The Book Cellar

Love that there is a bookstore right in the neighborhood! I like wandering in and finding a new book or getting a book signed. It is a wonderful addition to this already cute neighborhood!

This is obviously a neighborhood quaint spot but I had a really negative experience here. First time visit, needed the bathroom. It was a tight squeeze with so many boxes and things stacked up the walls that I could barely open the door. Then when I went to order I had to stand there & wait for the young cashiers to stop talking to each other & being very loud hitting each other & being rowdy like recess until they finally decided to stop discussing themselves to each other & take my order. They were REALLY loud and obnoxious, & as I sat there they grew in number (behind the counter) & got louder. Every customer that walked in the door was ignored. Two women walked through the whole store lost w/​out ever being helped & eventually left. It was impossible to read because of the rowdy young self-​absorbed employees. I was spoken to with obvious fake kindness, a kind of pretentious attitude. I felt EXTREMELY alienated and will never return. This place serves a local need but the owner needs to train the employees how to treat customers. Perhaps the chips on their shoulders were taught from the owner/​s, no idea. Apparently they don’t worry about pleasing customers. After 40 min, not one customer, eating or searching, has been greeted or asked if they need anything. There are so many places to go have overpriced snacks.

This small café in Lincoln square is located within a small bookstore offering a selection of popular function, non-​fiction, and YA books. I came here on a Saturday afternoon to catch up on some work. I was pleased with my coffee and found a table to work at. There are limited outlet space, and this perhaps would not be a good location to plop down for an entire day of work.
The reason for my 3-​star review. I was informed quite rudely by one of the staff that the café area was to be vacated due to an event. She did not speak to me at all, what she did was loudly plop down a sign that said they had an event at 5:15pm. This would have been acceptable normally, if it weren’t in fact 5:10pm at the time. I had just ordered my second drink, and would have preferred some notice or at the very least a human interaction.

Amazing. That’s the first thing that came to mind when I walked in. I like the sleek stainless steal tables it has a nice atmosphere. I came here for coffee but this place is more then just coffee they have a nice book collection. I’ll return here it’s a nice cozy place to study. Also may I add free wifi.

Wonderful concept. Great book selection, and they’re happy to order anything they might not have at the moment.
Nice café, indoor and outdoor. The inside even makes a nice comedy venue at times.
This place is a gem that I’m lucky to live near!

First, their selection has all the top sellers you might be looking for but also has some interesting oddities and sections including a hefty one on Chicago. Also some fun gifts and cards.
Second, booze.
Third, café.
Need I say more???
Forth, they host several low-​pressure book clubs of different genres including general literature, young adult, classics, spirituality, and many others. Chances are you’ll connect with some clubs and books here. I attended the Book Cellar Book Club for years until I moved away… now that I’m back in town, I will likely be joining again.
Fifth, they also host book signings and tours. Lots of fun in a small space – much more intimate than at a huge Barnes & Nobel or something like that.
Sixth, it’s in the heart of Lincoln Square right outside the neighborhood plaza and fountain. Swoon.

Small, lovely bookstore.
It’s a local business that has a decent selection of books. Very organized. Not overwhelming.
They also sell decent coffee, beer, and wine which is a huge plus for me if I want to sit down, relax, and read the book I bought.
The service is friendly. I never encounter unwarranted, disinterested attitudes that you would expect from a place like this. I would think you would have to be knowledgeable about/​love books in order to work there, and the staff are.
They also host events like authors coming to visit in order to promote their books and book discussions which is fantastic, especially if you are into things like that.
Again, support a local business, especially a business like this!

Oooh, a Pantone notebook! Another notebook with a macaron print! A photo album that looks like air mail!
It wasn’t the merchandise that made me break a sweat though. It was HOT in this little shop.
I spent some time browsing the paper goods, but the aisles are narrow and they were very crowded, so I just started to get antsy. I was going to buy the photo album, but the line was super long. All of the extra space was occupied by people sitting in chairs — it looked like a reading was about to start. Most people were eating and drinking. I don’t know if I’d want people eating sandwiches while I did a book reading, but what the fuck do I know? I’ve never written a book.
I expected a cool shop with a relaxing atmosphere. I like that they serve wine & food, and the selection of merchandise was decent, but it’s really not suitable for a book reading during business hours.

I am a huge fan of picking up a book and reading it.
The smell of the pages, the tactile feeling of flipping a page as the stack of paper and words move from one side to the other ultimately completing the adventure.
My primary source for reading is typically the library but there are occasional authors I like to have on my book shelves for posterity and possible re read later in life. The Book Cellar is doing a fantastic job keeping the local book store alive and kicking. Sure there are algorithms that online can provide to you but it is no comparison to your local purveyor of books.
They have a little café as well that is a nice addition to the atmosphere.

Fantastic independent book shop. I’ve been to several book readings/​signings here, and it’s always a pleasure to sip wine and hear writers discuss and read from their work. Fantastic selection of unusual books.
Support independent book shops!

This is a nice bookstore. Modest sized and sometimes a bit cramped at points, but that’s just because they’re trying to get as much as they can in the space. I can usually find plenty to buy.
Another perk is that there’s a café, so you can sit down and sip some coffee after you shop.