Check Out These Charming Local Austin Book Shops

By Kelsey Kennedy | November 16, 2024

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One of the best “treat yo-self” moments, to me, is stepping into a charming local book shop, ordering a latte at the local café, and slowly perusing the shelves until I find a new book I want to buy. Whether it’s a fiction book with a little card near it saying “staff favorite!” and a little handwritten note about why the bookshop owner loves it, or a cookbook I’ve been wanting, or a self-help book that catches my eye, I just love love love buying real books from one of these local Austin book shops.

Yes, Amazon is convenient and I totally use it sometimes when I need a book or a kindle delivery, fast. But I always make sure to buy a few books from these local bookstores in Austin, too! It’s especially fun if you need a good local gift idea in Austin or you’re just looking for a cozy place to buy and book and read for an hour or two.

12 Charming Local Austin Books shops

1. First Light Books

First Light Book Shop is the ultimate cozy book shop in Austin. It’s where I always send people when they want a coffee and a bunch of curated bookshelves to pursue.

It’s actually in an old post office in the Hyde Park neighborhood of central Austin, and I love that they renovated and repurposed it so beautifully. All the shelves are curated with an incredible selection of books, and there’s even a kids corner in the back that’s so cozy. They have monthly readings and special author appearances, and you can even become a member of this local Austin book shop.

Oh, and there’s a café! Stop by for a coffee and a pastry, or get some wine and a cheese board in the evening. It’s an excellent place to buy and book and sit for a few hours to read, meet up with your bff for a chat, or just wander and browse.

WEBSITE | 4300 Speedway Unit 104, Austin, TX 78751, United States

2. Vintage Bookstore and Wine Bar

Vintage Bookstore and Wine Bar is the type of local bookshop that you’ll walk into and think, wait, how is this place even REAL?? I’m telling you, it’s absolute magic! It’s a former historic home (and then it was a law office) so it has all these little rooms and nooks and corners where you can get lost in a great book.

It’s also a wine bar, which means you’ll love this place whether you love books, or wine, or both! I think this is one of the best places in Austin to meet up with your book club, but they also have a great selection of books for those who love to wander solo and find their next favorite read.

WEBSITE | 1101 E 11th St, Austin, TX 78702, United States

3. Black Pearl Books

Austin’s favorite black-owned bookstore is built to promote diversity and inclusion, and they do it so beautifully.

Not only is the cute little shop full of a great selection of books and literature, but they also host a lot of monthly events like open mic nights, author readings, and book discussions all built around their core principles.

WEBSITE | 7112 Burnet Rd, Austin, TX 78757, United States

4. BookPeople

BookPeople isn’t a “small” local book shop…it’s actually the largest independent bookstore in Texas! And if you live here and still haven’t stepped foot into BookPeople, today’s a great day to discover your next favorite book. 🙂

One of my favorite parts about BookPeople is the enormous area upstairs dedicated to children's books. They have weekly story times that are so sweet, and I’ve stopped by many times to purchase books for birthday parties that my kids are attending.

Additionally, this is a great spot to stop by and buy a book if you’re not really sure what you want! It’s a HUGE 2-story book store in Austin, and they have a lot of little cards tucked into books around the store sharing staff picks, new and notable literature, etc.

WEBSITE | 603 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78703, United States

5. South Congress Books

Like most local stores on SoCo, South Congress Books is no longer located on South Congress because it’s become such an expensive retail and tourist destination in Austin. So, South Congress Books moved to Kerbey Lane in central Austin!

South Congress Books is a used bookstore in Austin with rare, vintage, and collectable books. If you’re into any of those, this is probably the best spot in Austin for you to find used books.

WEBSITE | 3703 Kerbey Ln, Austin, TX 78731, United States

6. BookWoman

A feminist bookshop in Austin specializing in books by and about women, BookWoman has actually been in Austin for about 50 years but under various names and locations. Now, it’s located on N Lamar and it's a wonderful spot to stop by and find an incredible book.

They also have open mic nights, poetry nights, and other events that are both in-person and virtual.

Photo Credits: Graci D., Yelp

WEBSITE | 5501 N Lamar Blvd Ste A-105 Austin, TX 78751

7. Reverie Books

Reverie Books is a cute (tiny) bookshop in south Austin that opened in 2021 in the height of the pandemic. They held fast, though, and now it’s a favorite among south Austenite's looking for local, independent bookstores.

They have both used and new books, as well as a children’s section. Their primary focus is on social justice and uplifting marginalized voices, so this is a powerful bookshop with a big mission. Well worth a visit!

Photo Credits: Thais P., Yelp

WEBSITE | 5330 Menchaca Rd Ste D Austin, TX 78745

8. Lark & Owl in Georgetown

Oh my gosh, one of the very cutest bookstores in the Austin area is actually up north in Georgetown! Lark & Owl is the sweetest independent, woman-owned store that sells a wide variety of fiction, nonfiction, children's books, LGBTQIA+ literature, and more.

The store itself is cozy and makes you just want to fall in love with a great book. They have a little bistro in the book store where you can get a latte and a muffin for breakfast, or stop by for some comforting soup for lunch.

Photo Credits: Melissa M., Yelp

WEBSITE | 205 W 6th St Ste 101 Georgetown, TX 78626

9. Alienated Majesty Books

They call themselves “home of the weird, the radical and the lost.” This local Austin bookstore is all about books you might not be able to find in Austin’s growing book landscape: small presses, comics, works in translation, etc.

The bookstore itself was called Malvern Books from 2013-2022, and then in August 2023 it was transformed into its current iteration. It’s a warm and inviting space, with a small cozy nook in one corner and a small table in another. It’s not a large book store, but they always have something interesting!

WEBSITE | 613 W 29th St, Austin, TX 78705, United States

10. Austin Public Library Recycled Reads

With such an epic public library system here in Austin, all of those books that are no longer on shelves have to go somewhere…and they end up at this incredible Austin library used book store! Almost everything at this bookstore is $2 and under. And all the proceeds go back into the Austin public library system.

Recycled Reads isn’t your typical “cozy” book shop, but if you loooove used books and want to find a great bargain on a wonderful book, you’ll adore this place.

WEBSITE | 5335 Burnet Rd, Austin, TX 78756, United States

11. Book Burrow in Pflugerville

Honestly, this is one of the sweetest little book stores in the Austin area. It’s located in Pflugerville, so it’s just a bit outside of Austin City Limits, but it’s well worth a drive if you love charming bookshops.

Book Burrow is an independent bookstore that has a local cat shop. And that really tells you all you need to know about this place. 😉

No, in all seriousness…it’s a quirky, quaint place that welcomes everyone and embraces weirdness. It’s located in downtown Pflugerville, so it’s easy to stop in a browse for a bit.

WEBSITE | 401 W Pecan St G, Pflugerville, TX 78660, United States

12. Half Price Books!

I have to finish by mentioning Half Price Books! Even though it’s not an independent Austin book store, Half Price Books is such a phenomenal place to purchase used books. It’s better for the environment to buy pre-loved books, and you can often find some really cute gift ideas in there, too. There are still a few locations of Half Price Books in Austin.

Photo Credits: Jennifer Y., Yelp

WEBSITE | 5555 N Lamar Blvd Austin, TX 78751