The Read Queen Bookstore & Cafe

Good selection of books and I was happy to find something used. I liked the kids/non-fiction section. Adorable bookmarks for sale and they give you one of their official ones free with your book purchase. I enjoyed my drink, even though I’m not a coffee drinker. Burrito is the brand that coffee shops tend to stock. Cool that there’s a separate building for gift-y stuff, though I was initially rather confused 😆.

I traveled to this shop on a whim looking for a new bookstore to frequent. I spent a decent amount of time searching the shelves for books in my interests (AA History, LGBTQ+ history, and books written by people of color). When it comes to those mentioned subjects/genres, this bookstore does not deliver.nnWhile I understand that the non-fiction section of a bookstore may not be as robust as the fiction side, I was disappointed by the selection, or lack of, African American History, literature, or authors. There were 3 shelves dedicated to self-help or nature, but less than half a shelf dedicated to “Social Sciences”. I was shocked, but not surprised, to discover that I could not find a single copy of “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” or any other work by Maya Angelou, but there were at least 10 copies of “Pride and Prejudice” in various styles of bindings.nnThere is absolutely no LGBT+ section when it comes to non-fiction. The closest book I found to queer literature/history was a lone copy of “The Ethical S***”.nnIn addition, I found it telling that only certain perspectives were featured in the Political Science section. I will keep those details private since available inventory may not reflect what is or has been available prior to my visit.nnIf you are looking for the next Sarah J Mass novel, a new romantasy or mystery book, or a fun beach read, this may be the bookstore for you. The layout and design of the store is lovely and I love how they merchandise their Used Book selection.nnHowever, if you are looking for books with more substance or diversity of thought, there are other places you can go.

I absolutely adore Read Queen, there is not a place in the world like it. They have the friendliest staff, make the best coffee, have a magical environment, and a fantastic book selection. My husband and I live right down the street and walk down almost every day for a coffee. It’s a truly special place!

Absolutely love this place! Not only do they have the best coffee in town, they also have a great selection of books. I love sipping my brew and searching for the used books on sale. It's a great way to discover new things to read!

I love this place, wish I had found it sooner. So cozy inside and nice spots outside to read too. If they don’t have a book you want you can order through them and pick it up. The staff is very nice and even re made my drink that I wanted sweeter and were very nice about it! There’s so many good gifts here too like cute book marks and jewelry.