Monument Square, Portland, ME

Portland, Maine is one of my favorite places to go book hunting, and not just because I can grab one of the best milkshakes in the universe at Duck Fat while I do it, but also because there are so many bookstore options available, from those exclusively selling brand new releases to those specializing in secondhand and hard-to-find vintage titles. Longfellow Books has a perfect balance between them, with all the best new bestsellers as well as loads of discounted books, new and old, and plenty of gifts too.

We found our way into the shop using a side entrance through the small “indoor mall” or multi-buisness building (whatever you’d like to call it) that the store is connected to, but there’s also a door off Monument Square between Free Street and Federal Street. Not tough to find, and it’s a good sized space, a few large bright rooms with an open feel to them thanks to plenty of windows letting in natural light. Throughout the many shelves, tables, carts, and displays we found all the big categories you’d expect from a good bookshop, the abundance of fiction, a room for children’s and middle grade, lots of history, biography, regional interests, YA, cookbooks, art, etc. I was happy to see some robust graphic novel, sci-fi, fantasy, and poetry sections too, and the store is big enough that you can lose a lot of time as you slowly browse from one section to the next.

The thing I like best, and what sets this shop apart, is how many discounted books I found there. This applies to both new books and used books. The used books are appropriately discounted and appear on some of their own shelves and carts (though I saw some mixed into the other sections as well), and there are a lot of displays for newer books marked down. When I was there they had little yellow stickers on them, but that may be different when you go. Either way, this is a real draw, because who doesn’t like a discounted newer book? Bookshops that can do this always have an edge against those who don’t, and it’s certainly a shop I’d come back to next time I’m in Portland. PS: They also have very cool merch, so keep an eye out for that.

Atmosphere – With natural lighting, big signage, blue carpets, and oak shelving throughout, the store is comfortable and inviting, and with the number of carts and displays scattered throughout with discounts and specials, it’s a fun place to browse and wander.

Quality – The books are either new or are used books in really good shape, no duds in the lot!

Quantity – There are plenty of books throughout, though some of the children’s book shelves looked a little thinner than those in the fiction, history, and other non-fic sections for adults.

Diversity – They cover the bases here with everything you’d expect, and I like that they have a good dose of poetry, graphic novels, sci-fi, fantasy, etc. Sometimes those sections are lacking but not here. They also have a great balance of new, used, and new but discounted.

Affordability – With the sheer number of used and discounted books, this is the place to stock up. Get at it.

Amenities – There are a lot of extras here, gift cards, clothing, literary nick-nacks, and bags. And there are plenty of nearby cafes and shops. Otherwise you’re here to brose books.

Location – Just off Monument Square between Free and Federal. I saw Bing had the shop appear at a different Monument Street further east, and maybe it used to be there, but Google seems to show the correct location.

Customer Service – There were a few folks there heling shoppers, but we didn’t get to interact on this trip. It was just a quick visit before we had to hit the road.

Overall – I’ve said it a few times in this write-up already, but the real reason to go here is the excellent balance between great new books, interesting used offerings, and big discounts on newer titles. With this kind of variety and the breadth of books they offer overall, this is a must-visit bookshop if you’re visiting Portland, Maine.