Bookbug

I just adore this bookshop.
We live in a world full of tablets and downloadable reading material but I don’t think I’ll ever fully convert over to digital. I’ve tried it and I still crave the satisfying rustle of turning a page with my fingers. Also, I believe that a growing collection of books is a source of pride in the home so I will stick to buying and ordering from my little local bookshops thank-​you very much.
Enter Bookbug.
Truly one of the last remaining little guys, much more caring, knowledgeable, and personable than the big box bookstores with cafes and coffee prices that feel like extortion. Bookbug is also able to order a title just as fast as the big box if you need it.
They are also tucked amongst some of Kalamazoo’s other great local businesses and specialty shops which makes for a good shopping stop.

The booksellers at Bookbug are super friendly and helpful. The store is super cute and their selection is great. Highly recommend checking them out.

Shame on me. I was here in 2008 when they opened and it was a children’s bookstore and I never checked back. Well last week I decided to check it out again. Thank you for such a wonderful indie bookstore. It has a very comfortable, cozy feel with a very good selection of adult books also, every genre from fiction, bio’s, cookbooks and everything in between. I think somebody said «cute». That it is.
I enjoyed reading the staff picks around the store. I bought one of their recommendations and 2 of my own. The beauty is there are enough good books to buy that you didn’t know you wanted or needed. They also have a good selection of poetry magazines and art type magazines. They will order anything they don’t currently have.
I thought they were very friendly and I will buy more books at Bookbug. It is a fabulous place to buy children’s books and gifts. I am going to buy my books here and leave Amazon for other items.

Not just a kid’s bookstore!
I won’t even review that side of the store as I don’t have kids, but the adult side alone merits 5 stars easily. They might not have the sheer selection of books that a huge box might have, but you will never want for a plethora of great books here. The curation is great; I often pick up books based on the «staff picks «cards and have never been disappointed (in a wide variety of genres, too, the wife has gotten great fantasy and sci-​fi recommendations too).
They also do a lot of cool promotions; my favorite was a table of «banned» books, complete with notes on where they were banned and why, and why you should read them!
If you need a new book and don’t want to sift through all the trash out there, trust Bookbug to hook you up.

I recently found out about Bookbug while sick and really wanted a new book. I don’t think it’s appropriate to browse while ill, so I took a risk and called the store asking if they could put aside a recommendation for me so I could quickly pick something up. Derek (I believe he’s the owner) not only said yes to my odd request, but had a whole stack of recommendations for me. Most of his recommendations were already on my «Must Read» list, he only had «fiction» and «feel-​good» to go off of, so I was really impressed.
I’ve since been back and really enjoy the atmosphere and browsing experience. I consider it a gem and definitely worth checking out!

There are days when I think I want to take it all back – the corporate job, graduate school, all of it – and exchange it to work at a bookstore. I would love to recommend books and discuss books and plan book events and write little notes about why I loved certain books. And I imagine myself doing all of that in a shop just like Bookbug.
Bookbug is lovely.
It’s small but bright, well-​organized, and the staff is so helpful. I love that they always know exactly where the book I’m looking for is and someone in the store has even read it. You don’t see this in big chain bookstores. I can go in and say, «I’m looking for a book for a friend who needs something very character-​driven and strong but not romantic.» They can help me with that. I can say, «I don’t know anything about kids: my friend’s kids love the Lemony Snicket books, so are they at the right age for Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book?» And they can answer that question.
Bookbug carries both children’s and adult books but also other fun book-​related things. We got my friend’s baby a Very Hungry Caterpillar onesie for her first birthday (along with a slew of books, of course). The displays are always thoughtfully arranged. Sure, the popular books are there, but they have some hard to find gems as well. It’s a small store, but I could hang out in it for a long time.

What a cute store!
The staff was very helpful and attentive. I overheard someone ask if the store would order a book for him and the employee said they could.
This is so much more than a bookstore. They carry games, toys, journals and other novelties and gifts. I could have spent all day looking at all this store has to offer.

Bookbug is the antidote to the unfriendly atmosphere of the big chain bookstores. It is locally owned, and it is a cozy piece of book-​lover heaven.
It is primarily a children’s bookstore, but you can get adult books there as well. My boys love to go there; the cozy atmosphere is just so welcoming and friendly. The workers are knowledgable and helpful, whether you’re looking for something specific or looking for a recommendation.
This store is active in hosting events, including World Book Night and frequent author visits and book signings.
Gift certificates to Bookbug are one of my favorite gifts to give, as I know that anyone who receives one will be a happy customer!

Great little bookstore! We had dinner close by and stopped by to redeem a gift card. There was a children’s book author there for a book signing, and the author happened to be one of my boys’ favorites. The staff is very helpful and for a small store, the selection is good. A great choice for gifts an gift cards!

Bookbug is still a fantastic kids’ bookstore that also carries a very nice selection of adult books and gift items. I spent $ 35 here, but easily could have spent far more. Really, this is as good as it gets — highly, highly recommended!

Although Bookbug specializes in children’s books (and they have a wonderful selection of toys as well), they also carry a well-​curated selection of fiction and non-​fiction for adults. On my last trip there they had «The Marriage Plot», «The Art of Fielding», and «Moonwalking with Einstein» all prominently displayed, just to give you an idea of their adult selections.
They also have a stamp card for frequent buyers.
I like the atmosphere here, and the fact that they have items from Chronicle Books, which makes me nostalgic for San Francisco, where Chronicle is headquartered. Chronicle publishes tons of fun gift books. One of my favorites I saw at Bookbug was a series of cardboard books for babies featuring works by famous artists, like «A Picnic with Monet» and «A Magical Day with Matisse.»