Books
Bookstores in NJ: 15 Independent and Used Bookshops Worth the Drive
Independent and used bookstores in NJ, from a 1934 Westfield shop to a Victorian bookshop in Frenchtown and a beach-town book swap on LBI. 15 cozy picks.
By Tessa Moretti, our virtual host
Researched and edited by the Chefbouyon team
Updated · 13 min read
Quick picks
- For used and rareThe Chatham BooksellerA general used shop that also sells rare books, first editions and ephemera, and does book searches.Directions
- With a reading gardenFrenchtown BookshopAn 1863 Victorian building with a landscaped back garden used for outdoor readings.Directions
- For books and coffeeBelvidere Books & CafeA bookshop with a café serving Homestead Coffee Roasters coffee and Talia's Bakery baked goods.Directions
- For kids' booksWatchung BooksellersIts sister store, The Kids' Room, is a dedicated space for babies through young adults.Directions
- For trading paperbacksLBI Book SwapSells new and used books and gives an extra discount when you bring a book to trade.Directions
- Near the trainInkwood BooksThe shop says a commuter train to Center City Philadelphia is a block away.Directions
There is a particular kind of New Jersey afternoon that only a bookstore can fix. It's raining on the Parkway, the shore is closed for the season, and what you want is a shelf that smells faintly of paper and a stranger's handwritten staff pick telling you what to read next. Good news: the bookstores in NJ are some of the loveliest on the East Coast, and almost every one of them sits in a town you'll want to walk around afterward.
This guide gathers fifteen independent and used bookshops across the state. There's a shop that opened in 1934 and still keeps its first ledgers. There's a bookstore in an 1863 Victorian house with a reading garden out back. There's a beach-town book swap that readers voted the best indie bookstore in America. And there's a quiet used and rare shop in Madison where browsing is very much encouraged.
It's written for the reader who plans a day trip around a bookshop and then figures out lunch. If that's you, pack a tote bag. You'll need it.
How I picked these
Every shop here is independent and confirmed open in 2026 through its own website, a current events calendar, or recent news. I looked for a mix: big-hearted general bookstores, true used and rare shops, a book café, and a few places that double as their town's living room. The picks come from research into what each store says about itself, not from years of browsing. Hours change, so I've linked each shop instead of printing them.
North Jersey: Montclair, Millburn and the Essex County stretch
Essex County may have the densest cluster of good bookstores in the state. You could visit four in a day without spending more than twenty minutes in the car.
Watchung Booksellers
Known for A general independent bookstore in Watchung Plaza since 1991, with a sister children's store, The Kids' Room, four doors down; Publishers Weekly's 2026 Bookstore of the Year.
54 Fairfield St, Montclair, NJ 07042
More in Montclair
Checked against official sources Nov 2026
If you only know one independent bookstore in New Jersey, it might be this one. In April 2026, Publishers Weekly named Watchung Booksellers its Bookstore of the Year, and the nominating letter called it "a beloved literary and community hub." That's a big title for a shop on a small, leafy plaza.
The story starts in 1991, when Kathy Linsk opened the store on the second floor above the old Bradner's Pharmacy at 33 Watchung Plaza. It moved to its current home at 54 Fairfield Street in 2001. Today it's run by Maddie Ciliotta-Young, a former educator and principal and the daughter of longtime owner Margot Sage-EL.
The main shop is a general bookstore: literary fiction, mystery, romance, travel, cooking, art and gifts. Four doors down is its sister store, The Kids' Room, a dedicated space for books for babies through young adults. The Kids' Room is also home to much of the programming: author readings, storytimes and book clubs. The shop has its own podcast and a Sunday Morning Writers group. It also partners with the Montclair Literary Festival and Montclair Film.
Afterward, pair it with a stop from our Montclair coffee shops guide. Watchung Plaza is a sweet little village of its own.
Montclair Book Center
Known for "Get lost in the stacks!" New and used books, rare books, vinyl and CDs, with a want-list service.
221 Glenridge Ave, Montclair, NJ 07042
More in Montclair
Checked against official sources Nov 2026
Montclair's other independent bookstore is the one to visit when you have no plan at all. The shop's own invitation is "Get lost in the stacks!" and it means it. Montclair Book Center on Glenridge Avenue sells new and used books along with vinyl and CDs. The online inventory is a happy maze of categories, from architecture and jazz to large print, true crime and, my favorite, a whole section called "Weird N.J."
This is a shop for collectors and wanderers. If something you're hunting isn't on the shelf, you can "Leave a Want" and they'll let you know if it turns up. That's a very old-fashioned bookstore service, and a very nice one. It also lists rare books and runs a calendar of events, so check the site before you go.
It's an easy walk from Bloomfield Avenue's cafés and restaurants. That makes it the perfect second stop on a Montclair day after Watchung Booksellers.
The Book House
Known for "Independent. Local. Quaint AF." A community bookshop with author signings, acoustic music and comedy nights; second shop at Pier Village, Long Branch.
321c Millburn Ave, Millburn, NJ 07041
Checked against official sources Nov 2026
The Book House calls itself "Independent. Local. Quaint AF," which tells you most of what you need to know about its sense of humor. It sits on Millburn Avenue in the middle of downtown. Inside, it's a family-friendly general shop: new releases, popular series, classics and backlist picks, plus puzzles, journals, activity books and cards.
The details are what make it charming. The store says much of what's inside was sourced from local people: the shelves, the logo, the art and the decor. It has close to 600 linear feet of shelf space, which the shop helpfully notes is "the length of 7 humpback whales." The name, it points out, is also a secret society in Twin Peaks.
The Book House hosts author signings, acoustic music and monthly stand-up comedy nights. It also helps readers start book clubs. There's a second location at Pier Village in Long Branch, which is handy if your bookshop crawl ends at the beach.
[words] Bookstore
Known for Maplewood's award-winning independent bookstore, which has hired over 100 young people with autism through its vocational training program.
179 Maplewood Ave, Maplewood, NJ 07040
Checked against official sources Nov 2026
Look for the big brown awning on Maplewood Avenue. [words] calls itself Maplewood's "local, independent, award-winning bookstore," and its events calendar is one of the busiest in the state. In November 2026 alone, it lists talks with TV critic Alan Sepinwall on his Rod Serling biography and with Matthew Pressman on the history of the Daily News.
What makes this shop special is its mission. [words] engages readers of all ages and welcomes patrons and employees with autism. It says it has hired more than 100 young people with autism through its vocational training program. That's a bookstore doing quiet, steady good, and it's a lovely reason to buy your next novel here.
Maplewood Village is compact and walkable, with the train station a short stroll from the shops. It's an easy half-day from Manhattan if you're coming in on NJ Transit.
Hudson County: Hoboken and Jersey City
Two bookstores, one PATH ride apart. Both are proper neighborhood shops with full calendars.
Little City Books
Known for Hoboken's independent general bookstore with a Children's Annex, author events and book clubs.
100 Bloomfield St, Hoboken, NJ 07030
More in Hoboken
Checked against official sources Nov 2026
Little City Books sits on Bloomfield Street, a block off Hoboken's busy Washington Street. It's the Mile Square City's general independent bookstore. The shelves cover the bestseller lists and plenty more: picture books, middle grade, paperback fiction and staff-curated lists like the Booker longlist. There's also a separate Children's Annex.
The store's events calendar runs on author talks, and its newsletter promises "New books, author visits, etc.," which is about as Hoboken as a tagline gets. Local press also notes its book clubs, signed copies and open mic nights.
Browse here, then walk to the waterfront for the skyline view, or pick a café from our Hoboken coffee shops guide. If you're building a bigger day, our Hoboken things to do guide has the rest.
WORD Bookstore
Known for A neighborhood bookstore and cultural hub founded by Christine Onorati in 2007, with book clubs, workshops and literary trivia nights.
29 McWilliams Pl, Jersey City, NJ 07302
Checked against official sources Nov 2026
WORD started as a dream of founder Christine Onorati, a lifelong book lover. It opened in 2007 and now has shops in Brooklyn and Jersey City. The Jersey City store is on McWilliams Place, steps from the Grove Street PATH and the restaurants around it.
WORD describes itself as a neighborhood bookstore and cultural hub. That shows in its calendar: book clubs (including a romance club and a New and Notable club), author events, workshops and literary trivia nights. The shelves run from literary fiction and cookbooks to graphic novels and children's classics, with a soft spot for small presses and local writers. There's even a membership program and a book subscription.
Morris and Somerset Hills: used, rare and very old
This is the part of the state for readers who like their bookstores with history.
The Chatham Bookseller
Known for A general used shop in Madison for more than fifty years, emphasizing literature, art and scholarly books, plus rare books, first editions and ephemera.
8 Green Village Rd, Madison, NJ 07940
Checked against official sources Nov 2026
Despite the name, The Chatham Bookseller lives in Madison, around a quiet corner on Green Village Road. It has been in Madison for more than fifty years. It's the classic used and rare bookstore: a general shop that focuses on good literature, art and scholarly books, plus rare books, first editions and ephemera.
The shop says outright that it encourages browsing, which is exactly what you want to hear. It also does book searches and appraisals. If you can't find a title, you can fill out a form and they'll search their offline inventory and other booksellers for you. The store now has a new owner, Kate Park, who was a longtime customer before she bought it. That's the most bookish ownership story there is.
Madison's downtown is small and pretty, with a train station on the NJ Transit Morristown Line. Make it part of a Morris County day with our Morristown coffee shops guide, one town over.
The Bookworm
Known for A small-town bookstore that began as the Bedminster Bookshop and has been on Claremont Road for more than four decades.
99 Claremont Rd, Bernardsville, NJ 07924
Checked against official sources Nov 2026
The Bookworm on Claremont Road is the definition of a small-town bookstore. It began as the Bedminster Bookshop and has been at its current location for more than four decades. Mary Ann Donaghy bought it in 1985. After she died, Vera Marowitz, who had worked alongside her as a bookseller, bought the store to keep it open for Bernardsville. A 2026 essay about the shop describes one local family who has shopped there for four generations.
The website keeps things simple: new fiction, nonfiction, fantasy, new paperbacks and preorders. It also partners with Libro.fm, so you can buy audiobooks and still support the store.
Bernardsville sits in the Somerset Hills, and the back roads in are a pretty drive in autumn. Pair the shop with a walk, or with a stop from our hikes guide.
The Town Book Store
Known for "Independent since 1934" — calls itself the longest-running independent bookseller in New Jersey, now on the site of Westfield's first library.
270 East Broad St, Westfield, NJ 07090
Checked against official sources Nov 2026
Here's a fun fact for your next trivia night. The Town Book Store says it is the longest-running independent bookseller in New Jersey. According to the original business ledgers on display in the shop, it opened on September 4, 1934. It stayed at the same address for 72 years. Then, in 2007, it moved across the street to 270 East Broad Street, the site of Westfield's first library. A bookstore that moved into an old library is about as tidy a story as you'll find.
The shop calls itself "modest in size" and carefully curated. It offers the little services that make an indie worth it: fast special orders, author signings, out-of-print book searches, book club discounts and free gift wrapping. The children's section mixes popular favorites with unique and educational titles. Its website quotes Virginia Woolf: "I am reading a book. It is my only occupation."
Westfield's downtown is walkable and close to its train station. That makes it an easy Saturday from the city.
Princeton and the Delaware River towns
The river towns are where bookstore day trips turn into full weekends.
Labyrinth Books
Known for Independent bookstore focused on academic and rare books, with discounted books and frequent author events.
122 Nassau St, Princeton, NJ 08542
More in Princeton · Also in Things to Do in Princeton, NJ
Checked against official sources Nov 2026
On Nassau Street, across from the university, Labyrinth Books is Princeton's independent bookstore. It specializes in academic and rare books but still carries most new releases. It also keeps a section of discounted titles, which is dangerous for anyone with a tote bag and a free afternoon.
Labyrinth's events calendar reads like a lecture series. In November 2026 it lists author talks, poetry readings, a "Writers on Writing" program with the Princeton Public Library and a symposium on Sondheim. The store marks its 19th anniversary that month with a members' sale.
It's the ideal anchor for a Princeton day: start with a café from our Princeton coffee shops guide, then walk the campus with our Princeton things to do guide.
Frenchtown Bookshop
Known for A family-owned bookstore in an 1863 Victorian building with about 10,000 volumes and a landscaped back garden for outdoor readings.
28 Bridge St, Frenchtown, NJ 08825
- Outdoor seating
Checked against official sources Nov 2026
If this guide had a cover photo, it would probably be Frenchtown Bookshop. It's a family-owned bookstore at 28 Bridge Street, on the main crossroads of a small, artsy town on the Delaware River. It fills about 1,000 square feet of an 1863 Victorian building that was carefully renovated in 2021. There's a seven-foot bay window on the sidewalk and a landscaped back garden used for outdoor readings.
The shop holds about 10,000 volumes plus what it calls "quirky, hand-picked sidelines." Its mission is "To inspire curiosity, connection, and compassion." Co-owner Barbara de Wilde is an award-winning book designer who spent years at Knopf, so the selection is chosen by someone who knows books inside and out.
The calendar is a delight. There's a Writers' Circle, poetry readings, five book clubs, "Sunday Music Club" concerts and cookbook-based suppers. The shop also curates author events at ArtYard, the town's contemporary arts center. Frenchtown is a short drive up the river from Lambertville, so add our Lambertville and New Hope guide and stay the weekend.
Belvidere Books & Cafe
Known for A curated bookshop and café serving Homestead Coffee Roasters coffee and Talia's Bakery baked goods.
415 Front St, Belvidere, NJ 07823
Checked against official sources Nov 2026
Farther up the Delaware, in Warren County, Belvidere Books & Cafe is the book café of your rainy-day daydreams. It's on Front Street in Belvidere, the small Warren County seat. The owners, John and Court, describe it as a place for neighbors to gather, discover and experience the joy that books and coffee can provide.
The café serves coffee from Homestead Coffee Roasters, a family-owned, certified organic roastery, and baked goods from Talia's Bakery, a small family bakery in nearby Washington. The book selection is curated. It doesn't try to carry everything, just what the owners think are the very best, with something for every age. There's also a request-a-book service.
Events include children's story times, fiction book clubs and a fantasy book club. If you love a bookstore where you can sit with your purchase and a cup of something warm, put this one at the top of your list. For more cafés like it, see our best coffee shops in NJ guide.
The Jersey Shore: beach reads all year
Shore bookstores are busiest in July. But a bookstore in a beach town in November is one of life's quiet pleasures.
BookTowne
Known for A modern bookstore with the warm, personal feel of a neighborhood shop: all genres, literary gifts and author events.
171 Main St, Manasquan, NJ 08736
Checked against official sources Nov 2026
BookTowne on Main Street calls itself a modern bookstore that keeps the warm, personal feel of a neighborhood shop. That's exactly what you want in a beach town once the summer crowds go home. It carries a carefully chosen selection across all genres, plus literary gifts for book lovers. The booksellers say they are avid readers who love recommending new authors.
Owner Peter Albertelli came to the shop after a 27-year career in the music industry. Over the years the store has hosted many author events, announced on its social channels. There's also a story time for little ones and a book subscription service. In 2026 it's running a read-a-thon fundraiser, too.
The shop's sign-off is "COME GET LOST IN BOOKTOWNE!" Manasquan's Main Street is a short drive from the beach. A walk on the sand plus a new paperback is an excellent shoulder-season afternoon. For more shore ideas, see our Jersey Shore towns guide.
LBI Book Swap
Known for New, used and trade-in books for all ages; voted No. 1 in USA Today's 2026 10Best Readers' Choice for Best Independent Bookstore.
325 9th St, Beach Haven, NJ 08008
More in Long Beach Island
Checked against official sources Nov 2026
On 9th Street in Beach Haven, at the southern end of Long Beach Island, the LBI Book Swap is a joyful idea done well. It sells new books (including new releases and New York Times bestsellers at publisher price), used books at a steep discount, and trade-ins. Bring a book in good condition and you get an extra discount on a used or new book. General fiction is shelved alphabetically by author, which every beach reader will appreciate.
In June 2026, New Jersey 101.5 reported that LBI Book Swap was voted number one in USA Today's 10Best Readers' Choice poll for Best Independent Bookstore in America. It was the only New Jersey shop on the list. The station also noted its big selection for children through young adults, which has made it a favorite with local families.
Hours shift with the season, and the shop asks you to call ahead. For the rest of your island day, see our Long Beach Island things to do guide.
South Jersey: Haddonfield
Inkwood Books
Known for South Jersey's full-service, all-genres indie, with nine monthly book clubs and the South Jersey Children's Book Festival.
106 Kings Hwy E, Haddonfield, NJ 08033
Checked against official sources Nov 2026
On Kings Highway in Haddonfield's historic downtown, Inkwood Books calls itself the region's full-service, all-genres independent bookstore. It is very much the beating heart of South Jersey's book scene. Owner Julie Beddingfield runs a store that hosts nine monthly book clubs: Horror, Classics and Offbeat, Pride, Graphic Novel, Speculative and Dystopian Fiction, Romance, Poetry and more. Its November 2026 calendar also lists storytimes, author events and a Small Business Saturday signing.
Inkwood organizes and sells books for the free South Jersey Children's Book Festival, held in April 2026 at Haddonfield Middle School with 23 authors and illustrators. It also helps run the annual Collingswood Book Festival, which fills more than six blocks of Haddon Avenue.
The store says a commuter train to Center City Philadelphia is only a block away, and Haddonfield's walkable downtown has more than 200 shops and restaurants. It's an easy day trip from Philly, and a lovely afternoon from anywhere in South Jersey.
Planning a New Jersey bookstore crawl
Pick a cluster. The easiest crawl is Montclair, with Watchung Booksellers, The Kids' Room and Montclair Book Center close together. Then add Maplewood or Millburn, both about twenty minutes away. Madison, Bernardsville and Westfield make a good second loop. In the west, Frenchtown and Belvidere pair well with a Delaware River drive.
Take the train. Several of these towns are on NJ Transit lines, including Montclair, Maplewood, Millburn, Madison, Bernardsville and Westfield. Little City Books and WORD are easy from the PATH. Inkwood says a train to Center City is a block away. Check NJ Transit or PATH schedules before you go.
Watch the season. Shore shops change their hours after summer, and LBI Book Swap asks visitors to call ahead. Independent Bookstore Day falls on the last Saturday in April, and many shops plan special events.
Bring books to trade. Used shops like LBI Book Swap take trade-ins for store discount, and The Chatham Bookseller buys used and rare collections. Call or check each shop's website before you haul a box in.
Call ahead for events. Author talks fill up. Sign up for your favorite shop's newsletter. That's where events show up first.
Every place in this guide, on the map
- Watchung Booksellers54 Fairfield St, Montclair, NJ 07042
- Montclair Book Center221 Glenridge Ave, Montclair, NJ 07042
- The Book House321c Millburn Ave, Millburn, NJ 07041
- [words] Bookstore179 Maplewood Ave, Maplewood, NJ 07040
- Little City Books100 Bloomfield St, Hoboken, NJ 07030
- WORD Bookstore29 McWilliams Pl, Jersey City, NJ 07302
- The Chatham Bookseller8 Green Village Rd, Madison, NJ 07940
- The Bookworm99 Claremont Rd, Bernardsville, NJ 07924
- The Town Book Store270 East Broad St, Westfield, NJ 07090
- Labyrinth Books122 Nassau St, Princeton, NJ 08542
- Frenchtown Bookshop28 Bridge St, Frenchtown, NJ 08825
- Belvidere Books & Cafe415 Front St, Belvidere, NJ 07823
- BookTowne171 Main St, Manasquan, NJ 08736
- LBI Book Swap325 9th St, Beach Haven, NJ 08008
- Inkwood Books106 Kings Hwy E, Haddonfield, NJ 08033
Questions people ask
What is the oldest independent bookstore in New Jersey?
The Town Book Store in Westfield describes itself as the longest-running independent bookseller in New Jersey. According to the original business ledgers it keeps on display, it opened on September 4, 1934. After 72 years at its first address it moved across the street in 2007 to 270 East Broad Street, the site of Westfield's first library.
Where can I find used bookstores in NJ?
For secondhand and rare books, try The Chatham Bookseller in Madison (used, out-of-print, rare books and ephemera), Montclair Book Center (new and used books plus vinyl), and LBI Book Swap in Beach Haven, which sells new, used and traded books. Several shops, including The Chatham Bookseller, will also search for a hard-to-find title for you.
Which NJ bookstore was named Bookstore of the Year?
Watchung Booksellers in Montclair won Publishers Weekly's Bookstore of the Year for 2026, announced in April 2026. Its nominating letter called it a beloved literary and community hub. The shop has been in Watchung Plaza since 1991 and runs a separate children's store, The Kids' Room, a few doors down Fairfield Street.
Is there a bookstore with a café in New Jersey?
Yes. Belvidere Books & Cafe on Front Street in Belvidere pairs a curated book selection with a café serving Homestead Coffee Roasters coffee and baked goods from Talia's Bakery in nearby Washington. If you'd rather keep the coffee and books separate, the towns in this guide, like Montclair, Princeton and Hoboken, all have walkable cafés nearby.
What is the best bookstore at the Jersey Shore?
LBI Book Swap in Beach Haven was voted number one in USA Today's 10Best Readers' Choice poll for Best Independent Bookstore in America in 2026, per New Jersey 101.5. It sells new, used and traded books for all ages. Farther north, BookTowne in Manasquan and The Book House's Pier Village shop in Long Branch are year-round options.
Spot something out of date, or know a place we should add? Tell us. Corrections are read first.
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