I had hours to kill before catching the Megabus back to NY and the stop wasn't far from this shop…read more I wandered in and bought a book I still haven't read yet, mainly purchased to support a local business. It was called "Hope: A Tragedy" , a blurb on the back read, "Hilarious...what David Sedaris would sound like if his neuroses revolved entirely around matters of Orthodox Judaica". Also the author of "Foreskin's Lament". No, really. I mean, what a souvenir, eh? The woman who owns the shop and I talked for a good hour, maybe more, about a little of everything. Politics, art, travel, what has changed since she was my age. I couldn't have asked for better company. During our chat no one besides the UPS guy came in. Maybe you should go, say hi, buy something. And call your mother.

Four stars for the selection, but honestly I'd rate it much lower for the smell. As others have…read morementioned, this bookstore smells like smoke, and of course old books since this is a used bookstore. As someone with severe asthma, I just couldn't stay in this store for very long. Just not my cup of tea, but might be yours. They had a very large selection of a wide range of used books, and it was very well organized and pretty tidy compared to other used bookstores. This was one of my stops on the Rochester Book Crawl, so I might not have otherwise explored this shop. The bookseller was very nice and helpful.

Great place ! Books , Books and more books ! Everything you can imagine . Definitely needs lots of…read moretime to browse. Great value , and Rick is great . I live in Buffalo and i will take a trip there again .

An overwhelming variety of books. Everything is organized fairly well and there's a map on the wall…read moreindicating where certain genres are. Plenty of books to sift through both on the shelves and on the floor. I was looking for one book in particular which unfortunately they didn't have, I assume as it a newer book, but I'm sure if I spent the afternoon browsing I could have found plenty of books on my TBR.

So I finally made it to this bookstore/café and met up with a friend. The first floor is the café,…read morewhile the upstairs is the bookstore. There are plenty of places to sit whether you're alone with a book or meeting up with friends. They sell used books along with a small, nicely curated selection of new titles. The coffee and breakfast sandwiches were tasty, and the staff was friendly. My only gripe is that parking in this area is a complete pain.

This coffee shop is a new find. It was a house renovated into a coffee shop. The lady at the…read morecounter told me their syrups are home made and mochas are the best. I got a coconut mocha which I thought was great! They also have other options like raspberry or cherry mocha. However, the price point is a bit steep. They have a second floor which I believe have books. I didn't venture into yet. I'll be back to explore more.

I visit this shop when I'm home visiting family. It's my favorite gem in Rochester. The selection:…read moreunique, lovely, and interesting books! The prices are reasonable. I also enjoy chatting with the owner and seeing the cat, whose name, I think, is Rex.

This is one of those "can't believe I haven't been here yet" places. Book lovers, this is a must…read morevisit. There are shelves upon shelves of books, loosely organized into sections (through the lovely worker helped me find exactly what I was looking for). There are multiple floors and sections to Small World, so if you are coming to browse, give yourself a lot of time. I came on a lunch break so I didn't explore every room, but was able to purchase two local history books as gifts. There are other fun things to buy, like quirky art and vintage postcards. According to their Facebook page, they sometimes have live bands or meditation events. Possibly the best part is the super sweet shop kitty who enjoys pets. Skip the big box booksellers and #shoplocal!

Met Ken and really loved this place. I bought a few things and he wrapped them to protect the dust…read morejackets for me. Pricing was quite fair!

I had no idea this place was here! Apparently the owner, Ken, has just taken over the larger space…read morefrom previously being in another part of the building. It's already jam- packed full of used books, with a few cases of rare finds as well. It's not dirty and dusty... yet. I mean, how can bookstores like this even hope to stay clean. LOL. I was there coincidentally when a book reading for a local author was about to start, which Ken plans to make a more regular thing. I will definitely be back.

Writers and Books is a wonderful non-profit literacy center dedicated to promoting reading and…read morewriting. They have a book store on site and host workshops, and events with authors in person. The building is quite large and has on site parking with a back lot. I was very excited to learn of a free event with graphic journalist Joe Sacco. The event was free and I found great value in the conversation with Joe Sacco and Daniel Worden. I learned a lot about the authors body of work and felt it was a great evening focused on the arts. I also learned Writers and Books hosts events like this throughout the year and brings authors to the Rochester area to discuss their works. As previously mentioned, The book store had new and used books, including books by the visiting author available to purchase and have signed. I also enjoyed an interactive typewriter display where you can type out a line and add to what others have written before you. A wonderful organization with a worthy cause, I hope to attend more events in the future and visit the bookstore when in the area.

Great workshops and events that encourage people to write and publish. Have been to poetry readings…read morethere, and I think it's a great place for students and teachers.

Do I love an independent bookstore? yes, yes I do. This place was amazing and did not disappoint…read more It is loaded floor to ceiling with books and book related items. They seemed to highlight their LGBTQ+ selections- not sure whether it's because its the end of pride or whether that's the norm, but I'm here for it! In addition to a wide-books, they also had lots of gift items- candles, sealing wax, stickers etc. I was truly enamored by the whole vibe. I also hear that they are part of a book crawl which sounds absolutely delightful! Wish I were a Rochester local to participate!

Having completed the Rochester Book Crawl, I can confidently say this is one of the best bookstores…read morein Rochester. They have a great range in book selection, lots of unique bookish merch, and place emphasis on inclusivity. They have mandatory masking on Wednesdays, which I think is a great idea and is a super inclusive way to make book browsing safer. Prices are fair, and the booksellers are helpful and nice. I've had a good time during both of my visits and definitely plan to come back!

This place is enormous! I've seen some big B&N's but not like this one. They literally have…read moreeverything from music, to games, to gifts for the reader and even a used book section. Of course as a member you get a discount and I've always felt the prices are reasonable. Everyone is so helpful and sweet.

The escalator is broken. As a Barnes and Noble member, I don't know why they don't fix it. For some…read morereason, the maintenance workers refuse to work on it. The cafe is full of whitewashed snobs and the occasional performative males. They always leave a mess for the workers. I'm also underwhelmed by the staff for their lack of consistency with the cafe and self-service options. I imagine they have money to spare a single kiosk screen. It would reduce the wait time and help baristas work more efficiently. Better menu options as well, like gluten free sandwiches. In summation, it's a standard Barnes and Nobles, minus the charm of a blues jazz cafe.

If I am looking for a book, I can easily email the owner and have him keep an eye out for one that…read morecomes in. I enjoy the fact that he doesn't mark the books up out of my price range- I buy used because I cannot always afford to get new books. Some of the books I've purchased there are nearly 100 years old, but still in excellent condition. Every interaction with the owner has been both pleasant and helpful, too!

Why are used second hand books so overpriced? :( I understand that certain titles may be rare or…read morecollectible, but many of these were ordinary, well-worn editions. I really wanted to support a local bookstore and give pre-loved books a new home, but the pricing made it difficult to find a good deal. Hopefully, prices become more reasonable in the future....

Nice bookstore, but definitely tailored to the college students at the University. While you can…read morefind some books you may be looking for, others might not be there (I would imagine due to limited space). Not your typical Barnes and Noble bookstore, but overall clean and has a couple of small sitting area to enjoy. No StarBucks inside so that was a bummer. Staff was friendly and helpful.

I had some time to waste before meeting someone for lunch, so I came in here. I went to the cafe,…read more and it's really strange. It's not Starbucks, but they serve their coffee and their drinks. The drink was ok, but I should have just walked across the street and gone to the actual Starbucks. It looks like they just took a bunch of random stuff and threw it in a room. I couldn't even find napkins, and my drink was spilling down the side of my cup. Then I went to the store, and it's also strange. The left side is books, down the middle is gifts and random stuff, and the whole right side is U of R clothing. I know U of R is nearby, but is that really necessary? Buffalo Bills sections at stores in the mall aren't that big. I wouldn't go back to either.