Old Town Books

This place is so cozy and has a unique collection of books too, especially the fantasy and non-fiction section. They have cookbooks, some seeds for gardening, and other cute things as well. The staff is friendly and had a great chat with Rowan about books. Check out the kid’s books section if you have children. It can be a bit hard to navigate the small hallway with strollers for babies, but people are generally nice and will definitely make way for strollers. Overall, an awesome bookstore and please keep local, indie bookstores alive!

Old Town Books in Old Alexandria is a wonderful independent bookstore that quickly became one of my favorite spots during our trip. We loved it so much, we actually visited twice in one week! The store has a fantastic selection for all ages—from children’s books and young adult novels to thoughtful picks for avid adult readers. There’s a little something for everyone, and the curated mix of books, unique gifts, and fun trinkets makes it easy to find something special, whether you’re shopping for yourself or someone else. The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful, especially when it came to picking out gifts. They were patient, kind, and genuinely seemed to love helping people find the right book. I brought a friend who loves reading, and she was so happy with the experience. If you’re in the Old Town area, this place is an absolute must-visit—warm, welcoming, and filled with stories waiting to be discovered

Though the bookstore isn’t large, it makes the most of every corner with a thoughtfully curated and diverse selection of books. The cozy environment really makes you want to come in—perfect for browsing on a quiet afternoon or picking up a gift for friends. Staff are friendly and helpful without being overbearing. Definitely worth a visit.

Good for gift giving scenario but a waste of time if you are shopping for yourself and not an adherent of identity politics. I tried really hard to find an acceptable new title to purchase but when you investigate into what the books are it’s extremely frustrating. The books that look like they could be interesting are booby traps ("protagonist inherits property from white grandfather"etc.) If this is what sells now I can’t fault them, they seem to have a good ordering system. Kids section seems well stocked and they have some fun cookbooks but boy howdy gee whiz did I feel marginalized in there.

I love bookstores so when I learned Old Town was getting a new one I came when I got the chance. And I've been returning frequently whenever I can since. In the two years at least I've been coming, the store always has something for me. I leave either with a new book to read (or two) or ideas for things I want to read later. I sometimes like to go in just to see what's new since they carry the latest releases. And since expanding over the spring, adult and children's materials have more space for each other. I know they have events but haven't been able to go since I can usually only visit on weekends. But I follow them on Facebook since they post regularly. Today I bought a new sweater they just released that's book themed but also Old-Town inspired that I saw from their FB page. It's cute and I love it. If you can't tell it's often hard for me to leave without wanting to buy everything, but they do have a rewards program so you can get points off purchases. Their staff are also super friendly and helpful if you ever need help or recommendations. Check this place out if you're in the area. It's not far from King Street and always has something new to read!

Such a cute bookshop, extensive adult and kids book selection. The shop is larger than it may appear from the outside. Staff was helpful in finding a book I was looking for. Lots of recommendations throughout the store. You could definitely spend some time here.

I just happened to stumble upon this bookstore by chance, but I was so glad that I did 🙂 This store is cozy, but has a great variety of books for the size of its store. They also have a children’s section which is cozy and cute. I had to much fun exploring the shelves in each room, and made two trips during my 3 day vacation. I’ll definitely stop by again when I am visiting Alexandria 🙂