Water Street Bookstore

A Hidden Gem Along the River in a charming city.

Nestled in the heart of Exeter, New Hampshire, Water Street Bookstore is a hidden gem waiting to be discovered by book lovers and travelers alike.

During a recent road trip, I stumbled upon this quaint bookstore, and I couldn't have been more delighted with my find.

From the moment I stepped inside, I was greeted by the warm smiles of the staff, who were not only friendly but also incredibly knowledgeable and eager to assist, making my browsing experience all the more enjoyable.

The book selection is perfect and curated with care, ensuring that every title is worthy of attention (leaving here and there some little cards with book reviews by the staff members).

The real highlight lies at the back of the store, where a vast window overlooks the river flowing by. As I perused the shelves, I found myself drawn to this serene spot, where people go to read their book and sip a coffee or leave a message in notebooks left there for our convenience.

I will sure come back!

Great independent bookstore with a wide and eclectic selection of books, a generous kids' section, and a lovely view of the Squamscott river from a nice reading table in the back. Lots of helpful book recommendations are noted throughout the store. Not to be missed!

Awesomely lovely bookstore! They have a terrific selection that's incredibly well curated and the whole place is very inviting. There is also the terrific view of the river and a bit of wildlife at the back of the store!

An excellent local bookstore with a wide selection of books for all ages. I visited Water Street in search of new books to add to my students' library. I was impressed to find that half the store is dedicated to children and the selection was excellent. I will definitely come back as I am now a member 🙂

Wow! What a great selection of books for all interests and a great atmosphere to browse, buy and read in the back of the store with large windows overlooking the Squamscott River. A local gem in the heart of downtown Exeter. Friendly and helpful service too! Today I found a good selection of books for myself and gifts!

Awesome & impressive selection for a small bookstore- unique books as well as the new releases, they have books that the big chains don't readily have available, friendly helpful staff, located in a quaint center of Exeter, NH!

A jewel. Amazing selection, and staff write ups about so many of their books. Don't sleep on the 20 dollar lifetime membership discount program.

lovely bookstore packed with tons of options and also gifts. the lady behind the counter was very nice and helpful. there is a huge children’s section as well. new books only as far as i could tell.

Great local bookstore. Friendly and knowledgeable staff.

Such a fabulous, well- stocked, comfortable bookstore with great staff!

This place is so charming! Everyone inside was very kind and so very knowledgeable. It felt so good to talk to people who clearly care for books and love to read. Plus, shopping local feels amazing! I highly recommend a trip inside.

What an amazing local treasure! Their customer service is top notch. Erin so promptly answered my email question that I wanted to shop in store. The staff is super friendly, knowledgeable & courteous and did an excellent job assisting me with finding gift books for my 9 yr old granddaughter . Then to top off my pleasurable shopping experience they wrapped & shipped it to her in Ca for free! They've done a beautiful job decorating this wonderful old shop & displaying their vast array of books. This is the way shopping used to be..calm, personalized & attentive. Don't go to the big chain bookstore, support this local small business and find out how stress free your shopping can be!

I found some secondhand books here and they were great! The service is very good and they have a wide selection of different topics. I loved it!

Great book selection, friendly staff, building very well kept.

Cute little bookstore with a wide variety to choose from. There's a large section for children of various ages and lots of recommended books highlighted for various interests. The surrounding area is very walkable with lots of other cute shops and views of the river. Definitely worth a visit!

Absolutely wonderful independent bookstore that is a gem in our community. Always friendly and welcoming and the owner goes out of his way to convey his appreciation for your support. During lockdown and over the past year Water Street Bookstore had a great curbside pickup (and even delivered!) system which made our lives just a bit better. I go there whenever I need a good book or recommendation. They’re the best!

Great independent book store. Remarkably well stocked for the size of the store. Great New England and gardening sections.

My wife and I were going to be stopping in Exeter on a brief trip, and we looked ahead of time for lunch and shopping options. We checked out Water Street Bookstore's website and saw that they had at least one book we'd love, so I called ahead to see if it was on the shelves. It wasn't, so the employee who took my phone call special-ordered it, making sure it would arrive by time we drove through, and held it for us. We picked that and about seven other books up after browsing. Fantastic customer service, good selection of books. We'll be back.

Wonderful shop with fun stuff beyond books. Staff helpful to find the right book for a gift...with gift wrap.

I love the Water Street Bookstore. It’s one of my favorite bookstores in this area!