Adorable little bookshop on the Bastrop Main Street! There is literally a tree and fireplace made of books on the inside! We were visiting with a large group and strolled around here for almost an hour. I loved the different sections and high ceilings. It appears the shop may have a few cats that roam around during the weekdays and am dying to come back to say hello! A great way to support local on your next drive between Austin and Houston, or simply if in the neighborhood! The entire strip is really cute with a variety of shops, art, food, and live music. read more

We wandered into this bookshop after dinner one evening and fell in love!! Sadly we live a couple hours away but this would quickly become a regular spot if we lived nearby. The decor in this store is fabulous! Books galore (obviously good for a book store). I want a room in my home to look like the Painted Porch! It's cozy and full of possibilities. We didn't purchase anything so I can't speak to service, but the books were normally priced for a bookstore that sells new books. Overall, a great store with a good selection! read more

See all

The Painted Porch Bookstore feels like if that couple in your friend group, the ones everyone aspires to be, decided to share their personal library with the world. The couple who reads voraciously, has exceptional taste, thinks critically about what they consume, and can explain exactly why each book matters. After years of friends asking for recommendations, they finally thought: why not open the collection to everyone? So they found a space, bought dozens of copies of their favorite books, and created something extraordinary. That's the Painted Porch. It's a jewel to anyone who reads. A gift to anyone who considers themselves a lifelong learner. The staff embodies this same spirit. Corey, Kim, and Peyton are all lovely souls and are an absolute pleasure to interact with. Kim's book recommendations alone are a testament to what happens when people genuinely love where they work and who they work with. Thank you, Ryan. And most especially, thank you, Sam. read more

Incredible vibes and there are autographed copies of Ryan's books available! Highly recommend! . read more

See all

Everything I expected it to be and then some ! This book store has been on my bucket list for a while and I'm so glad I stopped by! Parking: There's plenty of street parking around. I parked at the end of the street and had a nice stroll up to the shop Selection: The selection is clearly curated but is still diverse. The Daily Stoic/ Ryan Holiday has an entire section , which I expected since it's his store but was pleased to see how much of it there was. Aside from books, there's also records and t-shirts Vibe: The vibe is very relaxed and slow. I could have stayed there for hours! I loved it. Can't wait to go back ! read more

The Painted Porch Bookshop - Bookstores Near Me - Bastrop, Texas

Wonderful bookshop! Moody and full of character. Could have spent so much more time browsing, but I was only able to spend a short time in the shop. But in that very short amount of time I found some great gems, titles that piqued my interest, and decent children's selection! read more

I stumbled across this place randomly while visiting a relative in Bastrop. Arrogant and rude staff - never stepping foot in here again. Apparently this is owned by someone who is an expert in stoicism - wouldn't know it from the way they run their business. Decent selection of books, but definitely overpriced. read more

Finally we had extra time to stop by Bastrop and check out this beautiful bookstore! It was worth the visit and slight detour. They do have a small kids section which my kids loves looking through. If you go the to the room on the left you with find vinyl! Huge selection of books and I have no doubt you'll find what you are looking for. There is a section where they have books on sale and such. If you are with child like I am then you'll be glad to know there are restroom within the bookstore that you can use. Street parking is going to be your best bet. It was a Friday lunch time and it wasn't bad finding street parking. Now the one things I love other than the bookstore itself is that any book you buy there it's stamp on the inside with their bookstore name ahhh. I would never guess how excited and happy that made me but when I saw It I literally was like I love it!! Now I know where I purchased the book.. The only employee that we encountered was at checkout. Not to say others don't work there. She was friendly. If I could I would stop by on my way to Austin all the time. read more

On the way out of town today we stopped by The Painted Porch Bookshop in Bastrop. The whole experience was just magical for me. The curation of the books... not everything under the sun but carefully selected books and other items. I took time browsing because I was interested in what I was seeing. The atmosphere -- and even bookstore cats, yes cats. It was cozy and we just felt so comfortable. The staff -- while not many staff the quality was stellar. The lovely woman who checked us out was kind, friendly and it was a pleasure. Experience like this MATTERS. We absolutely will drive off our route again and again for this experience next time we go out of town. read more

The Painted Porch Bookshop - Book decorated fireplace in the center of the store. - Bookstores Near Me - Bastrop, Texas

I love this store. I could spend all day there in each section picking up gems and snapping pics. The team was super helpful and happy to see my sweet pooch! (Note - the store is dog friendly on the weekends. On the weekdays there are two cats that reign the stacks). I can't wait to come back another day and spend more time checking out all of the owner and bookseller's recommendations. We need many more bookstores like this!! read more

See all

I recently purchased online the leatherbound versions of both Confessions and The Daily Stoic to add to my collection of books written by Ryan Holiday, co-owner of the Painted Porch Bookshop. I was also delighted to spend a bit extra money for the option to have him personalize the title page of The Daily Stoic, requesting that he include with his signature a list of the Four Stoic Virtues. What I received instead contained a glaring mistake. In his own handwriting, he repeated one virtue and completely omitted another. Whether he was in a rush or distracted at the moment of signing the book, I do not know, but when I sought resolution to the error through their online customer service, they brushed off my attempts to correct the matter. My first attempt was even answered by their customer service with an "lol". So I sent evidence of the mistake by USPS Priority Mail (signature required) directly to Mr. Holiday via the Painted Porch Bookshop in Bastrop, Texas. As a professional who takes pride in their work, as a businessperson who knows the importance of a satisfied, repeat customer, and as a fellow Stoic who understands that one's integrity is so vital to everything else, I truly hoped that he would address the issue. It has now been three weeks since he signed for that letter. I have yet to receive even the kindness of a reply. For someone who has made a handsome living extolling the importance of the Stoic virtues, my experience now tells me that his words are without substance and sadly empty. read more

I have been driving through Bastrop, TX for 30 plus years on the way to Austin. For the first time we went to down town Bastrop and discovered this amazing store that backs up to a wonderful restaurant. I would highly recommend The Panted Porch Bookstore. Outstanding books and you can get signed copies of Ryan Holiday's books. Ryan and is wife are owners of the bookstore. Huge selection. read more

Diverse selection of books recommended by the staff, plus pet friendly on weekends. Who could ask for more?

Second time here and we just love this charming shop. Great selection of books in an easy to browse atmosphere. I found the Wildsam Field Guides here and I just bought the Texas book. I am excited to use it on the rest of our trip. They even have many vintage records for purchase. Easy parking behind the store with a convenient back door entrance. Look for the sweet black cat roaming the store. read more

See all

What an eye-catching bookstore. Pretty exciting when entering, and my jaw dropped when seeing their fireplace. It really captured how creative and beautiful this old town, eccentric library is. This bookstore has genres for all ages. An absolute hidden Gem right in the heart of Bastdrop Texas and right next door is a shop where they house tons of vynils and CDs. Super cool spot for sure. I would definitely recommend stopping by while visiting this artsy side of town. They have everything from funny candles with Betty Whites face to cool cook books inspired by Hocus Pocus. I even saw local handmade earrings that were spired by Star Wars light sabers. read more

See all

Decided to take a side trip on the way to ATX. Stopped for lunch and some shopping . I happen not into this bookstore. Inviting comfortable with a large selection read more

See all

Cats in the ceiling! Viewable through plexiglass. And a cool stacked "fireplace" and some fanciful cards and books. If you need a unique gift, you'll find it here, or in the incredible record store next door. See my pics. read more

See all

Super cool bookstore nestled on Main Street. Nice children section/room. Cool and unique trinkets. Absolutely recommend swinging by and checking this gem out! They do have 2 cats that take up residence in the store (in case anyone is allergic). The fireplace of books alone is a reason to come visit this amazing store. I found a Melissa & Doug Dino sticker book very reasonably priced. Anyone who's even remotely into books needs to check this place out. You won't be disappointed. read more

See all

2.5 This is a cute bookshop with some creative displays like a Christmas tree and a fireplace made entirely from books. The shelves are easy to look at and not cluttered which is part of my issue. There weren't many things that I would buy. The books were sparsely placed on the shelves. There was no science fiction section for one. Disappointing. The staff was friendly though. They do have restrooms and a patio behind the bookshop you can walk out onto. It's located right on the main street so it was easy to find and also one of the few things open on New Year's Day. read more

See all

Cute bookstore in Bastrop. The sign at the door says keep the door closed because cats roam the store but we didn't see any cats. Some unique gifts and they have a little treehouse for kids in the children's reading area. The store is super cute. There is an old tree in the back of the store and the fireplace is made from books. A nice stop if your on Main Street. read more

See all

We had some time before our show started so we found this local bookstore with a connected record/music shop. It had clearly labeled sections with some good and interesting book choices. There are stacks of paperbacks holding up shelf but not sure they are for sale. It's a small book store with lots of room. We found several books to purchase and a few others we found fun. You are required to wear a mask which since I care about others and wear even when not required but in case you have an issue with that heads up. It was a cool find. read more

See all

This place is totally cool. They definitely have a well-curated selection of books. The owner knows his stuff. He's a successful author himself, after all. My daughter bought a book here while she was visiting, and she recommended it, so I went to buy my own copy. They were temporarily sold out, but they said I could order a copy on their website. I did, and it arrived shortly. A came by to pick it up, walked up to the counter, gave them my name and they handed it to me right away. I've been their four times now. I received great service each time. The store is well-organized and they utilize their space well without it being cluttered at all. They create a great atmosphere for exploring. It's really a great bookstore, and downtown Bastrop is all the better for it. read more

What an awesome find! It's an absolute treasure. If you're going to Austin, take a detour onto Main Street to visit The Painted Porch.

This is the local bookstore you didn't know you needed to visit regularly. We don't live in Bastrop so we can't frequent this place, but it's notable for its fireplace mantle made of books, its robust selection of many Stoic tomes, and lots of clever, unique tchotchke gift choices. Staff was helpful and nicely-not-clingy, and book prices parallel jacket list price (although there were some markdowns around). read more

Adorable indie bookstore on Main Street. Good selection and cute atmosphere. They did not accept cash when I visited so be sure you're prepared to pay with a card. Grab a new book and then cross the street to read it with a cup of coffee and slice of pie at Maxine's. read more

The Painted Porch Bookshop - Outside - Bookstores Near Me - Bastrop, Texas

See all

Loved this little bookshop! My kids could have spent an hour longer in the kid section in the back, and the staff was very kind. There were so many books and other fun accessories that I wanted, but I was somehow able to leave with just one! Definitely look forward to our next visit to the area, so we can stop by again! read more

Super cute place. Not the largest selection. I like to try to buy books from local bookstores while I travel and k was able to find one I found interesting. read more

The Painted Porch Bookshop - Bookstore - Bookstores Near Me - Bastrop, Texas

See all

I was thrilled to discover this bookstore, impressed by its collection of poetry and memoirs, charmed by the decor and painted quotes. I wanted to support them and asked the salesperson if they had Robin Wall Kimmerer's book, Braiding Sweetgrass. You know, the luminous NY Times Bestseller on indigenous wisdom from a brilliant botanist who can write exquisitely. The response was a swift "Oh no, we don't have THAT." I was stunned at the derision in his tone, and baffled. "No 'mam we don't carry that book" would have sufficed, but the brusque reply and near-sneer was off-putting, and quite puzzling. Bad day? My husband later remarked that perhaps the salesperson thought I wanted a basket-weaving book. Hmm. Maybe, but even then, why get surly about it? Quite a turn-off, and I ended up buying the book online when I really wanted to support an independent brick-and-mortar bookstore. read more

This place was so cute! You can tell that a lot of thought went into how to design the space. They had a great selection of books, and the staff was so helpful with showing me where a book was that I was looking for. The cats are also a bonus!! read more

A very nice small town bookstore with a little bit of everything. Lots of stickers, shirts, and other literary things. Also have a section with records, CDs, etc. read more

The Painted Porch Bookshop - Book fireplace. - Bookstores Near Me - Bastrop, Texas

This is such a lovely bookstore in cute downtown Bastrop. It is big with a variety of options and many signed books. They have a large non-fiction / self help section. If you're in the area, you should absolutely check it out. read more

This is an adorable bookstore on the main street of downtown historic Bastrop. There's a fireplace made entirely of stacked books. They also have a record room next-door. Records as in LPs. I was looking for some books by some political analyst and they did not have much of a selection. The non-fiction selections obviously were not as vast as a large bookstore. read more

Amazing bookstore and everything on the shelf is well curated to the point that I have enjoyed reading everything I've ever bought there. Some of the books that will stay with me forever in my mind, I've bought from Painted Porch. Actually am shocked at how little Yelp reviews there are on this place. Granted I've been a few times and never bothered to put up 5 stars but this is something really, really special! Painted Porch is truly a destination bookstore that I would travel a long ways to visit, thankfully only 45 minutes away from me. read more

Love this place. Really cool, charming, and quirky indie bookstore. Exceptionally curated with an amazing kids section too. The selection isn't quite to the extent you'd find at a major chain (nor would it be at any indie bookseller) but it's nevertheless robust with a bias toward quality over quantity read more

The people at this place are extremely rude. The workers had no idea how to be nice to people. My mom parked in their employees parking lot not knowing it was employees only, so they then proceed to tell two teenage girls that can't drive, "you can't park here, you need to move this vehicle right now or we will call a towing company." in a very rude manner. Who talks to teenage girls like that? read more

Fun bookstore-lots of funky items aside from books & a nice selection of reads. 3 stars for the odd mask requirement, Ryan is showing his California colors on this one... read more

My husband and I are fans of Ryan Holiday's writings, and had to visit this unique spot! This bookshop includes a distinctive collection of literature curated by its owners. While driving through Texas, this was certainly one of our favorite spots. We highly recommend stopping by to collect books with universal truths and enlightenment, as well as opportunities to pick up gifts for loved ones. read more

This little indie bookshop is really great, especially if you're looking for thoughtful, eye-opening books. Everything here has been intentionally chosen, and the owner's recommendations are fire. If you can handle putting a mask back on for 15 minutes while you shop, this bookstore will change your life. If that's too challenging for you, then the books are probably too advanced for you anyway. read more

Support local bookstores, especially when they're this good at recommending tremendous reads. Over the years, I've probably gotten 200 solid book recommendations from the owner. Buying online from them is super easy. read more

Amazing store, amazing owners, really appreciate the hand-written reviews/Recs from Ryan and Sam. Thanks for bringing this treasure to Bastrop! read more