Park Road Books

this was a great little bookshop! Cozy, well organized, eclectic selection with a great selection of signed copies.

Super nice people working there. Walked in on a whim one afternoon and there was only 1 other customer.
I asked them for help looking for a gift and they immediately set out searching their stacks for the book or something similar. They always have cute little gift ideas.

Amazon and big chain bookstores will never have that amazing smell that comes from a bunch of brand new books in a small area. Some other bibliophiles will understand where I am coming from. The rest of you can think that I am strange and I probably am.
Despite the loud DJ outside a store nearby the bookstore was the perfect quiet refuge for me during our weekend shopping. The staff members were all friendly, the store was clean and the books were well organized.
There is a cute sitting area in the back which is surrounded by children’s books. I was only there to browse this time but I can see myself returning next time I want to purchase a new book.

Last independent book store in town, one that needs community support to compete against big box/​online and stay i business.
The staff is fantastic– they work here because they love books, not because it’s any old job. They have good recommendations, love to talk about authors and are passionate about where they work.
My only knock is the store is much smaller than Barnes & Noble, et al, so the selection is limited, and it can take a while for them to get books that need to be special ordered.
Amazon is easier. Barnes & Noble is too. But this store is a gem that deserves our patronage, and if you are willing to be patient to get all the books you want, you’ll be happy you are a customer there, supporting Charlotte and our dwindling supply of small, locally owned businesses.

Park Road Books is the best little book store in the Carolinas!
All I have to do is call and the staff will order a book for me (if they don’t have it in stock) and a few days later they call to tell me it’s in! How easy is that? It’s like on-​line shopping but instead of buying from a huge national conglomerate, I’m helping a local small business.

NEVER USE THIS PLACE. DO NOT RECOMMEND. THEY DO NOT FOLLOW UP, ASSOCIATES ARE RUDE, AND THE CUSTOMER SERVICE IS AWFUL. HARD TO BELIEVE HOW THEY STAY IN BUSINESS. I HAVE BEEN WAITING ON BOOKS FOR ALMOST TWO WEEKS AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULD ARRIVE IN TWO DAYS. DUE TO THEIR INCOMPETENCE I AM NOW HAVING TO DROP A CLASS.
I am very upset and disappointed with the service that I have received. I was told by Frank the order would be placed on ⁸⁄₂₇ and the order would arrive on ⁸⁄₂₉. Now, almost two weeks later, my order still has not arrived. And the order was placed on ⁸⁄₂₈ instead of ⁸⁄₂₇. I have had to call every day to check on status, no one until today, after calling every day since last Friday has reached out to me. The customer service is not what I expected. These books were needed last Friday for a class that meets on Mondays. I will be two weeks behind since they will not come in until this Monday. This is unacceptable. If I had known that, I would have used another company to receive my books on time. Now, I do not have time to obtain the books from any other source before Monday. This has been a major inconvenience for me and I will know not to use your business in the future.

For as many times I have been to Park Road Shopping Center, I don’t think I ever came inside Park Road Books. I’m glad I took a stroll inside this weekend. I love book stores, I love it even more when it’s local and not big box (which are all dying down anyhow).
Before you enter the store, there’re carts of used books on sale (think $ 4 for a hardback) on the sidewalk. At the entrance they post upcoming author/​book signing events (unfortunately they tend to be mid-​day on weekdays when most are at work).
Once entered, the first few shelves have feature books (ex. they’re offering a discount on the 1^st shelf of NY Times Bestsellers). There is a small sitting area as well in the middle toward the back.
It was a quick visit. I didn’t get to browse long, but I was there long enough to see 2 new books I want to read.
Stop by, buy a book, support a local bookstore!

Great local bookstore with a big selection. If you’re looking for books, journals or small gifts you should check here first. The staff is super helpful and have their own recommendation section for books. Great way to support local business!

Great local bookstore in the Park Rd Shopping Plaza. They have great side walk sales on sunny day, fun children’s book area in the back, and nice sitting area to read a couple snippets. Staff is friendly and they can order a book for you if one isn’t available or instock yet. Beware of the mystery aisle, someone got murder there (but who done it’).

Nice to see smaller family owned bookstores around still! This one definitely has that feel, the people working there bring their little dog in, super cute. We went in for children’s reading and activity books and left with 4 for a hefty $ 63, but they do give you $ 5 off for every $ 100 you spend, so it was $ 58. Make sure they put you in their system. Friendly people and good seating area to lounge in in the back.

I was really impressed. I’ve walked in before, looked around no biggie. I’m typically a «leave me alone & let me find what I want myself & I’ll ask if if I need help» kind of woman.
So I am minding my own business… I picked up a book on the $ 5 rack outside the store, wandered in and was perusing for something to catch my attention…
…what caught my attention was hearing another customer asking for help in finding something to read & hearing the response… «tell me what kinds of books you’ve read recently or that you have really enjoyed.»
An open question, asking for the customer to provide clues as to which direction they want to go! AND! The sales person listened. Awe-​some.
Even though I wasn’t involved & only overheard — the rest of the conversation (read: conversation) showed interest, insight & knowledge of varied subjects & authors.
This is and of itself is enough to give this store 5 stars.
When I came to the register myself with my selections, another salesperson showed genuine delight in what I had selected and gave me some additional information about my purchase.
I’m very happy to have re-​discovered an independent bookstore in Charlotte & I will return.
p. s. TONS of good puzzles!

Whoever said service with a smile is dead has obviously never been to Park Road Books. I’ve been here before, but since I pledged to shop local this year, I came here to get a book for my friend’s daughter’s birthday instead of ordering it from Amazon. They didn’t have the book I wanted, but got it in stock for me in 2 days. That’s fast enough for me, especially considering I first stopped in on a Sunday.
When I arrived to pick it up, it had been mis-​filed, but several friendly staff members jumped in and quickly located it. Cannot say enough nice things about the staff, they were as cheerful as could be and it was a pleasure to shop there. I didn’t have time to browse the bargain book bins out front, but I will be back to give those a glance for myself.
We are all on a budget these days, and it sure is tempting to go for the cheapest price available. However, my book only cost around $ 2 more than the price + shipping online, and that is a small price to pay for friendly service, not to mention keeping your money in the city. With all the author signings, cozy atmosphere, and convenient location in my favorite shopping center, I will definitely be returning.

Hooray for the independent bookstore who outlasted the big bad Borders monster.
This store sits in the extremely diverse Park Road Shopping Center. It has friendly and helpful employees and if you can’t find what you are looking for, you can just ask and they will be happy to assist. If they don’t carry and item, they will be happy to track it down.

I always used to say that Charlotte’s best book store was Malaprop’s (in Asheville) until I found this place. I go to book stores looking mainly for entertaining fiction, and I usually don’t have a particular book in mind when I go. If I knew what I wanted I’d just click «buy» on Amazon, but Amazon can’t do the most important thing that an indie bookstore does. The great thing about indie bookstores is that they take on a personality. The selection of books may not be large, but if the person who chooses the stock is sympatico then you will always be able to find something good there. Such is the case with Park Road Books. I even look up books on Amazon and buy them at Park Road because I don’t want them to meet the sad fate of other indie bookstores.

Surprised to find them open at 9:00am this morning! Great selection, large for a small store! Still able to compete with the Big-​in-​name stores. This a Charming bookstore I’m so glad they are still in the game! Extremely helpful and friendly staff!

Great, independent bookstore! I ventured in here for the first time a few days ago and will definitely be back. It’s a nice change of pace from the over-​sized mega bookstores out there and has a nice, small town feel to it. I love the handwritten recommendations from the staff on the books and the huge selection of planners, journals, notecards, etc. They host a number of authors doing discussions and signings from what I can see on their calendar (bummed I missed Chelsea Handler though) No, they don’t have the selection of the huge bookstores or all the glitz and glitter but I feel a little better knowing that my money is going to the local economy to keep it running.

So apparently Charlotte has a fledging literary scene. Wouldn’t have know it at Borders or B & N, but Park Road Books has a decent selection of local authors that are displayed prominently. That’s why this place is a keeper.
I’m a bibliophile and thus feel obligated to enter all bookstores in town, but Park Road definitely hits the mark for finding a niche that the big chains can’t touch. Yes, the selection is limited. But you will easily find titles on local history and culture without digging through umpteen million James Patterson books (AHEM!!!). The staff, like other reviewers note, are very friendly. They chat with customers and enjoy helping poor saps like me.
If you’re on a budget, they usually have carts of formerly leased books from public libraries for $ 3-​$ 5. These titles are usually last year’s bestsellers that public libraries take out circulation once the demand decreases. If you’ve got time to kill or money to blow, Park Road Books makes for a nice afternoon.

It’s a great little bookstore! It’s always a toss up… support non-​chain and spend more or attend to my personal budget and get more for the buck at a chain? What is a girl to do?!
Finding Park Road Books made for a good stop. The employees were friendly and we felt no pressure to buy anything. Stop by and browse and you may find something you didn’t even know you were looking for, like me!

I’m a pretty big book reader & love trying out new book stores, so Park Road Books was a welcome sight to see. This place is relatively large for a shopping center store & they have quite a good selection of books.
Aisle upon aisle is filled with different genres, & while they may not have as big a selection as your chain bookstores, they still have quite a few books. I actually prefer bookstores like this, because every title is facing you on the shelves. You don’t have to turn your head sideways to read every title like your big chain bookstores. So because they don’t have such a huge selection, you can see every intriguing cover & easily find books you otherwise might have passed over. They also have a large children’s section to keep the kiddies occupied while you go about your book finding.
And one thing that really sets this place apart is the service. They allow you free reign to search for books without pestering you, but if you do need help they are very friendly & very knowledgeable. I saw 2 people approach the counter & ask about various authors/​books, & both times the lady behind the counter knew the info right off the top of her head.
Park Road Books really goes above & beyond your normal big chain bookstores. While it may not have as vast a selection, it makes up for this with its better browsing ability & excellent personal service. If you’re an avid book fan & you’re looking for a nice atmosphere to peruse, then this place won’t disappoint.

PRB is a quiet little store that always has a few racks of books outside to catch your interest. It works on me 3 out of 5 times and I’ll saunter inside to see what’s new.
It’s tiny but they are very friendly and you could order a book and just pick it up by the time you have to go to Harris Teeter or otherwise visit the Park Road Shopping Center again.