Wondering where to find the best bookstores near you?
Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top bookstores in St. Paul, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best spots to venture next time you're in the mood for a good read.
1. Common Good Books
Topping the list is Common Good Books. Located at 38 S. Snelling Ave. in Macalester-Groveland, it's the highest-rated bookstore in St. Paul, boasting four stars out of 42 reviews on Yelp.
Opened by author and humorist Garrison Keillor, the bookstore carries a wide range of new releases across numerous genres. It curates tables with special selections and topics and features some of Keillor's memorabilia and artifacts, including a desk he used during his writing.
Yelper Melissa C. wrote, "This is a lovely little book shop with unique, intuitive arranging that not only helps you find the book you're looking for, but also helps you stumble upon something that, well, maybe you wouldn't have found otherwise. ... Common Good Books has its merchandise arranged in such a way that you're not facing an endless garden of spines; there are featured titles and enticing tables with unique subject/topic groupings."
2. Red Balloon Bookshop
Next up is Summit Hill's Red Balloon Bookshop, situated at 891 Grand Ave. With 4.5 stars out of 16 reviews on Yelp, the bookstore and toy shop has proven to be a local favorite.
Geared toward children and teens, the bookstore hosts book readings, YA author book signings and other events. It also sells toys and other merchandise.
Additionally, it has a Bookshop in a Box program for different age groups. After signing up your child or teen, the bookstore will send a monthly subscription box with hand-selected books curated to the interests and reading level of the recipient. (Learn more about it here.)
Yelper Hayao M. said "The most adorable bookstore for kids with a great selection. Sells puppets, stuffed animals, greeting cards and books about Minnesota and Saint Paul history. If you need a gift for a baby or child, this is the place to go."
3. Midway Books
Midway Books, located at 1579 University Ave. West in Midway, is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the bookstore, which offers antique books, comic books and more, four stars out of 24 reviews.
The bookstore specializes in used, rare and antique books, including children's books, illustrated books, science fiction, fantasy, photography, folklore, literature, military and history. It also has a large selection of vintage comic books and magazines. If you'd like to sell your books, it's willing to buy.
Yelp reviewer Risa Y. said, "They have thousands of rare and antique books — a bibliophile's paradise for sure! They do claim to have the largest selection of art books in the Midwest and, having been mesmerized with their massive selection, I believe it! A really fun place to browse their massive selection of hard-to-find books for great prices!"
