Hicklebee's is such a lovely small bookstore with a wonderful selection of books for all ages. If you are part of a school, they also offer story time for children. Hicklebee's is a truly special place for the community in the Willow Glen area. read more

Hicklebee's - Bookstores Near Me - San Jose, California

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Hicklebee's Bookstore has been around since 1979. While their emphasis is children's books, they have something for everyone, including infants, toddlers, kids, teens, young adults, and adults. Besides books, they offer toys, games, and fun gift items, as well as author's readings and other literary events. I was there recently searching for something good to read in the adult section. The adult books include fiction, biography, cookbooks, sci-fi and fantasy, and more. I found several books that looked interesting and settled on a new one by Lily King called Heart the Lover. I don't know anything about it, but enjoyed her last book. I also bought myself a cute canvas shopping bag with cats and a book club theme. I keep thinking about a couple of the books I left behind. I'm pretty sure I'll be back soon to pick them up. read more

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Ah, bookstores. My favorite place to be along with libraries. Something about the smell of books and being surrounded by books is calming and reassuring to me. This is a wonderful little store with very friendly, helpful staff. They have a lot of other unique items as well which make for great gifts...I got a head start on my Christmas shopping. read more

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Cute neighborhood bookstore. My family came to eat in the area and decided to walk here. I was hoping to see a halloween items before they move on to Thanksgiving and Christmas. They had a cute display. My toddler loved the reading corner and the bathtub with pillows. We could definitely hang out for a while. Ended up finding a book we wanted. If were in the area again, we'll probably stop by again. read more

Hicklebee's - Halloween themed display - Bookstores Near Me - San Jose, California

Amazing book shop focused on children's literature. Big selection of books for babies to young adult. I do wish the Spanish section was larger but we still found what we were looking for. Service was amazing right away Someone asked we needed help looking for anything and notify us that they can order in any books that we didn't see in store. Prices are reasonable. Highly recommend to bring the kiddos here. read more

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A very unique bookstore with an amazing helpful staff. The selections were wide enough for my partner and I to find the books that we needed. Interior was very inviting and nostalgic to me. The books were priced fairly and for the amount of unique bookstores left I'm glad I can help with some sales. read more

Hicklebee's - Interior - Bookstores Near Me - San Jose, California

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This place is so sweet! They organized the kids' books by theme, so naturally we were at the transportation section. They also have a bathtub with pillows and kid toys and board books - so incredibly inviting for kids! Definitely on the smaller side, but I would definitely go out of my way to support this small business. So kid-friendly and quaint! read more

Cute book store, our little one loved all the books she could pick from! The staff were super friendly and helpful. We'll be back read more

I. Love. This. Store. There is something magical about it. They love books and it shows. Supporting small businesses is important and this store makes it easy! read more

What really stood out was how helpful and patient the staff were. I wandered around asking questions, jumping between genres, and they offered thoughtful suggestions based on what I said I liked (even ones I didn't expect). read more

First time here and I have to be honest this place is amazing. The ambiance, service and food is outstanding! The price is reasonable too. I recommend the Bloody Mary and fried green tomatoes for starters ! My favorite is the Shrimp Poor Boy Sandwich! Natalie the hostess' s was kind, Antonia was as knowledgeable, and our server Fernando was so attentive and went above and beyond for our table Definitely recommend this place ! Tootles ! read more

Had a very rude interaction with an employee in the parking lot with a red car. I was told to move my car very rudely because she felt entitled to my parking spot. We offered to move the car and she decided to have an attitude with me about it. She cursed in front of my minor sibling saying "this is bull sh**". Honestly because of this interaction will not be going to this bookstore because of this employee. Do better. read more

Local amazing children's bookstore that used to exist everywhere and now are rare. Simply amazing establishment where you can find books and toys that serve real purposes. read more

So I've driven by this place a bunch of times and as a huge book fan I couldn't wait to go check it out. I finally had time today and the place is amazing. It is tailored more to children/teens but has a adult books as well. The ladies who were working were extremely friendly and did an amazing job of making sure I got service while not being overwhelming. I saw a lot of popular books as well as some books I hadn't heard of which was awesome to see. They also have a lot of kick knacks that are cool and I could probably spend hours (and hundreds of dollars) in the store! read more

RACIST. If you are a person of color and would like to be followed around the store and you would like your child to be accused of stealing. This is the place! I am not the type of parent who will allow my child to run around and mess with things. While at the store, I supervised as my child explored politely. But, I was very disappointed with how all three employees, accused my child of trying to steal a $5 item. It's not the first time I have been treated like this here. It truly makes me sad, since I try to shop local. So, from now on. AMAZON, all the way. Added bonus: I included this picture of a review from 8 years ago. Because, I am so hurt and upset that I was treated so badly. I wish I could say they reached out to apologize. But they have not. So, to the future owner of this store. PLEASE make this place welcoming, for ALL. read more

Hicklebee's - This is from 8 years ago. Hicklebee's... evolve. Everyone else has. - Bookstores Near Me - San Jose, California

Such an adorable hole-in-the-wall bookstore. I love how cozy and homey the store feels. A majority of the novels are children's novels, but ithey also have selections for adults as well. I dropped by a few weeks ago to pick up the Half Blood Prince to complete my Harry Potter set. I also think it's awesome how Hicklebee's has a lot of authors come in to sign books! Overall, I had a great visit and I hope to come back whenever I get a chance. Definitely a bookstore worth visiting! read more

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I absolutely love this children's bookstore. The staff is super friendly and always willing to help you find the perfect book. The displays are very cute and themed, which also adds to the fun of exploring the shelves. They have lots of gift options as well, like stuffed animals. They also have several card displays. I also have tried out online ordering from their website, and that is very easy! read more

It had been a while since I came to this shop but I was looking for books with sounds for my two year old nephew. I am anti-amazon & try to support locally owned businesses as much as I can. The staff are great & try to help you find what you are looking for as well as make recommendations. They have a wide selection of gift items for kids of all ages & do gift wrapping. I also appreciated that they have a Bilingual Spanish section. It was small, but meaningful. They also have a lot of books promoting diversity & acceptance. They have a few plush toys & activity sets as well. Consider this a stop for that Birthday gift! read more

Stopped by Hicklebee's for a first time visit! This is a super cute store packed with lots of great stuff. The majority of the store is children's books. Lots if cute choices that I haven't seen before! Lots of cute onesies and kids book merchandise...my favorite might have been pigeon in the Jack in the box! The adult section wasn't too big, but they had great selections! I found two I'd never seen before! I loved their recommendation cards in the adult section! The bookseller at the counter was super friendly. If we're in the area, we will definitely go back! read more

Really cute kids toy store in a nice area . Great place to find stuff for the grandkids and kids. Cool learning toys and books and clothing . Bought a hand puppet to mess with my new grandson . read more

This is a really cute book store but I hate coming here. I've really tried giving them a chance and have been there with my kids numerous times. It's so close to our house and is the only kids bookstore in the area. But the staff is so unwelcoming and unfriendly. They never seem to want to answer any inquiries and I always have a sense that we aren't really wanted in the store. At first I thought it may have been just one employee or an off day but it has been the same feeling every time we go there. I now just quickly pass by when we are walking down Lincoln. I honestly much prefer taking my kids to either the library or Books Inc. at the Pruneyard. Staff there is both friendly and super helpful, giving book recommendations and asking how we're doing. read more

Hands-down, one of the best bookstores in the South Bay. My last review for Hicklebee's was in 2009, before I had kids of my own. My review then was 5 stars, but I feel like I need to give them 10 stars now. This is the first place we go to shop for birthday & holiday gifts, and we always leave with something unique and perfect. Although most of their selection & merchandise is geared toward children, they do have a small but interesting & diverse section for teens and adults. Staff is helpful and not overbearing. They will gift-wrap your purchase upon request. My only complaint -- I have a hard time getting my kids to leave the store because they are always mesmerized by all the books!! read more

We took some children with us to Hicklebee's in February 2020. This is an awesome place for children's books and some toys. They were so excited to be there. We asked each of them to select a book and a toy. Some took their time to figure out what they wanted; others were - YEP That's it and were ready to check out and start having fun. It was a fun outing The book store is in Willow Glen. read more

Hicklebee's - Hicklebee's Willow Glen, San Jose, CA - Bookstores Near Me - San Jose, California

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I ordered gift cards for the grandkids. Due to the busy postal season, they weren't delivered in time, so Hicklebees agreed to hold new gift cards at their shop for us. Can't wait to visit San Jose and stop in! Great customer service!! read more

Of all the children bookstores that I have been to ever. This one has to be the worst. It only has an amount of books. Not a wide selection. I would recommend Books Inc or even Amazon in Santana Row. read more

Noelle's Yelp Notebook 2014 Hicklebee's Children's Book Store is a throwback to my childhood. It's been around since the 70s. When I was a kid, I remember coming here with my parents. There used to be a big bathtub in the front window area display. I would grab a book and jump into the tub filled with pillows and read to my heart's content. The sad thing is that tub has been repainted and it's tucked away into the back corner of the book shop- like a forgotten memory. Came here recently, with my mom and son on a weekday. The store is clean. The staff greeted us, but gave us space to do our shopping and such. My mom has bought my nine month son Ian a ton of books here. I also picked up some books here for Ian on our most recent shopping trip. Surprisingly enough they have a section of books for adults- I picked up "The Art of French Pastry" by French Chef Jacquy Pfeiffer and "My Beloved World" by Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Hicklebee's Children's Book Store is an independent bookshop. They carry children's classics, greeting cards, toys for kids, and books for the older set (for the parents). The prices are higher than your average book shop but they have a great selection and I'm always in favor of supporting our small and local businesses. read more

Hicklebee's - Bookstores Near Me - San Jose, California

Love this bookstore. They have a great selection of books for young readers. Great, helpful staff. Always great to see my kids getting lost in a book! read more

I love bookstores.. giant corporations or a quaint store like Hicklebee's. It was a Friday night and I remember dragging the kids here because I thought there was a book exchange. I called to verify and it was in fact true however, I failed to ask about the criteria (age group, etc.) so when we got there (parking was hell, BTW), but alas, we found out that the book exchange were for teens. I encouraged my daughter to look around and to give me a handful of what she likes so I can buy it for her. The shop was small, it was a challenge to roam around w/ a stroller. It was more difficult because the stroller had a baby w/ wandering arms and hands. I think I enjoyed the visit more than my daughter. I love reading and can spend hours reading - I like reading more than working out (I know, what a shocker). My daughter finally picked out a book and I managed to pick a million but I have 3-4 books that needs to be read so I resisted the urge to add more to my collection. Customer service was super personable... these people enjoy what they do and it clearly shows. After our purchase, we walked to get frozen custard; perfect evening w/ the kiddos. I might be back this weekend because I am craving a chocolate tart from Top Nosh. Not to mention I have a few bookmarks in the area that I would like knocked off as well. read more

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Friendly, knowledgeable , and helpful staff; great selection. Strongly recommend supporting this bookstore if you love books, or love someone who loves books. read more

Hicklebee's is a lovely children's bookstore. One of the things we loved the most was the way the bookstore was arranged, sometimes by age, sometimes by reading ability and sometimes by topic, each section made intuitive sense. It was a lovely experience to walk through the store. It was wonderful to walk through the store and find unique books we haven't seen in other stores. The staff was very welcoming and our overall experience was top notch. Definitely a hidden gem for the Bay Area! read more

Came on a Sat afternoon to look for some toddler books, great to see the vast sections of literature. Staff was very responsive and attentive to needs, amicable as well. Very clean store! read more

Hicklebee's - Bookstores Near Me - San Jose, California

This place has been a critical destination with my daughters across the years and I am as thrilled at how they adjusted to continue to serve the community through the pandemic. A charming "shop around the corner" that deserves local investment. read more

This bookstore is a well known gem of a local business. It's been around for as long as I can remember, and over the years I have accumulated many children's books from this store. But rest assured, it's not just a children's book store...they have plenty of YA and books for adults as well. The biggest appeal of any physical book store is the ability to wander the aisles and find cool stuff. The aisles here are full of potential for glorious perusal. They can be a bit claustrophobic during busy times (weekends), but week days are usually calmer. There's lots of signage and decorations on the walls and it's super fun to find different author signatures on the walls (they sign when they have author events here). You'll have no problem passing the time here as you browse through the selections. From the young to the young at heart, you won't be disappointed with your journey to this magical place. read more

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As an adult my family passed down some books of mine from childhood and a handful of them carry the trademark Hicklebee's sticker. I think it's so neat to have little treasures of nostalgia to pass down, especially because I've always been an avid reader. As a teacher I chose Hicklebee's, for gifts I chose Hicklebee's, and I've been bringing my kids her since they were babies. The staff has always been helpful but I wouldn't describe them as friendly to me, though I've seen them have very friendly interactions with others. I do appreciate the events they hold. Meeting Adam Rubin and having signed copies of Dragons Love Tacos 1&2 was so cool! It's also a really cute store. We love to support small and local businesses. read more

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A place to stimulate anyone's imagination. This store is not only for children. I came here looking for a book to read for a long plane ride and the very nice ladies in front kindly showed me to their adult science fiction and mysteries section. It's a very calm atmosphere inside the store they have chairs set up so you can sit and browse books, they even have toys like a spinning helicopter (4.50$), etc. They have a much better book selection and anything you would find in an airport bookstore. Come here before your next flight! read more

Hicklebee's - Griffin statue - Bookstores Near Me - San Jose, California

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I'm giving Hicklebee's 5 stars for several reasons. You can't put a price on imagination. When your child enters they are quickly stimulated at so many levels. Whether it's the books, clever surroundings, or infectious curiosity in the air. I took my children here years ago, and now I'm taking my grandchildren. People here are very knowledgeable and happy to help you. They have had some amazing authors come read & sign books, including my daughter's all time favorite J.K. Rowling. How they secured Julie Andrews is a mystery to me. Pixie dust perhaps? Workshops, special events, bedtime storytelling & holiday wrapping are the touches that makes me appreciate this local gem we have. Create a priceless memory & ignite a lifetime love for books here! read more

Hicklebee's - Off she goes! - Bookstores Near Me - San Jose, California

Quaint, charming, family owned with a large selection of books, a decent selection of toys and Knick knacks and everything one may need for babies and children to be entertained and educated we have several friends whose kids range from 0-5 and this is my favorite store in the neighborhood to buy gifts for them. They carry plan toys which are natural and well made and have a cool offer going on where you can buy their loyalty card and get any item at the discounted price indicated in a balloon on the first Saturday of every month. This alone makes it a bump ahead of other stores;) our baby wasn't born when I first stepped in here but we know now that she's going to grow up loving this store! Most of her nursery has books from here! read more

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Came here to buy a gift for my fiance's friend's kid. It had a very friendly kid feel here and there are a ton of kid books! It's like kid book heaven. It definitely has an upscale feel to it, but it works as part of the charm. You're getting your quality kid book here! Or at least that's what it feels like. It's a perfect fit for Willow Glen. I don't read kid books, but if I had kids and they needed books, I would be here in an instant. Nice little spot. read more

We've been buying books here since they opened in 1979! I recall when our daughter used to curl up in the old fashioned bath tub that was front and center of the store whereupon passersby could look in the tub through the glass window to see a child reading a book or merely looking at the pictures or both! Alas, the tub is no longer in the main window but the sentiment and flavor of a great indie bookstore is still very much evident with Valerie Lewis and Monica Holmes plus dedicated staff to help you with your selections. I recall when JK Rowling made a visit to this store with her first book and there was not a large crowd in residence...lucky children and adults who attended that day a long ways back! A fabulous selection of books for children that has never disappointed my children or for other children I have purchased such for. They do have greeting cards and toys as well plus gift wrap for those special occasions. Stop by when you have time to wander the store and its contents! Service is great and knowledgeable ~ something your big box bookstores can't provide on a regular basis... Parking in front on Lincoln Avenue or behind the store in the back parking lot. Credit cards, checks and cash accepted. read more

Children's books literally come alive at this store. If you have children or if you are a child at heart, come visit this institution of Willow Glen, which offers a plethora of literature for all ages. It kinda reminds me of the store from "The Shop Around the Corner" movie which was later redone with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks into "You've Got Mail". I was first introduced to this store when I moved to the area and was teaching in SJUSD. The staff is quite knowledgeable and even make suggestions based on literature that you like or are purchasing. For me, there are two reasons to patronize this place over any other establishment. First, the store is a mecca for celebrity authors to come and do readings and book signings. I have several copies of autographed David Shannon books, I remember Rhea Pearlman came once and there is wall of fame to the rear of the store where autographs of other notable authors and illustrators adorn the wall. CHECK THE WEBSITE OFTEN TO FIND OUT WHO WILL BE VISITING THE STORE. Secondly, the store specializes in hard to find or limited edition items. For example, I've seen hard cover early editions of the Velveteen Rabbit. Kids will love coming to the store and seeing furnishings or items from the pages of their favorite books (a stuffed Hungry Caterpillar doll, the mouse from If You Take A Mouse To The Movies, and as one reviewer noted the cupboard from The Indian In The Cupboard). While the kids are ogling the selection, don't forget that there are a ton of adult literature as well. In fact, the last gag gift I picked up there was the Porn For Women Of A Certain Age. Don't worry it is tongue in cheek board book for ladies. Set aside time to peruse the aisles. There are so many things there, I would hate for something significant be to overlooked. Just as a last note - the place is wheelchair accessible, however I caution people because it can be tight at times for those with larger wheelchairs or walkers. read more

Hicklebee's - Bookstores Near Me - San Jose, California