Simply incredible selection, mind-boggling in quantity and quality. Worth a detour from anywhere…read moreremotely nearby. Worth a whole separate trip, for that matter.

A truly unique experience. Get lost in a sea of endless books, all categorized nicely in sections…read morethat extend floor to ceiling, downstairs and upstairs. From leatherbound classics to old first editions to kids books, it's all here. Also a fun way to get small kids excited about books as the multi-story barn is like an adventure for them.

Well, no more problems with the cafe, because they removed it, along with every single chair folks…read moreused to - uh - READ. Its ridiculous. It was a perfectly good book store. I can't stand that long, so I spend about 1/5 of the time in there that I used to spend.

I purchased a book for my granddaughter. At the time of purchase I was asked if I wanted a bag and…read morethe receipt. In an effort to conserve, I declined both since I used a credit card for the purchase. Less than 24 hours later I tried to exchange the book for another. The one I purchased was not quite appropriate for my granddaughter. I was told that since I didn't have the receipt I could only get the lowest price the book ever sold for. This was $5 less than I paid for it the previous day. If returns are so dependent on the receipt, your staff should advise customers when asking then if they would like a receipt. This experience has certainly changed my opinion of BAM and I will be more likely to visit Amazon or another venue in the future.

On my way out of town decided to stop into this little shop right at opening. I knew it would be…read moregood based on how many people were already getting food and drinks. They have such cute names for specialty drinks that I was having trouble choosing. I settled on a classic honeybee latte (honey and vanilla) which was the perfect combination of both. I tried the chopped Italian cream cheese which was unique but I really liked the depth. The service was super great and the library feel made it a nice place to sit down. Prices are great as well and hope to go back soon !

Excellent coffee and old-school ambiance. There is a long line here on weekend mornings. I could do…read morewithout the political signs on the door. Unfortunately, decent coffee and leftist politics seem to run together these days. A coffee shop should be a hospitable place. Instead of telling us who isn't allowed inside, why not state something positive you represent? Eg "we support immigrants". Nearly all of the customers are white anyway, so it looks like a transparent marketing ploy, and is poor business practice.

Great find on a Saturday morning!…read more Me and my aunt went for a walk around the neighborhood and came across this bookstore. We had to go in! They had such a great book selection and even had a hidden cafe in the back! We were in a hurry other otherwise we would have stayed and explored the store a bit more. This is a great spot for last minute gifts or to kill some time.

Cozy local bookstore vibes. The selection is fair- but several of the book series I was interested…read morein did not have the first book available. The coffee in the back is very tasty.

This place is a continual joy to visit…read more Very good selection of books including many by local authors. Very good used books section as well , which includes a really delightful oddity. if you look up you'll see one of the larger collections of model planes hanging above your head. As a bonus Aesop's table, a fun little lunch place is located within the bookstore.

What a tonelessly snarky fellow. The tall one who periodically visits the cafe staff, where he…read moreconverses in loud yells. I brought two books to the counter today and took a moment to look in my bag for my book discount bookmark for him to stamp. I carefully put my laptop, wallet, glasses, and clean paper wrapper containing the cafe's fresh veggie sandwich half, all on the broad counter for a moment, in the manner of Lucille Ball. I'm old enough that she was my mentor in a special graduate class on clowning, eons ago. But the bookstore clerk zeroed in on the sandwich. "Get your greasy sandwich off the counter. This is a bookstore." Who talks like this? Yes, the wrapped sandwich was anomalous there, matter out of place but for a moment. He had no right to sound this way, but I apologized. The purchase came to under twenty. He was so excitedly thrilled by this. "You can't have a book stamp because you didn't spend twenty today!" He bounced as he said it. New to the discount program because who cares, I quietly accepted this news. "See?" He went on, "Look. It says so right there, right on the bookmark!" I gave no reply to him. "But, of course, everyone just hates to read!" There was no humor going on. He was claiming the right to scold an old person for being nothing but that, in his eyes. I'm older and small in size. What a bully! I looked him in the face and said, "What is wrong with you?" Off balance, he said, "Nothing. This is just what's called having a sense of humor." He turned and sped off. There was no 'thank you' to complete the transaction. To me, a comic to the core, incivility is not humor at all. It's disrespect. It's a man Indulging in meanness towards an older woman because he can get away with it here and there. "Get your greasy sandwich off the counter," was so inappropriate to say, to anyone, the cruelness of it must have felt like free-flight. It was so absurdly rude he brought to mind Monty Python. I spend up to $400 a month on books. I find everyone else here at Toadstool polite, but similarly distracted and disinterested in the customers, except for the owner. But no one else is disrespectful except for this guy.

This a great place to shop for used books everything is meticulously categorized and there were a…read morelot of great finds here! Picked up a bunch of cookbooks and ill be back!

This is my new favorite book store! I felt like I was transported into my dreams when I walked in…read more It's like being in an amazing maze of books! I could have stayed there forever and never gotten bored. Huge bonus points because I found a book I've been looking for for years. Also the woman at the cashier was by far one of the kindest and most helpful people I've met! She even pointed us to 2 other local shops! I will be back soon!!!

My daughter lost a diamond out of her ring. We didn't find it but the kindness and willingness to…read morehelp look was exemplary. It's a shame about the ring but nice to know that there are so many kind people in b&n. Oh, and the book sale was good too!

Employees are rude.. Go buy your books at Amazon!!!! I was peaking in back of the counter to see if…read morethey had a particular Football card a mean girl told me to get in the back of line.. I told her I was not trying to cut line.. Overpriced books!!!!

I love Violets, I've been going there since I was a little kid. They have a wide variety of books…read moreand a cozy atmosphere. The points system for exchanging books is genius and super helpful! Builds community through sharing literature. Value of books is great for their condition. Second hand 4everrrr

I always find great books in the Classics and Modern Literature sections. I stop in every time I'm…read morein Claremont. The store credit system is a nice plus--I get half off for donating books. I leave with a stack of wonderful reads for $10-$20. Make an evening of it with a Rancho Viejo Mexican dinner up the street!

The second of third Portsmouth book stops for Indie Bookstore Day. This is a spot you could easily…read moreget lost in spending hours searching for that hidden gem/special book. Many older books in really nice condition. In what appears to be a house converted into a literary haven for book lovers, it's a spot that could easily be missed if you aren't directly searching for it! Despite having many older and used books they did honestly have a good selection of newer and popular books too! Compared to many other spots of similar nature I really appreciated the fact they had some newer and popular books in contrast to used books. It's a great way to bring in both those who want the popular and new and those looking to search through the shelves for that hidden gem! Prices seemed reasonable and while we did not interact with the owner nothing negative to say. A spot worth checking out if you find yourself in Portsmouth. One of a few Indie Bookstores you can support here in town!

I went in looking for a James Baldwin novel and an Ursula LeGujn novel and found both, plus a…read morememoir that I wasn't seeking. Not that I'd expect to find exactly what I wanted each time I go here, but this place has a wonderfully curated inventory and the feeling of a flea market too, among the used books. Who knows what you might find, browsing while independent radio plays in the background?