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    Charm City Books

    4.8 (25 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 7:00 pm

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    Qadira W.

    Once again, at their Franklin St location they had a great featured author book event. I got to spend 2 hours with SA Cosby. It was a great discussion and I got my book personally signed by him! Be warned...they have a big dog a they let him roam freely By the way they have a huge selection of books

    Austin G.

    What a fun bookstore! Located on the main street in Pigtown, this independent bookstore is run by a passionate couple. Blasting music, enter into a world of books spread out on two floors. The first floor has most of their books with children's books and a play space up stairs. Visiting during Independent Bookstore Day, they hid tiny jars throughout the store for customers to find. Inside were gift cards, discounts, etc. They also host many events. For a date night, you can rent the entire store. You bring the food and they provide the drinks (and a store discount). So fun!

    Carolyn C.

    WHAT A GREAT FIND. Each time I wander into the city, I tryout a new coffee house, do something historic/artsy and venture into a new bookstore. Charm City Books is nestled into the perfect area to do all the above and more. Next door is Zeke's Coffee and across the street is a recycling art center. Charm City Books is my favorite bookstore thus far due to the amount of occult, witchcraft, spiritual/ritual, and esoteric-like books that reveal the hidden mysteries behind secret societies, the supernatural, occult philosophies, and other fascinating stories. A purchased treasure from this store will be sure to bring out the witch or warlock from within. Dog/kid friendly. Call-in orders/local pickup available. Waitlisted books available. Tends to ship book orders for under $5.00.

    Reading nook!
    Rachel C.

    I came here after seeing a few amazing TikToks, and am so glad I did! I picked up a bunch of presents for my sister, and need to come back to buy all the books for myself. What a gem of a place! The owner was there and it was jus tai cool to hear her talk about the books she loves and what it is like to own tour own book store. It was fairly busy but not overwhelmingly so, just a steady flow of people inside and out, all wearing masks and keeping a safe distance.

    Alexis B.

    I stopped by Charm City Books when I was in the area recently, and it was so charming. It's a small book store, but it has a well curated selection of books. I hardly made it past the first table and already had a few books that I wanted to take home with me (I left with a book from the first table)! The shop was very welcoming, and I'd be happy to return to buy more or order books from them when I'm in the area. We're lucky in Baltimore to have so many (small) independent bookstores - sometimes it feels like most neighborhoods have one! Charm City Books is a great one! Stop by, grab a book, and then enjoy the first chapter next door at Zeke's over a cappuccino!

    Signed by author!

    Amazing, independently owned book store and community gathering place. The owners are a young couple who are both performance artists and educators. As parents and pet owners themselves, Charm City Book Store is Kid friendly, Pet friendly and ADORABLE. I Have ordered online many times from Charm City. Anything that was not part of their current inventory they were happy to order. Everything was delivered on time. I whenever I receive my order from Charm City books, I am always overwhelmed with joy by the great care, hand written notes of appreciation, and of course , the books themselves. Any and all books you, your family or business have on its wishlist, please consider supporting a family owned, artist operated small business by ordering ALL YOUR READING materials from their website. It might cost you a few extra dollars than the unsustainable low, cut-rate prices of Amazon, but if you like some SOUL with your reads (& originally designed bookstore swag), PLEASE divert your Amazon reading list to Charm City Bookstore. You can choose to having shipped to you, or pick up in person. If you have not yet visited. Take a stroll and stop by. Tell them Elise Anmchara sent you. It's a (Soul) Family Affair.

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    7 months ago

    Immaculate bookstore vibes. The selection is excellent, the staff are friendly, and it's just such a wonderful place to browse for books.

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    5 years ago

    Lovely well curated selection in a welcoming space. Staff clerk was helpful and enthusiastic - and clearly knew the books.

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    Ask the Community - Charm City Books

    Review Highlights - Charm City Books

    This charming and black owned bookstore has a very well curated selection of books.

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    MahoganyBooks

    MahoganyBooks

    4.9
    (51 reviews)
    41.1 mi
    $$

    Popped in after getting brunch near by just of the strength of the name…read more Great book store and coffee shop selling culturally relevant books/apparel (among other things). The staff were friendly and helped out a lot with directing me to interesting books. Ended up buying some cute earrings and a couple other items. Loved this place.

    This was my second visit to MahoganyBooks at National Harbor, and it reminded me why I enjoy…read moresupporting this bookstore so much. I initially stopped by to pick up the latest release from one of my favorite authors, but somehow left with two books instead. (Book lovers will understand!) I was warmly greeted when I arrived, and the welcoming atmosphere immediately made me want to linger and browse. What I appreciate most about MahoganyBooks is that it does much more than sell books. The bookstore is intentional about creating space for authors of color to be seen, celebrated, and supported. From book signings and author events to community activities and wellness-focused gatherings, it's clear that they're building community through literature and culture. After browsing the shelves, I visited the small café inside the bookstore for a smoothie before taking my new books down to the waterfront. Finding a bench by the water and reading a few pages while enjoying the beautiful views of National Harbor was the perfect way to spend the afternoon. Between the thoughtfully curated book selection, welcoming atmosphere, café, and beautiful waterfront location, the experience feels like much more than a trip to a bookstore.

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    MahoganyBooks
    MahoganyBooks
    MahoganyBooks

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    The Book Thing

    The Book Thing

    4.8
    (193 reviews)
    2.2 mi
    $

    For the price, can't be beat!…read more The model is simple: donate your books (up to 7 boxes per visit). They give them away for free! According to their website, you can't take more than 150,000 books per visit, so don't be too greedy, you bookworms! They sell 1-2% of donated books to cover overhead, but everything else is volunteer basis, keeping The Book Thing a free community even once a month. Be prepared to wait in line. We arrived at 11:45 so most of the big rush had faded. They let people in on the hour, with a max of 100 people in per time. If you arrive after someone leaves, they can let you in to finish that hour out. You could make a day of it - there are several cafés, breweries, and restaurants in the area that you could visit before or afterwards. Inside there are three rooms - red, blue, and green. They are organized by genres. A warning: this is not for claustrophobic people. It gets crowded and while people are generally polite and respectful, you will rub shoulders with plenty of other bibliophiles. My kids enjoyed it, though Child #1 was a tad overwhelmed and Child#3 wanted to get out of his umbrella stroller and run around! They all picked out something that was just for them. My wife gathered several books and I picked up a couple for myself. When you leave, you need to count your books and tell them that number (for their record-keeping) and your ZIP code. Other than that, it's a great deal, not to mention a fun way to meet other folks in the community. One parent reminisced about how her (now grown) daughter used to love a series that my middle child was looking at. I overheard one woman asking about a particular genre and a volunteer told her that those usually get picked over pretty early. So while there is more of a wait and higher demand closer to opening time, it sounds like there are some choicer items that are available then. DONATION - there is a small one-way road that leads around the back. After the morning rush, it seemed like it moves quickly. There's a small parking pad where you can pull up and give your books to some volunteers. Parking - it's Waverly, so pretty much street parking and you will have to look. We lucked out and saw someone leaving their spot right by the donation drop-off, so we were able to park close. If you have a bunch of books that could use a new home, come donate them here! If you are curious about grabbing some new books for yourself, drop on by! Just check the website for specific dates - it can vary from month to month what's available.

    Such a cool community completely FREE resource in the city! I first heard about bookthings in 2023…read moreand this was my second time coming here. It has been in operation since 1999 and filled with volunteers and they now own the building. It's only open once a month now but I guess it used to be more. As a tip - go closer to the hour like on the :45 mark otherwise be prepared to wait an hour. People from all walks of life come here. This operates on donations so I dropped off my books and got in line. It is a bit overwhelming and the books are organized in categories. It is fun to browse but there is a chaotic energy that I don't always love. I don't think I would go back - I much prefer the little libraries! After standing in line, when you walk in, you do have to adjust to the brightness. It's a completely free resource. You can take as many books as you want. When you check out you just tell them the total number of books and your ZIP Code. It's amazing this free resource exists - make sure you don't hoard (like the two women in front of me who were on their fourth entry of the day). Make sure you partake in the recycling of the system. Take books back take new books and keep this amazing free resource in the community.

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    The Book Thing
    Lines to get in
    Lines to get in
    The Book Thing

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    Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse

    Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse

    4.1
    (253 reviews)
    2.3 mi
    $$

    I actually am not vegan whatsoever, so I was a little nervous to try this coffee shop for the first…read moretime, but WOW, holy flavor. I ordered a breakfast burrito, and it's been three days since I had it and I'm still craving the taste. Who knew you could make tofu taste so good? I didn't like my vanilla iced coffee as much, but that was my fault because I should have asked for more vanilla flavoring. I really appreciated how much parking there was on a Sunday afternoon, and in my opinion, it's one of the best co working spaces in Baltimore. I would 100% come back to this coffee shop and maybe spend more time browsing the books next time!

    I'm real torn here. I wanted to LOVE Red Emma's but I did not. It was cool, but certainly not in my…read moretop 10 of spots I went to in Baltimore. Let's start with the best part: the bookstore. You're not going to find everything here, but the sections that are curated are top-notch. I got a few books about abolition and a handful of poetry collections written by locals. This is, in my mind, the best part of the place. There's also a big selection of zines, and the person working told me I could choose some free posters. Then there's the cafe part. All vegan? Sounds amazing! In reality, it's quite expensive and just OK? Like, I've been a vegan for nearly two decades and I've eaten my fair share of vegan food around the world. And the food I got at Red Emma's? I paid $20 ish for a cheeseburger with applewood smoked bacon, and it tasted fine, but it wasn't great. I don't know, I was expecting something more delicious, not something I could have made at home for 1/4 of the price. Maybe it was just that I choose the wrong item, because there are other items on the menu that also looked good. Of course I get that because it's worker owned, prices might be higher. I get it. But it was still disappointing. And the people working were nice but sort of disinterested. Some more good things: They sell Palestinian sodas, which I love. There is an option to prepay for a meal or a drink for someone less fortunate. They open their bathrooms and space to members of the community, which means anyone who is e.g. unhoused can use the space. It seems like the spot is doing a lot for the community, which I admire. A lot of people were there working on their laptops etc., so it seems to be a space people like to hang out and get stuff done. I plan to come back next time I'm in Baltimore to give it another chance, so stay tuned.

    Photos
    Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse
    It's all about the presentation--and taste! TLT (Tempeh Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato) and Cup of Chili
    It's all about the presentation--and taste! TLT (Tempeh Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato) and Cup of Chili
    Impossible burger with chili side

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    Impossible burger with chili side

    Charm City Books - bookstores - Updated June 2026

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