Tucked away in Camden, ME, Stone Soup Used Books is a nostalgic treasure. Paul, who's been tending his shop since 1985, has created a magical space where stories live and linger. With shelves full of fairly priced finds and warm familiarity, it's the kind of place where you can happily lose track of time. I wish I had more space in my suitcase! read more

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To be clear, I love love love independent used bookstores and this seems like a delightful one. My family and I stopped there recently. We were the only ones in the shop and enjoying browsing around and preparing to buy quite a bit. My teenage son, who's autistic, became a bit overheated at one point and started to pace in and out of the store's entrance, which was on the second floor of a building. The owner confronted him and asked him to stop. I replied by asking the owner (earnestly) if his behavior was disrupting business or his work in any way. He said "no, but he's disrupting my sanity." I said that this kind of movement is necessary for my son's comfort, believing it was not incumbent on me to disclose my kid's diagnosis to a stranger. I want to emphasize again that we were the only ones in the store and my son was not getting in the way of anyone coming or going. He said "can't he just walk on the street? I don't see why you're encouraging this behavior." At that point, we put away the items we were going to purchase and left. I understand that men in their seventies are generally not the most inclusive demographic and likely unaware of issues of disability and inclusion, but the experience was shitty and as a business owner in a bustling vacation town in 2026, the store owner needs to educate himself about disability, accessibility, and treating people with respect, even if their behavior isn't typical and especially when their behavior is doing literally nothing to hurt or bother anyone. We won't be back. read more

A bookstore for book lovers: a small shop with narrow aisles crammed full of used books. You can find many treasures in the stacks if you want to take the time to search. While we were there, one woman was gleefully surveying the book offerings of a really niche category of interest and was fretting over which books to get because she wanted them all. Much more than your average used book store! The books are reasonably priced, but the kicker is that the proprietor is old school and only accepts cash or checks. We didn't have enough cash on hand, so I sadly put my two book choices back on the shelves. The proprietor didn't greet us at all, just sat behind his desk and read the paper, and gruffly handling transactions. Normally I'd knock a shop for that, but it's just part of the charm. The other major downside is that it's up a big flight of stairs in a building with no elevator, and it's not air conditioned, so it can get very hot in the summer. Worth stopping in, but hit up the ATM first. read more

My kind of bookstore -- the smell of old books with plenty of used paperbacks to search through. I did purchased one paperback, in the genre I typically read, and by my favorite author. And it only set me back $3. Small & cramped aisles, but who really cares ? You're coming here looking for paper treasures, Good Luck fellow Bookworms ! read more

Always a great visit with the proprietor and discussions of books. Enjoyable dig through the shelves and piles.

Camden landmark. It's located on Main Street in the heart of Camden. A flight of stairs takes you to a small, cluttered seemingly disorganized room stacked full of books, books and more books. That familiar smell that only comes from an old book tells you you've found the perfect old and used book store. If you want your bookstore to be brightly lite, spacious with organized sections clearly marked, go to Barnes & Noble. read more

Stone Soup Books - Stone Soup Used Books - Used Bookstore Near Me - Camden, Maine

Such a magical place! Tip my hat to the creator/owner of this little tucked away book shop. Am eager to venture back as frequent as I can. read more

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This is the type of bookstore you want to visit. Nothing fancy, pretty messy, but filled with good used books. Always a pleasure to hunt down my next book there. read more

I used to vacation in Camden in the late 80s and early 90s. I also attended the Center for Creative Imaging taking design and graphics courses, lodging at The Maine Stay. I regularly shopped for books at Stone Soup. (I chuckle when I say the name of the shop knowing the story behind it). I bought about a dozen books there are on the history of Maine and its coast. Today I received a copy of "Kaiko Moti." Back when I visited your shop I owned a copy of the book (to go with 5 prints of his that my wife and I owned) I lost the book. On a whim I searched Amazon and found a copy. I came today. I am thrilled twice over. First to receive a replacement copy and second, to see where I was sourced. I am so happy that your wonderful independent book store is still open for business. read more

Nestled in the heart of downtown, this charming book store will transport you back in time. The knowledgeable owner lovingly curates an impressive collection of books, both new and old, with something to entice every reader. From classic literature to obscure titles, I spent hours getting lost in the stacks. The cozy atmosphere, complete with creaky wooden floors and overstuffed armchairs, made for the perfect reading nook. This shop is a rare gem in an age of digital convenience, and a must-visit for any book lover! The owner was as intrigued with the book I was reading as I was. He was a joy to talk to! I really don't want his place to go under so I truly recommend stopping by and buying a book! He has the place organized to the point where you can tell him the book you want and he will lead you straight to it! He sells his books for pretty cheap. So maybe leave him a extra tip . If you read all of this I want you to know I am not some white suburban mom, I am a young teen who loves sending my vacation time at Stone Soup Books! (I am not a nerd) read more

Why did I only give this amazing place four stars in my last review? I must have been feeling cranky that I ran out of cash because this place is wonderful. I almost cried once when I came to Camden and it was closed. I always find books that I never knew I needed in my life. I am a treasure hunter and I could sit in here all day digging for books to add to my collection. This little shop reminds me of places you would find decades ago but are so, so rare now. It may not be for everyone, but it most certainly is for me. read more

Terrific establishment! This charming store is filled with all manner of diverse books, both old and newer, on almost every conceivable topic. The proprietor is a delightful man, apparently is extremely well read and he knows his stock. If you have any interest at all in used books, then Stone Soup Books is a must see! read more

When you walk into Stone Soup Books you'll think you've accidentally stumbled upon a book hoarder's 1-bedroom apartment. When you realize it's actually a business, you'll instinctively look to the walls to find a maximum occupancy notice from Camden's fire marshal. If you find one, my guess is it would read: 2. With that said, if there's a book you want, and if you have time to kill, you will find a copy of it in this store. It may take you an hour to dig it out from underneath piles of books that run, in some instances, three piles deep, but I assure you that it's there. The selection is mostly paperback with some hardcovers thrown in, I suspect, to give those aforementioned piles a proper foundation. This store caters to readers, not to collectors, and considering that Camden is a popular summer locale, I think that's a good business decision. There's plenty of fiction for all reading tastes, and the store features an impressive collection of nautical and local books. If I had more time to kill, I probably would have left with more than the one book I purchased. The owner was nice and gave me pointers on local hikes I should check out during my stay. He also let me use the private bathroom. All in all, I'd rate this as the best of the used bookstores in Camden. read more

Right on Camden's main drag, Rt. 1, in the heart of town, is Stone Coup Books, a secondhand store up one flight of stairs. It's a small, crowded space overseen by a nice guy named Paul that features several thousand books, probably close to two-thirds paperback. There are lots of categories, fiction being the largest, but if you've got the time to browse carefully, you might locate some treasures in any number of fields, from psychology to history. The space can get cramped if more than a couple of people are looking around, but that's part of the fun of use bookstores, ion our view. Nice place to kill a few minutes while you're enjoying the views around lovely Camden.. read more

Stone Soup is a used book store that reminds me of a really small version of the Paris classic, Shakespeare & Company. In reality, it's not the same but I give them a lot of credit for trying. From the outside you'd think this was the smallest store in the world, but it's bigger than it looks. It's still small and cramped, and the floors are so crooked that you wonder if the building will collapse, but it's worth a look. read more

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Our yearly trip to Maine isn't complete without a trip to Stone Soup Books in Camden. We plan ahead, making sure we have room in the car for all the treasures we know we'll find. If we have been looking for a book and haven't located it elsewhere, we can be pretty sure Paul will have it in his store. A Mecca for all book lovers! read more

Alan visits Stone Soup whenever we're in Camden. I'm not sure I've climbed their stairs before, but I may have years ago. I did today. The space is small, the proprietor is interesting and good to talk to and if there are others in the store you have to find ways to move around them. It's a classic used bookstore experience. Books are filed on shelves and stacked on the floors. A little alcove is labeled the music section. So often the books that catch my eye are the ones I've already read or am reading. Alan has more patience to browse and pretty much always finds something as he did today. If you love browsing used bookstores Stone Soup is worth climbing the stairs to explore. Cash only, so if you're one of those who gets outraged at that, save yourself the irritation and check out some of the other stores in the block. read more

This is what a used bookstore should be. Serendipitous discoveries everywhere. The best way to function here is to dig out a pile of interesting books, sit on the floor and go through them, get up and replace them as closely as possible, and repeat as many cycles as you have time for. The owner seems like a quiet ex-hippie, but I could be totally misreading him. I suspect he is a very interesting character, and he also seems to always be there, behind the counter reading. He knows good books and I always find a pile of really great stuff here, often out-of-print gems. read more

I have been here multiple times, each summer, for the last handful of years. Every time I come I wish the owner (same guy behind the tiny counter) would better organize the place and make it easier to see all the books in the "shop." There are basic areas for different topics, but piles of additional books are crammed into every available nook and cranny, making it difficult if not impossible to reach everything. He's got a ton of great used items, and it's fun to find out of print books that you won't find anywhere else. Sure, it's tiny; sure, it's less than easy to find what you want. Still, it's worth a stop when you come to town. read more

well, i,ve read all 8 reviews, and say a huge ditto to all the fine compliment regarding the store, and especially the kind rightfully earned compliments to paul, the proprietor. i have been visiting this eclectic book resevoir for several yearsnow, every chance i get, and that was often, since before covid i visited this iconic town of camden, be ause my daughter and son in law live there and actually co own french and brawn groceries. if you want a unique experience, and love books, it is a must that you spend time speaking to paul a very down to earth waking and talking encyclopedia of just about anything ever written. he is kind considerate and extremely pleasant. he won,t mind if you don,t buy anything, as long as you allow him to bend you ear a bit. read more

I have been coming here since I was a kid, and let me assure you, Paul, the owner, amazingly knows where each and every book is located. I always find treasures here. It hasn't changed since I was a kid, and I love how old-school Paul is. He's a genius. Chat him up! One of the most brilliant minds in Camden. read more

I am so happy that Stone Soup Books finds and makes available so many old and out of print books and self-published books about Maine. I was very excited when received Edwin Coffin's book about Owls Head!! Thank you. read more