Downtown Books

My husband and I were visiting Manteo yesterday and found this gem. The store is small but they have a great selection. My personal favorite was their section dedicated to local history and local authors. We picked up three books and look forward to visiting again. And a special thank you to the proprietor for kindly lending me his phone when I thought I had left my debit card at another business. We visit the Outer Banks often and will make this a stop every time we’re in town from now on!

Downtown Books is a fantastic bookstore. The selection is on the small side, but they also sell great gifts, bookmarks, and other knick knacks. Any lack of variety in their book inventory is more than made up for by the quaint charm of the store and staff. Very highly recommend! 👍 👍

A small but great selection of books and wonderful staff. This book store is golden!

This bookstore is a true gem! The owner and staff are so knowledgeable, kind and inclusive. If you haven't stopped into Downtown books, make sure it's top of the list when you visit Manteo. You won't be disappointed!

Cutest bookstore in Manteo! It's stocked with tons of great book choices and a wide variety for all ages! The staff is so helpful and friendly!

This is such a well curated shop, 10/10 recommend! Used book selection is small but overall book selection is excellent. The assortment of non-book but book adjacent and gift related items is excellent as well. LOVED the amount of shelf talkers! :)

Twice now I have stopped in and found signed copies of books by my favorite authors (both unexpectedly!) such a cute store and a must visit when I’m in town!

Love independent bookstores, this was our first time visiting this one & found some great new & used books, plus a few other souvenirs. I love that a lot of the owners / employees in downtown Manteo know the goings on of their fellow stores, and this place was no exception, as we were looking for info on a place and artist we met last year.

I brought my son in last week while we were on vacation because we forgot his bed time book. The gentleman working was amazing with him. Asked him what kind of stories he liked and even what grade he was in to make sure it was appropriate for his reading level. We went in for 1 book and walked out with WAY more. We will definitely be back.

I don't know if there is an entrance that is wheelchair accessible. The front door has a step and it is tight in this cute little shop. I enjoyed looking around at the selection. There are books about the local area. I found a Scholastic book that I hadn't seen before and bought that. "Show Me the Sign" I'm excited to read that. It was the only book I've seen in the Outer Banks that has a Deaf character. Thank you for having this book on your bookshelves.

My absolute favorite independent bookstore and one of my "always go there" places when I'm in the Outer Banks. This is the quintessential independent bookstore, with a curated selection of books about the local area, books by local writers and artists, as well as top sellers of all genres. I love giving business to a store where I know true thought and care goes into running it - and that goes for the way she's operated during the pandemic - making sure her customers remain safe. Thank you, Jamie and Piper, I appreciate you!

Pretty nice little book store. Very friendly and helpful employees.

Great shop with an owner that cares! We love your bookstore and are so thankful that even during this terrible pandemic going on, you take the precautions to open so we can all have a small sense of normalcy in being able to shop in person and pick out a book.
Your bookstore is adorable and you have a great selection. The staff is very nice as well. If you get to the Outer Banks, definitely stop in!

Absolutely my favorite bookstore in all the World! It is a MUST do on my trips to the Outer Banks and I’ve been privileged to shop there twice this Summer 2020. It’s a quirky and perfect local bookstore full of books I need and many things I discover I need. Local artists and authors are always recommended which makes it change every time I visit. I love it!
They are doing a great job of providing hand sanitizer and reminding people to leave space when necessary.
My first trip was for Wes Snyder’s photography book and they had signed copies for patrons who would not be able to visit when Wes would be there (safely) signing a week later.
My second trip I was on the hunt for a book by another local author, but they were sold out when I got there. The sales associate asked if I was familiar with their website and reminded me I could order it there and still support my favorite store.
Thank you, Downtown Books!

We love coming here each year for a beach read or 2. This year we met Bill. He is a lovely gentleman that helped us pick a few books. Such a great experience! Highly recommend to everyone who comes to the outer banks!

What a wonderful bookstore!! I’ve been here a couple times and the staff is always super friendly! The best staff member has to be the greeter dog though, absolutely precious!! There is a vast selection of books here and they have super comfy shirts!! Downtown Books is a must go for any book lover!!

Wonderful and quaint bookstore perfectly suited for it's adorably historic small town waterfront location. The staff is uber knowledgeable and friendly, the store pup is just the cutest ever. They've done a fabulous job navigating our current situation in 2020 with appropriate and friendly signage and a sanitizing station as you enter and exit. Picked up the perfect books for my niece's baby shower!

This precious little book store is the real deal with old time customer service and care! They have a great selection of books, and will order your books if not onsite. Apart from a clean, beautiful space, it has considerate, devoted patrons who look out for their health by patronizing businesses who put safety and well being first. Kudos to this wonderful team and our favorite bookstore! Your community and loyal visitors love you!

Cute shop in historic Manteo. Well curated selection of books for kids, young adults and adults. Nice reading area in the back. Limited used book selection. Ultra friendly and helpful staff.

On a recent trip to the Outer Banks, I discovered this charming bookstore in Manteo. Bibliophile that I am, I lingered in conversation with the owner, a charming and knowledgeable man. The store itself offers a great selection of well-organized books at reasonable prices, along with lovely bookmarks and assorted products. I will definitely return--not only because of its wonderful assortment of books but also for its hospitality and graciousness!