Shelf Life is always my top recommendation when visiting Carytown. The staff are incredibly helpful…read moreand knowledgeable. Never be afraid to ask for recommendations or help finding a specific book! If you are lucky, you will get to see the store cats lounging in the window by the banned book section. Downstairs is reserved for new books, with well curated and intentional sections. Upstairs features huge selection of used books from all genres. I snagged a copy of "Still Life" in almost new condition for $7.95.

Wow!! Favorite Bookshop of my travels! Loved that there is a well organized level of Used books or…read moreas I love to say pre-loved-- is there a dollar shelf- not that I could find but that said - I did buy 2 brand new books from the wonderful LOCAL Authors and local interest section. I felt welcome and I am sure if I had wanted a book recommendation staff would have given me some. Other bookstores I visited in Virginia were not welcoming - . The shop is colorful- I didn't see the Shop cats but lots of Cat love items, fun stickers, a little bit of book bags- and I was tempted by the books- loved the corners upstairs to sit and hang out with a book or 2. Hard to choose just a couple! A must if you love books and are visiting RICHMOND-- and it sits on a street with coffee shops and more- so definitely worth an UBER if you are not staying in the neighborhood. . I dropped off a few "recommendations" since I also work in a bookshop and hope they will stock those in the future- I think they would do well.

This was my third visit to 2nd & Charles, and it continues to deliver. Stopped in for their…read morePenny-A-Page event and somehow walked out with 7 books for under $35. Yes, we did it in two transactions; no judgement Their selection is seriously impressive; everything from kids' books to adult reads, so it's easy to get lost browsing. I've also picked up CDs here as gifts, and the condition has always been pristine. If you're into collectibles, they have a huge selection of Funko Pops, and their video game section is a solid find for collectors too. If you love a good bargain, this place is a must. Buying used is not only budget-friendly, but it's also a win for the environment. Highly recommend!

Many of the staff here were attentive and provided impeccable service during the holiday shopping…read morebonanza that bestowed the 2025 season. The store was well organized amidst the chaos. There was a huge selection of books, music, Funko Pops, and tons of other items. The prices were reasonable, though, some of the plushies were ridiculously priced. (e.g., the little stuffed insect plague doctor has been $35 for a few years now ). Anyway, I wanted to shout out a special thank you to the employee who found my phone, immediately put it in the safe, and called the number I left on the lock screen to get it back to me. I was very touched by the thoughtfulness of those involved. I wanted to say thank you again

Absolutely lovely selection. I was a turd and didn't…read morethink to check the hours before driving a 30 - 40 minute drive to stop by. When at the door I noticed "by appointment" and decided to call, luckily they were in, and kindly allowed me in to see the books. The owner is very gracious and will help you find what you're out for, even if its on 10 different subjects.

When roaming around, don't forget to go to the far corner from the entry. This is where they put…read moreall the real old books and exceptionally unique items. My wife is an exceptional book lover and admirer. Going here was very much a must as it has roots similar to the very old bookstore in Ireland. When you first walk in the "bookscape" is very nice and open. I liked the feel of how it invites you to check the place out. The faculty are very friendly and aren't against you looking at or reading the books. Overall, this place is definitely a place to check out if you're a bookfan! Don't forget to say hi to copyright! :) (good doggie)

The selection here had me delusional for a minute and I forgot that I live on a budget. I…read moredefinitely went overboard with my initial vinyl choices, but the guy working there was very understanding (which makes sense since he's a cog in the machine that casted the voodoo spell on me in the first place). He had such a positive vibe and was incredibly friendly and was just like, "You can put anything you don't want to buy in this pile and I'll put everything back." He also asked if I wanted him to tally up my selections before he actually rang them up, but I declined and decided to trust my erratic arithmetic skills and go all in (either I'm a mathematical genius or I do math at a 1st grade level, no in between). He even so kindly offered to get the door for me as I was leaving. All in all, I took a quick photo of my reject pile, so I will return to rescue those wishlist items ASAP. Don't know how I never noticed this shop before now; my loss!

This is a smaller record shop but they have a good selection of hard rock and jazz. Staff are super…read morefriendly and prices are on par with Plan 9 in my opinion. Parking is street and that is fine. I really like this store.

Kind, informative, courteous! Called from California…read more Friendly! Answered all questions.

A bookstore in Richmond to visit on Broad Street. I found parking around the corner since you can't…read morepark in front of the store. When I got there, they had a table of books for $1, mostly kid's books. Once inside, there are books along the wall. I also saw comic books, records and some vintage ads by decades. They have a very tiny kid's section nothing to rave about. My impression is that they had a lot of books, but not a lot of popular books. It was still worth a look. I did see some books about Art and Architecture. I am sure I am missing mentioning more, but that is what I remembered. The books were fairly priced and was glad to find 2 books. You can see my pics to see them. The bookstore seems to have been there a long time. It doesn't look like it's been updated ever. There is an old vibe here, but these are the kinds of bookstore you will find something cool and rare. The old register at the counter is also a classic.

This business doesn't deserve even the one star that Yelp requires as a minimum…read more My son and I stopped in today because he wanted to check out their Pokémon inventory. While we were browsing, a young man in the store asked the employees behind the counter if they were interested in purchasing some cards from him. They declined. After hearing that, I casually mentioned that my son might be interested if the seller was looking to move them. My son even politely asked if that would be a problem. Instead of responding professionally or courteously, one of the employees immediately stated that if my son and the seller worked out a deal, they would owe the store a 15% commission. The comment came across as rude, unnecessary, and frankly absurd considering the store had already made it clear they had no interest in the transaction themselves. To avoid any issues, we left the store and sat on a nearby bench outside. A couple of minutes later, the owner/manager came outside and rudely questioned my son and the other young man about whether they were conducting business. When they answered honestly, he told us to get off "his property." The problem? We were on a bench alongside the sidewalk. What should have been a simple interaction escalated into an unnecessarily confrontational situation because of the owner's attitude and lack of basic customer service skills. Rather than treating potential customers with respect, he chose hostility, intimidation, and arrogance. Words were exchanged, and while it's doubtful he cares, he permanently lost our business. I fully understand that a business owner has the right to manage activities inside their store and maintain a professional environment. What I do not understand is the sense of entitlement and disrespect shown toward customers, especially when they were no longer on the premises. The entire encounter left the impression that the only thing that mattered was whether the owner was getting a piece of the transaction. The unfortunate reality is that behavior like this drives people away from the hobby and creates a toxic atmosphere that benefits no one. The one positive outcome from the experience was that my son and I met a genuinely nice young man and made a new friend. If you're looking for a card shop that values its customers and understands how to treat people with courtesy and respect, there are much better options in the area (BangerZ Cards, The Card Guys, etc.). We have had far better experiences elsewhere and will gladly take our business to shops that appreciate their customers.

Zero stars. Was not greeted upon walking in. Did not ask if I had any questions or if I needed…read morehelp. Did not say anything after I left. All they did was stare me down as I looked at their selection. Will NOT be giving this business my money :) Do not recommend, go literally anywhere else.

I can't let Women's History Month come to an end without giving a shout out to a business that is…read moreowned by a black woman. I visited The Book Bar last month during a trip to Richmond. As an avid reader and lover of literature, book stores are kind of my jam. I visited on a Sunday afternoon. The store was pretty empty as there was only one other customer there at the time. The cool thing about The Book Bar is that they sell books and wine! They also have a bar where they do wine tastings. Although I didn't indulge in a wine tasting during my visit, the wine tastings are free! Although they sell books here, this isn't what you'd expect from the typical book store. I think of it as more of a community space where you can buy and/or read books, sip wine, and enjoy good conversation. They also host events here, including author visits. In addition to books and wine, they sell products from other local businesses. I picked up some banana pudding cookies from here made by The Sweetest Thing RVA. Finally, I can't end my review without acknowledging the excellent customer service I received while there. I was immediately greeted by the staff upon entering the store even though she was helping someone else. Then, the employee proceeded to assist me when she had the chance. She asked me what I was currently reading and if I had a favorite genre. I told her that I like historical fiction and she recommended a book for me. The cool thing is she recommended a book that had references to the city of Richmond, which made the book a nice personal souvenir to remind me of my visit. I can't wait to return! Please check them out!

This brand new bookstore downtown is a VIBE. RVA book bar focuses on black, indigenous and people…read moreof color authors, so it's a great place to buy your next read. When you walk in, you'll find a beautiful, welcoming space. I may have visited too soon after grand opening, as the owner Krystle just restocked her shelves. I went looking for a specific book, which she didn't have at the moment (but could order if I wanted!) and bought another that caught my eye. There is also a whole section for treats, self care items, and goodies. I plan to be back and get some work done with some wine from their selection.

I loved this comic store while visiting Richmond! Small store but has a lot of stuff, which I was…read morepleasantly surprised with. They have a good amount of new issues, as well as older ones. They have a huge collection of older issues, including ones labeled from the Silver Age, which I appreciated. Most of them are organized, but some of them are kind of all over the place timeline wise, but still fun to go through. They had quite a diversity of TP and compendiums which was great! There were so many great series! Would say everything was priced decently. Employee was chill and friendly.

This shop has one of the biggest collection of issues I have seen in most comic book stores, so…read moremuch so it's sometimes difficult to navigate what exactly you are looking for. I enjoy coming to this place as it feels almost more catered to the collector by having multiple cover variants in stock and occasionally accessories like posters and pins. The staff are very knowledgeable about comics and the stories so if you have a question, don't hesitate to ask.

Vinyl Conflict (I'm assuming named after the Slayer boxset of same name) is a great store I came…read moreacross online. They had a bunch of cheap cheap $3-$10 records and I bought some. All were used (and all were in great shape upon arriving). Pretty freaking cool for $85 (includes shipping), for 13 records, that I genuinely enjoy and look forward to listening to again. I was really pleasantly surprised at how many records they had on the cheap that were in my wheelhouse. The descriptions on the website were very helpful, letting me (the buyer) know the condition of the record, if it came with an insert/poster/whatever, and if it was colored. Sometimes even more info than that. These guys and gals know how to vinyl. The guy I communicated with at Vinyl Conflict through email (Bobby) was really cool and didn't care about last-minute additions to my order. Packaging was great too upon receiving it. They're no dummies. Check out Vinyl Conflict, you might find some great music for a great price. Jesus I sound like a commercial. But do it anyway!

It's downtown, so parking sucks but it's worth it…read more They not only sell new and used vinyl, but they also have a few CDs, cassettes, and merch. Helpful and friendly service, awesome and interesting finds, and just something fun to do if you're bored. In fact, I think it was boredom that turned me into a hipster to begin with. And ironically enough, I'm currently in the process of knitting a beanie, no joke. :-D