Went to Pilgrim's Way Community Bookstore and Secret Garden for the first time, and I'm so glad I…read morefinally had the chance to visit! I had heard about this little gem, known as the last bookstore in Carmel, but hadn't had the time to stop by until this trip. The selection of books was decent, and the service was good. I was even able to find and purchase a book that had been on my to-read list. The books were reasonably priced but some of the garden stuff was pricey. The Secret Garden was especially relaxing and beautiful. I really enjoyed walking through it, taking my time, and simply taking it all in. Definitely a lovely little spot to visit while in Carmel!

Love, love, love! A must-visit if you're in Carmel-by-the-Sea. This is such a unique bookstore…read moreexperience- I'm pretty sure we wandered and explored for about an hour and could have stayed even longer. They have a wonderful selection of books, tarot cards, crystals, and of course, the secret garden... how does it get any better than that? The garden is incredibly peaceful and zen, and every step feels like discovering something new. Tucked in the back is a charming little shop with a cute selection of décor, wind chimes, candles, and more. Absolutely loved this bookstore. As a bookstore lover, this one is definitely at the top of my list

Coffee shop & bookstore all in one location! My family and…read moreI were visiting from out of town and in search of some coffee. We ordered and iced and hot Mexican mochas and they were delicious! I appreciated them having decaf espresso as an option as well for those of us with caffeine sensitivity. The bookstore in the back had so many options, including kids books! My son had a great time looking at their options while we waiting for our coffee to be made. There was plenty of seating both inside and outside which made it easy for us to snag a spot and enjoy our coffees while enjoying the nice day!

Drinks are okay, not the worst but not the best I've had. My friends who are locals love this place…read moreto work from so that's a plus but the few times I've visited, service was hit or miss. Sometimes they've been lovely and bubbly, but for some reason this one blonde staff member never seems like she actually wants to help. I had some questions on summer specials since "refresher" doesn't tell me much and she kept telling me about other drinks instead and being super short. The whole interaction still only had to have taken 2 min with only one person (who had been there for a bit already and seems local/older) behind me. Yet the minute I paid, even though I apologized for the questions and tipped, she loudly and passive aggressively said "sorry for the wait" to the next person right in front of me and they both laughed right in front of my face. I read the other review of the person who said they'd been here a bunch and usually loved it and then had a bad interaction and are also not like the "usual" demo of PG - I am also a person of color who was made to feel the same way. Such a shame what one bad impression can leave. Multiple comments about this has to be more than a coincidence... I would come back only maybe if this person wasn't working but not going to go out of my way anymore

Great fine books with an emphasis on California, Gold Rush and Western Americana. James is a very…read morerespectable, knowledgeable with a true passion for books of quality. I highly recommend a visit to their website or making an appointment to see their books when you're in Monterey. Awesome!

Great people great service. Great shipping love the book I got…read more Perfect description beautiful bookstore

A bookstore so lovely, so perfect, the quintessence of what you imagine when you hear the words…read more"fine bookstore." Everything about it is so spot on, the architecture, the lighting, the soft music, and the eclectic selection of books on offer. The owner, Ernest, was present, friendly, and very informative on questions about books as well as the history of the store. The books are unusual and in several cases rare, the prices reflect the value and seemed reasonable. An unusual first edition will be priced higher but in line with its value to bibliophiles. For example I saw a first edition English translation of Pablo Neruda's "Confieso Que He Vivido" autobiography for $50, in beautiful condition. I said the place looks like it should be in a movie, and Ernest replied that it will be soon. I happened upon it by chance, found a parking place in front of it while going somewhere else. But after running that errand I had to check out this lovely oasis of calm and source of fine books. I ended up buying a paperback novel based on life in Tule Lake during the internment of Japanese-Americans during WWII, because my father was imprisoned there. I can't imagine finding this tome anywhere else.

I forgot how I found this spot, but I knew I had to put it on my list during our trip to Monterey…read more I love a vintage book store and this shop checked all the boxes. It was carefully curated and has something for everyone. Nothing spoke to me during my visit, but I loved the vintage 1950's mystery paperbacks. Old books have so much character and it's obvious that the shop appreciates and honors the past.

Charming bookstore with a large selection of used books, with a back room full of 1960s classics. A…read moregreat place to visit after the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

I visited today to inquire about a book and spoke with the only employee in the store. I asked a…read morecouple of simple questions, but the responses were unexpectedly rude and dismissive. I left immediately based on his attitude. I'm not sure whether he was the owner or an employee, but either way, a little more courtesy and customer service would go a long way.

I loved digging through the many old books at this store. Many hard to find treasures. The staff…read morewere friendly and very helpful. Prices were very fare. I truly love this place.

I was so bummed when I learned that the Old Capitol Bookstore would be closing. Local bookstores…read moreare a gem and Old Capitol had some awesome bundle deals during the early days of the pandemic that helped with boredom, but apparently wasn't enough to keep the doors open. There is something about being able to flip through pages or find books you otherwise wouldn't have bought when you browse the aisles of a bookstore (I judge a book by the cover, guilty!) On a walk down Alvarado Street this past weekend, I was excited to see that Old Capitol 2.0 has opened in the shopping center by Lallapalooza. I popped in and got the same great service with the excitement that comes with a new, clean space. They are also apparently still doing the book care packages!! I look forward to seeing what they will do as things open up.

I think it's important to support local nonprofit stores. I give this place two stars because…read moresometimes they have amazing things that are not. I have held off on the review because I thought that my first couple of times was a fluke. I happen to visit the store during one of their 50% sales. I felt very lucky, until I realized that they are charging $28 for a book that is originally $19.99. Sure if it was vintage I'm all for it. It is not vintage. It is as if I walked into a bookstore and purchased it for a dollar off. I think that is astoundingly vile. I would support this bookstore more often, if I did not find that they double their prices from the original price, on items that are not vintage items that have been printed past 2020. Cookbooks, journals, art, books, etc. In addition, they have someone who destroys vintage books by using duct tape to fix bindings. They will take an antique (over 100 yrs) book and use duct tape to keep the covers together and they will have the audacity to charge you as if the book was worth anything after they've done that to it. They will have a little note inside the book that says "Rare Book, etc., etc. repaired and charge you $80 or more and the book looks like a monstrosity. It is not done well. It is not accurate. It is not decent. It is not within boundaries. This is not repair, this is sacrilege. I would rather receive the book bound with a rubber band holding the two covers together and I could take it to a book maker and have it fixed. Once you use that kind of tape on the covers, they are ruined. Do not double the price on modern books at sale times. Do not double the price on books that are not vintage. That is just wrong. Do not try to put 15 books in a paper bag. It's not going to hold. Give more than one bag. If somebody's willing to buy many books, give up some bags. We spent the money we are worth more thane one paper bag. You guys need to work on your customer service.

Tiny and very overpriced for secondhand trade paperbacks. ($3???!!!) Small selection of mysteries…read more Kids books section had a good assortment of middle grade books (random but welcome). Really not worth a stop unless it's a half price day. But I heard a customer asking for a certain item and he was told it's not available on half price day (they put it away).

The owner is genuinely kind -- she even guided me through some tarot when I opened a set I probably…read moreshouldn't have, which I really appreciated. And showed me how she shuffles decks, had me use her cards to try myself - very informative. If she offered some classes of some kind or just events at the shop- I feel like that would be beneficial and of interest. That said, I can't personally shop somewhere that doesn't allow returns once something's opened. The policy makes sense, it's just not a good fit for me. There are quite a lot of items as far as selection for what from the outside looks like a very small shop. Most items are available for much less online, and in my opinion, the value here simply doesn't match the prices. This is really only a place to shop if supporting a local business matters more to you than what you're getting for the money.

They're just not here during business hours. It says they'll be back but not. They've lost 3…read morecustomers in the time I've sat here in the parking lot. Don't know what's happened to them. I drove in from out of town just to come here.