Tombolo Books

Wonderful bookstore and the most amazing people! I decided to spend the weekend celebrating turning a year older by visiting as many independent bookstores as possible and Tombolo did not disappoint. Upon entering, i received the warmest welcome. I found several books to add to my TBR stack. Excellent options!! When checking out, I asked about places to find soup and they helped me locate a great place. Highly recommend and will be back when in the area!

I was in Tampa for a Bucs game and searched for bookstores - I’m so glad this place was recommended to me!! I loved the layout and the staff notes/recommendations. I found 2 new books to add to my want to read list. If I find myself back in the area, will need to visit again!

So much larger on the inside than it seems, glad I stopped into this bookstore. The book keepers were so kind to talk to and I loved how large and diverse the kids section was. The seasonal picks were fun and spooky for fall and I was able to pick up a couple on my list!

Quaint bookstore with great vibes! The decor is lovely the staff is fun and kind. There’s a great kids section and they also have journals! Top notch!

Tombolo is everything you could hope for an indie bookshop in St. Pete. If you haven't been in, it's a must-shop stop. I love the solidarity shown with students in local districts where books are being banned in droves in recent years by putting informative bookmarks in banned titles. The vibe is friendly and welcoming. The shop has a wheelchair accessible entrance and restroom, too.

Amazing little shop nestled in a cozy alley butted up next to a coffee shop. The perfect little book area! My 4 star review is strictly based on the quantity of each genre that they carry. While there is something there for every reader it is limited in what they carry so id advise checking online or calling if youre in search of something specific. If youre just hitting the book store to let the books find you then its a must visit while in the area. Staff was extremely kind and welcoming as well.

Helpful book store staff. Lots of literature options. Free parking in back. Next to Black Crow 🐦‍⬛ Coffee and patio.

Shoutout to the coolest local bookstore that has the most thoughtful employees! I ordered a set of books online for a friend’s birthday, and completely unprompted, they wrapped each book and wrote a ‘to: from:’ note on the first book! My friend cried happy tears when she got them and I was so obsessed with the small details Tombolo gave my order. Thanks for putting in the work!

I love supporting local bookstores. I am currently on a book buying ban lol but a few got added to my list for after I get through my TBR. The staff was friendly, staff picks did not disappoint either ( and one of my future purchases was from the shelf) Cute assortment of bookish items too, I did get a few stickers. Price is pretty standard

Tombolo Books embodies the spirit of St. Pete and I love it. It's indie, funky, edgy, and chock full of selections from local authors, marginalized communities, and independent publishers with some mainstream titles thrown in for good measure too. I ventured in to pick up some good reads while convalescing from a recent injury. The shop is cozy, friendly, and welcoming. The staff is always willing to help find a specific selection or genre to fit your interest or you can peruse the shelves independently. The selections are well organized and there are many hand written notecards (LOVE that!) identifying staff picks and synopses. In addition to books there are gift items, puzzles, journals, greeting cards for every occasion and more. I also would be remiss if I didn't mention the courtyard that can provide the perfect "nook" to curl up and enjoy your latest selection. According to Yelp, I am supposed to address "value". I don't know if Tombolo offers the best prices, but I do know that their multiple Sponsored book clubs, in-store events that include featured authors, offering of unique titles and supporting an independent business that also supports indie businesses is invaluable to me!!! Tombolo Books -- 2 thumbs up, 5+stars -- just do it!

This is easily the cutest bookstore I have ever visited! Tombolo Books is such a nice spot to browse some books and find your next read. I love that they have a variety of local authors, children's books, and fiction/non-fiction bestsellers. The staff was so kind and took time to share with us about different events they host every month like book clubs or special meet and greets with authors (these are free to the community and a fun opportunity to get your personal copy signed by the author). I noticed that the shop had a "blind date with a book" section, which makes for the perfect gift or fun reading experience. If you're in the area, I highly recommend checking out this local bookstore!

Best bookstore in Tampa Bay in my opinion, hands down! This place is wonderful. So many books, incredibly friendly and interactive staff, lots of events/book clubs/author visits, fun seasonal displays with book recs, and so much more.

Small but thoughtfully laid out and easy to navigate indie bookstore with an excellent selection. The bookseller recommendations shelf near the checkout was a great place to see different books recently read by those that work in the store and why they recommend them. Love the book merchandise available as well, again carefully crafted selection that made sense but also had some fun things I hadn't thought about for a bit in as well too. So glad we stopped by while in the area!

This is a great local independent bookshop! We visit it every time we visit Florida. They have a fabulous collection of titles (and if they don't have a book, they can order it for you) and friendly helpful booksellers who always have wonderful recommendations! They also have great events (this year we went to a talk and signing with the author of Culpability, Bruce Holsinger) and book clubs. Even though this bookstore is about an hour from where we stay, it is well worth the drive! If you are anywhere near the Saint Pete area, be sure to visit and support Tombolo Books!

awesome little bookstore. they have an amazing selection of books, including newly published ones. i liked how they highlighted some of the books with handwritten summaries and had a staff picks section.

Such a cute place with lots of books to choose from. Easy to find location, the parking is a little hard to find but worth the stop. As far as value goes, I feel the books were fairly priced and had a good selection. All the staff were kind and helpful, would definitely go back.

I'm not one to shy away from a bookstore but even that said, I loved the details peppered around this indie spot. The tiles around the entrance door, the curated displays, the handwritten cards for staff favorites, the reading nook in the children's section, all great. They seem to put on lots of events which is something I wish I lived closer for. And for those curios, it's situated directly next door to a rad looking coffee shop so win win.

On my way to an event in St. Petersburg, I made a pit stop at Tombolo Books. It is a beautiful gem of a bookstore with a wide variety of books available and an amazing staff that is always ready to help. Ryan, one of the staff members, helped me pick out an amazing book. The atmosphere inside the bookstore is calming, making it a must-visit place for book lovers. The back patio is shared with a coffee house and features a beautiful patio where people can read books and enjoy coffee. Overall, Tombolo Books is definitely a beautiful gem of a place to visit in St. Petersburg.

The service and selection were great. Cute independent bookstore. Parking is either on street or in the alley behind the store.

Terrific Indi-bookstore that is near downtown Saint Petersburg. Parking is a little challenging but it's right near Central Ave. The staff is very friendly and helpful. Tombolobooks.com

Probably one of the most inviting bookstores around! Welcoming and friendly faces when you walk in! Set-up to make you walk and look around - your classic sections followed by St Petersburg history and local authors, indie collections, banned books, tchotchkes (cute pens, bookmarks, etc), and many more things to find! Please try this when you're in St Pete, they definitely know what they're doing! Perfect for any book, trinket and peruse enthusiast!

I love this book store. It's quaint and cluttered in the best possible way, with friendly personnel, and has nice programs.

Such a cute small bookstore that harkens back memories of small bookstores with wall to wall book shelves. The staff are friendly and eager to welcome you in and help. This is how bookstores are meant to be experienced. Their back patio is shred with a juice, smoothie place as well another coffee store. The patio is very welcoming to sit, drink, and read your purchased book. The interior is warmly lit highlighting the stars - books. It can get a bit stuffy with a lot of people inside, so best to come in a weekday where you are highly like to find the place lot more welcoming to wonder around and pick up your choice of reading pleasure. I found the brown paper wrapped mystery book section that's titled - A blind date with a book w/ just a couple lines that hint at what that book could be about. Very creative spin. Tombolo books is a must visit for book lovers.

Gosh I loved this bookstore so much! For starters it's tucked beside Black Crow Coffee shop which means you can grab a hot or cold cup of Joe and make your way over to browse. The location was very tidy and organized inside. The sections were labeled nicely and they had a great selection of books. I took my sweet time looking through all the shelves and never felt rushed at all. The women running the shop were welcoming and offered to assist me in selecting books a few times. There is also a nice restroom for customers to use which came in handy after having coffee and reading book covers for hours. This was such a cute bookstore and I'll definitely be back! They also have tons of events and activities if you are local and looking for a good book club or how to class.

I love me some Tombolo books! I don't get over here as often as I like, but when I do it's always a scrumdidleyumptious visit! Such a delicious bookstore with so many titles and authors you might not see at a chain bookstore! What's more, they love having local authors over for special book events! And some even attend their book clubs! Yes! They host monthly book clubs! Several different genres to choose from such as romance or thriller. You can switch it up and not be exclusive to just one. There's a lovely little courtyard in the back, so quaint and charming. Plus a little coffee shop out there as well. There's nothing like sipping and reading. One of the best parts? They're dog friendly! Plus... THEY SAY GAY! What more could you ask for? I joined a bookclub, bought a presale book to be signed by the author, and I can't wait for both!

I was looking for a book from my childhood to gift to my granddaughter. I'd been having problems locating it. I emailed Tombolo books and got a reply within 25 minutes with a link to an Etsy site that had the book. I am thrilled that they were so helpful. I will be shopping there again.

Such a cute and aesthetic book store filled with all trendy and upcoming authors! They had lots of special edition and signed books. Tons of bookish merch too.

Such a beautiful bookstore. They have everything categorized in categories. The moment I walked in they asked if I needed help finding anything. I got a book I've been wanting to read for a while. "I'm glad my mom died" by Jennette McCurdy. The book store accepts inquiries from local authors on their website. They have a ton of LGBTQ+ books as well. Definitely for a stop to get a book to read in your hotel room. :)

This is a lovely little bookstore with a wonderfully curated selection and friendly staff. If you're looking to read or find out about local events and want to attend author events, this is your spot! Fun store with lots of interesting reads from Manga, to history, poetry, and fiction. A few parking spots in the back off the side street. Very alt hipster vibe. Fun and informative. Made me hungry for veg sushi and fried kale.

I love a good bookstore and this cozy little shop is just that! Great location, close to downtown and other shopping areas. Has a bit of it all - Fiction, Nonfiction, Kids, Poetry, & more. Little trinkets and artwork made by local artists as well as an area for "Florida" related books of all the genres. I will definitely be back, whether I want to get one of the latest released books or something more unique. They also have events, such as meet the artists & more.

I adore this book store! I bought one of my favorite books ever from Tombolo and part of what makes me so fond when I hold the book is the memory of getting it at this bookshop. The vibes were seriously so warm and sunny. The staff was friendly and kind. So special!

Wow! What a wonderful bookstore. Friendly service. So helpful. Great book selection without having overstuffed shelves. Looking forward to my next visit.

A bookstore in St. Petersburg that is not part of a chain offers a great variety of books. I was looking for more romantic stories involving women but ended up finding the latest winners of the National Book Award. This was a pleasant surprise! Make sure to browse through the stickers and pins available at the store.

Amazing atmosphere with knowledgeable and friendly staff! This is a must-see for any book lover.

Hipster coffee shop and bookstore in St. Pete. Not a wide variety of books, but definitely worth a stop for a cup of Joe.

On this edition of #BestiesBeveragesandBookstores we head to St Pete to visit @tombolobooks. This store is BEYOND welcoming to all and I had the hardest time picking out just one book. I can also thank them because I'm pretty sure I've now fully entered the sticker phase thanks to them. The assortment of both books and fun little items was incredible. Although they don't serve drinks, next door @blackcrowcoffeeco will definitely set you up for both drinks, snacks, and a comfortable spot to sit and start that new book, or maybe even an art project. Both stores truly felt like I was coming home and I highly recommend you check them out!

Tombolo Books is truly a one-of-a-kind bookstore! Grabbing a coffee from Black Crow and stopping by here is my definition of a perfect Sunday :) They have a wide variety of books available (and they update their shelves quite a bit), an adorable section with wrapped books that you can't judge by the cover, cute stationary sets/pins/stickers, and an ambience that truly can't be replicated. It's so lovely; Tombolo might just be my happy place. The staff is always so wonderful and kind as well! Shop local and be sure to check out this bookstore if you're nearby. You won't regret it!

This is honestly one of the cutest bookstores I've ever been too. The staff there are kind and you can tell that they have a passion for books that they want to spread and share with their customers. They have little index card recommendations placed within each genre section of books that the staff has personally read. They also have a shelf strictly dedicated to the staff favorites, and the store is inclusive which I think is important since young people often use books to escape their realities. They also have little brochures to hand out with upcoming events that they host, there's various book club options available for all sorts of book lovers. I think I found my St-Pete bookstore.

i absolutely ADORE libraries and this place was soooo cute!! the selections of books was amazing and the store was super clean & organized! + they also host a book club! if i lived here i would definitely attend it!! ^^ + i also bought crying in H Mart and i've been reading it for the last few days,, it's really good id recommend this book to anyone!

I love this bookstore so much that I am eager and more than willing to make the drive from Tampa

I have not visited yet, but just read a great article in the Tampa Bay Times about the new owner, Alsace Walentine, and how she came to open this new independent bookstore in the Grand Central District of St Pete. The article mentions that it has lots of warm wood, open space, and natural light, and a cozy nook in the children's section. She will not only sell national bestsellers and classics, but also feature books from smaller publishers and Florida authors, and will regularly host readings and events. Sounds like a wonderful addition to the city and a dream come true for the new owner. Can't wait to visit and look forward to seeing many years of success for this local business!

First time here and didn't disappoint. Friendly and helpful staff. My daughter loved it and we'll definitely be back. Great selection and very organized.

Beautiful, friendly, independent bookstore. Great selection. We spent over an hour browsing through the great selection. Support local.

Wonderful spot for browsing! Love the kids book selections and staff recommendations shelves especially. Lots of events every month. My happy place!

collection is extensive, the staff is helpful, and the cozy reading nooks are a lovely touch. I always find hidden gems and new releases. A must-visit for all book lovers!

I was excited to find a local bookshop selling new and recently released books. Tombolo is a quaint storefront with welcoming staff and the kind of indie vibe that you'd expect in St. Pete. Due to covid, I had to book a time slot to visit the store in-person but I was able to get a same day appointment on a Sunday and making a reservation was easy as can be on their website. I was greeted as soon as I arrives and given a mini tour of the shelves and genres. While this bookstore isn't that large they have plenty of amazing books to choose from and the best selection of local/Florida books I've seen...ever. Although brand new books are pricey, I will gladly pay it to support the author and a local business like Tombolo.

Awesome selection of books and very sweet staff. They even had blind date books. Wanted to shop local while on vacation and was not disappointed!

What a wonderful local resource for those of us who love finding books we don't even know we'd love! And they do wonderful events with authors, and community events which encourage greater literacy! A valuable member of the Grand Central Avenue and Warehouse Arts District neighborhoods!

So many varieties of books in so many sections. The Children's section had many ages and themes. My son and I were able to find several books that peeked our interest that we had not read yet!

Such a wonderful find and above and beyond customer service! Their website is very easy to use and find out what is in stock and they have several shopping options right now which is always appreciated. However, what really blew me away is that Andrew worked with me to get my order to me even though was arriving in town after the shop closed. He made my purchase so easy and made me feel like less of a diva than I am sure my request made me out to be.

Terrific selection of books, fiction, nonfiction and children's. We visited during the pandemic, when we made an appointment and had the store to ourselves, like the adult version of a kid's fantasy about having a public space to yourself. I kept thinking of "From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler."

Amazing selection. Great staff. Nice layout. Has taken precautions for covid, which I really appreciate.

This is my FAVORITE book store. It's so quaint and cozy, but their selection of books is right up my alley. I love their staff recommendations. They also had a book in stock that I've been unable to find in several other book stores. The staff is so friendly every time I've been in. Highly highly recommend to any book lovers.

This bookstore is fantastic. Every book I wanted to read was there, as well as some really interesting books recommended by the owner. Let's support this independent bookshop!!