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    The Book Thing

    4.8 (193 reviews)
    InexpensiveBookstores
    Closed Closed

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    Grace B.

    went for the first time this past weekend! i recommend getting there early, showed up around 8:20 and my partner and i were the last 2 in the 9am/first group to enter. SOOOO many books! its incredible and the work theyre doing is fantastic. people from all walks of life! great for educators! a strong, organized system run by awesome volunteers. the warehouse does get cramped and busy, i wish there was a mask requirement. alas, 10/10 recommend.

    Blue Room!
    Raghavi A.

    I'm thrilled that my friend introduced me to the wonder that is The Book Thing! (K - if you're reading this, thank you!) I visited for the second time this past Saturday for this month's book giveaway. I arrived around 10:30 AM and waited in line for about a half-hour and was part of the group of 80 folks they let in. Despite 160 people having gone in before me, there were an ample number of books, mixed media, magazines (and more!) in every section and every room. Volunteers were restocking shelves just as fast as books were flying off of them. I left with a full tote bag and both my hands full of some incredible reads (I can't wait to dig in!). The process at The Book Thing is so smooth and the volunteers are so kind and enthusiastic! The 'The Book Thing' community is a supportive one! Some tips: - The website announces dates in advance-- pencil 'em in on your calendar (or use a permanent marker to really seal in that commitment!). You can also check the times for the book donations. I also recommend reviewing the website to understand how it works. - The morning crowd at 9 AM is the busiest; in fact, one of the volunteers said people start lining up at 7:30 AM! The afternoon is the least busy. - There is free parking a few blocks over from The Book Thing. Don't park in the lot or you might get towed. - Each colored room is grouped by genre. Check out the legend ahead of time, especially if you're looking for something in particular. Thanks to The Book Thing for a fabulous way to spend a Saturday! I look forward to coming back soon!

    Deepika N.

    The Book Thing is hands down the best place I have ever been to. When I first heard about this place on Instagram, I didn't believe that all the books are free. I stopped by when I was in Baltimore and was shocked by how amazing this place is. All of the books are arranged by genre so if you're into a particular type of book or are looking for a certain book, you can guide yourself to the right area pretty easily. Quite honestly, I could probably spend an entire day at The Book Thing. There are rows upon rows of fiction books, many of which are barely even used. I picked up 7 books, 4 of which I am certain have never even been open. I wish I lived closer so I could come by more often, but I may just have to start driving down to Baltimore just to swing by The Book Thing. Every city should have a place like this!

    Other Places to Donate Books
    Maggi R.

    Some new, temporary policies have been implemented at The Book Thing as of August 3, 2019. They are limiting the books that they will accept as they have a huge backlog of books to process. The drop box outside is no longer available. So, please, before you go, check the latest information on their website as to what they will accept. (https://bookthing.org/). Check out the photos for more detailed information. They directed us to go to the Maryland Book Bank at 1794 Union Avenue, 21211, which we did

    Katy H.

    This place is amazing if you love books! There's 3 large rooms full of books Found some really great vintage books, like 25 kids books for my friends class room and even a large coffee table book originally around $40! They do stamp the inside saying it's a free book and not for resale. Which I appreciate. I just wish for the vintage books there was some other way, just when you see a book that is 100 years old in great condition but stamped. But I totally understand why they have to do this. I brought my younger brother who isn't too into books/reading and he even found 2 or 3 books he was interested in. Side note- They have a restroom you can use. Which I wasn't expecting but SO thankful for since we drove 2 hours to get there haha When finding the place you'll come up to the back parking lot which you'll recognize from the pics. We first parked here but then signs in the building say to park in the front or you'll be towed. So we moved to the front which I actually preferred since it's super close to the front door. And easier to load your books. Def bring your own bag! And they encourage you to take as many as you'd like! Really such an awesome place. And next time i got I'll def be bringing some donations. Even though it's 2 hours away, I can't wait to visit again!

    Able to drop off books overnight (by entrance).
    April C.

    Bring all your friends, families, co-workers, and enemies here! After the renovations after the fire, this place is better than ever!!!! A few amenities I've noticed now are that, there's a restroom available now and a rack with free bags for readers to carry their books in. I highly recommend visitors to come here to experience something one of a kind to Baltimore! I'm from NYC and I don't know of a "Book Thing" there or anywhere else. You can donate books, magazines, CDs, DVDs, records, and most importantly-- your time! The Book Thing always need volunteers throughout the week. Tip: A great resource to get updated information is through their Facebook page, "The Book Thing of Baltimore". It is constantly updated on a consistent weekly basis.

    Sarah O.

    Someone from work mentioned this place, so out of curiosity I made a trip. What a nice place! I live in the suburbs so this downtown location was a bit nervous trip but we found a shopping mall parking lot (5 min walk) from the book thing. Inside had good selections of free books, very well organized and all of us found something that piqued our interests. This place is a gem! I did bring a few books to donate so didn't feel too bad taking out free books.

    Patrick B.

    What an amazing and unique bookstore. It's actually inaccurate to call this a bookstore, since it's really a book exchange. In a nondescript warehouse divided into several rooms, with a small adjacent parking lot, The Book Thing (or, as I like to call it, "The Book Thang") offers an incredible collection of books - for free! Yes, free! Go in, pick up a box or bag (or BYOB) and browse and pick to your heart's content. The books are roughly divided into categories; but within the categories, you're on your own. Staffed entirely by volunteers, there is virtually no staff interaction. It's like legal theft! Lol. The only rules that I can identify are 1) you may not return a book you've taken to The Book Thing, and 2) any book taken from The Book Thing may not be sold. Seriously, they stamp the inside of the books "not for resale." Only for true browsers. They apparently operate solely on volunteer labor and donations. Definitely worth a look!

    Each book is stamped inside stating the book is free & not for resale to prevent people from taking books away to make a profit.

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    Page 2 of 5

    Ask the Community - The Book Thing

    Are there books in other languages (Spanish, especially)?

    Yes! They have a whole bookshelf each full of Spanish, German, and French foreign language books.

    Are Large Print books available?

    Yes

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - The Book Thing

    If I were to compile a list of Baltimore's hidden gems, this free book store would be at the top of my list!

    Mentioned in 13 reviews

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    The Book Escape

    The Book Escape

    4.7
    (69 reviews)
    3.2 mi
    $

    I was out and about on a beautiful saturday afternoon and decided I wanted to read in the park,…read moreonly I forgot my kindle at home so I didnt have anything to read. Since I was nearby I thought id pop in and see if they had anything good to read. I ended up not only finding a book for the day but also a book ive been wanting to add to my collection! They have such a large variety of books and everything is laid out so well. Next time i go i plan on picking up a blind bag of books just to see what kind of wanders I find!

    What a charming new and used bookstore in fed hill. I've seen this store for years and years and…read morenever stopped in. But I was in the area checking out a new vintage store and thought I'd pop in. Retail is kind of dying in this area, but book escape was thriving. There were lots of people in there browsing and reading. There's a really cute back area with a mermaid mural and a reading nook. There's a lot of brand new books sold at 15% off, which are among the best sellers list. I thought in this economy - what a steal of a deal that is! The front desk is right around the front corner and the owner seemed nice. There's a huge selection of music in the corner and I thought that for a used bookstore, it was really well organized. It is a little clustered, but overall really bright and airy and lots of books!

    Photos
    The Book Escape
    The front of the store with the free books and records for sale.
    The front of the store with the free books and records for sale.
    Mermaid reading area

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    Mermaid reading area
    MahoganyBooks

    MahoganyBooks

    4.9
    (51 reviews)
    43.2 mi
    $$

    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.

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    MahoganyBooks
    MahoganyBooks
    MahoganyBooks

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    Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse

    Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse

    4.1
    (253 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    I actually am not vegan whatsoever, so I was a little nervous to try this coffee shop for the first…read moretime, but WOW, holy flavor. I ordered a breakfast burrito, and it's been three days since I had it and I'm still craving the taste. Who knew you could make tofu taste so good? I didn't like my vanilla iced coffee as much, but that was my fault because I should have asked for more vanilla flavoring. I really appreciated how much parking there was on a Sunday afternoon, and in my opinion, it's one of the best co working spaces in Baltimore. I would 100% come back to this coffee shop and maybe spend more time browsing the books next time!

    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.

    Photos
    Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse
    It's all about the presentation--and taste! TLT (Tempeh Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato) and Cup of Chili
    It's all about the presentation--and taste! TLT (Tempeh Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato) and Cup of Chili
    Impossible burger with chili side

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    Impossible burger with chili side

    The Book Thing - bookstores - Updated June 2026

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