The Raven Book Store

Utterly adorable book shop! I have rarely met a book store I didn't like but this one was over the top fantastic! The employees were helpful and kind! Great shop! Tons of variety!

⚠️‼️🐈 CUTE SHOP CAT ALERT🐱‼️⚠️ Stopped in while visiting Lawrence even though I've got a 'to read' list a mile long. It's a really neat and cozy place with a great selection of books- particularly queer/LGBT+ oriented ones. It's was nice to see not only historical queer discourse and literature but plenty of fiction featuring not just queer characters but characters of other traditionally minority groups in lit and real life. I like that there was also a kids section in the back too with plenty to choose from. The workers were all friendly, especially the sweet shop kitty sunning in the window! Id love to visit again next time I'm in Lawrence and grab a few more books to add to my pile!

What a gem! Such a clean, organized shop. Sometimes bookstores can feel claustrophobic and cluttered, but I really enjoyed the layout of The Raven. It isn't overly large but still has a great selection across many genres. The staff was pleasant and friendly. Plus there are cats!! They are well behaved and even let me pet them. Definitely enjoyed that surprise! Also love all the little nooks and spaces to sit and enjoy your findings. Definitely looking forward to going back!

Resist Amazon! Buy from your local bookseller. You will not regret it. The Raven is the best bookstore for miles around. The staff is wonderful. If you are having a hard time finding a particular title, they will find & order it for you. I can't say enough good things about the Raven. Don't leave Lawrence for your reading needs.

I absolutely love The Raven Book Store. We stop by every time we are in Lawrence, Kansas. They are at the vanguard of small business bookstores and always have a great selection of books. It was also refreshing to see a solid collection of LGBTQ+ books. As all great book stores do, The Raven has a beautiful book cat who is sweet and patient with all the visitors. The Raven Book Store also has an excellent selection of stickers, for their store and for fun as well!

Unfortunately, the culture of the bookstore has changed where most employees take their customers for granted...assuming they will buy books here and avoid Amazon. The Raven employees don't seem to value their customers...countless times I've been there (even when they aren't busy) and no words of greeting or to see if they could be of assistance. This is true even when I purchased books. You would think people who work in bookstores would actively seek out people to engage in a conversation about books or to "sell the Raven and its books". Salesmanship is essential for small businesses. Most workers just sit behind the counter bantering with each other or looking at the computer/register...definitely not a place anymore that has an environment where their employees are grateful to be there and to have a workplace where they can help people (especially children) find a book that might be meaningful or important to them.

I went to the Poetry Slam recently with Bob Sykora and Melissa Ferrer-Civil and was an awesome experience! The environment was super friendly and the workers were very knowledgeable. Recommend for all your booking needs!

Great selection and kitty sightings! Loved their mini displays and recommendations. A nod to social justice with stickers and decent book sections.

Great selection and kitty sightings! Loved their mini displays and recommendations. A nod to social justice with stickers and decent book sections.

There is a lot to love about the Raven, and their new space on Mass. St. Even before they moved, what I loved best about this bookstore was the charm. Like every great bookstore, the Raven has at least one cat that roams, nooks and crannies to explore, and a variety of books to offer readers. I love that this one takes great pride in being local, has a decent sized kids section (for the small space in general), and even offers clean public restrooms. I'm guilty of being more of an audio book person these days but when I'm in need of a book to gift I do like to make a trek to Lawrence to visit this wonderful little shop.

High time to update my review of The Raven as it's affectionally known in the city. amazon.com survivor or slayer? You decide. An original and long running old school bookstore where you can actually touch and browse real books, get recommendations by real humans and remember a time when this was how all books were acquired. I dig it. I'm sorry, I did the Kindle thing for awhile and it's really easy and convenient, but I so missed the organic experience of picking out the book in person and the cover, the ease of use, the relationship with the information which is all part of the reading experience the former simply doesn't provide. The cover art (Kindle's are AWFUL, tedious browsing chapters, etc. ). Wow, I missed that, a lot. Oh, and I really don't need or want to know exactly how many minutes are left in the book based on how fast I'm reading. Fortunately you can turn that off on Kindle. But still, how annoying. Since my last review they've moved to a larger location but it has retained the homey feel that was always missing from those other places that are no longer in business or are a fraction of what they were 20 years ago: Borders, Barnes & Noble, etc. And for those that wish to order, the turnaround from The Raven pretty much matches amazon so from time to time I simply order in that fashion. How good is it? I'd say for folks making Lawrence a stop on the way across the state or a day trip from KC, Topeka or elsewhere that it's a must visit along with iconic destinations like Free State Brewery, Allen Fieldhouse, Spencer Museum of Art, Baker Wetlands, The Nest and The Oread, Wheatfield, Sylas and Maddy's, Yarn Barn and more. Yea, that good. Can't wait for that rare experience once again, heading to the store, browsing the sections not knowing what gem I might find. And do that I will, as soon as I finish the last book I bought there. Won't be long, it's a great one.

I'm not an expert on bookstores, but I really like this place. It looks like it was originally some sort of office space that's been converted into a book store. It's a little tight, but they do well with what they have. From a brief stroll, it looks like all of the relevant subjects are accounted for with a good cross section of titles to represent them. I didn't end up buying any books, but I did pick up a couple of hip greeting cards. Like the books, there were a wide variety of cards, many that included fun messages within them. My favorite part of my visit was actually, just being in the store. The soft, welcoming colors, comfortable chairs and cool staff made me feel comfortable even though I just walking around. They even have a cat! Unfortunately I'm not in the area often however The Raven is one of those places that might require a special trip. This is a must stop for any nearby book lover.

Absolutely one of the worst bookstores I have ever been to. I was in town for a family function and someone local said I should take my daughter here because they have cats that roam the bookstore and a good selection. Both were true as they had cats and a pretty good selection of books. However, the issue was with the incredibly rude staff that works at this store. This was due to the fact that they had determined I was a nuisance because I appeared to be more interested in the cats than making a purchase. News flash, I intended to make a purchase but was trying to let my daughter pet the cats for a moment. Staff made it very clear that I was not welcome and my daughter did not get to pet the cats. So thanks to this place I left with a crying kid and nothing for my moms birthday. That's okay, they are overpriced anyway and I will happily take my business elsewhere in town.

This bookstore is a delight. I have shopped here for years and not only do they have a great selection, I use them for all my preorders too. Shop local for your books and do it here!

Thankful to the kind and helpful staff of this local shop. A staple of the neighborhood that all have favorable memories from our time in Lawrence.

Lawrence standby. A fine independent bookstore with a deep selection of mysteries and literature. Not exactly comprehensive in other genres, but well curated. They are serious about special orders. Very engaged with the community. Support the Raven.

Good to see these bookstores surviving after the giant chains struggle. Although being in a university town certainly helps too. The Raven is what you picture a bookstore should be, and how they used to be. It's actually rather refreshing they don't have a coffee nook. I'm here visiting LFK and not in search of a book, so I'm observing and browsing while my friend shops. The Staff appears to be extremely helpful and engaged with their customers. The selection seems just right and includes a nice sized section of local history. Lovely old building adds to the literary zen. Come here, enjoy, buy a book. You will welcome the experience.

Love this bookstore so very much. I love all the safe picks they have and the cute cats lazily guarding all the books. The staff is friendly and helpful. I always find something when I go here. 15/10 will be back to buy more books and pet the kitties.

Looks amazing inside, but it is restricted at the moment due to covid 19. Why I give them five stars then? Because they have to survive. They are dedicated to the rescue of literature and knowledge.

Dare I enter through this glass door? Dare I hope there be "many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore?" Why, I do, so that I may visit Borders book stores nevermore. Raven is just about everything you'd want and expect in an independent book shop. There are the four or so tables in the front rooms that feature the new releases and staff picks (with little cards giving a helpful and often enticing description). There is the little annex off the main room with teen and kid books (again, with staff picks and description cards). There are the quaint note and greeting cards, bookmarks, writing journals, calendars. There is the "local author" and subject matter sections (no matter what town or city I visit, I love when local book shops have this). I believe the Raven specializes in horror/science fiction (hence the name) and luckily for people like me, it doesn't exclude other genres. I even spied Nick Cave's latest novel on the display table. When Christmas shopping, I remembered that I wanted to buy "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" for a family member and they had that, too. So, their selection runs the gamut of classics to science fiction to transgressive. Leave I quenched for fascinating literature through that glass door vowing to return, for evermore.

Has anyone seen You've Got Mail? If you have, this is that kind of bookstore. If you haven't, this is a really charming place that stresses customer service and cuteness. It's just really old fashionedly cute. Big, readable signs, really well laid out, nice, classic details, and good selection of national and local interests. They also sell calendars, cards, postcards and of course, bookmarks. Their fiction section was well balanced, with classic literature, lots of Beat authors, and newer fiction writers (like Jhumpa Lahiri). Also, they have book and poetry readings almost weekly.

It's a local, independent bookstore. But, they also have a good mix of all sorts of things that really reflect the eclectic mix of our community. And, the staff are extremely friendly and helpful.

Excellent independent bookstore that pivoted quickly to provide curbside service. I miss wandering the aisles but appreciate being able to order any title I want. Looking forward to visiting their new & bigger space when they move next year!

A great bookstore. They have a good mix of a lot of different types of books, and if they don't have what you want, they'll get it for you. Knowledgeable staff with great recommendations, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Gift cards to the Raven are a great gift, too. It's a vital, unique piece of downtown Lawrence, and a local icon.

Stumbled upon while walking around on Mass Street. Organized. Inviting. Many, many intriguing selections throughout the entire store. The didn't have the book my Mr. was looking for, however, they offered to order. The 2 ladies working were super kind and friendly. Really liked the variety of children's books available too.

I spent a lot of time at this store today and really liked it. Although it's not very large, it has a good selection - and the children's section was *terrific* (lots of beautifully-illustrated books, for example). Also, the two women working there were very pleasant and helpful.

Rude staff. Don't waste your time. There are other book stores with less upset employees.

The local bookstore in which I took refuge while visiting my KU-student daughter. I was stunned to find Brautigan's Trout Fishing in America being promoted...for a minute wondered if I was having an LSD flashback to gentler times but, regretfully, no. I'd read the book in my distant youth and remember it fondly for having led me to Robbins' Another Roadside Attraction but didn't remember Brautigan's good words. Time. Leafed through it - so warm and inviting. Bought it. Relished it over a couple of espressos. A great reliving and mini-vacation from life.

You've got to love a place that hangs old Masterpiece Mystery posters on the wall. Where else can you browse for books with Jeremy Brett and David Suchet gazing down at you? Maybe Inspector Morse knows where your next book purchase is. (Maybe not. Let's be real. He's probably too busy filling out crossword puzzles. Better ask Lewis.) My parents moved to Lawrence this summer and the three of us stopped in to check out the store and beat the heat. We had a great conversation with Julie, who shared some insights about Lawrence and Kansas, and I walked out with a book. The next time I'm in town, I will definitely be back, if only to check in on my favorite fictional detectives.

The Raven was here before Borders arrived back in 1996 and outlasted the giant, continuing to thrive in 2013. Not only has The Raven survived the coming and going of Borders, but it has managed to stay active, relevant and inviting even as the age of Amazon and e-Reading threatens to overwhelm what little is left of print culture. The Raven is old-school - a small bookstore, with limited, carefully-curated selection of books. No newsstand, no coffee bar, no table after table stacked with best-selling pop culture titles, and no display of plastic e-readers taking up valuable floor space. Nope, we have an inviting display of mysteries (the store's specialty) as well as a lot of local interest books, a very healthy and carefully-selected non-fiction inventory, and friendly local service. Oh yeah, and a store cat. All in a space the size of a large living room. I am not a frequent reader of mysteries, so I cannot definitively comment on The Raven's selection in that genre, although my understanding is they are one of the best mystery bookstores in the region, stocking both domestic and British titles. My tastes run towards literary fiction, science fiction, and anything non-fiction, and The Raven delivers in all those categories. This isn't Barnes and Noble - there's usually only a copy or two of any particular title, and you can't automatically assume anything in print is in stock (they are glad to order!). What they do have is nicely chosen - "curated" is overused, but it fits, here. Books are stocked that smart interesting people (like you!) want to read. I always find good books in the new non-fiction table, and in spite of its small size, The Raven rewards to casual browser without overwhelming them. Prices are what's on the book jacket, although there's a frequent buyer's card. I don't mind paying "extra" compared to Amazon for supporting a local business and enjoying the old-school feel of seeing a book and having it right then and there. The only downside of the Raven is their limited hours. I got a bit spoiled by Borders' old 9 to 11 every day schedule, although I give the Raven credit for being open til 8 every night but Sunday (wish more downtown stores would do this). Stores like The Raven are an endangered species. I am glad to be able to enjoy Lawrence's "little bookstore" as long as it lasts.

A bit pricier and more limited in options than its rival, but The Raven is definitely not a place to ignore. It carries more new books than used, but you can definitely get something interesting here. Plenty of selection, mostly classics and poetry, but you'll find all kinds of reads here. Do not miss out if you're a bookworm. This place is a great one.

Bought a book here at the side walk sale. I had been looking for it for awhile. I found it right away. I love this book store. I would spend all of my money here.

The Raven specializes in mystery, but they offer a variety of other genres. They have a small selection of other book related items as well. They have been a classic downtown spot for decades. Not the biggest selection of books, but well worth checking out for the atmosphere and friendly help.

The Raven is a treasure. It's small, but somehow they manage to pack a lot of fabulous books in. No huge tables stacked with piles and piles of Dan Brown to be found, but a lot of really cool books you actually want to read, plus calendars and cards and literary tchachkes (refrigerator magnets, matchbooks, etc.). They sponsor readings of local and non-local writers, lots of readings, over a wide range of genres. And if they don't have it they will order you any book you ask for unless Amazon has it on sale, in which case they will refuse to order it, telling you to save your money and buy it online. They started with a focus on mystery novels and quickly became so much more. Their current owner, Heidi Raack, is a treasure to the local literary community, as was their former owner, Pat Kehde. Yes, they outlasted Borders. They know exactly who they are and don't need no market research to maximize profit. They just keep doing what they do so very well. Long may they reign.