Maple Street Book Shop

Maple Street Book Shop is a New Orleans institution and I am SO embarrassed that I am only just now stopping in here.

For such a small shop, Maple Street Books has quite the selection of everything from new and used to fiction, non fiction and local selections. As I walked up the quaint porch there was a rack of used books with a decent selection that I flipped through. After I made my way inside, I found myself in the "New Orleans" section that was full of books about the city we love. I picked up a copy of "Cast of Characters", a book about the different personalities that make New Orleans so unique.

There aren't enough book shops like this anymore and it feels like the "big names" have taken over, so it was nice to patronize this locally owned shop for a change. If I lived in the area, I would make it a point to come here more regularly.

There are two buildings that make up the Maple Street Book Shop, and if you stand out front there's a sign directing you to "New" or "Used" sections of the shop. On the right is where the used books are stored, and this is what I hope my house will look like someday. Narrow, cramped aisles with floor to ceiling books. Definitely somewhere I could imagine myself living someday.

The "New" books side of the bookshop is evidently where they do readings and book signings, which I highly recommend in part because they've totally got a cooler full of beer out on the porch. How very New Orleans, right?

On Famed Maple Street
Shelved with Both New & Vintage
Staff Versed with Best Reads

#Haiku #NOLA_Haiku
#NOLA_Reads #MapleStBooks

Great spot to buy books locally! They have two cool shotgun houses next to each other on Maple Street. (Why is it most of the local books stores Uptown just name themselves after the street they're on?) One house is the used book side, while the other house is the new book side.

The used book side is filled to the brim with books. There are all kinds of interesting pictures and poetry that decorate the walls as you make your way thru the place. The girl working the day we went seemed to keep to herself. We found the staff on the new side to be friendlier.

The new book side has a cool little wraparound porch where you can hang out with a free drink and a rocking chair. Inside, it's very bright and spacious compared to the used side house. They have a decent selection of books to choose from. We focused mainly on the local books.

Maple Street Book Shop: Fighting the stupids since 1964. I must say, I totally support Maple Street Book Shop in this mission. Their weapon of choice? Why books, of course! You know...nonviolence.

I love the homes converted into a duplex new & used bookstore and every other charming part about this place. As for the selection of books, it's better to come browsing and not just for that one book you've been looking for-- a free spirit in search of a good read.

Their events are definitely worth checking out for any book lover. Plus, they often provide food at them! The owner and employees are very friendly and knowledgable. Anddddd, my boyfriend painted the hours sign outside so that's just an extra plus in my book.


DISCOUNTS:
10% Discount for Students and Seniors on Tuesdays!
Daily 10% Discount for NOLA Volunteers!
Daily 10% Discount for any teacher or faculty member (including school librarians)!

Oh NO! What is this sad news that Maple Street is closing?? I have really enjoyed visiting here the past four years--buying books, attending readings, browsing listlessly on my lunch hour. With a substantial selection of both new and used books (and staff recommendations to point you in the right direction), it's hard to leave here without a book in hand. I hope the reports of Maple Street's closing, like those of Mark Twain's demise, are greatly exaggerated.

Stopped by this morning. Seems they lost or closed the used book building and now it's just one, very small store. Lost all the charm of the used book store and just seems kind of sad now. :(


The girly was very disappointed.

I admit that I'm terrible when it comes to local bookstores. Being a computer geek who reads mostly from his Nook, I buy a lot online. Still, I love going up to Maple Street Book Shop. Their selection isn't as broad as a big-box store or the online vendors, but that's not a problem. These days, what I want from a brick-and-mortar bookstore is inspiration. A new local-interest book, perhaps, or a cookbook from a chef/author I've never considered before. A novel someone mentioned on GoodReads that I otherwise might not pick up is now staring me in the face.

I've noticed a couple of comments about service at Maple Street, and they confuse me. Maybe it's because I'm the type that prefers to be left alone with my musings while wandering through shelves of books, and these folks let me do that. Still, I've always found the staff to be attentive.

Last spring, my second book for Arcadia, "Brothers of the Sacred Heart in New Orleans" was released, and Maple Street Book Shop was kind enough to hold a book-signing event for me. I'm no Drew Brees, so the lines weren't wrapped around the block, and that left me with a bit of time to observe the comings-and-goings of the shop. When folks came in with questions, the staff gladly helped them. This was consistent over the 2 hours I was there. When someone wanted a book that wasn't in the store, they offered to get it for them in a couple of days. By Amazon standards, that's not bad. Yes, it's not coming to your doorstep, but between the lovely ambiance of the book shop and the coffee shop across the street, there are worse outings one can make.

And while Maple Street is a brick-and-mortar indie bookshop, they also have a great social media presence. They're on Da Twittah at @fightthestupids (the shop's long-standing slogan), as well as on Facebook. They're also moving into online e-book sales, so that now I can stock my nook from them rather than using nameless/faceless corporation.

3.75/5 cozy

I kinda wish they still had their used shop, as i found that one much more engaging. you'll still find some used books on the shelves here though. their main is still a cute little spot where it seems every wall is lined floor to ceiling in books. the folks are pretty friendly and greet you right as you walk in, and are more than happy to order something for you if they don't have it. i like the little shelf they keep in the front of their staff picks - always a good place to start browsing.

oevery $10 gets a stamp on their frequent buyer card, so you may keep that in mind as you shop. i wish I knew as I was already close to $30 (but didn't tip over), and only got 2. while i browse a lot of stuff on amazon, i still make it a point to visit here every so often.

New Orleans Birthday Trip = Memories Uptown

Our first stop after the tour of places once lived around the Tulane campus was a quaint little local book shop that's really someone's old house converted, as most good places in New Orleans are. You walk up the rickety steps to the door where the handle's in the middle for a reason, and the feeling of calm washes over you as you step into the quite of the summer reading selections.

Venue:
Maple Book Shop is adorable. Let me just throw that out there. For you New Yorkers, it's like Strand, but smaller, same overwhelmed by books feel. There are books everywhere, and let's just say that if I were playing The Sims and set up a store like this, they'd never be able to walk around. Bookshelves are angled every which way, and there is a bit of, "oh my god, that could fall on me" sense of impending doom, but chances are it won't. New Orleans isn't prone to earthquakes.

Still, if you can weave your way into the back, there's a little lounge. Not very big, but an enclosed porch, where you can relax and read and look at all the old newspaper clippings on the walls. There's free wi-fi nowadays, but the book readings and club nights are still around. I've been told this gets crowded during the school year when students decide the library's just not the atmosphere they're looking for, so stick to summertime excursions.

The children's Maple Book Shop is right next door, so go pick up a copy of Good Night Moon, or in this case, Good Night NOLA, like we did.

Selection:
I was impressed by their travel section, and their classics. Seeing as they cater to college kids, the need for philosophy and Greek literature is abound, but they also have some other stuff that I don't remember reading in school, but on my own time, which is good. Promote the reading!

The sections on things like science and mathematics and psychology were lacking, as was, oddly, their nonfiction (what I predominately read because I'm weird), but they had a lot of recent books as well as odd finds I wouldn't have found at a Borders. If you're looking for a quite spot to peruse for that book you've been hoping to find somewhere, anywhere, then this might work. If you're looking for that book you forgot to read for your final tomorrow, this might work. If you're looking for obscure texts and things no one has ever heard of because they're so dammed specialized, then try the internet.