Book Stores in Portland, ME

“Tons of back issues from the late Silver Age to current! I had a fantastic time going through their back stock and after asking about pre-code horror comics they went to the back room and found a couple! Very friendly and knowledgeable, highly recommended!”

“Print is a wonderful local bookstore in the East End that packs a lot into a relatively small space. Be prepared to linger and browse and emerge with more than you planned on, and by the time you do it's highly likely you'll have chatted at length with everyone on staff and half the patrons too. Which is to say, it's a book lover's heaven. They always have a good selection of new fiction and nonfiction releases (as well as curated backlists of both), a prominent table of new paperbacks, a fantastic "Maine authors" and New England travel area, and a nice kid's section, with a bit of room to pull things out and play. Someone on staff clearly likes to spend time in the kitchen, because the cooking and food section is *amazing*. There are cool art books and pop culture tomes (really good stuff for gifting), as well as a selection of other great small locally made gifts (cards, candles, notebooks, etc.) sprinkled around throughout the store (I tend to come here first when I'm looking for presents). Possibly my favorite thing is the small presses shelf with wonderful books from US and global presses that publish things out of the ordinary: think beautifully designed books of odd trim size and lovely paper, along with works in translation--stuff that isn't easy to find. Wait, I lied! My favorite thing is the STAFF RECOMMENDATION SHELF, which, if you're trying to not spend money, will be your downfall. Haha, who cares? Especially when you're likely to get a detailed, enthusiastic plug from one of the staffers right there--I mean these are book lovers who know how to describe something, and what it means to them, and why you might like it too. Trust me, you won't regret it: this is genuine old-fashioned handselling of the best kind, and I've loved every single recommendation I've picked up here. By shopping at Print you are also (a) not supporting that giant online place where everything is cheaper but doesn't do anything for a local economy (or authors!) and (b) Print has a frequent flyer program you can join, so you'll rack up some credits you can use on subsequent visits. Join their newsletter to learn about other deals (such as the fabulous 20% off day they had for Thanksgiving this year), as well as readings by local authors. Bonus points too for a website that's easy to navigate, and you can also order there to pick up. Print: a bookstore, and already a local institution. Be there!”

“Super convenient bookstore for me, being right in the Old Port and they tend to have a great selection of current and interesting titles. I like my books a little more dingy, like the bookstore Bastian finds the Neverending Story in, and this is not that store (Portland has a couple!), but they almost always have what I'm looking for. On top of that, the employees are super nice and are awesome with recommendations. If you give them a theme you're looking for, odds are one of them will excitedly tell you about something they're reading or have read. A great place to waste time looking at books while wandering the OP. Some fun gifts, cards, knick knacks as well.”

“This is the best book store I've been to in many years! They have a great selection of older hardcover books and a killer sci-fi/horror/occult section! The owner was very friendly and knowledgeable and is very passionate about collectibles books!”

“Delightful little bookstore with a variety of genres. There's a great children's section and also a staff suggestions section to help you find your next read.”

“Classic indie book store, with helpful staff, a great and informative newsletter, and a curated/unique inventory. In addition to new books from a variety of genre, they also have a used book section which is super fun to peruse. You can also join their rewards program, just by giving them your name and phone number, and perhaps an email address, and the rewards and discounts build up pretty quickly. They also have cards, games and notebooks for your writing pleasure. Unfortunately, they removed their magazine section a while ago; I'm still a bit of a magazine geek, so that's a minor disappointment. Still, this is a long time, top-notch bookstore in the heart of downtown.”

“You might have a little reading or writing nook in your home. Maybe grandma's secretary and a few quill pens, some tchotchkes or knickknacks from the antique store on display, or maybe even a couple of those wooden shelves with the glass partition. Well, this entire place is like a showroom of that paradise. I wanted to touch and play with everything. I adore places like this! By no means am I (yet) an antiquarian book collector; I've watched some YouTube videos and have been advised that once you start collecting, there's no end. I also can't read, so that isn't very helpful. I spent a fair amount of time perusing the shelves for a book I might buy, paying closer attention to the old hardbound volumes with decorative covers. There are many of them, but not all of them desirable. Behind the counter and hidden away is the good stuff you probably can't afford. I did walk away with a few inexpensive items, positive I would come back, not least thanks to chatting with Cathy, one of the owners, at the counter. What could have been a simple 5-second exchange, turned into a glorious reverie that I would gladly make a journey for, to have the pleasure of again.”

“Excellent used bookstore and prices are reasonable. I always spend several hours here when I visit Portland. It has an absolutely huge selection of literary biographies and literary criticism. Psychology section is also nice, as well as history, religion, and fiction. It is true that lighting in some places is a bit spare, and there are books on the floor. But I love looking for treasures and finding a good book I knew nothing about. Russ, the owner, always helps you find something if you ask.”

“Lux Mentis has been my trusted go to bookseller for hard to find books. Their staff is incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. Their customer service is top notch, and they take much care in shipping their items. I highly recommend them.”

“I have shopped with audio file since probably the early 2000 never have I ever had a bad situation with them they’ve always treated me nice and took good care of me 10 out of 10 would recommend”

“Every time I've bought something here, the staff has been incredibly patient, humorous, and quick (which is an important characteristic to have when one is working a c-store in an airport where people are always go-go-go). This is my usual stop to grab gum before boarding, but there have been times I've swung by for other things (drinks, gifties, random H&B stuff)... Once I needed twelve (of the same) Maine-type things to bring with me to New York. The lady working that day took the time to go over with me everything in the store she thought was appropriate, and everything that was labeled as a "Maine" thing but was really made elsewhere (and her suggestion as to why I should avoid it; gotta love salt of the earth people who defend our humble state like it's the only one that matters). I thought that service very over-the-top nice. Recently, I found a giant bag of Takis for just .49 cents. I was baffled at the low price, so I had to get them (regardless that I would probably only eat three or four). The gentlemen ringing me up warned me against buying them because of how excruciatingly hot they were... he also suggested buying a six pack when I landed to help wash them down. We had a moment then, him and I, laughing about Takis and beer like we had some inside joke and were old friends... something that wouldn't happen at most other airport's c-stores, but in Portland, ME? Commonplace. Can't go wrong with a clean airport store that sells the basic necessities and does so in a personable and timely manner, so CNBC News gets my vote!”