Buxton Books

Rachel & Grier are the absolute best! I popped in on New Year’s Eve right around closing time. Such friendly people. Although I talked to them mostly about my research in both screening & treatment of cancer, they were so polite and genuinely supportive of my advocacy for improving patient outcomes. It was truly inspiring. Stop by & support this gem! Josephine

This shop deserves more than 5 ⭐️’s!!!! The staff are friendly, accessible, thoughtful, community minded, inviting… a great vibe. We are thankful for their support of the printed word and for hosting meaningful events.

It was a great new book bookstore. It was a little tight as it was the second Sunday crowd. It was good to see people enjoying the store, buying books, and eating food trucks out front.

We had such a great ghost tour with Brian! He was a great story teller & knew so much more than any historian I have ever had on a ghost tour and we have been on many! It’s a nice walk and covers some great places! I highly suggest you ask for Brian!

We did a ghost tour with Brian. Sweetest and most funny guy ever! He made our experience so much more enjoyable. Brian deserves a raise!! He’s so passionate and great at his job! Thanks Brian!

Loved the ghost tour so much I wanted to buy the book. The store is a quaint little shop. I ordered the book because we had to leave the next day. Our tour guide was so entertaining and we had a fun tour.

Finding styles of books in the quaint, clean bookstore was a breeze. Helpful staff if you needed questions answered, plus labeled categories with staff recommendations made it easy to find, but difficult to choose. Overall, I would say a great spot to find a NEW book in downtown Charleston

Such a great independent bookshop, with very friendly staff and some lovely touches such as ‘blind date with a book’. I did the ghost tour with Brian the night before Halloween and it was brilliant. I’m not ‘into ghosts’ by any stretch of the imagination, but Brian is clearly a very gifted storyteller and entwined Charleston history and ghost stories with amazing skill and enthusiasm - I learned a lot. A rendition of an Edgar Allan Poe poem at the end was especially moving. He also made some great recommendations for photo opportunities. I was gripped for the entire tour and would definitely recommend, even for ghost sceptics!

Was THRILLED to stumble into this beautiful bookstore when most other places were closed at night. The staff were knowledgeable, had great recommendations, and offered wonderful customer service. I also appreciate how their inventory really captured interests that appeal to everyone (local history, children's lit, new and trending books, as well as a comprehensive collection of classics to name a few!) If I were local I would be very happy to attend some of their author events. If you are visiting, please stop by and support this gem of a place.

Lovely indie bookshop on King Street! Cozy, welcoming, nice staff, clean, well organized, great book selection, some are signed by the author, I could spend hours and hours in here. I didn't have lots of time, but my visit was enjoyable, although short. They were holding a Literary Festival in Charleston and Buxton Books was part of it! One of the best bookstores in town!

Love buxton books!!! Great spot in Charleston!! They have a great selection for being a small store and the library is next door in case they don't have what you need!

A wonderfully amazing couple owns this bookstore. And every year for their anniversary they celebrate with their customers and have a festive party complete with carolers, nog and noshes! From the moment you pass over the threshold you feel like family and are greeted with service and a smile helping you to find whatever you might be looking for. With their fantastic selection of even signed editions of books, you can't go wrong here. Support local as they give back to the community constantly! If they don't have it they can get it for you. Love the options of local vendors and authors and what a gem in the heart of Downtown Charleston!

I don't know why I've never been here, as I'm an avid reader... but my mom asked me to go to a "Murder Mystery Party" there with authors Rick Acker + Colleen Coble and even tho that isn't my jam, I jumped at the opportunity. First arriving, they were finishing up painting the outside, and wow it was gorgeous and bright, fresh looking white. When we got inside, I was in love. I have forgotten how much I LOVE tangible books. May sound silly, but in the era of eBooks and audible books (I drive like 1k miles per month minimum, so listen to audible books a lot), I haven't been in a small, independent bookstore in forever and it felt like home the moment I stepped over the threshold. Not only do they have a GREAT selection, they have such cute book-inspired art! So cute, and I'm still curious as to the stories behind the pieces (we didn't have time to ask, so definitely going back when there isn't an event to ask). The event was SO FUN. If you ever have a chance to participate in something like that, I'd strongly recommend it! I laughed so hard the entire time, which was nice. And the staff had it set up so sweet for everyone, with bevies available for the event too, and it was mobility accessible for my mom (we all know that not everywhere in Charleston is easily navigated for those with mobility issues). Loved it and can't wait to go by on a normal, non-event day too.

A great local bookstore with a wide selection. Parking is easy with a city garage right next door. The staff are super friendly. Their events are so fun and reasonably priced - there's always wine too!

I come here probably once a week to look at the new books, browse the selection, and sometimes even go on their downtown tours. Staff is always friendly. The books are well priced and carefully set up to show really interesting options.

Buxton Books is an independent bookstore in the heart of downtown Charleston. If you go on a ghost or Black history tour, many of them start and end here. That gives you a chance to buy a book to learn more about the subject of your tour. While it is not a large store, they have a good selection of local books- including signed editions. I believe they do custom orders, so if you want to shop local, it's a much better option than a big box retailer. Along with books, Buxton books also sells cute gifts. I visited over the holidays and loved how the store was decorated with plushies around the books and Christmas trees. All of the ornaments were for sale, and I bought a 1920s suffragette ornament that benefits women around the world. It took me a few years to discover this gem, but I will return to support independent, small bookstores and local authors.

Independent bookstores are a treasure celebrating the importance of reading and literary education. They are the backbone for humanity and offer a safe haven of dialogue, conversation and reflection. Buxton is no different, but they take it step beyond. Buxton Books is a celebration of the value and importance of reading and writing through the lens of local authors throughout the Lowcountry. Not only do they do author events, they feature them live on Instagram live so that if you are not able to attend or do not live near downtown Charleston, you can still take part. We love that. The fine selection, perfect lower King Street location and elegance make for a charming experience. We love to celebrate Buxton Books!!!

Buxton Books has taken the literary scene DOWN!!! DOWN!!!DOWN!!!! Author luncheons are no longer something to look forward to!! Events are at night when it is not safe in Charleston. The luncheons at Halls put the reader at safety. As an elderly customer, night driving and parking garages are not fun for us!! Amazon and Barnes and Noble are protective of the elderly NOT BUXTON Books.

Love me a local bookstore and it's rightfully off the main drag of King street by the city library. A small shop, but packs a punch! It's quaint and homey with a warm cozy feel. My librarian wife had no trouble finding a local book of haunted Charleston. Staff was friendly at checkout. Would return.

Really cool little local bookshop to visit while enjoying Charleston. They had a great selection for adults and kids. Would definitely recommend for locals and tourists alike!

The bookshop was easy to find on King street, with a great selection of books across all topics. It was hard to pick just one book- pesky suitcase weight limits! We also took the ghost tour with Joe as our guide. We had never been on a ghost tour before and had no idea what to expect. Joe has set the bar for all other guides for our family from here on out. Joe was friendly, knowledgeable, respectful of the subject matter he relayed to us, and genuinely enthusiastic with keeping everyone engaged and safe. Highly recommend this ghost tour and I hope everyone gets Joe as their guide. Fantastic end to our trip- and truly a great night.

Our party of seven took their ghost tour. Brian was our guide and we were in for a true treat. Not knowing what to expect, we were entertained for the next hour and a half with different ghost stories in a 1 mile area. We learned so many facts about Charleston, and so many fascinating facts about the ghost who haunt the city. He was not only entertaining, but incredibly knowledgeable about the history and the facts of the ghosts. The walk is delightful and passes many historical sites. The last one being the Unitarian cemetery where Annabel Lee is buried. I highly recommend this and if possible, try to get Brian. Also, bit the book it is signed by the author and is one of the things we regret we did not buy.

Small, local shop right in the heart of the artsy area of downtown King Street. They manage to pack a lot of literature into the space, so you will likely find something interesting. A heavy focus on local authors and book readings/signings. Not much space for sitting and reading.

Great, classic independent bookstore on King Street. The staff is friendly and well read and just a pleasure to be around. Looking for a new book, just ask the staff. I could stay here all day!

Good selection of books? Check. Friendly staff? Yep. Amazing ghost tour guide? Yes, they have a ghost tour and we had an AMAZING guide! So, whenever we travel, we always look for a bookstore because we love books. Buxton Books has a good selection of books. It has the small bookstore feel that left us thinking we found some hidden gems we wouldn't have found elsewhere. The staff were very friendly. While there, we learned that Buxton Books offered a historical ghost tour. We had never experienced one and thought it would be a good experience. it was! We learned some things about Charleston, but more to the point, we had the absolute best tour guide in Big Joe! Joe made the tour with this acting, his knowledge, and his interaction with the group! Thank you, Big Joe!

Very quaint little hole in the wall book store. They have a lot of book options ranging from fiction to no fiction to sci-fi as well as a range of authors. The front desk will always look up an author if needed and are very helpful.

Signed up for the Ghosts of Charleston tour through Buxton Books mainly because it was not by the main tour companies. Best choice! This was a great tour with a passionate guide. I highly recommend it.

The cutest little bookshop! The people are so sweet and helpful. Highly recommend going.

I adore bookstores and I've learned there are lots of different types. Excluding the mainstream cookie cutter types (like B&N), the small ones tend to be either clean cut, spotless establishments ORRR crazy outrageous stacks of books everywhere and the slightly odiferous scent of decay (a smell I happen to love....too much info?!?). Buxton Books falls into the first category. It is a clean, soft space with lots of sparkly titles and clean, crisp covers. As a result, the prices are newsstand level. There is a great variety and lots of look at though I did feel there was a slant toward local and regionalist works. Which is good. If you're local, it's a chance to get your hands on relevant information. If you're a visitor, it gives you a chance to get something to remember your trip. And like any good bookstore, the titles hinted at challenges for today's intellectual minds. They were titles that should get people to converse on gender, race, women's rights, and equality. Great place.

This is a great little bookstore in downtown Charleston with a curated selection of books. My friends and I stopped in here and had a great chat with a bookseller named John (or Jon? I don't know because he didn't have a business card) who made some great recommendations. Buxton Books provided all of the books at the Charleston to Charleston Literary Festival. I highly recommend stopping in here.

Cute little book shop I've passed by a dozen times but finally made time to walk in. Good kid books selection. I found one book that I already had in my Amazon cart but this was signed by the author so I bought it at Buxton instead of Amazon.

WOW, take their ghost walking tour. It was incredible, such a treat. Walk through historical sites of Charleston and hear spooky stories. End it walking through one of the most haunted graveyards in the city. I was enthralled. Tour was supposed to be 90 minutes; and I did t even notice we had gone into over 2 hours! The best.

What a lovely store with charming employees! Do the Ghost Tour, you will love it. Our guide was Glynnis (sp?), so knowledgeable. And buy the book, for sure.

Loved this shop! Was happy with the selection of the books and the service. Books were on the expensive side but that's normal for a boutique-like shop.

So nice to be able to walk into a book store and enjoy touching and reading jacket covers. Added bonus...went on their ghost tour into the graveyard and enjoyed some great Charleston ghost stories. Our tour guide was great to listen too. She was great!

Buxton Books is an excellent bookstore downtown. Their shop is near the Charleston Library Society, and there is usually ample street parallel parking nearby in this area of King Street. They seem to focus mostly on current bestsellers, but they also have plenty of local and Southern books. This is more akin to a boutique Barnes & Noble as opposed to a funky local bookstore with history. Staff are friendly and helpful, and they partner with Charleston Library Society for book giveaways. Buxton Books also hosts author events and book-based walking tours, although I have not attended either yet.

I ordered a book signed by Brad Taylor and they had it nicely packaged and mailed out right after it was personalized! Great group of people doing business!

We did the evening ghost tour and had such a great time! Rhett was our guide and he was awesome! He is very knowledgeable and a very good storyteller. The tour was the perfect mix of history and ghost stories. Going through the cemetery at night was such a cool experience. I highly recommend the Buxton Books ghost tour, and I'm sure their other tours are worth trying as well.

Buxton Books on King Street in Charleston is a really good book store that is unique to the Charleston area. I like the selection of books that they have available and the experience the they provide. The staff here is very helpful and provides assistance when you need it. This is a good place to go to find a book as a gift.

Loved this place!! Has a great atmosphere and a fabulous staff picks section! Such a wide selection of books and the staff was super friendly

Having lived in Charleston for roughly a decade -- my excursions have taken me up and down and all around. I always feel a true peace and excitement at this section of East Bay. Excitment of what? I'm really not sure exactly what. A possible influence of the supernatural, either way, I'm most certainly taking the ghost tour when I have more time. Fore Buxtons is where the ghost tours actually began, a ghost tour pioneer. Once inside my visual senses hit high gear and due to time constraints, I had only moments so I resorted to reading many rear ends and inside covers. During my breif interaction with the young counterlady, the Kindle topic did arise and we both shared a commonality chuckle, then chatted printed paper quality of older reads, artistry of bindings and covers. It was awesome..!!

Went on a ghost tour with Greg. 10/10 would recommend--Greg is the BEST. Spooky vibes for sure

What a gem of a store. Great selection and a few comfy chairs to review the choices. Staff well read and offer helpful guidance. Will make it a "must" on return visits.

Went on their ghost tour with Joseph ("Big Joe" if you will). He was an absolutely fantastic guide. Very entertaining and knowledgeable. 10/10.

Great little bookstore in Charleston. A great selection and very helpful staff! Would definitely recommend

We had an excellent ghost tour from here. Based on the book Ghosts of Charleston, we were guided to several sites. Sean was an excellent tour guide. He played the part perfectly, but given he is an actor, that was expected. The highlight of the tour was the Unitarian church graveyard that has several bone chilling stories. We explored Philadelphia alley and a few other spots along the way for some other great stories. Be prepared for the heat and humidity if going in July or August. It's hot and you'll be walking a lot. That's the expectation I had going in. Overall it was a great tour and I'd definitely recommend booking here.

Now that I know this place is here, located right across from Fleet Landing, I'm bound to come in more often to check out the books. There aren't many, but what they do have are all geared towards the lowcountry and local authors. The young man working the counter when I came in wasn't too social, especially when he found out that I was local and not interested in a ghost tour, but I can't hold that against him (this time). I'll be back again to check out the books though, and the few nik-naks that have on the shelves. Honestly, it was the sign on the outside with the ghost that got my attention and drew me in. Signs will do that to me from time to time.

Amazing little bookstore and a very fun ghost tour! Joe was our guide and did an amazing job-super entertaining and *just* spooky enough.

Ghost tour with Joe was amazing! He went above and beyond. He was committed to retelling the stories that it felt like live theater.

Ghost tour with Joe was absolutely incredible! He was so committed to the retelling of stories that i felt like i was watching live theater. Highly recommend!

Big Joe was a fantastic ghost teller! He put everything into his stories and made the experience come to life! Great tour!

Had such a great night on the ghost tour with Joe! He is such an informative and entertaining guide:) the stories came to life!!

Great selection of books! Highly suggested stop while strolling on the busy street. I only wish there were more chairs to read for a while before buying.

The ghost tour was legendary. Rhett was very professional and very fun to listen to. He made everything very engaging. Would highly recommend.

We really enjoyed this little shop and it's excellent location but we loved most of all our ghost tour with Mr. Neill! (Spelling could be wrong...) He is clearly a talented actor and told us some great stories about the town. He also shared his rain jacket with me when it started raining and I was only wearing a shirt. Can't wait to come back to Charleston and go for another tour with him!

Small, but A really great spot. I have very much felt that Charleston has forgotten history as an epicenter of slavery in this country. Not so here. You can do tours of forgotten locations and have a lot of books documenting the rest of the story.

The bookstore is quaint and has a great selection. The people there are wonderful. The tours are amazing too. When I want a new book to read, I go here. You should definitely go here.