Having visited every Sherman's location besides one last location my wife and I know what to…read moreexpect. We revisited the Portland location to browse before a show we were seeing. This location seems to be the most similar to the OG Bar Harbor location. Located on Exchange Street you'll find exactly what you would like and want from an independent book store. Plenty of classic books everyone knows plus all the new and trendy books and everything in between. They keep the store well organized and sections are labeled well including sections with staff picks, Maine themed/authors. Really well thought out layout and besides books you'll also find a random yet great assortment of gifts/items tempting to buy for yourself or others. The only real knock I could mention for this location would be due to the fact the buildings are older space can be limited inside and if busy you may need to go around in some areas to get where you want to go. The staff have always been friendly and helpful during our visits here which is great. A top notch Sherman's location! Worthwhile stop for book lovers and even non-readers for the other things they sell.

This is a fun bookstore with a robust children's toys and trinkets section! A definite must stop…read morespot in Portland!

I was thoroughly impressed by the excellent selection of gifts and good-quality used books. I…read morewalked into the bookstore just to browse, and I ended up leaving with a bag full of souvenirs and used books!

Longfellow Books is in the heart of Portland- within walking distance to a number of my favorite…read moreshops and restaurants. They always have a great selection, and I especially love their bargain section. So many of my favorite books have come from Longfellow's, and I'll forever be thankful to them for that.

I think I found my third space in Portland…read more Back Cove Books is SO MUCH BIGGER than you think. Only after had I cashed out did I realize there was a hallway leading to a) a literal old bank vault where they keep all the mysteries, fantasy, and smut (that's very funny to have it "locked" away like that), and b) an extra room housing the non-fiction and cookbooks with a very well loved leather loveseat. On that note: I love when a book store has lots of comfortable seating, this small gesture immediately lets me know that there's noooooooooo rush. The playlist was so good, the space was so clean and well organized, the employees were lovely (I'd like to pick their brain for recommendations next time!); I appreciated the thoughtful, personal notes left on each of the books on the Staff Picks display wall; and, I so love that they have weekly story time, a book club, and other community-based events... this feels like an intentionally curated neighborhood book store. Support your local indie bookstores, reading pals! We need them more than ever.

My wife is such an avid reader and I am always on the look for new to us bookstores or finding a…read morenew little library. Somehow despite being a bookstore we have driven past numerous times it wasn't until recently I discovered this spot was here. Street parking was easy to find with a minimal walk. They have a great set up with plenty of newest and most hype releases and plenty of classics available as well. Books are separated with easy to locate genre sections and while it was not us, someone else came in asking for a specific book and staff led them to the right spot in a friendly and quick manner. They have some different spots available with seats to give your legs a break and enjoy a book. My wife loved the overall vibe of this bookstore and it was comfy and inviting. Prices on books seemed to be exactly what you'd expect so no complaints there. My wife's absolute favorite spot was the former bank vault that has been transformed into holding mystery, thrillers, and romance titles. You could not select a more perfect collection of genres for her to pick from! Great local bookstore to support!

First time visiting this Sherman's location, on a busy Sunday summer day. Firstly I will say…read morealthough we did not grab anything at the cafe it was a great touch to see they have one. Like all the Sherman locations my wife and I have visited they are not just simply a bookstore. They have a wide variety of souvenirs and other goodies you may want to buy. Book wise they have a good variety of new and popular along with classics and organize them neatly in well marked areas by genre with some Maine focused book areas even. During our visit it was very busy and my wife found a couple books that piqued her interest. I do think due to how much of the area is touristy and distance from me I likely wouldn't seek this particular location out again. Much closer locations with better overall set up. Nothing outright negative about this one besides some areas really lacking space for a busy store making it hard to move. Glad to have now visited this one! If you are visiting from away visit here and check out one of the locations of Maine's oldest bookstores, add it to your list. Some other great shops and good spots to eat nearby.

Good service, excellent croissants and nice atmosphere. Cafe is adjacent and connected to the book…read morestore. A lovely setting.

I love Print: A Bookstore. I think that they especially excel in their poetry selection, which most…read morebookstores aren't as strong in, if I'm being honest. Love to pop in here and see what new volumes they have on their shelves!

I loved this bookstore. The selection of books was excellent. The location was lovely. It had a…read morenice atmosphere. The staff was friendly and helpful. I only wished we'd had more time there. They even recommended other local bookshops for us to check out, which was very cool. This place is just special. I also had to - I HAD to - get a book that I found as I browsed. I wanted to get a shirt, but - sadly - my size was sold out. We'll be back though. Definitely visit this treasure while you're in Portland. You'll be glad you did.

My wife is a very avid reader so we are always on the lookout for checking out different…read morebookstores. Due to her reaching half-way to her yearly goal of books read for 2026 so quickly I wanted to treat her to grabbing a couple books at a new to us bookstore. Scanning around our general area this one stuck out as one to check out. Due to its location parking is no problem which was a great plus. Stepping inside will transport any reader into a sense of literary paradise. They have the popular/trending books like you'd expect, all the classics, and everything in between. Including a large well stocked used book section with extremely well priced books. This was a section my wife could have spent so much more time browsing but ended up selecting 5 books from this section. Which if you bought 3 used books you'd get a fourth free which they were already well-priced. Once she made all her final selections we checked out and signed up for their free savings membership. The staff were extremely friendly and we had a great conversation with them. The type of interaction that makes you want to return to a place! Worth your time to visit for those who love reading or those looking to buy gifts for those who love reading!

Great book selection, and the staff is so kind and knowledgeable - staff recommendations make it so…read moreeasy to choose a book you will love. This store also has the best card selection anywhere, and they carry a great selection of gifts and games. I also love the fact that they are so supportive of local artists, teachers and families.

Maine's oldest…read morebookstore Bill Sherman opened his first bookstore back in 1886 in the town of Bar Harbor. Since then his stores have also appeared in Freeport, Camden and Boothbay Harbor. All the stores have the same eclectic and old fashion feel to them. Sherman's sign says Books & Stationery but that is not quite true. A whole lot of other stuff can be found in these stores too. All kinds of toys, clothing, souvenirs, decorations, postcards and a vast amount of weird, sundry and unusual items. The Boothbay store is quite large and has two levels. The books and stationery as well as lots of cool and useful nautical maps and charts are crammed in upstairs. The lower level contains the toys and souvenirs. Some of the stuff is tacky and cheap while other things are creative and nice. The store is very friendly, interesting and a great place to spend some time just browsing and poking around. Things are always changing and you never know what you will find. Sherman's also has a large online catalog as well as the four stores. Definitely a unique and cool place that manages to survive quite nicely by changing with the times but also by keeping what made it successful in the first place. I suspect Sherman's will continue doing business for a long, long time.

This is such a unique Sherman's! The kind of bookstore you go out of your way to visit, so if you…read morefind yourself in Boothbay and are a lover of books (or all things Maine), you really oughta stop here. One of the things that sets them apart from their other locations: two floors. LOVE THIS. In such a crowded area (buildings/people, etc.) you would expect the size and layout to be more like that of Freeport which is tiny and cramped, but it's genuinely spacious. First floor is their enormous assortment of Maine-themed gifts, novelty items, souvenirs and trinkets, journals and bags, locally made goods, toys and games; if you forgot to get someone something from your time visiting, you'll find it here! I saw another reviewer say it felt like a better Marden's (another reviewer also said it smells a lot like pine trees in here, and now I can never unsee/unsmell either of those comparisons). Also downstairs has the best sellers, so you won't have to hunt very hard for them. Upstairs (via a sweeping wooden staircase) is where you'll find their more extensive shelves of books - BOOKSBOOKSBOOKSBOOKS (IYKYK) - of various genres. I wish there was a little more seating, but I understand this is geared more towards tourists coming and going and less to locals lingering. But I still feel welcome to linger, and that has always been the Sherman's way!

This place is a gem and is like going to a museum of cookbooks, menus and culinary curiosities. I…read morefirst discovered Rabelais in Saco years ago when we lived nearby. I have followed them and visited again in June in Portland, Me. with two large bags of books in tow. As a chef I have amassed hundreds of well loved and well cared for books. Rabelais offered me $130. for my books. I agreed to the deal. The owner happened by while I was there and told me that he didn't have his checkbook with him. He offered to mail it, which was fine with me. After several weeks of waiting, no check arrived. I reached out to the owner and he kindly apologized siting that my email had gone to his spam, which happens, he said, and he would send the check the next morning. More weeks, no check. I reached out a second time by email and the owner said that he was at Yale attending a book event and would get the check right out once back in Maine. Again, no check arrived after several weeks. I then emailed him a third time and he chose not to reply. At all times I was curteous, understanding and hopeful. I sent a follow up email to him saying that I accept his gesture of non-payment as his way of saying that he wasn't going to pay me for my books that he now has. He stole my books. Never good karma to conduct business in this manner.

I am so glad we stopped in. I got two amazing vintage cook books. The entire collection in this…read morestore was so impressive!