The Twin Cities area is home to several wonderful independent bookstores and, although they are not exactly a place to let your children run unchecked, they can be a low pressure, quiet outing when you would prefer to be indoors.
We all know the national bookstores, and they are definitely good places to take kids, but this is a list of some independently-owned stores to check out. Some —  like Red Balloon and Wild Rumpus — specialize in kids books. Others have a more expanded catalog. The experience of these bookstores can’t be matched online or by the national chains. They are cozy, homey book spaces waiting to help you find your next book! Many of these books offer story hours. Find them here: Top Kids Storytimes in the Twin Cities.
Minneapolis Independent Bookstores
Big Hill Books
405 Penn Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55405
Located in the Bryn Mawr neighborhood of Minneapolis, Big Hill offers weekly tiny tot story times and monthly family story times. Besides books, you find toys and puzzles. Learn more about Big Hill Books here.
Birchbark Books and Native Arts
2115 West 21st Street, Minneapolis, MN 55405
Created by Minnesota author Louise Erdrich (The Birchbark House), Birchbark Books specializes in books about indigenous people and Native culture, including children’s resources spanning from early grades to high school. They also host various events throughout the year. Watch our calendar for family friendly events. Learn more about Birchbark Books
Eat My Words Bookstore
201 6th Street, Suite 220, Minneapolis, MN 55414
This Northeast neighborhood bookstore has a very friendly staff. The kids area is tucked in a back corner and kind of feels like a hidden space because you have to wind through stacks of books to find it. This store carries mostly used and rare books, so it is a nice place to discover books you have forgotten from your own childhood that you could now share with your kids. Learn more about Eat My Words.
The Irreverent Bookworm
5163 Bloomington Ave S., Minneapolis MN 55417
This store has a trade-in program for used books, making it a good bet for last year’s best sellers and fun fiction. Be sure to check their Trade-In page before visiting, you may not be able to trade that former favorite children’s book. Learn more about the Irreverent Bookworm.
Magers and Quinn Booksellers
3038 Hennepin Ave. South, Minneapolis, MN 55408
If the Red Balloon is Gianna’s magical place, Magers & Quinn in Uptown Minneapolis is mine. Although it only opened a couple years before I moved to Minnesota, it felt like it had been there forever. It was my favorite place to hide out. The smell and feel of shelves and tables of full of old books just relaxed me. I don’t think of it as a kid’s bookstore, but it does have a nice-sized children’s section, and there are always surprises to be found. Learn more about Magers & Quinn.
Moon Palace Books
3032 Minnehaha Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55406
A small, but well-curated book store always has something perfect for both kids and adults and offers events for both adults and children. Learn more about Moon Palace.
Wild Rumpus Books for Young Readers
2720 West 43rd Street, Minneapolis, MN 55410
Wild Rumpus is the rogue bookstore of the bunch — complete with pet rats and chinchillas (currently no chickens). The store is staffed with fun people who can make personal recommendations for books, have personal opinions of authors who are visiting (not just the standard press release stuff), and a tiny kid-size door that is just too tempting to not enter. On the downside, their event calendar upkeep often last minute, so it is hard to plan for author events. We highly recommend joining their email list if this is a store you would like to visit often. Learn more about Wild Rumpus.
Saint Paul Independent Bookstores
Next Chapter Booksellers
38 Snelling Ave S, St. Paul, MN 55105
Located just off of Grand Avenue on Snelling, this cozy bookshop has a nice-sized kids section and a friendly staff. Learn more about Next Chapter Booksellers
Red Balloon Bookshop
891 Grand Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55105
Red Balloon Bookshop is an FFTC favorite. The Red Balloon offers the most author visits of all the stores and the most options for story hours. Â It is a bright roomy space, whereas most independent bookstores I’ve visited are more cluttered and dimly lit (a good thing in my introverted world). When visiting with kids in tow, the bright roomy space may feel easier to take on. Learn more about Red Balloon Bookshop.
Twin Cities Metro Bookstores
Excelsior Bay Books
36 Water Street, Excelsior MN 55331
If you don’t want to deal with city traffic and parking, this is an indie bookseller not in the heart of Minneapolis or St Paul but on a sweet shopping street in downtown Excelsior only a block from Lake Minnetonka. Learn more about Excelsior Bay Books .
The Thinking Spot
3311 County Road 101, Suite #4, Wayzata, MN 55391
This bookstore is specially curated with science-themed books for both kids and adults. Visitors are encouraged to lounge and read and to meet and discuss. They also offer events and talks by scientists, engineers, makers and thinkers. Learn more about The Thinking Spot.
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