I didn’t know about this bookstore until I met someone that works there. Since then, my experience has been nothing but wonderful every time. All of the workers there are genuine. The store owner always makes sure to be up to date with recent and local books the community will enjoy. They have a vast majority of selection of books to ensure inclusivity and diversity. I often find myself even reading a children’s book. Elisa Thomas, specifically, is an amazing worker there. Her passion for books bleeds through her- you can see it as she speaks upon her favorite book recommendation or author. It’s even better when she loses herself in the conversation and forgets she was helping you check out. Overall, it’s a warm and loving place full of warm and loving individuals. 11/10, would recommend.

Janky bookstore with less than relevant inventory. Displays communist propaganda on their shelves and window displays. I immediately became alarmed when then sleepy lady that opened the door had a Boe Jiden mask. The lady that opened the door didn’t even say hello, just screamed at me that I need to put a mask on. So I’ll let capitalism work its magic and I’ll just purchase from Amazon. Capitalism rules. totalitarian book stores can kick rocks.

Lovely local bookstore. Support your local/independent shops. Staff are friendly and helpful and most of the time you will find the store dog is also there. Due to COVID dont forget to bring a mask, knock on the door and staff will come unlock it and give you hand sanitizer before browsing.

Very rude customer service the manager comes to door and I understand about some places requiring a mask but she came out said you need a mask and closed the door very rudely. I have a health need also don’t appreciate to be spoke too like that. I wouldn’t support this store

The staff is extremely friendly and happy to give recommendations and they have a wide selection. If you need books, support this local bookstore instead of Amazon! And they practice COVID-19 safe protocols.

Cellar Door Books is so much more than a place to buy books. Linda and the amazing staff at Cellar Door have created community around the literature of our time. Their recommendations, across many, many genres, are spot on and thoughtful.When my boys were young, Linda and her staff found books that helped them learn to read and sparked their love of books. They found laughter and adventure between the pages, and they have reread their favorite books from Cellar Door multiple times. Their love of books has only grown over the years.We regularly call Cellar Door for the next series to start reading, or a recommendation for a gift, or a good book for book clubs.As I watch all of our bookshelves overflow and hear stories about Lindas tireless dedication to getting books in the hands of young readers, my heart overflows with gratitude for their dedication to us, our community, and to good literature.

During these times, my wife and I wanted to support an independent bookstore. We looked up to see what was close by, and found this little gem. We ordered Pete Souzas book. Our plan was to pick it up in-store to get a feel of the bookstore.Linda, the owner (Im guessing), was so nice and welcoming. We had a great chat with her. She recommended an author/book, which we ended up buying, along with other items (books and a puzzle). Needless to say, our plan did not work out, which is a positive for this bookstore. We will definitely be returning customers!! Thanks Linda and Steven!

Friendly, and helpful staff. I was pointed to the science fiction section and offered a few staff favorites. While the section was small (but fair on size in comparison to the store), it was diverse in both variety and representation.

Fantastic experience here! The staff were friendly, welcoming, polite, and knowledgeable. I will most certainly be returning with friends to pay another enjoyable visit!

I am recently retired and decided I would like to start reading for pleasure which is something I have not done in years. I googled bookstores near me and stumbled upon The Cellar Door Bookstore and they were wonderful 👏. They are so knowledgeable. The store has that very comfortable and familiar feel to it. While I was there several customers came in and the staff/ owners were just as friendly with the other customers as they were with myself. They are helpful and also laid back so as to not get in your way but close enough to help when you need it.I also appreciated their Staff picks. This is a short 3×5 card written by one of the staff who has personally read the book and shares their thoughts of the book. This is another hidden gem in canyon crest. Glad I found it.

I love everything about it.EDIT: I really do love your shop. I feel it represents everything I moved to Riverside for.

Lovely bookstore, lots of new releases

Amazing selection. Really nice place. Theyre only taking pickup orders right now, so you know the items your getting are safe.

Great place with friendly and helpful staff. A good selection of books and you can special order.

I love independent book stores and there arent that many. This place was fun to browse through and the selection of books was great. The employees were super nice and helpful. And honestly, how can you not love a bookstore that has a dog? Will definitely be back!

Such a cute and humble store, they seem to love their work and are helpful.

Love the interest the owner and staff show to each customer. They take time to try and find the best books for each individuals interest. They also offer a loyalty program which it’s super nice!

Nice place to browse books. Not a big ch as in store so its a more person as l feel. Wonderful customer service. Also friendly dog very calm

Very cool bookstore. The staff and owner of very knowledgeable and always willing to help you find whatever you need. And they have a lot of cool book clubs and events always happening. My favorite book store of all time.

The location is great because its close to so many other little shops. The store is cozy with comfy chairs time. Clerk was very helpful. I found what i was looking for.

The owner is friendly and tries to help as much as she can. The employees really know there stuff. I special order all the time from them and they are accurate and punctual in their processing of it all.The atmosphere is wonderful and the events/book clubs are creative and appealing. The place is small but not too small.A great store.

Great reading selection! Great book clubs! Super cute French reading sessions for kids and fun events to get involved in reading together.Also, the owner is a fabulous entrepreneur and savvy with good reads. You have to meet her. Her dog is adorable, but an introvert.If they are missing anything youre looking for, they order them for you quickly.

Owner was extremely knowledgeable and helpful. Helped us find the perfect books for our 11 year old. Best book store Ive ever been to.

Great place to purchase litature of any type. The staff is very helpful and love the book clubs.

My daughters love the childrens book clubs and summer camps as much as I love the adult book clubs (so many to choose from!). Linda is so welcoming. I think my favorite experience in this book store is asking for advice on a gift for a friend (or myself) and being shown the perfect choice every time. Comes in almost even with perusing the book club list and books on the table between the door and the register.

Fantastic collection of books. Huge childrens/ young adult section with the latest best reviewed books. Hosts multiple varied book clubs, author talks, and events. Great staff. Support your local book store!

Absolutely fantastic book store! Not huge but very well curated. Tons of excellent titles plus they can order and pre-order anything you like. Also strongly supportive of diversity and inclusion. Such a gem of a book store!

Little treasure of a bookstore, in a great plaza.. Good book selection and also the perfect spot for gift shopping. Friendly, helpful staff.

This is my favorite bookstore! Family owned, they have many events throughout the year and they know how to recommend books. Youll meet amazing people if you join any of their bookclubs. Give it a try!

This book store is wonderful. They have kids book club and my 9 year old loves to go. The dog in the store is adorable.

Riverside needs independent businesses like Cellar Door Books. The staff is warm and knowledgeable. They have book clubs for all ages, and writing groups that Im looking into now. Its almost like a neighborhood cafe where all of the employees know your name, and you know youre going to run into friends and acquaintances. I was looking for a book that wasnt on stock, and they ordered it for me. Love this place!!!

Great selection and if the book you want isnt there, they will order it for you. You can order online and it will be ready for pick up. Coming here to pick out books to read reminds me of college where I could spend all morning just looking at the books at the school bookstore. Its also a great way to support our local businesses.

Always worth the trip! Amazing booksellers, great recommendations. One of the best diverse selections around.

A charming, well-stocked little indie. The staff was very helpful and friendly.

What a nice little book store, the staff was very welcoming and knowledgeable. Will definitely go back.

Nice little store with great staff.

This place is the best! I always find what Im looking for and then some. Everyone who works there is always so friendly and welcoming. The best independent bookstore in Riverside!

Attending a wonderful event hosted by the bookstore. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable, and carry a wonderfully curated selection of books.

This is a great local bookstore. They have a resident dog and ask that you notify them before bringing in your own including service animals so if youre planning a visit call ahead to give a heads up so that dog personalities dont clash and your service animal can perform the function(s) you need them to.Staff are friendly and helpful and professional but also very laid back. They are a locally owned and employed buisness and also like to promote local authors as well.They also have book clubs for various age groups and interests and a wonderful reading nook.The store is wheelchair accessible but not all the aisles are. Its advisable that if you are in a wheelchair that you call or email them to grab books you want so you dont get stuck accidentally or anything and inconvenience yourself.The store responds to emails within 2-3 days in my personal experience with emailing them.

Sooooo happy I found this place!! They have so many book clubs. I’m excited!!! My first time there today super nice staff and cute bookstore dog ❤️ customers were also very friendly and I’m excited to meet people who are also avid readers.

Great little bookstore, they have a homey feeling and always friendly staff who have an immense knowledge of popular and unique books. The only down side is there selection isnt as large as some of the online stores or big box places, but they will have a least a few books youll fall in love with

Great little place but THEY DO NOT SELL USED BOOKS!!... check out downtowne bookstore and renaissance

Every time I visit, I cant help but spend at least an hour, browsing their entire selection, whether it be childrens books for my nephew, or the contemporary literature that lines the walls. It is a relatively smaller space if youre used to mega bookstores like Barnes and Noble, but the selection is even better. I have had conversations with the staff, and they are all very kind and knowledgable about the books. They cater to people buying books for kids, as well as those interested in literary novels. While there is a romance section, the literary fiction section triples it in size, which excites me whenever I visit. This place is definitely worth a look if you want to pick up something to read but have no clue what, or even where to start.

Great book shop to browse. Very friendly, helpful staff.

Great selection. A finely curated store for those who love to read.

What a great book store. Local and independent book seller. Cozie store to look and find what you want.

Great place, with a teen advisory/book club the first Friday of each month. Great selections, great customer service!

One of the few independent book stores that I love and cherish!

Friendly staff. Smells like books.

This place is great! Its in a great location and they really know their inventory! Every visit is pleasant and reminds me why I keep coming back. Check them out!

I hate to actually let people know about this perfect gem, for fear it will become crowded and busy all the time. Likely, though, were that to happen the wonderful owner would adjust! Speaking of the owner — she is one of those rare small business owners who really is invested in her community and cares about each, individual customer as a human not a dollar amount. There are regular and featured events at the store that connect the customer to the community and to the collective of reading and knowledge. And there are happenings for all kinds of readers — regular book discussion groups by theme; book signings and author talks; themed author events; community themed events; lots of kid activities; there are even scheduled times where customers are encouraged to come in and read quietly (no purchase necessary)!It’s a beautiful, calm, friendly little store in the pretty Canyon Crest Towncenter near the University of Cal, Riverside. You can browse from a nice variety of current books (their teen and children’s section is fantastic!). If they don’t have a book you want, they’ll order anything they can find, and the staff are all real book lovers, so happy to help.

Small, fun little bookstore. Great reading programs for the kids, although I cant say that Ive ever been to a bookstore that was so PROMINANTLY left-leaning. I dont identify Democrat/Republican, left or right - so the virtue signalling doesnt really bother me much (hell - its a private business - do what you please) but it comes on pretty strong. Half the shelves are dedicated to topics on reparations, LGBTQ? literature, prominant Democrats tomes and biographic tales of racial/ethnic/political struggle. If youre looking for a copy of the latest Sean Hannity book or something on Austrian economics - order online.My kids love the book clubs, which are full of fun, age-appropriate reads and they do their reviews in a comfortable, kid-size niche in the corner. Very enjoyable for that purpose.

Nice little mom n pop book store. Id rather shop here than a corporate giant.

I love this place. The energy is so right here and I feel like they literally have every book.

So helpful, so nice. Be sure to stop by to this cozy little book store. Also be sure to tell the pupp hi. Not a small dog but youll see what I mean, and Im sure youll fall in love with it and the store like my family has.

Loved it here! The staff is amazing and they really helped me find the books I needed. My new favorite book store!

If there was a zero rating Id give that!!! The owner was so rude. My friend and I were using the table to read and write in our journal. We didnt realize that an hour had past but the owner made sure that we knew and demanded that we buy something from the store or leave. I told her that I was thinking of buying something but because of her attitude and the way she treated us, I said that I wouldnt contribute to her business. Poor customer service and very unprofessional. In my opinion they would only be nice to you if you buy something. No wonder the place has nobody in there.

A great local bookstore. Small places like this are never going to match the selection of super large book stores or websites, but the staff is incredibly friendly and the atmosphere is great,

Great curated selection and wonderful staff!

Great indie bookstore. People who work there care about the world we live in. As well as the worlds we make up for ourselves.

Very cozy place with good books and friendly employees who will go out of their way to help you.

This was my first time there. The staff was friendly and helpful. Definitely going back.

An amazing atmosphere with a wonderfully welcoming staff

Best bookstore in Riverside, CA. They have a wonderful selection of handpicked books for all readers. You will not ne disappointed.

Love, love, love this little book store! Friendly staff, comfy chairs, adorable atmosphere, and a great selection! They can order anything youre looking for but dont see on the shelf. Lol, I order everything, except books, from Amazon because Id much rather buy them here! They offer book clubs for lots of genres and often have special events like author readings/signings and storytime for kids. In December, they often host a live reading of A Christmas Carol by actors; its awesome! If you havent been in yet, go! Its a bookworms paradise 😊

Always warmly welcomed and never leaving empty handed 👍

Seems like a small family business in a college town. Nice place to visit.

Super cute place super cute dog and good selection of real paper books

I love the place, the people, the books and the book clubs. It feels like home. Its the best place for me and my son to relax and read.

I love this place. Im part of the Mystery Book Club. Awesome!!

Fantastic collection and the best staff. My favorite bookstore!

Amazing bookstore got to meet Author Isabel Quintero

Its peacefull place to read .Just wondering if the tables can be used for reading.

Love this bookstore...its one of a kind!

Nice selection. Good young readers section. Inviting atmosphere.

I have shopped here before and even brought my grandchildren to shop for books, but after last night I will take my business else where. I came into the store last night and over heard a conversation taking place at the register, it was a political conversation. I must say it bothered me to hear people talk about a subject that is delicate and puts people around you uncomfortable. Keep your politics at home or during your break time. Ill take my money else where.

Phenomenal reading by Gayle B. Powerful night of sharing and listening.....thank you!

Cant wait to buy my books from a small, independent store.

Selection is really cool, staff isnt the friendliest

This place has a great selection of books, and great atmosphere.

Great selection from minority writers to local writers!

One of a kind. Very clean and neat.

A great selection of books. Support our local, private book store.

Great Bookstore- Pleasant staff, nice location and book selection.

Great local book store with very helpful staff

Everyone here is so helpful and they have a shop book dog! Cant say enough great things about this shop!

A really nice bookstore, they also organize readings of poetry and debates.

Friendly staff and great selection for its size

This place is really amazing not much else to say

This is one of those magical places for book lovers.

Book club for children was a pleasant experience.

Love this place, employees are wonderful.

Excellent little bookstore with a wonderful and helpful staff.

Cute little bookstore, and its really relaxing.

Great independent book store. If they dont have what you need, they will order it.

Best privately owned bookstore in Riverside💕

I love the atmosphere here.

Really nice staff!

Suuuuch an AWESOME bookstore!!

Great local book store