Coastside Books

Although the selection of the store looks absolutely inviting, my husband and toddler son felt very un welcomed. The lady made it clear they were closing in 7 minutes and seemed very unhappy that we brought our child in. Truly unfortunate.

I love these tiny, cute bookstores that smell weird and have cute cards at the counter. It’s a good place to go to browse, but they have hardly any books, so I wouldn’t recommend going there with a specific thing in mind.

Time well spent in a beautiful array of books and gifts sums this place up. A gem of a local treasure in Half Moon Bay with the most helpful and kind proprietor. Very knowledgeable staff with a low key atmosphere that is a delight to browse and shop in. Time slows down here and allows you to enjoy an aesthetically pleasing space for your imagination to grow or to pursue your passion for knowledge and fun. Highly recommended!

Sara, Sara, Sara!!! That’s all I can say!!! Even if you’re not much of a bookworm this is a store you have to go to. Beyond the obvious — beautiful merchandising, fun trinkets, great books and cards, Sara is just about the most helpful and friendly business owner that I know. Every time I come in to the store I am greeted with love and care, and absolutely no ulterior sales motive to get me to purchase something. Of course I almost always do make a purchase because I love her merchandise but also because it gives me great delight to support a store that fully supports its’ customers. Bravo Sara!!! I love you and your store!!!

Would give zero stars if that were an option. Incredibly rude person at the desk. Could be a nice place otherwise. Completely ruined our experience. Made our little boy cry the way the lady at the desk freaked out because he picked up a $ 9 toy. End of the world…

Absolute gem in Half Moon Bay. Coastside Books reminded me that time spent browsing a good old fashioned book store is time well spent. They carry a unique array of gift items (journals, grown up coloring books, note cards, well curated children’s section and a variety of whimsical selections for all ages.) I ended up purchasing a coloring book, a reusable tote bag, and some colored pencils. Great value, friendly service and plenty of interesting items to browse. Support this lovely local business and walk away with a gift (or two) for yourself or others. My purchases were strictly a treat for me, as I plan on coloring away what looks to be a rainy El Nino winter… Wonderful spot!

One of those bookstores that makes you LOVE a good, independent shop. Sara, the owner, is a great resource and the selection she has on display introduced me to many fantastic books I would otherwise have missed. Besides a great selection of books, the best greeting cards anywhere.

While it’s not huge this shop has a wonderfully curated collection of books, particularly fiction. That’s in addition to some very nice gifts and locally oriented items. Always worth a visit.

This is my favorite bookstore in Half Moon Bay. They have a (relatively) small, but great selection of books and lots of fun, sweet little things perfect for gift giving. I’ve been in several times and have always come away with something unique. The staff has always also been very friendly!

Fine place for trinkets and gift cards. Go a few doors down however for books.

Cute but kitschy. A few used books mingled in but new for the most part. A lot of trinkets non-​book items for sale (scarves, decorations, etc). Try the spot a few doors down for bigger used collection.

My kids live this bookstore, we drive from Fremont just to visit it. We always find that one unique hidden gem, or five that makes the kids smile. The stock here is eclectic, and the store is cozy and welcoming.

: Handpicked selection of books.
: Great greeting cards.
: Awesome vibe.
Cool older lady looking at books next to me that had a lazy dog that would sit each time she picked up a book. Had to share that, it definitely added to the experience. A dog friendly book store is an A+ to me!
The lady behind the counter also gave me and my friend some advice when we asked how strict the parking police were. Thanks!

I love how there isn’t that many books here… and you can tell that each one was chosen carefully. It’s easy to browse the books, and find something that looks intriguing. They have them easily merchandised so that you can see the books… it isn’t all spine out.
They also have a selection of cards. And a huge area for kids books.
Friendly customer service.

Another great store on Main Street with great unique cards — not as large a selection as Paper Crane but it’s not tiny either! Of course there are a ton of books to browse through, as well as other little items like keychains and such. Quiet atmosphere, nice staff. For a small store, you may find yourself spending a lot more time than you’d expect in here.

Great little book shop! I found my cute Half Moon Bay postcards here! They were the only shop that had actual Half Moon Bay Postcards and not just generic California ones. The shop is small but full of cute little cards and trinkets. A definite stop on your shopping list.

Awesome greeting cards for every occasion! This store is a gem. Standard card prices ($ 3 – 5 — comparable to Papyrus or even Target) for really rare, fun, interesting cards. Stock up while you are there — it’s worth it.
There are books are other gifts, as well, but the cards are the stand-​outs at this place.

I super love this bookstore! The owner carries items you would never find in a Barnes and Noble, I love the fact that I can walk in browse for 10 minutes and bam I have found something that interests me…

After our little adventure at Half to Have It, we needed a place to wind down and relax. Coastside Books came to mind, which was just a half block down.
Not a huge bookstore like a Barnes and Noble, or a Borders. Nor does it have a huge collection of books like Kepler’s in Menlo Park, Green Apple in San Francisco. In fact, the bookstore is small, but their arrangement of bookshelves and cases create cozy little nooks, where visitors can sit in a nearby chair and escape with a book from a shelf.
A lot of personality in this store. Along with some of the newer fiction and non fiction titles, they carry books and travel guides that feature the California Pacific Coast. They also carry greeting cards, journals, and other merchandise promoting Half Moon Bay.
Most bookstores play classical music in the background. This place was playing some Johnny Cash. One wouldn’t think this choice of music would be relaxing and induce reading, but it seemed to work.
While we were here, my wife and the girls spent found a nice, cozy spot in the children’s book section, and lose themselves in the books they found (
). Time seemed to drift away as they were there for a couple of hours.
We had to leave, but know we’ll be back.

My favorite bookstore in Half Moon Bay. In fact, I wrote a guest blog post about the store a month ago: