Harriett's Bookshop

Dropped into Harriett's book store during my visit to Philadelphia. I found the same to be inviting, comfortable and cozy. I enjoyed viewing the book selection here. With so much increased competition out here now with technology it's so important to support local businesses (especially black owned for me). I appreciated the offering and the great value of the selection of books offered at Harriett's Bookshop. The most interesting books I enjoyed seeing here were the various selection of cook and history books. The service here was helpful and warm.

Good evening Google Family. This is my very first time visiting Harriet's Bookshop. I visited to promote Yolanda's children's book, Brown like Me. Miss Jeannine Cook is the owner/CEO of Harriet's bookshop. I had previously contacted Miss Cook through email. I decided to go in person to visit the bookstore and possibly meet Miss Cook. Harriet's Bookshop is named for Harriet Tubman. It is a beautiful place with plenty of books and many books by black authors. I loved the setup of the place. They have a long table and chairs and candles. I love the decor and ambience of the place. A beautiful place to hold a book signing. I also loved that they have a coffee/tea setup in the bookshop. It is in the process of being opened. Hoping that it will be open in time for Yolanda's book signing. It was great to meet Miss Cook and she also has a book that she wrote and it is available for sale in the bookshop. The book is called It's Me they Follow by Jeannine A. Cook. I enjoyed my experience here in the bookshop, networking and talking with Miss Cook. I am truly looking forward to Yolanda's book signing here. It will be a winner!!! Also Yolanda's book, Brown like Me is currently on the bookstore shelf, hardback and paperback. $15.00 for paperback and $20.00 for the hardback. God is Good!!! Workout, be healthy, fit and Fabulous especially for people over fifty years of age.

Nicely curated store, this is more my wheelhouse in terms of preferred reading materials. Unfortunately they seem to need to either train or improve their inventory system. I and another customer had issues trying to price and purchase items. I only ended up buying one book because I didn't want to wait around for the cashier to figure out how much. They were already searching for the price of another title when I walked in. A somewhat disappointing 1st experience. The store is nicely decorated and feels comfortable. They have a small kitchen for a cafe area, but not sure if they actually serve drinks ATM. Hopefully next visit will go smoother. Support black owned businesses.

Had the most unforgettable time on the DEEPLY ROOTED Trolley Tour celebrating Independent Bookstore Day!!! Hosted by the beautiful STARFIRE, we laughed, reflected, connected and made memories.
This special tour was dedicated to Black-owned bookstores so we visited Harriett’s Bookshop 💅🏾, Hakim’s Bookstore (Philly’s 1st Black owned bookstore‼️), Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee & Books 📚☕️ , and The Colored Girls Museum 👯‍♀️. Each one full of history, love, and powerful stories.
Feeling inspired and grateful for a seat at the table! ❤️📚
#DeeplyRootedTour #SupportBlackBookstores #PhillyLove

LOVED THIS SHOP. The vibe was great to read in, the selection wasn't huge, but purposeful. The woman working there was so kind and helpful + her dog was precious!

Harriett’s Bookshop is always a vibe! I celebrated Juneteenth with them and it was literally like a family reunion. They have a great selection of books and other items for purchase. There were book talks/panels and of course Jeannine is a gem! I love supporting a local Black woman owned business, like Harrietts!

This place is such a gem. I came to the opening and had an amazing time! The owner is wonderful and there is a great selection of books that is Black woman centered. I had the opportunity to attend an online author event for the book Such a Fun Age. It was absolutely phenomenal! Looking forward to attending many more events. Also, I have been trying to support small, local, female, and Black Owned Business is during this pandemic. I recently placed an online order for some shirts I planned to give as a birthday gift. When my order was delayed, Janine went above and beyond to make sure that I got my items in time and threw in some lovely gifts for the wait time. Can’t recommend this business more!

An incredible experience. Even though my visit was brief, I could tell there is great intention on creating a space for exploration, quiet reflection and thought. I loved the "by candle" exhibit/experience. The owner Jeannine was informative, friendly and shared tidbits about Philly. The shop just had Will Smith visit and she showed me photos. Very kind. I will be visiting again!

Looking to support a small business? Black owned business this is it! I visited the bookstore after signing up for the Trolley tour and was pleasantly surprised! The decor is books. Books are nicely displayed. Customer service was professional, knowledgeable, and with a smile. When books are purchased they are wrapped in twine which added a beautiful touch. The value of the books were reasonably priced. The trolley tour was amazing!! I was able to experience stores in the city I was not aware of. And the host incredible!! Her energy, style, positive vibes were such a treat! I can't wait to do the tour again!!

Dropped into Harriett's book store during my visit to Philadelphia. I found the space to be inviting, comfortable and cozy. I enjoyed viewing the book selection here. With so much increased competition out here now with technology it's so important to support local businesses (especially black owned for me). I appreciated the offering and the great value of the selection of books offered at Harriett's Bookshop. The most interesting books I enjoyed seeing here were the various selection of cook and history books. The service here was helpful and warm.

The shop is smaller than I thought it would be, with fewer books than I was expecting. But it's super cute and cozy. The person working the counter was very nice. And there's an ancestor altar. Always cool. Love the decor.

Probably the vibest bookstore I have ever been in. They had a lot of used and second hand books. I ended up buying a Christian Dior fashion dictionary. Then say how they wrapped the books for you and I don't think I'll ever unwrap it! The cashier was helpful and chill. We asked him places close by to see and he gave us a list. The aesthetic of the whole shop I loved how it was painted or decorated. It's not full of brand new books from everywhere. It's definitely curated.

I cashapped the amount of $50 to this establishment on accident. It was for my niece to buy her newborn daughter formula. They accepted it and when I requested a refund they denied it. This is greedy! In this economy, everyone knows how valuable $50 can be. Is this the type of person you want to be giving your money to? Knowing if you mistakenly gave them the wrong amount, they more than likely would keep the extra. This is horrible.

I came in about 20 minutes before closing when I visited for the first time. Miss Celia (the shop owner's mom and/or possible co-owner) treated me like a loyal customer, showing me around and opening the back of the store up even though they were getting ready to close the shop for the day. At the time the shop still had its old design (pictured), which had inspirational quotes from Black women writers and thinkers. There is also an outdoor space in the back that was beautifully decorated with flowers and copies of Viola Davis's memoir. Though the space is not big, the book selection is impressive and well curated. Even if you can't find what you're looking for, you will leave with a book that interests you. The second time I visited, they had opened the basement. It was also well decorated and had an eclectic selection of books + magazines that seemed to be second hand or older and were very affordable. The back of the shop has a children's area that has cute children's furniture and seems perfect to foster a love and curiosity for books in small children. When you're ready to check out, your purchase is wrapped in twine and decorated with lavender. These small, thoughtful touches and the warm service is what has made this my favorite bookstore. Even though I live out of state I try to visit at least once a year. Also the backstory of the owner(s) is inspiring and worth supporting for her/their vision alone.

On a warm spring day, I had the a small window of time to visit Harriett's Bookshop and collect a tote bag of literary gifts for a new baby and her parents, special education teacher's classroom, all while being serenaded by a talented live violinist and getting recommendations from the genius founder, Jeannine Cook. There's a mix of your favorites and those on the current New York Times Bestseller list. The store smells like kindness and brilliance and it's clean but cozy vibe says, sit-stay-read. The selection is great. The people are even better. I stayed longer than I had time to and regret nothing.

I enjoyed this literature experience! That's literally what it was! I got to get a walk through of the shop and the underground basement area. Many great finds in here too. There's also a discounted section at the bottom used books. Overall I was impressed! My kids will hopefully enjoy these great finds I got. Plus she wrapped them all pretty too!

I loved that this store carried a lot of books written by women for women. The decor was so thoroughly unique and intentional. The worker answered the questions of other people in the store very well. The store was cozy and on the smaller side so there aren't a wide selection of books but the books they did have were 10/10.

I've been to this book store several times but most recently visited to attend the Sisterhood Sit In Trolley Tour they are holding on weekends throughout February and March to celebrate Black History Month and Women's History Month. I certainly hope they have the ability to offer this beyond March! What a gift to the community, visitors and local businesses. First off, dress for the weather. The trolley seemed to hold 25-30 people and it is a tour of small businesses. Oftentimes that means 25 people max out the indoor capacity so if it's a cold day, you'll want to dress in layers as you may have to spend a few minutes outside waiting to file in and out of the businesses. The tour starts at Harriett's where there was a small band playing the day of my tour. We had about 10-15 minutes to browse the store, listen to the music and make purchases prior to boarding the trolley. Our guide for the day was Brianna, one of the young adults that Harriett's employs. She was fantastic at keeping us all on track and getting us from one stop to the next. We were also extremely fortunate to have former Philadelphia poet laureate Trapeta Matson aboard who shared some of her own poetry with us and also led us in creating a shared poem. The whole experience from the beginning fostered a real sense of sisterhood and community. Our trolley driver had her daughter along with her and it felt like a truly intergenerational, community building experience. While the group was mostly women, it is not a tour that is only for women. After Harriett's we proceeded to 4 additional Black women owned businesses: First stop: Franny Lou's (Fishtown) to grab a coffee, tea or sandwich. I love locals and know the story behind this lovely coffee shop and community space but would've loved for someone from the shop or from the tour to provide us with some additional background on this business for those who weren't familiar with it. Second stop: Freedom Apothecary (Northern Liberties) where they had snacks and drinks and shared some information about the store's history and purpose. Then we had time to browse a variety of makeup, skincare and daily use products and make purchases if we wished. Third stop: Marsh + Mane (4th & South St.) to browse skin and hair care products and meet the owner who shared a bit about the products she creates in her in-house test kitchen. This space is absolutely beautiful and as they say on their business cards, it is a whole vibe. Fourth stop: Yowie (Queen Village) a lifestyle boutique that sold gifts, candles, art, and other household items. This was an underwhelming stop, in part because we didn't get any information about the shop owner, its story or history, but I did appreciate that it was a change of pace from the previous stops. Bonus was Girl Scouts selling cookies across the street! Fifth stop: back to Harriett's! I was glad I had made my purchases at the beginning of the 12:00 tour because we didn't get back to the store until close to 3:00 and they seemed very busy - I think they had another tour goin out shortly after we returned. My friend and I headed to get a late lunch at nearby Front St Cafe and a sweet treat at Cake Life to round out our fun afternoon. All around a great way to spend a Saturday! The tickets are $50/person and you can request scholarships or a reduced fare if experiencing income instability.

Echoing all of my fellow reviewers when I say that Harriett's is a not-to-be-missed stop in Fishtown! Justice-minded with a highlight on Black authors and Black stories, this shop is beautifully decorated and set up SO thoughtfully. Stepping off of Girard and into a literary world of it's own is for sure a special experience. I picked up "Such a Fun Age" which I've had on my list for ages, and spent about a half hour exploring the titles and getting inspired by what to come grab next. Do not skip this shop during your Fishtown visits! There's nothing like an independent bookstore to help capture the essence of any given neighborhood, and Harriett's does this with style and flair. Cannot wait until my next visit and thank you to the entire team here for the great experience!

A fun and cozy bookshop with fantastic book options supporting authors of color! As an educator, I have to specifically point out the lovely children's book section that I know I will return to. The downstairs area is a vibe so don't forget to check it out. Also, a special thank you to Harriet's for organizing the Sisterhood Trolley tour. My group had an amazing time!

Stopped in with friends while visiting from out of town. Main purpose was a particular shirt my friend wanted however they were out of stock. Very cute shop. Named after Harriettt Tubman. Highlights women authors, activists and women artists. Upon entering greeted warmly. Very welcoming atmosphere. We perused not being rushed. My group and I purchased a few items. Glad we able to patronized.

Harriet's Bookshop is cute. The upstairs decorations look like storybook drawings and downstairs is darker with neon lighting. I love that the store features books by Black authors and about Black experiences. If you are looking to purchase books by Black authors you should suit their store or order from their website. Overall, great store.

I love Harriett's Bookshop. The atmosphere is so warm and inviting. The smell, the owner everything is very welcoming.... I love the concept. I also like Ida's in NJ . I will be going back.

The cutest bookstore (with a cute outdoor space also). Mostly new books. The staff is really nice and helpful and they wrap up your book so nicely so that it really is a gift. Support small and black owned businesses instead of Amazon!

I am a LOVER of books and Harriet's is the place to be! The staff is very welcoming and engaging. The books are organized well, the display/design of everything is truly unique to the atmosphere and messaging. The silence, decor, feeling of peace and quantity of books and clothing will bring you right on in. Pay Harriet's a visit!

This bookstore feels like you're walking into a picture book. What an amazing collection of books by Black authors throughout the space, and when I went they even had some gospel singers that really rang through the store beautifully. A must-visit bookstore.

On a recent trip to Philadelphia, I had the pleasure of stopping in at Harriett's Bookshop. I could not rave more highly about this little independent store. The young woman who was working there was beyond helpful, fielding all of our questions and listening to our incessant chattering about every book they had on the shelves. She chimed in a bunch with her thoughts on the books we were contemplating, and was so attentive to us the entire time we were there. They had an adorable outdoor wood patio area around back with books displayed everywhere. The indoor part of the shop was made up of a first floor and downstairs, and the books they carried were largely written by Black authors. Once we finally decided to wrap up our visit and pay for our goodies, we learned that they also do the most adorable wrapping upon checkout. Overall a 10/10 experience and would highly recommend that you hit this spot if you're ever in the Fishtown area of Philadelphia.

Stop buying your books from Amazon!!! I love Harriett's bookshop and always make sure I stop in every time I'm back home in Philly. Although they have a limited selection of books in the store, I always have a hard time only walking away with just one or two books. The store itself is beautiful and set up really nicely as if the books are art (and they are). It's also just a really calming space. Something I really love is how they package your books - it's so beautiful and done with care!

This is a great bookstore! Definitely worth the visit for the selection of books and the environment. It's a beautiful store, especially the outside space. Forget about Amazon or the like-come here for your books!

Would have loved to visit this. Went almost an hour after listed opening time and it was still closed. Disappointed. Apple Maps and bookstore website say this is open everyday while yelp says it's closed three days a week. This is confusing.

Step into a book - literally!! They wrap your purchase up in twine!! Lots of books by various minority authors. Found two great children's books to display in my office!!

This is such a beautiful space. We were looking for a place to hold a gathering for women of color authors and when I reached out to Harriett's they were very quick to respond and supportive. Kaley and Elijah were there during our event and extremely kind and helpful the entire time. Definitely recommend visiting to see the space and if you're looking for a venue for an event, consider doing it here!

Love love love this bookstore! I drove over 45 minutes to pick up a few books for my baby niece. I'm glad I decided to purchase the books from Harriett's Bookshop. The store is organized and has a nice selection of books. The children's selection is well-curated. There is plenty of places for you to hang out and read, which I look forward to doing on my next trip. The staff was extremely helpful and friendly. Looking forward to my next visit.

Support your local Philly jawn!! Not only a small business, but a Black owned, woman owned small business. I've been wanting to come in to Harriet's for months and finally had the opportunity. I loved the layout, the personal touches, the back patio and downstairs/underground. Their inventory is limited, but you can always purchase through their bookshop online. Loved it! Definitely will be back!!!

Harriett's Bookshop is a carefully curated space. The vibe is welcoming and calming. The lights are dim but not uncomfortably, and the scent is amazing. Even during the pandemic, I had the urge to grab a book, take a seat in one of their beautiful spaces, and read. Though I didn't, I did buy three books - two for gifts, one for me! They even have merch, which will also make for great gifts for your loved ones (and for yourself). In addition to the space and selection, you can immediately tell that the owner is committed to a larger purpose. As someone who is doing the work to become anti-racist, I am excited to use Harriett's as a resource for learning, growing, and influencing others to do so as well. Definitely check out Harriett's for the holidays and beyond - you will not regret it!

Harriett's was a great experience! I love books, so I was excited to visit a new store. The decor and vibe were amazing, the staff was friendly and knowledgeable, the children's selection is top tier, the little garden nook in the back was so peaceful and a good selection of modern day books. I look forward to my next visit.

Found this spot on Twitter right as they were opening. What a bright light in a dark world. Fostering learning, education, community, lifting up Black voices, empowering womxn - just a few reasons these folks are doing it right. The store has an amazing ambiance and warmth to it, and I look forward to when we're back to a place where we can all spend more time there. Also just love how they use the space to guide you to books you might like. This is a place that *Philadelphia* needed, and if you can show them some support - do it! Shop local - NO MORE BUYING BOOKS ON AMAZON!

This place is such a gem. I came to the opening and had an amazing time! The owner is wonderful and there is a great selection of books that is Black woman centered. I had the opportunity to attend an online author event for the book Such a Fun Age. It was absolutely phenomenal! Looking forward to attending many more events. Also, I have been trying to support small, local, female, and Black Owned Business is during this pandemic. I recently placed an online order for some shirts I planned to give as a birthday gift. When my order was delayed, Janine went above and beyond to make sure that I got my items in time and threw in some lovely gifts for the wait time. Can't recommend this business more!

This store called me, I mean literally! I was walking on the total opposite side of the street heading to my vehicle and I looked over and seen "BOOKSTORE", I came in and was greeted by the sweetest lady ever!! She introduced herself and as did I and she gave me a warming welcome! She left me to ship and let me know if I needed anything to let her know! Wait a minute though y'all they had a violinist and someone on the keyboard playing!! Yess it was so soothing I didn't want to leave lol . Now the bookstore is cute, and cozy, beautiful and just lovely! There is a small patio in the back with plants and books its sooo cute!! Ghey have a good selection of books and they even have a nice selection for children as well! They have a downstairs as well I wanted to go down but did not it looked like you had to have someone guide you. I finally chose my September selection and headed to the register to cash out. My book was wrapped beautifully with twine and fresh flowers!! I have found my new spot for books!! It is far from my house but I don't care lol my overall experience was wonderful for my first time extremely grateful!!

When I say this place was amazing! So great. Filled with books supporting positive examples and images for the black community. The people who worked there were very knowledgeable and helpful. Chatted with me for almost 20 mins and helped me. Literally came in on a whim and it made my entire day to be honest.

I was so excited to finally visit Harriett's in person.. I've been following them for a long time on social media. I'm trying to support more local businesses ... and I love everything about this bookshop. Wonderful selection of powerful books, welcoming space with lovely displays and helpful staff. Got my hands on Obama's memoir, and as you can see in the photo they wrapped it adding a special touch. Looking forward to returning for more gems to add to my literary collection.

An incredibly welcoming, much-needed space in this moment. Knowledgeable and friendly staff, a specially-curated selection of books, and an AWESOME mission! Patronize this business and continue to read/amplify Black voices.

I love Harriett's Bookshop. It is a warm welcoming place with a nice selection of books. I definitely recommend this business to anyone looking for a good book in a good place.

In a really short time, Jeannine has cemented her legacy in Philadelphia as an incredible activist bookseller. Her curated selection leaves you with nothing to want and everything to learn. The shop itself is so cozy and constantly evolving. It's little secret spots like this that make me happy to live here. Because of the Black Lives Matter movement, as well as Jeannine's work (handing out free books to protesters daily, setting up a sidewalk shop during the pandemic), this spot is not so secret anymore; and that's a really good thing.

I went to one of their sidewalk sales during the pandemic and they had the cutest set up, so inviting. And such a variety of books to choose from! I got a historical fiction, non-fiction, and a poetry book i can't wait to get through all of them. Literally the best vibes on their stoop and sidewalk can't wait to visit again when they're open inside :)

I had my husband drop by on his way home to pick up a book and look at how cute it's wrapped!!! It's the signature details that make your experience unique. I look forward to experiencing Harriett's in person!

I've purchased books in person and online with Harriett's and have had a great experience. Strong collection of literature and helpful service. A great addition to the neighborhood.

One of the coolest places in the neighborhood. A coffee shop with comic books. A win win.

Stopped by the sidewalk sale this weekend. I've been excited about this place since I heard it was opening. This team is super friendly and helpful, and the shop has a great curated collection. Looking forward to being a regular customer!

How can you put into words just how good this book shop is?! I am thrilled to have discovered this gem and look forward to continuing to support them. Although I am not local, I keep up with them on Instagram and whenever I am in need of a good read am sure to patron them by buying online. This country NEEDS more places like this... ASAP!