Amherst Books

Jack Kelley

Friendly, diverse, and always carrying smaller releases I can’t find anywhere else.

Aiden Feltkamp

This book store rocked! Not only did they have a huge selection of new books, but their used book section was huge and so varied. I found some really obscure and cool stuff there.

Bona Lee

I have been coming to Amherst Books since I was 13, it was always a lovely place to read, browse books, and feel comfortable. Ever since last year, I have exclusively gone to Amherst Books first before going to Barnes and Noble or ordering books online because as someone who's family owns a small business, I understand that the pandemic was extremely taxing both financially and mentally on independent business owners. There were 2 separate occasions, one where I walked in to find a book for a class at UMass and another to find a book I simply wanted to read for fun. Both times I was met with extremely agitated employees, one person in particular, who seemed frustrated with me for asking about specific titles. I work in customer service, I understand it can be stressful and there are bad days, but these interactions left me feeling extremely upset and I no longer have any interest trying to go and find books at Amherst Books when the employees are consistently rude, dismissive, and seem to not be interested in actually selling books. I'm leaving 2 stars because this place really is memorable with my childhood and I think the store is a crucial aspect to Downtown Amherst but I believe there needs to be a change in the way the employees deal with customers.

BackStageNerdCast Show

Quaint and cute little bookstore. Downstairs used book section has good and quality used books. Staff are decent and friendly. Only problem, store feels cramped and aisles can be difficult to maneuver if store is busy.