Old Books on Front St.

January 24, 2026 - Old Books on Front Street is the friendliest bookstore I ever encountered. There were some inconveniences, yet they were unavoidable & being taken care of the best they could. This is why I am rating this bookstore 4.4 stars - rounds off to 4 stars. Excellent customer service - 5 Stars. The owner of the bookstore was at the entrance and greeted me & others immediately when we entered the bookstore. Upon entering, I noticed many areas were sectioned and off limits. I found out later that they were placing books back in the bookshelves after they were taken away to repair broken pipes in the store and to prevent them from getting damaged. There were a literary jukebox and vending machine dispensing capsules with quotes - both out of order. I still had a good time wandering around the bookstore and browsing books there. I found a book in the clearance section for 25 cents and purchased it. Despite the inconveniences in the store due to the building being old and being repaired by the owner herself, I am impressed by how personable & amicable the owner was and that she was repairing the pipes in the store by herself instead of hiring someone to do it. I know when the books are organized back on the shelves that I will probably come back and spend more time here. This is a bookstore to see in Wilmington again and again.

This is a great book store to visit. There are new and used books for sale. The different areas are well labeled so you can search the type of books you are interested in. Everything is in alphabetical order by authors last name. There is a very cheery kids area. Lots of unique displays. They place is much larger than it seems from outside. There is a shelf where you can leave any food or drinks while you browse.

the owner is kind and helped me out. got some books i'm glad i purchased here rather than online. the inside is enchanting; i could really, truly, gladly stay in there for hours upon hours. it smells good and is clean inside. the owner is knowledgable about what the store does and doesn't have, despite the substantial book count. visit here first before you buy a new book elsewhere.

Great used (and new!) book store in downtown Wilmington. The store is actually a lot larger than it looks from the outside and they carry a good selection of books, fiction and non fiction, from all sorts of different genres and topics (they claim to offer over 2 miles of books!). The book prices were not bad either. Friendly and helpful owners! Will definitely return when I visit Wilmington again!

I love a used book store. This one stands out to me a little more. I think it’s because of the staff. They were very helpful & super sweet!! I bought a books & spent less than $18. I can’t wait to go back. You should definitely support your local businesses like this one.

An almost overwhelming amount of books piled from floor to ceiling. Be prepared to spend time digging through everything! Incredibly kind and friendly staff. Worth the visit.

Great used bookstore with tons of books to find. If you're looking for a book, especially fiction, you are bound to find it here. The eclectic design is fun, and there are several non-book items for purchase as well. Because of how many books are in there, some sections were actually closed off and inaccessible. I was also disappointed that a few of the machines were empty or not working, as they look like fun ideas. I was pleasantly surprised to find a fairly large foreign language section, which is great! Definitely plan to come back when I have more time.

The store has an amazing variety of books, last week I bought the castle by Kafka and this week I stopped in to buy two more books. The people that work there are beyond nice. If you are ever near front street you need to stop by.

This is bookstore heaven for readers! So many books!! I spent an hour looking through everything. The employee was nice and helpful when I had questions. There was mostly old books but there were some booktok books available as well.

If you want to experience magic then this is the place for you! A lovely and charming book shop. If you love books, get ready to get lost

These books are USED used. True to their name, the books are old but not very loved or well cared for before landing here. I really wanted to love this place. I'm not snobby when it comes to used book stores and most of my books are from them (or library sales). But this isn't a cozy spot with the resident cat is waiting to sidle up to you, once you've settled in with a book and cup of tea. I'm sure there a bunch of hidden gems but I walked in, walked the stacks and walked right back out. :(

You can't judge a book by its cover, so inside I went. I had no idea what I was walking into... You can tell the owner has worked at organizing everything. The problem is the sheer number of books on the shelves and stacked everywhere makes it almost impossible to find anything or know where to look. You pass through one section thinking you're done and then another appears. To me, it takes a bit too much effort. She requires a minimum $10 purchase to use a card. There are brand new books (many of which seemed overpriced to me) along with used. I bought 4 books I'd been looking for online for a while so at least I supported a local shop. Happy book hunting.

Cute bookstore to find a beach read! Lady at the front desk was super friendly and helpful, too. Four stars because I did find it hard to browse through without a certain author/book in mind, and there weren't curated or recommended titles, or bestsellers. Ultimately ended up purchasing a (new) Jane Austen book!

Amazing hidden gem in the heart of Downtown Wilmington! This is a must see for book lovers of all ages! They have little books filled with treasures and spots for carved out for relaxing with your new finds!

This place is heaven. I can't pick one best bookstore ever, but this is one of my favorites. From the playable piano to the tiny café, they have everything you could want to explore in a cute downtown afternoon. Where else will you see a literary jukebox? Sure, they don't have every new release in the market, but that's not what you come here for. The real charm is the great price on used books of all types and qualities. From classics to genre fiction to fancy decorative law books, they have the reads you need- even if you didn't know you needed them before you walked in the door. Despite the name, they also carry a decent selection of new releases in multiple genres. Staff were friendly and knowledgeable. They host book clubs and other events like literary history walks and music lessons. The store carries a large amount of gift items, like literary-themed totes and knick knacks. You could easily wander in without a plan, needing a gift for a bibliophile, and walk out with the perfect present. Please, shop for me here. Plus, you're supporting an independent, family-owned local business. This place checks every box. Probably with a fancy fountain pen with an Edgar Allen Poe quote on it.

As a sucker for privately owned book stores, I was drawn into this establishment as soon as it caught my eye. It did not disappoint. Books are everywhere from floor to ceiling, seemingly endlessly, and it is truly wonderful.

Such a cool little shop! I spent so much time here I really feel bad for my cousin who brought me. Especially because I actually didn't end up buying anything. I guess I just wasn't in the buying stuff mood that day. And I haven't recently found a book I can't live without. At the front the store seems small but dive in and you'll find that it's deep. They have a ton of books packed in here. New and local stuff is up front. In the middle, the largest section is fiction by subject and you can follow it back to the nonfiction section in the back which is rather small comparatively. I'm more of a nonfiction fan so that could've been why I didn't emerge with anything in hand. They even had an entire shelf dedicated to books in other languages including several in Japanese (my jam!). There are a few chairs spaced out through the shop and a cute nook in the very back. If you come on a Saturday like I did you may find yourself caressed by the sounds of a piano. There's a rather energetic man teaching piano to just about anyone in the back here. The sounds carry through the shop to entice you along the way into a world of fantasy. There are a few non-book items here and there like book marks, magnets and hand bags with witty quotes on them. You can even find some art prints stacked here and there to buy. Would make for a neat sort of retro home decor framing. Last but certainly not least, staff was friendly and helpful and prices weren't bad at all. Wonderful that such places for used books are still kicking in this day and age!

I was in Wilmington for the afternoon and was searching for a few places to shop. I was pleasantly surprised by this bookstore. They had a good space with a large selection of books both new and used. They had books in almost every genre organized neatly. I was happy to find a new Agatha Christie novel to add to my collection.

So cute and aesthetic. Had both old and new books at good prices. The cashier was also very sweet.

A Rip Off Tourist Trap First let me say, I am not a tourist but a local resident, which saddens me to have to write this review but I also feel obligated to inform people so this doesn't happen to you whether you're a tourist, or resident. I walk by this store all the time, I've been in this store as well as it is a very cute store, fun to look at everything they have in the establishment. The people who work there seem to give one the impression they are above you in intelligence of any sort as well can be extremely offensive. I've been looking at a book in the window for awhile now because my daughter loves certain types of books in which they have been show casing. So I finally decided to inquire about the book, I was so excited at first because I love to support our local stores but WOW when I asked about the book the lady said yes we have it, I asked her how much because I could very easily buy this book on Amazon for $15 brand new, the book they have is NOT brand new at all. I asked her the price of the book , she told me $20 I was taken back a bit since the book was not a new book, or any type of special edition. I told her I could buy this book on Amazon for $15 BRAND NEW thinking she would come down in price a bit, I don't mind spending a few dollars more to support our lovely community until she very quickly said to me "The book is brand new, (THE BOOK IS NOT BRAND NEW) Have a nice day & BY" with an attitude to boot, OMGOODNESS!!!!!! I have never had any one in a customer service business say something that atrocious and lie... I will NEVER recommend this store, direct this store if anyone who asks me for a good bookstore, or anything this store has to offer unless your looking for RUDENESS ON RUDENESS... In closing all I have to so say to them is "HOW RUDE"

The energy of this place is off the chains. It was magical. An absolute classic of a used bookstore. The owners were very friendly and the selection was astronomical. I could have hung out there all day. They had so many different kinds of things like homemade book marks, coffee from a local vendor, posters, and so much more the place is jammed pack of books and you could not leave without finding something. I will be back again and again.

Bottom line: Old Books on Front Street is a great old style classic bookstore with more to offer than just books...but they have LOTS of books! A cool and eclectic shop that draws you in to explore, I like these guys a lot. The Deets: In visiting Old Books on Front Street a few times on Wilmington visits, I have to say this place is unique. It's not your regular type of bookstore that you'd think of with commercial chains, most definitely. It has an old classic feel, with just shelves and stacks and groups of books old and new. Not only books but great and eclectic items you may not find anywhere else. If you have a favorite game or cult favorite TV show or etc. then you will probably find items here to enjoy about them. For example, I personally am a Doctor Who fan from childhood to the new series, and always find something great here about it to look at and be fascinated with exploring in the DW universe. So it's a bookstore offering a whole lot more to explore...but did I mention they had stacks and stacks of books? I mean the kind of old books that you just get lost in checking out so make sure to go when you have a little time to spare. The staff is very friendly and will discuss items at length with you depending on how busy they are of course. There are even group discussions held I am told on various subjects, very cool. The historical and classic feel of the store itself lends a charm to it, and makes it very enjoyable to visit...and I will continue to visit these guys, a great find!

Great local place, friendly owner. Very helpful and a cute local place to find hidden gems.

I love this place! I drive by it every day going to school at Cape Fear, and I finally went in last week. It's adorable! What caught my eye was that they had the book Eloise At Christmastime displayed in the front window. Anyone who knows me knows that is my FAVORITE Christmas movie! My sister and I have watched it every year on Christmas for as long as I can remember! When I saw the book, I squealed! I ran in and purchased it so fast! I may be getting ahead of myself (as to the fact that I'm only 19 and single), but I cannot wait to read the book to my children in the future! I wasn't in long because I had to scurry to class, but I will definitely be back! My friend found a Shakespeare mug to buy for her sister-in-law. They have SO many books! I could easily spend a whole day in there, and I plan on it :)

Great place to find the books you want and even some you didn't know existed, unfortunately if you are looking for old and used books at a bargain this is not the place, they have higher book prices than other places such as 2nd and Charles, they sell close to or at face value. It is in a great location for a stroll around downtown, right next to the Waffle House. I have always loved the back of this store where the poetry books are and a piano that is occasionally being played.

One sign of a great city, in my opinion, is that it has a great used book store. Alas, I've moved to a city (Winston-Salem) that does not. So I love to find great used books stores when I travel. This is one. Huge, diverse selection of well-priced books. Lots of other stuff (e.g., games) sprinkled around the store. A coffee bar. Places to sit. Welcoming staff. Will be a mandatory stop on all future visits to Wilmington.

In the era of online book purchases, there are a few of these independent book stores still around. Old Books on Front Street definitely has books, but it also possesses that special vintage charm that only an old building can deliver. It has room for meetings, jazz piano on Sundays, and a little bar where they serve literary themed wine and beer. The owner is kind and gracious, just the kind of proprietor that one would find in a sprawling, cozy bookstore in a port town location. Old Books on Front Street is showing it's staying power through selection and ambiance. Now, if only they had a book store cat......

Very cool spot!! I was greeted by that awesome book scent, then had the opportunity to explore the rows and rows of books. It definitely looks deceiving from the outside - the inside is much bigger than it appears from outside. Check it out! You won't be disappointed

The owner/employee knows so much and you could spend hours in here finding interesting stuff

The staff is always super pleasant and there is always a really wide selection to choose from. There's something for everyone at this place. I've been visiting downtown Wilmington regularly for the last 4 years, and this is always one of the stops on my list. Cannot recommend this place enough

This place is absolutely charming. The front of the store is so narrow that it looks as if the store will be small, but there is a deep maze of shelves filled to the brim with books of every kind. It's eye-candy heaven for the avid, book-collecting, person. A mismatch of eclectic furniture is spread throughout the place, so there are several corners where you can sit back, relax, and sample-read a book in relative peace. Mid-store there is a cafe, with a bar lined with stools, that sells homemade treats, coffee and random gifts. There are also a few tables and chairs off to the side, a juke box and promotional T-shirts that say: OLD BOOKS: Save a tree. Buy used books. (I own one.) They also have interesting/fun events there every now and then, so check out their advertisements when you visit. I love this place and will be back when possible! P.S. Look for "Old Books on Front Street" on Facebook!

Nice eccentric book store, lots of charm with a friendly staff. The book store gets five stars but the mocha coffee gets 3 stars. I didn't like their mochas, but they do have a lot of foot traffic from regulars coming in to pick up their drip coffee.

Old Books on Front Street is a book lover's dream come true! The store is packed from wall to wall and floor to ceiling with books of every genre. It isn't just old books either, there are plenty of new books - and even collector volumes. It has the best selection of local history books in the area - which happens to be my favorite section. Literary inspired art pieces break up the monotony and lend a bit of personality to the space. The store is really kid friendly. The children's section is decent, but there's little surprises throughout the store for little ones to enjoy. A small sitting area in the center of the store is surrounded by fandom merchandise (which my kids adore). A piano sits towards the back of the establishment - that no one fusses about your minis playing with while you look around. The public restroom is clean and has a countertop large enough for those with babies to make diaper changes. In all honesty, I like Old Books way better than the commercialized alternatives. They sponsor various events throughout the month and bookworms tend to congregate at their book club meetings. It's just a really intimate setting, that can be appreciated by pretty much anyone.

They don't update their hours. They listed that they were open today, but they are closed until April. Waste of a drive.

Wonderful eclectic bookstore with marvelous customer service with a focus on inclusiveness. She has a wide variety of books on race, gender, *real* history, and other civil rights and humanitarian issues to help allies educate themselves. But that's not why I went there. I'm a North Carolina native living in Ohio. I made my first visit to the NC coast in 20 years last year and stopped in at Old Books on Front Street looking for the Judge Harry Whedbee book series of NC coastal lore that my father used to read to us nights on the patio of our hotel room on beach vacations to the Outer Banks. She had one of the 5 books in the series but generously offered to order and ship the other four to us in OH. Within a week or so our books arrived - no shipping costs - and have helped me relive many happy childhood memories. On a vacation to the NC coast this spring we spent evenings at our rental reading stories on the patio. Stopped back in to thank her for the books and she said she'd been thinking about us as an article about Whedbee is soon to come out in a local magazine and she wants to send it to us. Having rediscovered my love for the NC coast after 20 years away, I intend to make this a yearly pilgrimage and a visit to Old Books will be a mandatory stop.

I cannot imagine a book lover not loving this place. The history and various offerings this place has is amazing! I believe they have miles and miles of book shelves filled with new, like new and some pretty old books as well. The pricing is very reasonable and the selection is CRAZY! Parking - again it's the city - not the best, but you will want to walk these streets anyhow.

This was a superb side stop on a beer store/brewery trip my brother and I were on today. It's one of those places where there are tons and tons of books stacked everywhere, and you need to have that "hunt and gather" mentality to your visit. Go in and get lucky. I found it easy to get lost pacing around and just poking through the books. I wish I lived closer so I could go in every now and then to check out how the stock may have rotated. The lady who owns it was also wonderfully nice and I enjoyed our brief conversation. She's from my hometown, so she gets bonus points :)

An intimate look into the history of Wilmington as reflected in all forms of literary works. Imagine a good and knowledgeable friend giving you a personalized tour of their hometown. That's how this tour feels. A great value.

Old Books on Front is the most unusual and creative little bookshop I've ever seen! The shelves are stacked sky high and adorning them are bits of beautifully folded paper, pretty little signs, drawing, inspiring words, and banners created with book pages. Peek around the corner of the first large shelf and you'll find a few cozy chairs and tables arranged around a bar serving coffee, pastries, beer and wine. They have some lovely local artisan book-inspired jewelry and knick-knacks for sale. The bar itself is swathed in book-related decor and is so charming! The store doesn't look very large from the street, but walk inside and the shelves go on and on and on. As their website says, "over two miles of books!" You find a "Literary Jukebox" and a few gumball machines that dispense famous quotes, poems and coupons! It looks like they have lots of little book clubs and networking opportunities. There was one group of folks that were discussing some intense theories of a book with wine in hand. Other locals wandered in and were greeted with warmth by patrons and staff alike. I just couldn't resist buying a little something at this delightful little shop. You don't see many of these little gems any longer, so if you love books, be sure to seek it out! It's quite an experience.

All-time favorite bookstore! Happened on it by chance, & ended with my boyfriend having to drag me out 2 hours later. They even had a pianist playing the Phantom of the Opera soundtrack, which happens to be my favorite musical.

I was so pleasantly surprised at finding this shop during our last Wilmington trip. I was walking downtown heading to a different store and just happened to see a kitschy sign out front, which drew me in. I was prepared for a small shop with not a huge selection, but the store was long and narrow, housing more books that I would have expected. I could have spent hours in this store. It is ever book lovers dream come true. I think you'd have to go in knowing what to look for, or have a large chunk of time to shop. Otherwise, you may get lost among your options. I definitely will be stopping by here in future visits to Wilmington!!

Finally got to take this tour today. Jeff was the guide. He is an excellent presenter with great knowledge of interesting topics including history, authors, books, and film which are all a big part of Wilmington. Emphasis is literary but not exclusively so. There were quite a few gems of information which I never knew and was delighted to learn.

I love this bookstore! It just goes on and on and on with tons of amazing books, and there's a piano in the back so, if you get lucky, you will also get to hear some piano music while you're browsing! The people who work here are lovely and helpful. Honestly one of my favorite used bookstores!

Very quiet and get lost in kind of bookstore. You probably need to know what book you're looking for before you come in, because it's not organized in the best way. And there would be random piles of books everywhere in the store, but I think that's the whole concept of this bookstore. You feel like you're in another world where you're literally just surrounded by shelves of books. They have a small bar in the back for coffee and wine/beer. Cool place to check out!

So friendly and an amazing selection of new and old books! Like the book attic you always wished you had.... Love it here

Awesome book store in downtown Wilmington! Prices are great and there is a lot of variety, from old books to more recent new books! They also have other things like coloring books and bookmarks! Great shop!

If you love books you'll love this place! Remember that little "reading corner" back in your elementary school classroom? Where you were so excited to go sit and read and disappear from the world into whatever book you chose? Remember how awesome and exciting that was? That's what it feels like to wander around this store. Books from floor to ceiling, everywhere...and rather than feeling overwhelming and disorganized, it feels almost protective, isolating you from the outside world Beer/wine and snacks available, and very helpful and friendly staff. Got a few hours to kill, or just want to get in from the cold? Check out this store!

What an awesome bookstore! There's tons to see. Mostly used books and some new. Wonderful staff.

This bookstore is wonderful - it's cozy and eclectic with a helpful staff. They have a good selection, considering their size, and their enthusiasm makes up for anything they don't have. Cheap used books in good condition. A great family business worth supporting.

Cute bookstore! So much clutter but you get pleasantly lost in it all. Staff was a major help.

I had such high hopes for this store. Bookstores are often places of warmth, camaraderie, and nostalgia, but this store had none. The first employee with whom I interacted was curt and rude, as if my question about a book's price annoyed him. Having assumed that since this is a used bookstore that the prices would be more affordable than other stores, I was surprised when he tersely informed me that the price was "on the jacket." For a bookstore advertised as a haven for used books seeking new readers and new homes, there were a great many new books in the shop that were priced at the MSRP on their jackets. To say that the store is organized would be a misuse of the word. Be prepared to spend quite some time here if you're looking for a particular title, and be sure to check the prices- they aren't what they seem! I left the store empty-handed, having been let down by the rudeness of the employee, the disorganization of the store, and the over abundance of new books, which I could purchase at other stores where I'm treated as a fellow book-lover rather than an annoyance.

A bookstore with snacks from my favorite health food store, beer, stitch and bitch, and more actual books than I've seen outside of a library in too long! Wonderful!

I love this book store. Even just to visit, it's a great space. I brought my grandparents when they came to visit, and my grandpa left with two bags of books. My husband found an old copy of "Through the Looking Glass", and I love it. There are gems hidden on the shelves!

This is such a terrific place to find books at great prices. The owner is also one of the finest human beings on the planet.

Bibliophiles unite here from all over the world-no need to say much more! Casual and always interesting--- as well as a server of Folks on Fourth Cafe coffee (and literary granola bars)---always brewed fresh so ask for it when you enter and then poke around in the dead trees while you wait for it to brew. Dr Who fans will also love the place.....Sometimes closes early if business is slow--the owner is super busy and involved in many endeavors so time is never wasted......efficiency is her strength--books, writing, literature are her blood. Street parking+debit cards accepted but there is a $10 minimum. For those who show up and the place is closed chances are you just need the phone number on your speed dial list and call ahead--- it is just plain WORTH IT!!! (910) 76- BOOKS (26657).

This store is great and goes back for miles.

A wonderful walking tour that provides insights into not only the literary history of Wilmington, but also history, film, and education. A terrific two hours that I recommend to anyone visiting Wilmington.