Tombolo Books

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.

What a great bookstore!! I was passing through and this was the perfect place to spend an hour going through their amazing selection. I especially loved the Small Independent Presses section (photo included) and the Florida author sections. The store is an LGBTQ-friendly oasis, and the staff members were super friendly as well.

˚⟡ ♡ I attended an influencer event I was invited to in April and shortly after I came across this gem of a bookstore! I needed somewhere to wait for my ride, the associates at this store were so nice and welcoming they allowed me to hang out. I spent 2 hours here browsing and reading. They have seating available and outlets if you need to charge your phone. 10/10 experience.

Great place to stop by car or the local bus. Atmosphere heavenly escape the heat 💕 to read your favorite author or play chess

Such a cute little store. All of the staff was very friendly. I was looking for a bilingual storybook for a baby shower and they had exactly what I was looking for! When I am in town I will definitely stop by again! (PS they are also next to insanely awesome coffee shop, Black Crow)) makes a very good morning solo date.

My partner loves this place! We’ve been here three times now and she loves looking at all the books and perusing the variety of options that this store has to offer. The interior is very clean and organized and the staff are very friendly and helpful. Needless to say that Tombolo always provides a great experience and atmosphere to search for classic novels, kids books, or new releases!

Cute little book store. Friendly staff. Queer friendly.

Love this little bookstore. They have a great selection and lots of book clubs to join up in. I have ordered books here as well and they come in quickly. Staff is friendly and helpful. I also love the selection of local authors.

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!

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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 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!

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.

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.

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

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

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 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!

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!

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!

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.

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!

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.

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!

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!

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."

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.

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

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!!