making my purchases and had left the store i received a call from them (they took my number off my account) being accused of stealing and when I went back to the store to make it right and let them know there's been a mistake I was belittled and was still being made out to be a thief horrible experience after coming here for years I returned my items that I had purchased and will not be returning read more

0 stars if I could they just profiled my friend after he spent $50 on notebooks and pens. We had left the store only to have one of the employees (she was following us around the whole time) call his phone and threaten to call the police if he didn't return his stolen item. Although he hadn't taken anything we went back because she was threatening with police and wanted to prove he didn't have anything. After speaking to her he then returned the items he purchased and deleted his account he's had there for years. If you're wondering which employee it was the older white lady I think her name was Annette. My friends and I are all Hispanic. Do with that information as you please. That is all. read more

This book store is adorable!! The staff was so friendly, the selection was wonderful, and I loved the reviews they leave from staff. I found someone who liked the same books as me so I chose one they'd also reviewed and liked. Here's hoping read more

Great customer service at this locally owned book shop. Wonderful selection of titles and other cool stuff!

I love this bookstore. It's so charming and cozy and the staff are friendly and helpful. They had a bunch of books I'd never seen before and I didn't want to leave. If you're staying Flagstaff, you should visit! read more

So disappointing went in today and immediately felt unwelcome. No greeting whatsoever and I am from out of town and every other place I went in, greeted me. The lady in a yellow shirt was extremely rude. As I walked in she looked me up and down and rolled her eyes, just as I walked through the door. Throughout my entire time in the store she kept watching me. Very unprofessional. She seemed bothered when I walked in. It just so happens I am brown. I've dealt with racism before and can tell this place is definitely racist. I don't recommend coming here. read more

Just a good old cozy amazing "I want to hang out here on a rainy day" bookstore. Great recommendations, helpful staff and beautiful postcards and other nick nacks for presents. Just love it! If you're in the area and you love books it's an absolute must! read more

Local book stores tend to have some of the best "souvenirs." Bright Side is a great example of this. I adored this little stop. We found a great sticker for the cooler (Yeah I sorta hate that we are these people.), an awesome kitchen dish towel with a beautiful Grand Canyon illustration. And of course a couple great books. The store feels super local and not just because of the touristy trinkets, but because the team does "staff picks" like a wine shop might. It was super fun to read the cards across the store with recommendations and summaries by the folks that work there. Beautiful shop, for travelers and Flag dwellers. read more

Bright Side Bookshop - Team recommendations - Bookstores Near Me - Flagstaff, Arizona

Cute book stop in a lovely setting. But a staff member singled me out and approached me asking if I would like her to keep the items in my hands behind the counter until I was ready to purchase them... implying that she was afraid I would steal them. Mind you, I am 61 years old and was wearing an expensive coat and boots, and nobody else in the store was approached in this manner. In my party we had several millennials with backpacks and a teenager who had a large purse with her. No one else in my party was approached in this manner by her. To add insult to injury, I continued looking at items and as I got close to the counter, she asked very harshly if I was ready to check out. I was not, but at this point felt so uncomfortable and unwelcome that I went ahead and bought the $50 worth of items I had in my hands. I likely would have bought more, but oh well! Their loss. read more

This bookstore is quite large, and had a good selection of new books that was well-curated.

So disappointed in my visit today, my family and I were watched like hawks and were the only ones approached (we just so happened to be the only non-caucasian people in the store at the time, which i'm sure isn't a coincidence), all the workers were being very blatant about staring at us and one workers made it a point to stay near me the whole time I was in the store. It made for a very uncomfortable shopping experience. It's so sad to still be living in a world where this stuff is allowed and based on the entire staffs reaction to hispanics looking around, seems to be encouraged behavior. Do better you guys. read more

Lovely bookstore . Really enjoyed my browse around . Excellent selection and loving my purchase . Very nice staff

Super cute independent bookstore in Flagstaff. For being a smaller storefront, they have a nice selection of books for virtually all ages. On top of their book selection, they also have a few smaller items and journals if you're looking for a gift. While the prices may be a little more than other retailers, I think it's worth it to shop local, plus this shop is on the main drag so it's to be expected. Definitely check it out if you are in the area. read more

I adored this nugget tucked inside a bustling, way too touristy downtown Flagstaff. Aaawww, a respite from the bustle, hurry; go, go, go. So many great books and awesome staff with really good knowledge of their books. Find it and enjoy!!! read more

Cute shop with a big selection of books. They also have cute little gifts you can give to other readers. read more

Bright Side Bookshop - Book - Bookstores Near Me - Flagstaff, Arizona

This is the kind of bookstore that I like to visit. Small, quaint, and friendly staff. I like to support local small business like this and its a pleasure to visit each time I am in Flagstaff. Hardwood floors are a great addition to the uniqueness of the interior. And surprisingly they have a good selection of books. read more

Bright Side Bookshop - Bookstores Near Me - Flagstaff, Arizona

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So sad that in this era of relentless tracking and bombardment with advertising that an independent bookshop is part of the problem. Ordered a book. Paid with credit card. Thoughtlessly gave my email to be notified when book arrived. Started getting email newsletters from Bright Side and other bookselling marketing I never requested. Won't shop here again, as my privacy was not respected. read more

Lovely bookshop! I especially appreciated the tags on the shelves with the various staff picks. It's always helpful to know a bit about the book besides what's written on the cover. They also have a nice selection of gift items - cards, calendars, bookmarks, etc. Well worth a visit if you're in the area. read more

I love checking out local bookshops and this one did not disappoint! Very well stocked, super helpful and friendly staff. I love that they have staff reviews and picks through the store. read more

The bookstore of my dreams! The book selection was incredibly varied across genres and target audiences. It was quick to spot several books that I was already interested in reading, but the handwritten tags detailing staff picks drew me in to so many other titles. The descriptions were insightful and inviting-- similar to how I or my friends would describe books we were excited to share. Overall, the arrangement was compelling and showed off such beautiful covers. Visiting from out of town, I was delighted to see an abundance of unique gifts. The artwork on posters, stationery, greeting cards, jigsaw puzzles, and so on ranged from delicate to eclectic. It was challenging to hold back on my spending. read more

Awesome independent bookstore packed with great reads and cute small gifts. Service was fast, friendly and helpful. Pop in here for a nice bookly browse. read more

Stopped in on my day trip to Flagstaff. Staff was helpful without being overbearing. Love the individual staff selection cards under certain books. It helped me easily choose a book by a local author that matched up with my interest. Great selection and well organized. A definite stop for booklovers that find their way in Flagstaff. read more