This is the cutest bookstore at the square! I really enjoyed it. It felt as if I was on an episode of the Gilmore girls. Their book selection is great. We ended up buying a manga book and the clerk was very sweet. I got a drink at the bar portion (Rough Draft) the NAME itself is so good! They have a lot of options. Mgserver was the sweetest. She gave me options to try and I ended up getting a cranberry mimosa. It was delicious and nicely priced. We came during the Christmas parade and had the perfect seat outside. This place is a def must visit! read more

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Oh my goodness -- I've never been to such a cute bookstore! Story on the Square is modern, airy, and instantly welcoming. My favorite part? They sell coffee, wine, and beer -- plus there's a cozy little bar in the back that's adorable. We also went upstairs and it was stunning! The space is open, beautifully designed, and gives a great view of the square. Such a gem of a bookstore -- definitely worth a visit! read more

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This is the review of the coffee bar downstairs only - not of the bookstore, or of the event space. I attended a wedding who's reception was held here a few weeks ago and my review so of my experience of the coffee bar specifically. This one hurts as I do not like to bash small businesses especially in this climate but I truly had a not so e]great experience so I just relaying that in hopes that no one else deals with this. Outside of that, it does seem like a cute little bookshop with interesting inventory. Something right out of Gilmore Girls. I attended an early wedding locally, and guests walked from the church (about 10 min walk away) to the reception site held here. Now I am entering that part of my 30s where from 4pm-6pm I just get hit with this wave of sleepiness every day. By the tie we arrived at the reception site I needed a caffeine hit. I was very sleepy and had a long night of party ahead of me. So I was thrilled when we walked in and they had a coffee bar. I however do not drink coffee. I drink matcha and tea exclusively. They do not serve matcha, that's fine. They do serve tea, fine. I order an English breakfast. This is where things take a turn. I order and pay (my tea came to $5 and change which is quite expensive for tea) then I ask for cream and honey. I get my honey in a a plastic tube, that's fine but they didn't offer me anything to open it with, I had to use my teeth to tear it open...not great to my question of cream, they said "they don't have cream so that they do not compete with the coffee shop down the road" ...I'm sorry, what? Now here's the thing, they do in fact have cream/milk as they have cappuccinos and lattes not their menu, Both of which you need a creamer or milk of sorts to make. So this girl either didn't know what she was talking about or just lied to me. Either way I take my tea with a creamer and I would not have spent $5 on a cup of tea had that been the case. (for the record a large tea at Starbucks is less and a full box of tea at a grocery store is close to that so yes that is expensive for a cup of tea) Further when I ordered I said "English breakfast with cream and honey" and she rang me up, then told me no cream or milk. And I know she heard me because she delivered my tea while I was paying with the honey but waited to tell me about the milk after. My tea was also lukewarm when they gave it to me, not hot. Lukewarm. Not great from start to finish. As a wedding guest (review of my experience in the event space): My other thought was that, as a wedding guest, while they do have bathrooms upstairs in the event space, they are not plentiful. As a girlie with stomach issues I do tend to spend more quality time in bathrooms then the average person. I did have to use the bookstore bathroom (downstairs) more than once which was kind of embarrassing. You have to walk down a wooden staircase (with heels on because...wedding guest) making a lot of noise and walk past the coffee bar which is also a bar at night and all the patrons there. You have to go back up the same way past the same people so if you have to take some time, there's not way around that. They do have an elevator but when I was a guest it was being used by staff and not always available to guests (was not available to me at all, all night) Lastly, towards the end of the evening, I was hit in the face by a swinging door. Got me right in the lip. It burst open and there was blood. It was an accident and no ones fault particularly, just unfortunate and painful. While I was able to get ice (later & from the planner) , I was denied ibuprofen/adivl but staff. I had a clutch, of just my phone ID and lipstick as I was at a wedding, so I didn't have any on myself, and it was late at night. I had ubered there so it's not like I could run to a store to get some. I get that there are liabilities but is advil, not exactly a dangerous drug. I was literally bleeding and trying to avoid further ouch and swelling on my face. I wasn't told that they *didn't* have any I was told I couldn't have any. Someone had the idea to ask the planner who did have some and they helped me and was nice enough to give me some and get me ice. I'm not local, so the likelihood of my returning even had things gone differently is not very high, I probably wouldn't based on the experience I had alone. Again I hate writing a bad review of a location and small business, and I like to support them, however I just had a very subpar experience. read more

Where to start? I love me a good bookstore, but I was a little intimidated when I saw the HUGE selection at Story on the Square. I got a full stack of books before I realized I'd have to settle on just one until next time that is, because I will absolutely be going back! Not only was the genre selection huge, the Rough Draft bar was absolutely a highlight. The charcuterie board included a variety of cheeses and meats that were so, so good and rich. The staff are super chill; I don't really like staff that hover in the first place, but they are also super helpful and nice! read more

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Visited some family in Georgia and while walking around the square, they recommended we stop in to Story on the Square. I had the time of my life. First of all, the space is so organized and clean. Everyone was so friendly and helpful and to top it all off there's a bar inside!!! How do people resist visiting this place every day!? Because I already had a packed out suitcase I was determined to look but not purchase anything. Well, I stumbled upon their game section and knew my determination would soon fail me. I found the cutest little game called Taco Time and my family and I had so much fun playing it. We can't wait to visit again, with a lighter suitcase, and get some more good finds from Story on the Square. read more

I found this cool little place on the McDonough square in my beer tracking app. It was listed as a registered local venue.  It is a full on book store with plenty of choices, with a full beer and wine bar in the back.  We walked around the store and then checked out their beer choices. Surprisingly, the list was pretty extensive and diverse. Additionally, we noticed they had an upcoming beer tasting. We did order anything this time, but we plan to return another day. read more

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Attended a 50th birthday celebration in the upstairs event space last night. It was a lovely, well maintained space that accommodated 80 to 100 folks. Catered Indian food, streamed music, nice table setup for cake and presents. Parking can be an issue close to the venue but not a big problem because there is plenty of parking within a couple of blocks of the venue. The bookstore on the first floor has counter seating as well as tables and sells coffee, beer, wine and pastries. Great selection of books as well as gifts. Really cool space. read more

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Great bookstore with friendly staff and a great layout. Location was super convenient and the selection was excellent!

Totally at home in a prominent corner of the McDonough town square, Story on the Square epitomizes the enduring magic of the independent bookstore. Stepping into this literary wonderland my first time, over two years ago, I was surprised at its cozy atmosphere and the fact that, in addition to an impressive collection of books that caters to diverse literary tastes, it offers a superb little bar area toward the back that doubles as a wonderful place to carry on a quiet discussion throughout the day, or to enjoy a variety of locals in the evenings, particularly as the weekend approaches. Key strengths of Story on the Square, a locally owned bookstore, : - Selection and Curation - Knowledgable, Dedicated Customer-facing Staff - Community Engagement (Regular Author Events, Book Signings, and Book Club Meetings) - Platform for Emerging Voices Story on the Square is a place where stories come to life and where the love for books is shared, and celebrated, with warmth, expertise, and a deep sense of community. read more

Story on the Square - Malala, my reading companion of several years. - Bookstores Near Me - McDonough, Georgia

While walking around McDonough Square we went to this lovely Bookstore to find my Grandson a book. The cashier was super nice and gave my grandson stickers. We're a family that loves to read so we absolutely loved this place. There is even a wine, beer, coffee bar inside of the Bookstore. I enjoyed a wonderful glass of Riesling while we looked for books. The Bartender was super nice too. Needless to say we will be back. Such a wonderful experience. If you love books please go visit this Bookstore. read more

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Today I was pleasantly surprised while visiting Story on the Square in McDonough. I was delighted to see both books and adorable retail items in one place, I love their socks! Their displays and background music gives you a sense of wonder and imagination... perfect for a writer to sit and have one of their delicious cups of coffee or sip on a glass of fine wine. I tip my hat to Stephanie Gordon for bring her enchanting business to McDonough's Square. read more

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Wonderful local spot with great seating for readers. A wide variety of books and accessories. I loved the children's section as I found nice gifts for the babies in my life. read more

I found out about this gem by sheer coincidence. My friend and I were having dinner and drinks at Starshine's new outdoor patio. We struck up a conversation with another group. We mentioned being librarians and saying it was our first time exploring downtown McDonough. Well, an older woman in the group suggested the book store and mentioned it had a bar. That sealed it. My friend and I checked out the bookstore. I absolutely loved it and the selection. The bar is cute and cozy. We grabbed a drink and opted to sit outside to people watch. Plus my friend and I don't do indoor dining in this era of COVID. It was a lovely way to spend the rest of the evening. It's my new favorite spot to grab a drink, maybe read a book, and people watch. Definitely a great spot for when you want to be out but not out-out, if that makes sense. Do check it out. Be advised, they prefer you don't bring outside drinks, food, or ice cream (they're close to Scoops) into the bookstore. They gave a sign on the door saying this as well. read more

One of my favorite spots in McDonough. My family are readers so we love small independent book stores. But a bookstore with wine on tap, beer, coffee, and charcuterie boards make this one of the best spots to unwind read more

This is one of my favorite places to visit in Downtown Mcdonough. They always have local vendors selling things: mugs, wrapping paper, calendars, funny cards/pencils, and a variety of books. Rough Draft is also awesome!! It's a wine & beer bar that also serves snacks. They have wine vending machines with 4 reds and 4 white wines. They also have more that can be purchased by the glass or by the bottle. I personally enjoy coming for the beer because they frequently change out the taps and have one of just about every type of beer (one IPA, one Pilsner, one porter/stout....you get the point!). Great book store and even better wine bar! read more

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Celebrated my cousins 10th anniversary at this venue last night. The food and atmosphere was delish. HOWEVER, after changing my 1 year old's diaper in the downstairs bathroom (no changing table in the building btw), I attempted to take the elevator back up to the 2nd floor. Got in the elevator, the doors closed, and up and down we rode for the next 30 minutes! For some reason, the doors would not open. After 20 minutes of this, I was finally able to get someone's attention and they were able to call 911 (would you believe I didn't have my cell phone on me?!?? ) 10 minutes later the doors were opened by the local Firemen! Thank God!! I had heard the owner had came up to the store, but never saw or heard from him. After this, I probably would have given 3 stars, but they lost another star because they charged my cousin an extra hour because they went over 10 minutes attempting to clean up after the party was over. They really could have let those 10 minutes slide after our harrowing experience. But alas... customer service is not what it once was. read more

Story on the Square - Little did we know........ - Bookstores Near Me - McDonough, Georgia

What a gem! We love a good book in my home and we're total foodies. We thoroughly enjoyed visiting and grabbing a bite, a drink and a book to take home. Very nice and bright set up and such great energy in there! Definitely go if you'd like to have a joyful experience! Apologies to anyone that had to endure my loud laughter. That's how comfortable I was in there! . This will be a common hangout spot for us! read more

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Had a wedding party upstairs, great venue for parties the people are great, prices good. The staff was the best. Dahlia was our party host. She was absolutely wonderful very helpful and assisted through out the entire party. read more

This place is fantastic. A place to sip whilst you browse books you didn't know you needed? Yes, please! They have munchies as well. The staff is nice and knowledgeable, polite to the kids (ages 8 and 2). If they don't have a book you want, they can order it for you. read more

That story has less than five stars is really a testament to how fickle reviewers can be. The bottom line is story is a bookstore with unique titles and a wonderful coffee/wine/beer bar in the back that also offers excellent charcuterie boards and other snacks prepared by spotted trotter. The combination is genius and I don't know why I don't see it all over Atlanta. We found this place while looking for office space nearby-we not only found a great place to read and grab a drink but also a great place for event space. We will certainly be back read more

Awesome place to see! Had a graduation party upstairs and I had surgery and was in a wheelchair . Called ahead couple days prior to see if I could get to second floor. When I arrived the employees remembered me calling , and personally made sure I got to the second floor safely ! Great personal care !!!! read more

Customer service was pretty trash, I walked in and wasnt greeted. As i looked around I wasnt greeted & I was the only one in the store. I had to ask for help & they didnt have what I was looking for so i left. Its a cute store though. read more

I made a mini trek to Story on the Square today from Atlanta. The bookstore is located in their downtown square so parking is limited (and metered on weekdays during business hours). The store is cute and cozy with a few plush lounge chairs throughout and a solid selection of books - everything from home decor and gardening to religion, poetry, and sci-fi. They have a little cafe/bar area behind the cash register in the back where they sell food and drinks. I saw a couple people working there. The staff were friendly and let me know about a rewards program they have for frequent shoppers. I ended up getting a book I've wanted to purchase for a bit but they had a much nicer looking copy that had a cloth cover with some gold embellishments. They also had some other books with nicer copies than you'd find in a big chain bookstore or shopping on Amazon. Bonus: I saw Santa getting out of a cop car with Mrs. Clause to take pictures in the square which was fun. Overall, I'd recommend a visit if you're in the area. Or perhaps take a little drive to get there even if you're not. read more

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Intentional. Activism. Encouraging. Reading. I am elated to be a customer. I am humbled to be a supporter of Women Owned Bookstore - seeding Main Street USA read more

Such a beautiful space! The windows, the lighting, the brick. It was everything we needed to pull off the most perfect babyshower for my daughter. The staff were so helpful and accommodating. They made a stressful set up, less so. Every little ask we had they were there to help. They went above and beyond. I'm so thankful and glad I chose this venue! Thank you so many times over Helen!! read more

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Stopped by this bookstore while visiting Georgia. I used to work at an independent bookstore (in California) and love supporting local and small businesses so it was common sense for me to stop by. The employees are incredibly friendly. I loved looking through all the books they had and everything was so clearly marked and organized. I always said there should be a bar in a bookstore, and to my surprise the universe brought heaven on earth and guided me to the Rough Draft - the bar inside the bookstore! I greatly enjoyed the cheese board (trying all 3 cheeses) and a beer while being surrounded by books. The cheeses were delicious and now I'm on the hunt to find them so I can enjoy them at home. Eddie was the bartender and was so friendly and helpful! Shelby was the super friendly employee who checked me out, and appreciated that I was buying store merch to show my support for the store. Overall a wonderful experience (in possibly my new favorite independent bookstore), great food, good drinks, friendly staff and lots of books! I'm moving to Tennessee soon and will be driving down just to stop in at this amazing bookstore! read more

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I was so excited to be getting an independent bookstore in the area, and this place is great. Amazing selection, well organized, and super passionate staff. Good place for books and gifts read more

I'm a really big fan of Story on the Square and wish I could do 4.5 stars, especially with the particularly unfair low review that mentions a "rude manager" but fails to mention that the reviewer did not patronize the business but felt they were entitled to occupy a table to enjoy a meal they purchased from a nearby street vendor - like what?!? No, that's not how any business works lol. The SOTS building has been beautifully restored and is entirely comfortable and welcoming. The selections of wine and beer are absolutely wonderful and the staff is very friendly! Me and my husband enjoy popping in for a drink frequently. The bookstore aspect is great in theory, but the selection is incredibly limited and since lots of shelf space is occupied by tote bags, socks, candles, etc - it's more like a eclectic gift shop than a pure bookstore. And I get the pitch of "we can order any book to be delivered to our store in two days" but so can amazon and then I don't have to make another trip downtown so that will never be a winning sales pitch 4 me. If they happen to have what I'm looking for in stock I'll buy it there but in reality that doesn't happen all that often. I can't wait to participate in the book clubs and I'll keep my fingers crossed they will be a little less chaotic than the Disney trivia event last month. It was so crowded and uncomfortable I ended up leaving the event early. Ultimately if the goal is to move merchandise and booze/cheese platters I'd think adult-centric events would be the gold standard for evening events, but I think they are still hammering this kinda stuff out. Overall, I will continue to make an effort to patronize this business I think it's a lovely addition to our county and hope they will be able to eventually expand the actual shop to keep more books in stock. read more

Visited Story on the Square for the first time today! It was a wonderfully relaxing experience. We got coffee (made in front of you) and they also had several beers on tap/in bottle, as well as wine. The store is very clean and also have masks and hand sanitizer right when you enter the store for your use. The bar area was sanitized after each person left their area. The restrooms were the cleanest public restrooms I've used in a long time. They also have a free rewards program where you spend a certain amount of money and you get a certain amount back after you reach that amount. Great selection of books and places to just sit and read. Can't wait to go back! read more

Story on the Square - Latte at bar area - Bookstores Near Me - McDonough, Georgia

Cozy, great book selection, quirky gifts and toys, and awesome coffee/wine/beer bar. We love it!

Loved the concept behind this wonderful cafe that combines the ambience of a bookstore and a place to gather socially! The good was great (did not try the drinks as I do not drink) the staff was super friendly! Definitely worth a visit read more

This is exactly what the Square has needed! As a nearby resident I have thoroughly enjoyed walking over to the shop and picking out some new books as well as sitting down at the bar for a quick drink. My fiancee and myself have also booked the upstairs event space for an upcoming party and are greatly looking forward to it. Can't say enough good things about Story on the Square. read more

Absolutely love this bookstore! Great selection for everyone in the family. My little girl even loves coming on Saturday mornings for story time! Definitely will visit every time I'm in town. read more

Great concept with wine and books. I went for a wedding upstairs and it was great. Good venue for a party.

This is a wonderful little escape with great products and friendly service (especially a bright light named Joy). This "stop by" spot will be in heavy rotation! read more

The owner and staff are horrible, they were rude and they do bad business. I Would like to add that, you spoke horrible nasty things about my dad who rented this event center. No business owner should ever speak that way about anyone especially someone who was VERY unhappy with the situation with your staff. I was there to set up in the beginning and to start with your staff was rude to ME about what were we doing to decorate, we understood and went to decorate more, She stood there with a nasty attitude, when we asked her to turn off the lights for the "surprise" i asked her very nicely, she yelled NO and that was it, No explanation on why she couldn't. Even if she could not turn them off, that is fine but to yell at us was very disrespectful. He paid a lot of money to rent for a couple hours and at 930. The staff asked him to start cleaning up when the contract was up at 10pm. Ultimately the staff wanted to leave right at 10pm. So we or anyone we know will not do business there. Watch how you speak to someone, you should have cleared this up and made it right! I do not recommend anyone to rent this event center!!!!!! read more

LITERALLY MY HOME AWAY FROM HOME . They have the best staff. Joy and Mendolin gave me the best recommendations. I go at least once a week :)

This bookstore is probably my favorite place in the McDonough Square. The environment is extremely welcoming, and from my most recent experience Joy and Mendolin (Sorry if I spelled her name wrong!) were extremely helpful with finding amazing new book recommendations. I recommend this amazing place to everyone! read more

The customer service was rude. My friend and I went in to order cheese trays and when it came to pay for the bill we split the cost down the middle and we both gave 10 percent which came out to a dollar each. The lady took both of our receipts and bluntly said "wow great tips guys." I even calculated the tip of the total cost of both of ours put together and it was 2 dollars, and the lady who rang us up wasn't even our server so it wasn't even her tip. Our actual server didn't check on us once (no shade to her though.) read more

I'd like to start off by saying. The staff here are beyond amazing, I'm always greeted with a warm welcome and if I need help they don't hesitate to search for the many books I'm looking to read next. At the end of every purchase my books are neatly placed in a clean and very handy bag with all the upcoming updates of what is to come next in the store. I love this place. I highly recommend!! I would give 5 stars if I could.. read more