I love this hidden gem. Floor to ceiling rows of used books. What more could you need!?read more

A massive selection of books at very reasonable prices. Shelves are double stacked which can make…read moreit a bit difficult to find what you're looking for unless it's a popular author. Honestly the search is part of the fun. As one of the only used book stores in town (unless you head into the city, no thanks), I will be coming here frequently.

Popped in after getting brunch near by just of the strength of the name…read more Great book store and coffee shop selling culturally relevant books/apparel (among other things). The staff were friendly and helped out a lot with directing me to interesting books. Ended up buying some cute earrings and a couple other items. Loved this place.

This was my second visit to MahoganyBooks at National Harbor, and it reminded me why I enjoy…read moresupporting this bookstore so much. I initially stopped by to pick up the latest release from one of my favorite authors, but somehow left with two books instead. (Book lovers will understand!) I was warmly greeted when I arrived, and the welcoming atmosphere immediately made me want to linger and browse. What I appreciate most about MahoganyBooks is that it does much more than sell books. The bookstore is intentional about creating space for authors of color to be seen, celebrated, and supported. From book signings and author events to community activities and wellness-focused gatherings, it's clear that they're building community through literature and culture. After browsing the shelves, I visited the small café inside the bookstore for a smoothie before taking my new books down to the waterfront. Finding a bench by the water and reading a few pages while enjoying the beautiful views of National Harbor was the perfect way to spend the afternoon. Between the thoughtfully curated book selection, welcoming atmosphere, café, and beautiful waterfront location, the experience feels like much more than a trip to a bookstore.

For safety, you have to ring a doorbell to be let inside. And when you ring that doorbell, odds are…read morean opinionated chihuahua will be the first at the door to greet you. Once inside, I was greeted by a second dog whose nose was auspiciously shaped like a heart who enthusiastically loved on me before moving on to my husband. I mean, I've never been greeted like this before in a bookstore and now I don't ever NOT wanted to be greeted like that! This store is small but mighty with a book that I've been lowkey searching for for months (Marsha: The Joy and Defiance) and another that I had on my audiobook list but was happy to purchase as it was signed by the author (Keeper of Lost Children). I love independent bookstores. There's just something about searching and finding just what you're looking for. I can't wait to return again soon.

Cute Black-owned bookstore. They seem to be a great local indie for the area with many author…read moreevents. Parking was a little hard to find on the street so we had to walk several blocks. Still worth the effort!

For the price, can't be beat!…read more The model is simple: donate your books (up to 7 boxes per visit). They give them away for free! According to their website, you can't take more than 150,000 books per visit, so don't be too greedy, you bookworms! They sell 1-2% of donated books to cover overhead, but everything else is volunteer basis, keeping The Book Thing a free community even once a month. Be prepared to wait in line. We arrived at 11:45 so most of the big rush had faded. They let people in on the hour, with a max of 100 people in per time. If you arrive after someone leaves, they can let you in to finish that hour out. You could make a day of it - there are several cafés, breweries, and restaurants in the area that you could visit before or afterwards. Inside there are three rooms - red, blue, and green. They are organized by genres. A warning: this is not for claustrophobic people. It gets crowded and while people are generally polite and respectful, you will rub shoulders with plenty of other bibliophiles. My kids enjoyed it, though Child #1 was a tad overwhelmed and Child#3 wanted to get out of his umbrella stroller and run around! They all picked out something that was just for them. My wife gathered several books and I picked up a couple for myself. When you leave, you need to count your books and tell them that number (for their record-keeping) and your ZIP code. Other than that, it's a great deal, not to mention a fun way to meet other folks in the community. One parent reminisced about how her (now grown) daughter used to love a series that my middle child was looking at. I overheard one woman asking about a particular genre and a volunteer told her that those usually get picked over pretty early. So while there is more of a wait and higher demand closer to opening time, it sounds like there are some choicer items that are available then. DONATION - there is a small one-way road that leads around the back. After the morning rush, it seemed like it moves quickly. There's a small parking pad where you can pull up and give your books to some volunteers. Parking - it's Waverly, so pretty much street parking and you will have to look. We lucked out and saw someone leaving their spot right by the donation drop-off, so we were able to park close. If you have a bunch of books that could use a new home, come donate them here! If you are curious about grabbing some new books for yourself, drop on by! Just check the website for specific dates - it can vary from month to month what's available.

Such a cool community completely FREE resource in the city! I first heard about bookthings in 2023…read moreand this was my second time coming here. It has been in operation since 1999 and filled with volunteers and they now own the building. It's only open once a month now but I guess it used to be more. As a tip - go closer to the hour like on the :45 mark otherwise be prepared to wait an hour. People from all walks of life come here. This operates on donations so I dropped off my books and got in line. It is a bit overwhelming and the books are organized in categories. It is fun to browse but there is a chaotic energy that I don't always love. I don't think I would go back - I much prefer the little libraries! After standing in line, when you walk in, you do have to adjust to the brightness. It's a completely free resource. You can take as many books as you want. When you check out you just tell them the total number of books and your ZIP Code. It's amazing this free resource exists - make sure you don't hoard (like the two women in front of me who were on their fourth entry of the day). Make sure you partake in the recycling of the system. Take books back take new books and keep this amazing free resource in the community.

My first visit to this location of Greedy Reads. I love:…read more *Recommendations galore. Lots of books with thoughtfully written employee recommendations attached to them. *Variety. From the classics to the current trendsetters. Greedy Reads had a great selection of fiction and non fiction, kids and local interest. Despite being a small place, they pack a mighty amount of variety in here. *Special signed copies for no additional fee. Maybe I'm used to the world where signed things cost more. Here, the signed book I picked up cost exactly what the sleeve said. Only downside during my visit was how cramped it felt when there were quite a few people inside.

Visited this spot last month before an author event, and it was a cute bookstore…read more It is very small and cramped when there are other shoppers in the store. I wish their selection was a bit larger, but with how small the store is, I understand why it's limited. My friend bought a blind date with a book and got an ARC which was cool. Nice spot to browse if your local or visiting the city!

Great selection and value; really knowledgeable proprietor helped a lot with smart and witty…read morecomments; also great 'if you liked that you'll like this' suggestions!

Very cute and cozy bookstore. The owner is versed in literature and her number one employee,…read moreGermaine, is the cutest black cat in the city. Definitely a great place to stop by.

What you see is what you get with this place. There is nothing extraordinary and wow about it which…read moreI think is okay. They have an extensive collection of used books and CDs. But sadly I was on the hunt for vinyl records and there weren't many on display at the time. And the albums they had were from 2010s to current so wasn't quite what I was looking for. No qualms beyond that. I was in and out and the cashier didn't really pay me any attention which was fine.

Cannot recommend this place enough! The staff is amazing and kind, the selection is great and $2…read morefiction novels?! Cannot beat it. I've been to a few used book stores and this is genuinely my favorite. The membership pays for itself even if you just go once (but trust you'll be back!)

I didn't have a prolonged visit here, as I just stopped by and picked up some pastries to bring…read morehome. Whilst there it looked like a very big and nice place to maybe meet up with friends or even try to get some work done. It wasn't overly noisy or anything. Also everything is vegan. We actually ordered a vegan pie from them for Thanksgiving and can attest it was delicious. Next to the coffeehouse is the two story bookstore. The ground level is full of books highlighting political and/or social subject matters, whereas the second floor seemed to have more regular fare. It's a nice inviting space for everyone - would recommend checking out.

I'm real torn here. I wanted to LOVE Red Emma's but I did not. It was cool, but certainly not in my…read moretop 10 of spots I went to in Baltimore. Let's start with the best part: the bookstore. You're not going to find everything here, but the sections that are curated are top-notch. I got a few books about abolition and a handful of poetry collections written by locals. This is, in my mind, the best part of the place. There's also a big selection of zines, and the person working told me I could choose some free posters. Then there's the cafe part. All vegan? Sounds amazing! In reality, it's quite expensive and just OK? Like, I've been a vegan for nearly two decades and I've eaten my fair share of vegan food around the world. And the food I got at Red Emma's? I paid $20 ish for a cheeseburger with applewood smoked bacon, and it tasted fine, but it wasn't great. I don't know, I was expecting something more delicious, not something I could have made at home for 1/4 of the price. Maybe it was just that I choose the wrong item, because there are other items on the menu that also looked good. Of course I get that because it's worker owned, prices might be higher. I get it. But it was still disappointing. And the people working were nice but sort of disinterested. Some more good things: They sell Palestinian sodas, which I love. There is an option to prepay for a meal or a drink for someone less fortunate. They open their bathrooms and space to members of the community, which means anyone who is e.g. unhoused can use the space. It seems like the spot is doing a lot for the community, which I admire. A lot of people were there working on their laptops etc., so it seems to be a space people like to hang out and get stuff done. I plan to come back next time I'm in Baltimore to give it another chance, so stay tuned.