One of my favorite places, and an early reason that I began to consider Boston as "home." Cute knick-knacks and easy browsing, plus (my most important feature) a trove of used books at reasonable prices in the basement. They also stock a great variety of calendars.
Their selections includes independent publications from up-and-coming authors as well as classics and best sellers. The basement has a great used selection. They house readings by touring authors and some cool book clubs.
Their poetry section is really great.
Great selection of new and used books! Friendly staff!
Always great stuff downstairs in the used section, wish I had enough $ to spend upstairs, too. Excellent.
The upstairs section is fine, but the REAL reason I come here is for the used book cellar below. Things aren't dirt cheap like at Brattle Book Shop or Boomerangs, but they're decent enough that you'll probably walk away with something each time you go. GREAT place to kill time if you're meeting someone nearby or waiting on a movie at Coolidge Corner Theatre. One drawback - no bathroom, but you can just use the one at Starbucks next door, usually without a hassle.
Great to see a bookstore surviving the age of amazon. This place will surprise you!
Very cute bookstore, lots of great things you can get as gifts. Very rude staff, obviously welcomed every white customer who entered the store, ignored the 2 of us, Black and brown women) when we entered and were rude to us when they had to direct us to their new check out area (something they didn't have signs up for at least).
Also not sure if this was due to it being a new check out area, but my card was declined 3 times even as I checked my balance IN STORE and after I left. Funds were there, and my card was working fine at every other location that day, before, and after.
Great selection of books. Love the bookseller recommendations
My favorite little book store, staff is friendly and informative. They also have a nice gifts section.
Great local independent bookstore with a nice gift selection
Best bookstore in the Boston region, many notable authors come through here on book tours.
Excellent book selection, humorous and informative weekly e-newsletter, friendly and knowledgeable staff open to suggestions for books to add to their collection
Large selection and plenty of space. and a lot of stuff to give away. More seating would be even better. Wheelchair accessible.
Great local bookstore with huge used section downstairs. Always had interesting books. Get stuck in there for hours.
Large selection of books, comics, "indie" or unusual books, but they do tend to be pricey. In the discount section, however, you will find a variety of books that are under $10! There is also a $1 book Sale outside occasionally, a used books section which also boasts textbooks and language learning workbooks, and also hosts talks with local (or not local) authors. Oh, and there's a children's section and they also sell random, but pretty and unique knick-nacks, like candles, magnets,bottle openers, toys, handbags, necklaces, mugs, figurines, and greeting cards - among much more. Plus, there are chairs where you can sit and read, and there's always an atmosphere of nice rock or oldies music playing.
Independent book store that has a good selection of new books. They also sell greeting cards and other small gifts.
One of my favorite bookstores in the Boston/Cambridge area, Brookline Booksmith has well-curated fiction and non-fiction tables on the ground level and a great sprawl of used books in the basement as well, including genres such as science fiction, fantasy, comic books, and Y/A. It also hosts pretty neat authors from time to time - Jonathan Safran Foer, Jodi Picoult to name a few. My only complaint is there's no loyalty card!
Ordered a book that was in store, through Brookline Booksmith s website. Not only did it arrive the next day, but it came as an autographed copy. Can t say enough good things about the team there.
Good independent bookstore, very helpful staff, author events
Each time I visit this bookstore I have a great experience. The staff is friendly and punctual about their online orders. They have a wonderful selection and super friendly and helpful staff. They are dog friendly and even have treats for my pups on the occasions they accompany me to the store. I have much love for this bookstore and can't wait to try out their new Novel Kitchen when that's up and running.
Very well kept book store, I attended a reading with John Darnielle and the staff was very attentive and a huge part of why the event went as well as it did. I always feel Like I am around others who see the world as I do here. A bit on the pricier side but still worth a visit.
The staff are friendly and helpful. There's a large variety of books so odds are you'll find what you're looking for and then some!
It's great me and my friends always love going there
they actually want you to sit and read!! features photographs of Allen Ginsberg and bob dylan outside the store! and all the best books of Kerouac, almost like you are living the past w all the great adventurers on the road, in the store, out in haight ashbury living their best lives!
This is a really nice little neighborhood bookstore, like a particularly good example of the kind of little indie bookstore that used to be all over the place before Amazon drove all of them out of business.
Went downstairs to the used book area as I was directed by the woman upstairs to look for a title that was not on the main sales floor. To my surprise an invent was being held with a guest speaker Down there. I quietly walked over to the bearded gentleman in the beanie behind the desk and politely asked if I could be down there he replied yes if I was quiet (which I was). I proceeded to ask him if he knew where I could find the title (still whispering) he proceeded to snap at me "Dude I can t I m doing this right now . Doing what? Not working? Watching a speaker while on the job? You d think I was harassing the guy for crying out loud. If it was such an issue why did you tell me I could be down there??? I replied ok I didn t know and backed up with an awkward grin since I was thrown off guard by his sudden attitude. I ll definitely think twice now before I ask an employee something while there if I do go back.
Booksmith provides a diverse range of books, and I mean that in regard to authors and genres. You can find old, new, male, female, nonconforming, black, white, Latinx, etc.
If you re gift shopping, the store has a nice assortment of puzzles, socks, mugs, and more to pair with a book.
As a writer, I find this bookstore among the best independent ones I ve been to. The staff are friendly, and the selection is great. Even if they don t have something I want, they have another book that interests me. Plus, they can order anything not in the store.
The space is a bit tight in the aisles, so it can get cramped during busy times. Close quarters are also an issue for readings, which take place downstairs in the used books cellar. If you want a seat or comfortable spot to stand if seating is full, arrive an hour before the reading for well-known authors.
One of the top 5 reasons I
Moved to the area
I really love the atmosphere here. It makes me want to read more by coming to this store. We are very fortunate to have such a wonderful bookstore in Coolidge Corner.
A great indie bookstore with an even greater staff!
Not many places like this left. A big, diverse, local bookstore with a huge used book cellar. It's been around forever, even longer than me! They stay open late so you can browse at your leisure. While upstairs has an eclectic selection of books and bric-a-brac, my favorite place is the used book cellar. They have a massive collection of mystery novels, and some good sci fi. Big kids section too, especially for good readers. You can sell books here, and I've done so many times. No matter what books I bring, they buy 1/3 of them. Strange little mathematical anomaly at that depth apparently. I noticed the 100 Great Operas book I sold them is still on the shelf. What the heck people? Go buy it already. Anyway, enjoy the shop.
Phenomenal customer service - helped me out with a last minute holiday gift and took the time to walk me through the best process over the phone. THANK YOU!
Like books and other assortments of wired things come on to bb and get cheap books a floor below
I think they accidentally preordered the Mueller Report. When I last went in, there were at least 50 copies. Best summer I ever had!
Aww aye love a visit to the Booksmith, just a great neighborhood book store. They have books of all kinds (including used), a kids reading section / area. Lots of magazines, some local crafts to boot. Very friendly, always busy but a good energy kind of busy. Checkout lines are never that long.
The best independent bookstore in the area! Great selection of books and gifts (including their half-price book section downstairs), as well as a great calendar of events throughout the year.
This is a local institution that never fails to make you feel good. It s a great spot for finding the perfect book or gift as well as community events.
This is a wonderful gem of a bookstore, right in Brookline's Coolidge Corner. Great events, both from smaller local groups and with world famous celebrities and writers. The stock is very well curated and maintained, and staff are friendly, knowledgeable, amd helpful. They also have great book and gift suggestions.
It's a great place to kill some time, but sometimes you can get carried away and spend like 2-3 hours there without meaning to do so.
Great local bookstore and great gifts. Knowledgeable and helpful staff.
A fabulous book store along with some great crafts. A wide range of book selections for each genre. They also regularly have writers and other culturally relevant people speaking there.
Great book store. I especially loved the used books in the basement.
As always one of the best private bookstores around in the Boston area. Constantly find what I need and more.
Armando Eagan Gaitan
Definitely one of the bookstores I've ever been to. It's just amazing! They even have a cellar with used books, and you can bring yours to exchange for store credit! And they also have the most amazing events (they explain all this on their website!).
One of the view independent book stores. Check out the event calendar. You might find some interesting book signings.
I am not a technology savvy woman and still prefer to read the way I grew up. The Brookline Book Smith is one of the last bastions in which to do this.
Thank you so much for still being here after all theses years.
You and your employees can really turn a gloomy day around.
There are so few independent bookstores left and Brookline Booksmith is all one should be and more! Well set up and organized. Something for every reading mood. I also love their gift selection.
A must shopping stop in Coolidge Corner!
Really cool place make sure you check the bottom floor
One of my favorite independent bookstores. Great used selection in the basement. Author events, gifts and more.
This is a beautiful place. It's so rare to run across book stores that is stylish and carry a huge inventory. I always buy books from stores instead of online so that great book stores like this one can stay in business. Also, the staff is very friendly and helpful.
My wife's first visit to the Booksmith was in the mid '60s, mine in the late '70s, and we've been involved with the used book cellar (run by Carl) for a long time through the Library Friends booksale run by my wife (Mel). We're now involved through A-List Books (Don Altman, who now lives off Webster St.), and Don keeps the mix quality excellent. Happy Shopping!
Great great well stocked indie bookstore. Not driving commuter friendly as others. Worth any hassle.
Organize books and gifts and magazines upstairs. Downstairs is a cavernous Selection of used books.
A must-see if you're visiting Coolidge Corner. They have a great selection of new and used books, a cute children's section, and an impressive selection of unique gifts as well.
Packed with awesome books and gifts. I really like the suggestions they put on every shelf!
Wonderful books and jewelry and other gifts I would love to go back there not during the holiday
I love this place. I'm often guilty of not supporting my local bookstore, but this place deserves to be supported. The staff is very knowledgeable, nice, and patient. They have a section of kitschy things that I often peruse for presents to give. And they have a wonderful selection of used books downstairs. Bring your own used books in for store credit
Fantastic selection of books - they even have some French books! The service is excellent. My kid and I love to hang out there.
Its a small local bookstore that sells more than just books. Besides books they have lots of cool toys and interesting stuff. The decoration is great and it feels like a nicely managed place. Its a fairly popular in Brookline.
Great bookstore! The used books section downstairs is particularly great -- often visit just to look around and end up with some gifts!
Great atomsphere and selection of new and used books. Go to bookstore
Probably the best bookstore this side of the Charles River.
Great book selection, and friendly staff. They have books categorized into many different genres.
If there is one place to go when you're in Coolidge Corner it's Brookline Booksmith. You can walk in here with no intention to buy anything and walk out with four or five books in your hand. They have so many fun trinkets and used books downstairs. I can easily come here and spend an hour looking at all the books.
A charming shop, one that makes you want to buy real books in the Kindle era. And there s also an entire second-hand floor, which I didn t have enough time to explore.
This is the spot. Definitely in that category of bookstores with Strand, Powell, City Lights. Small place but actually got alotta good selections and found two books I needed.
Author discussion and signing with Stephanie Garber and it was awesome.
Went to an event here tonight and will never go back. They massively oversold tickets, so the place was unnavigable. Told everyone but the first 50 in line that they could not attend the actual author Q&A and had to listen while standing around upstairs. Everyone kept asking each other where to go and what to do with no help or mediation from staff. Nothing was properly communicated to ticket holders. They need to work with the Coolidge Corner Theater or the library two blocks away to coordinate more appropriate (and ADA compliant) event spaces, because this was one of the worst-organized, crowded, unengaging events I ve ever attended.
Excellent place! Support your local independent bookstores!
Brookline Booksmith is my favorite bookstore in the Boston area. My only objection is they read stories on transgender persons to children at children's hour during a 'trans week.' They said it helps promote empathy (if that's the case, you could accomplish the same thing with a disability week). It's such a complicated issue, that I doubt this is useful for children at this level and seems to me more of a projection of cultural priorities onto the children. In addition, some of the literature by female authors promoted by the bookstore seem to be driven by rage rather than character development. In general, I don't see much value in any literature where the entire point of the book is to bring you into the perspective of being trans, female, or etc. That is not yet a book. To simply be a piece or rage or an alternative perspective is not enough to qualify as aesthetic, or a piece of literature. So, that's one promotional trend I don't like.
This is my favorite book store in the world, and I've been to many.
The best things about the Booksmith are the events and the Selection!!!
This store is a staple of Brookline and should outlive us all.
Thank you.
Landmark, History. A cultural resource, they have great speakers every week.
Best book club and store in the world! Not only in Boston in the World. Enjoy your all weekend over there. It is totally worth it. Cozy coffee Coolidge corner and amazing book waiting for your discovery. Thank you BOSTON community always supporting your local stores. Very good
I love this bookstore! I attend a monthly book club that is always both lively and eye-opening. It is only one of many special programs offered. They have a wonderful selection of books and will also special order things they don't have. The staff is both kind and very knowledgeable.
My favorite bookstore. Great youthful, indie vibe. Very helpful staff.
Best bookstore in the area. Wonderful community resource.
Brookline Booksmith is a great place to get books. Instead of sterile shelves, many books are accompanied with employee recommendations as to why they like a particular book. The atmosphere is light and cheerful. I enjoy my time here.
Real fun place to just hang out and check out what is new in books. I love that they buy back books and that they have a great selection of used books downstairs. I always go when I am in the area!
Great selection of books, many gift items, and stationery/notebooks.
Fabulous independent bookseller. Great staff, lots of help with advice. One of my favorite places ever.
brooklinebooksmith.com