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.

The selection and the Staff. I went today looking for one book and found another I had been looking…read morefor. Thanks

Baltimore has a lot of really incredible independent bookstores, and Charm City Books is my…read morefavorite! They have a great selection, and I particularly love their staff picks and backlists. I can always find something good to read there. I love the cozy and whimsical ambiance of the store, and they have fantastic events. Definitely check out Charm City Books if you're looking for your next great read!

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.

this place was absolutely whimsical and I will always buy my books from them. The associate that…read morehelped me find books was super helpful and very knowledgeable on everything. And as a creative person, I loved their branded merch. They even had a map of the different independent bookstores in Baltimore that you can go and visit which I thought was pretty cool as well.

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!

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.

Midtown near Sotto Sopra and An Die Musik, and next door to Mick O'Shea's, is a new mostly used…read morebookstore. An eclectic mix of genres, it will hopefully gain more traction when the Brown's Arcade space in which is sits is finally fully renovated with new shops. It's just taking a while. This time I picked up a 1970s David Brandstetter series detective novel and a modern paperback of The Dubliners.

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 don't often write reviews on this website... but I have to say, the customer service was non…read moreexistent. I love supporting small business, I always have. But there are some stores that just are not worth any support. The woman behind the counter had such an attitude to another lady who was just asking a question about exchanging books or something... The lady was kind, soft spoken and kind with how she asked the question. And the response and tone of voice the worker lady responded with was absolutely unacceptable. This is not how you run a small business. All you will do is drive away customers (like myself). Seek therapy.

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.