Third Place Books

Absolutely love this bookstore! They offer a good mix of both new and old books. We had a nice time walking around and picked up 4 new book. It's also convenient that you can sell your books here too!

This is one of my happy places. It reminds me of the old Elliot Bay and I love seeing this busy location thriving. The prices for Dogman books are cheap and I love selling books to replenish my stock for my kids. The other day, two retired ladies with by the cafe offered to wrap my kids books recently purchased. I love how community is present and visible. 5 stars.

Really love this bookstore. Finally made it to this branch if Third Place and it is huge! The bookstore is part of a larger commons with a cafeteria inside with restaurants. The building is two stories and there is parking on both side of the building, which helps because the parking lots in the front gets packed. Went to an author event and had a great time. Lots of great author events and a wonderful selection of books in many different genres.

We were visiting the Edmonds area and stopped for a quick bite at the community center at the Third Place books. We bought a bunch of books and journals for our friends and family including journals, youth and adult fiction. You can spend an hour here easily and not get board. The books are neatly stacked and arranged with ample recommendations from staff.

Saw Travis Baldree speak and it was an awesome event. Plenty of seating for the author talk, volume of microphone and speakers was perfect, and the organization of the signing was excellent. Definitely will be back to explore the bookstore again.

Great selection of new and used books, as well as plenty of independent and local authors! Love the space, lots of seating in the mall area along with food/drink options. Lovely place to hang out, read, chat, work and/or play in a community setting. This is THE Third Place!

I adore Third Place Books! This location has a fantastic selection of curated books (from lesser known publishers too!), they host fantastic events with popular authors, and they share a community space with other incredible vendors (bakery/coffee, Mediterranean food, dumplings, ice cream, knitting shop, etc). Special shoutout to whoever curates their poetry selection - it is clearly a labor of love. I have found incredible gems - at this point I know I'm purchasing a poetry book every time I walk through your doors. From the bottom of my heart - thank you. I have discovered some of my all time favorite poetry books because of you!

My favorite local bookstore! I love the progressive book curation, the exciting possibility of finding a second hand book, and the size and cozy feel of the space. The bookstore connects to an open food court area and this layout offers such a sense of lively community. Staff are friendly and helpful. And there are a few chairs and benches you can sit on while making your book decisions- always appreciated!

This has to be among my top 3 bookstores ever. The selection is huge, especially in the fiction section. I also adore how they have little tags for books written by local authors. There's also a counter where you can sell your used books. There's plenty of seating throughout the entire store and there's also a very big food court/cafe situation with multiple different businesses. Imagine reading with a side of Mediterranean food- such a dream come true! If Third Place Books was any closer to where I live I fear I would spend all my money here.

If there's one thing Washington does well, it's moody bookstores. Third Place Books is my new obsession. This bookstore takes up the majority of the second floor of the third place mall. They offer a variety of books (both new and used), stationary, witty birthday cards, merch, and more. I was particularly wow'd by their selection of author signed books. If my suitcase were bigger, I would have been in major trouble. I also love that they have a nearby food court, featuring the most tasty dumplings and a coffee shop serving delicious baked goods. Literally, my fantasies brought to life. This biz screams community, and I'm about ready to pack my bags to join it.

Came here to get lunch and shop while meeting a friend, the roasted turkey sandwich was great and I loved the large selection of books, socks, puzzles, etc, I picked up a great variety of things for myself and for some gifts. Definitely could've done a lot more damage if my friend hadn't needed to leave.

Gahhhhhhh! Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park is amazing. AMAZING! I can't believe I hadn't ever been before because this is a book lover's paradise. But now that I've discovered this place, I'll be a frequent visitor. I visited Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park because my friends and I bought tickets to see Jodi Picoult and get her new book. I'll admit, I was not looking forward to driving up north after work, having to deal with rush hour traffic. But it was worth it. Not only was the author talk insightful and Jodi was so great to meet, but the bookstore was such a treasure trove to be explored! Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park is located in a small business strip and the bookstore is in the middle of that business strip, where there are eateries and other businesses attached, like a mall. The store is large enough with a fantastic selection of books and gifts, with friendly staff that clearly love books, too. There's also a section where they have discounted books, and the books here are new and used, so prices vary. I definitely left for home with some books that I had my eye on at a good price! For anyone who loves books, Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park is a shop that you cannot miss! Make a day of it by attending one of their many author talks, browse books and then eat at a nearby eatery adjacent to the store. Sounds like the perfect day!

A wonderful place to spend a rainy afternoon with the family. Love the food and cafe options adjacent to the book store as well! Our favorite spot to stock up on Christmas gifts.

I was here for a literature festival and one of our friends brought me to this place. I was very impressed with this small village that looks like a feel, where you can get everything mostly from coffee, food, books and clothes etc... One stop shop. It's the vibe that makes it more entertaining and captures the attention of a visitor to this place. People are friendly and there's a place or a stage set up where one can perform as well. I'm sure the local musicians must be entertaining the visitors here. I loved the concept of coming to this place even as a single person you will not be alone. This place is okay with pricing and value but one has to remember that after COVID things have become little pricy.

Great selection and neighborhood atmosphere. We've been coming here for years but the last few times we've been chastised by an employee for just sort of existing in the bookstore. Once because our child was running to a bookshelf in the kids section and the next time I was told, by the same employee, that a stool was for children only and had a 100 lb weight limit. The same employee then gave my wife attitude for reaching for a book high on a shelf. It's just weird to be monitored for appropriate behavior at a bookstore like this. I'm guessing we're far from being the only ones this woman has snapped at. Anyway, great bookstore aside from that.

Right off the bat, my favorite stop on Independent Bookstore Day and I would love to visit again. Arrived around noon and the place was packed. There was a long line at Honey Bear Bakery. The food court was already filled with people. The other food court options, nobody really cared about. Not many people went to the first floor which held the library, so people swarmed the second floor, the main entrance floor to either eat, browse for books, or purchase books. You get such a wide selection of books no matter the category you are looking for. Especially manga, which I was surprised by. The books are in good condition despite some of them being used. Didnt encounter one that was wrinkled or torn up. Overall, I will definitely come back. Just wish there was one closer to me!

Found them sure to a book tour event. My health prevented me from attending and they were so great and told me the event was set up with pre signed books so if I didn't make it they would hold my signed copy or ship out for a small fee. I was so impressed with the staff when I called they were so helpful and after the event I called to have them ship my book. They checked it to make sure it was in new condition and signed. They packaged it really well and my book came in perfect condition. It came quickly too. So they didn't wait at all to ship it. Can't wait to be well enough to come in person and check out the store and find some books to add to our library (haha our many bookshelves.) We love books so much and this store impressed me. The shipping fee was less than I would have spent in gas and tolls to come get it.

Absolute favorite bookstore in the area! Lovely selection, and I really enjoy browsing the display tables at the front. I always find something interesting I hadn't heard about before. I love that they do have some used books, save some money. Also really love the events they throw!

Third Place is a terrific spot to visit when you're near the north end of Lake Washington. I can't think of a store that is better suited to browsing and seeing what's new. Being outside the Seattle city limits, parking is a breeze (and being in a shopping center with food, hardware, housewares, bakeries, .... you can do lots of things without moving your car) The bookstore is in an expansive, atrium like space, with a variety of food and drink and relaxation options sharing room with the bookshelves and wide aisles. The width of the aisles is particularly nice for me - being able to stand back a bit and crane my neck to look at titles makes browsing much more comfortable. They have a nice section of rarer books, as well as a section of autographed new titles, so there's always something interesting to see here.

The bookstore is very nice. The location is great next to a food court and staff is helpful.

My wife and I have stopped in here twice now and I think Third Place Books has been cemented as my favorite book store, and this can be added as another one of their great locations. The store shares its space with a food court and a community space and it takes full advantage. This feels like the perfect place to buy a book try the food and just hang out. Both times I have been here it feels like I left too soon. Also shoutout to the friendly staff who gift wrapped the last book we bought.

I love this bookstore. It's been a while since I've been there because I moved south. This is in my opinion a perfect bookstore. Lots of books new and used but it doesn't feel like a big box store. We went to an author event to see Ali Hazelwood, it was my first of this type of event. My only issue was that it started at 7 which seemed sort of late since by the time it got over and we got through the signing line it was almost 10pm. There were 3 other authors there and the store didn't order enough of the other authors' books so some people missed out. Overall a great book store, typical book store prices.

For #ThankyouThursday I gotta give it up for Third Place Books. My family and friends have enjoyed so many memories here over the years I'm so glad it's going strong all this time. It's really got a service and space for everything, from quiet areas for lone readers to communal space where you can talk or get work done or even do social dance when they have it! It's my go-to stop for gifts, I love looking at all the beautiful, fun, interesting books and goods, and they wrap everything really nicely any time of year. I'm so thankful that this business is part of the community.

This is by far my favorite book store of all time. It has stood the sands of time and COVID. Its selection of used and new books is vast and I appreciate its in store events and selection of signed books and treasures. Staff is helpful. I always walk out with some new valued find. It's a must visit every time I come home.

Third Place Books is becoming one of my go-to spots, I love their layout, the fact that coffee is right there, and also how friendly and helpful the staff is. It's such a great place and their variety is so amazing!

I went to Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park recently for an author event and I just have to praise the staff for such a well planned event. The staff was super helpful with telling my friend and I where the event would take place and the line didn't take long to get through (thanks to the three lovely ladies checking tickets and handing out books). The q&a session was great and super entertaining and directions for the meet and greet to follow were super helpful. I've been to another event at a nearby bookstore and it was such a bad experience and I was so pleasantly surprised with how organized Third Place Books was! I will definitely be returning :)

I bought my daughter in law a gift certificate for Christmas! I have never been there, but she loves the store!

About a year ago I brought in some books and I felt like they were fair with pricing and showed me a list of what they were offering. Today I brought in about 150 books. They bought twenty at $2 each and didn't tell me what the boos were worth. On EBay the volumes are worth between $10 and $30 each. $40 of in store credit really wasn't worth the effort of taking three boxes of books there. I'd look elsewhere.

I love Third Place Books and have been a customer for years. They have an incredible book selection-a great mix of current works and consignment on many subjects. I love their cooking, history, gardening, travel and women's sections. I have had a positive experience pre COVID of selling books here! Today I went for some holiday gifts. They have many options of gifts (think housewares, candles, socks), stationary, games and puzzles. They have lots of local goodies from chocolates to art-Locals supporting locals can't wait to come back. P.S. They are taking their COVID precautions very seriously. I am impressed by their level of detail.

Really great. A very good selection and actually very reasonable prices. The bargain books section often has books priced at or below Amazon. I'm always happy to visit and support a local bookstore when the prices are this reasonable.

I ordered a Sarah Jio book online. It arrived, signed by the author, in two days. That's service!

A cozy bookstore that's somewhere between quirky and cute. A sprinkling of used books, and a dash of new. A smattering of toys, crafts, and household goods that rest between some friendly faces and a desk that takes your used books, but by appointment only.

I love this book store. I try to visit once a week. I buy something at least once a month. I'll admit I check prices against amazon but if there price is even close I'll buy the book from them. We absolutely must support small book story. Our lives as we know it depend on it.

LOVE this place! Again, can you go wrong with a coffee shop, lunch establishment, and books all occupying one space? And to make things more exciting, downstairs one can find the library, Great Harvest bread, a pharmacy and more! All of your errands and even a coffee date or study time can be had in just one grand location. But the books. The focus really is where you can find new and used materials for everyone! Kids books galore - and a story time! - as well as toys and educational toys. A large selection of everything else: books, CDs, magazines, gifts, etc. A beautiful location with excellent selection and friendly staff. Come and leave happier.

Such a cool bookstore! I've only driven by the front of this shopping center before and didn't know it had an interior mall or an upstairs. So glad we detoured to go check it out. It was so much bigger than I expected! New books, used books, a food court (with a dumpling restaurant, a gyro restaurant, and a cafe/bakery), some study tables, and gift options (socks, notebooks, candles, toys, but also an alpaca-goods cart!)...definitely will be back to explore and hang out.

It was worth the drive and both my little people really enjoyed the endless shelves at this bookstore and the extensive middle reader section which had used copies that were as good as new and of course quite a few new copies. It brought back memories of going to Borders as a child.

Good bookstore, well organized, they do buy used books. They offer very little in the way of payment for used books however. We like the way chairs are interspersed among the bookshelves, and we appreciate the knowledgeable staff. There seems to be a bit of a bias regarding the books that they stock and we don't find the choices particularly well-rounded and comprehensive. There is an overemphasis on newagey stuff, women's topics, and estrogen related issues. Almost but not quite, like the bookstore on Portlandia, Women First. Tip: there is an extremely badass Fender guitar book wrapped in cello on a top shelf back by the restrooms inside the bookstore. It is a book that usually sells for $90 and it is marked $19 now. It is the only one on the shelf. Just sayin.

This updated review relates to selling your books to TPB. While I enjoy shopping in this bookstore and appreciate the selection, I do not appreciate the customer service, or lack thereof, when selling books to them. I was not thrilled with the small amount of credit (they give store credit, not cash for books) I got for some very nice hardbacked books (although I did not say anything about this to the rep), but I would not ever sell books to them again due to the attitude of the woman doing the exchange. Not sure if she just hates her job or was having a bad day, but if Seinfeld ever does a remake they should hire her to be the bookstore equivalent of the "soup Nazi". I mean really, such attitude. She had the piss poor attitude as soon as she walked up. Basically a silent stare at the customer. A curt nod and a "come back in about 20 minutes". Again, this was not in response to anything I said or did as all I said was "I'm here for my 11:00 appointment" and "Does the credit work in the gift shop?". It is unfortunate, but one the reasons people use Amazon instead of shopping at their local bookstore is to avoid the occasional employee with a bad attitude. Who needs it?? If the library was taking books I'd donate to them instead. Next time I'll drive up North to a favorite little used bookstore of mine and just give them the books!!

This is a great independent bookstoe. They sell new and some used books. It's the perfect place to grab a coffee from Honey Bear bakery (right onsite) and browse to your hearts content. I was there for an author signing, which was well organized. Love this place.

We really have tried hard to like Third Place Books but they make it really hard. From ringing up prices wrong to saying they have books in stock when they don't to serious attitude from the book purchasing staff to cancelled orders...not a single actual care is given from their "customer reps". I will give my business to Half Price or drive all the way down to Portland to go to Powell's before I set foot in this Third Place Books. If everything goes according to plan I am sure they are ok. But have any issues and it's clear how little they value an individual's business.

Delightful selection, cheerful customer service, and intriguing author book readings / book-signings characterize this lovely book shop in the Lake Forest Park Town Center. The structure of Third Place Books is spread-out yet cozy and inviting, with surprising nooks and crannies and, happily, the occasional nut-brown worn-leather easy chair set amidst shelves of books. I feel like no book store is really my happy place without such chairs, and I happily sank into one and feasted my eyes on a book that contained a scary yet well-written documented account of a man-eating tiger in India in the early 1900s, a thorough description of colonialism's effect on the environment that shaped a dangerous new imbalance between man and tigers in that place and time, and quite a bit of biographical information about the man who finally brought down the tiger yet ended his life as a staunch tiger conservationist. I can usually lose track of time in a good book store, and this book store was no exception. The book store staff was smilingly attentive when we required their attention and non-intrusive otherwise; a perfect balance. There is a table of books on sale for 2 dollars per book, an area where Third Place Books buys used books from those who would like to sell them, and several "Cashier" stations. The "Summer Reading Selections" display is adorable, with tiny striped beach chair replicas and book summaries typed on to small cardboard "beach umbrellas." It was a bit confusing for us that the "Used" books are interspersed with the new books instead of located in their own separate section. We noticed a book-reading / signing at the back of the store tonight by Jonathan Evison, author of the book "Lawn Boy." Several people were lined up to meet this author and get their book copy personally signed. Years ago, I saw Jimmy Carter in person at Third Place Books. He sat behind a velvet rope and didn't shake anyone's hand or meet any of us that were lined up to buy his book, which I found to be slightly disappointing but understandable given his fame, age at the time, health, and security concerns. Exercising enormous restraint, I managed to make it out of Third Place Books tonight with only 4 cookbooks, 2 guides to WA State Waterfalls, 1 guide to Rocks and Minerals of the Pacific Coast, 1 Novel, and 2 collections of Short Stories or Short Essays. Highly recommended for an enjoyable afternoon or evening for fellow bibliophiles.

I've been going here since 2009. I love it! Lots of old books, and things that are hard to find. They have really neat book marks for 50 cents! Definitely stop by this two stories book shop and see one of the hidden gems of Marysville

All Good - perfect service - no problems - I purchased repeatedly - completely satisfied - no worries doing business here at all in 2022. All items were in great condition as stated to me.

This is a really cool bookstore. They have so much stuff. Mainly books but also some bookish accessories. I like that they also sell used books. The staff were all so friendly. I asked a few questions and was answered warmly. The wait at checkout was short and the transaction was fast. There are a few downsides though. There is an attached restaurant that is open to the bookstore and you can smell the food all over the store. It was making me nauseous. It's also really loud in the restaurant part and it carries over to the store. There were some shabby looking floors that had tape on them. And the bathroom was also shabby and parts of the sink was broken. The bathroom is also down a hallway and is a little creepy to walk down by yourself. I'm still giving the store 4 stars because the good stuff was REALLY good. I do hope they might fix some of the other things at some point though!

This is a fun and extensive bookstore that our family has loved over the years. It's easy to find the most recent releases and they will help you get other books that are not in stock. My recent disappointment was bad. If you're an Indigenous female and/or short older person, maybe you're not treated as well as others. I had an appointment for selling one bag of books nice, clean and mostly newish books. I arrived 40 minutes early. At first the woman behind the counter said in a condescending way "Do you have an appointment???" You could tell she was ready to send me away. I said, yes, I'm early. She looked up and confirmed I did have an appointment and said, "Come back at your appointment time". I said "I would like to leave the books while I browse the store because they're heavy." She sighed and said, "You ARE NOT being checked in until your appointment time." I replied that's okay. Then very dramatically she sighed again and pushed the cloth bag of books with her arms straight out and stood with her posture and nose in the air showing her superiority to me, pushed them way over to the farthest edge of the counter, and then gave them another shove a little over the edge to make a point. It was the least respectful encounter I had ever had anywhere. Then when I came back to check in, a tall White man was ahead of me and brought in his box of books and said he was early for appointment. A tall nicer man at the counter said "Oh, that's okay, just put them right here" at the check-in place at the close end of the counter. He was waited on right away and the employee was pleasant to him. I want to say this was just the kind of thing people are complaining about with injustices if you aren't a White European American. It really made me sad, and disgusted with this place for the first time ever.

I am happy your employee turned to me following my greeting, as I walked up to the service counter to enter your store. She didn't say "Hi" to my "Hi" - just pointed me to the sign to read regarding your in-store shopping policy. I was happy to oblige with your measures to protect your customers, employees from COVID 19. In fact, I appreciate them. I'm happy that when I asked your counter person where I'd find the book I was shopping for, that she walked me to the shelf and handed me the book! Thank you! I'm happy you had the title I was looking for in stock! Thank you! I'm NOT happy with the reception and service from the person behind the checkout counter last evening. Rude. I am not rude. I am friendly, polite and accommodating. I walked up to the check out counter: I said: "Hi" Clerk: --- I placed my book on the counter. Clerk picked it up, scanned it. Clerk said: $30.80 I took my card out of my handbag, placed it in the machine, the purchase processed. I picked up a bookmark and asked if it was a gift. Clerk said: "Free" I said: "Thank you" Clerk said: ZIP, nada, zilch; and turned to the next customer - One person in line, nobody behind. The clerk spoke Four numeric and one phonetic syllable! No hello, please, thank you or a goodbye. Seven more syllables and I'd have had a nice little exchange in doing business with your store. But,, instead, I say "No, thank you.". I ducked out of the way and I'll stay away. If your employees can't so much as say "Hi" and ASK for payment without a simple "please" and thank ME for my purchase - AFTER I've said thank you for allowing me to spend my money supporting the business which employs them, particularly, with my having chosen to pay full price for a book in support of your local small business; instead of using my Amazon Prime and having my purchase delivered for nothing - then I'll take my money elsewhere. If they don't come to you knowing it, teach your employees to practice common courtesy.

Best place to find gifts! I love wandering around this shop looking at various books and odds and ends. Inevitably I always find the best gifts here! Whether you come in looking for interesting books or just want to walk around and see interesting novelty items, this place is sure to impress! The staff here are friendly and can help you find whatever you're looking for!

Hands down favorite brick and mortor bookstore. Independently run, lots of book recommendations from knowledgeable staff, well curated selection of books, gifts, all types of genres very well represented. Excellent selection of used books as well. I've taken my hoards of gently loved books there many times and been well credited. I would say best in the area as far as how much credit you can earn for used books.

A cute book store in lake forest park in a community center like building. I went here for a book signing specifically and found the staff to be lovely and the book supply pleantful.

An amazing place! Easily one of the best bookstores in the USA.You have to see it to believe it!

let's just say that they are 'very selective' of the books they carry ! if it doesn't meet their own personal views, it won't be stocked !

This is a wonderful little independent bookstore north of Seattle (they actually have three stores) that we discovered when our friends Alice LaPlante was doing a reading from her first (and best selling) novel, "Turn of Mind." She's churned out two more bestsellers since. Yesterday, we were in search of a book by a Seattle author we couldn't seem to find in Bellingham. We were thrilled to find several copies here -- one of them autographed by the author!

Looking for a special book as a gift? Something for yourself? They have both new and used books side-by-side. Sometimes you get really lucky and find the thing you were looking for at a very cheap price. In any case, they've got a good mix of authors and subjects to satisfy a wide range of reading interests. Maybe get a book and sit down to enjoy a delicious coffee while you browse. Or meet up with friends or team members at one of the long wooden tables with good wi-fi connection to work on your current project, play a multi-player board game, or do some handiwork. Third Place Books is a great spot for mixing and mingling with other interesting people; for meeting up with friends old and new. A very good vibe. Good to put everything else aside and relax a bit. The bakery's coffee and pastries or omelettes, salads and scratch-made sandwiches are really delicious; the authentic BBQ is rich and savory; and the variety of Asian food (Singapore noodles my favorite) are really delicious. So don't forget to visit sometime for the food and drink available here.

Cool little place with new and used books. Will have to come back on another trip when time permits.

Absolutely beautiful bookstore! I've been going there since 2001, and they always have a large selection of poetry books, my favorite genre. They even have books in Spanish.

Can't believe I haven't reviewed this indie bookstore (other smaller sister site is over in Seattle's Ravenna neighborhood) until recently! No bookstores at all in Shoreline (lame!), so TPB in Lake Forest Park is my closest option when I'm not headed one of several other indie bookstores in Seattle's many neighborhoods. My recent visit was on 5/10/15 to buy a magazine and books for birthday presents. Luckily, I found exactly what I needed for each recipient. As always, excellent selection of both used, new, sale, staff-reviewed, and rare books. You can even sell your books for cash or store credit. There's also various gift items and used CDs. Book readings and signings for authors traveling through. Complimentary gift wrapping is available, upon request for your purchases. Friendly, knowledgeable staff.

They are always helpful, I get a teacher discount on all books, they have great knickknacks, they will order books for you, and they have a good selection of children's books. They also have a good selection of used books. You can't go wrong with Third Place and I hope they will always remain in my neighborhood.