Best little book store in Providence both in terms of selection and style of the store, including cool window seat for kids and grown-ups to sit and read. Also a cool café next door.
Beatrice I.
Rating des Ortes: 5 New York, NY
A perfectly curated used bookstore. The owner weeds A LOT out, so it’s like a private library of just what you need to see. I found great graphic novels, Elif Batuman on Russian literature, Leonard Cohen novel, just really quirky stuff that I would never see in a normal bookstore. Great coffee shop next door, too, where you can read your purchases.
Matteo C.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Providence, RI
The best bookstore in town. The vast majority of selections are used, but it would be hard to tell — most of the books are in perfect condition. Many books cost almost two thirds less than their sticker price, and include some harder to find publishers, like the brilliant NYRB. The bookstore is extremely well curated and a pleasant space; you’ll be hard pressed to find a book that seems unworthy or out of place. Surprisingly good Spanish, French, Portuguese and Italian selections, which, albeit small, include some real gems.
Lucy b.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Manhattan, NY
This is my favorite book store in providence. it has an amazing selection, wonderful owner, and does a great job of stocking local authors. SUPPORTTHISLOVELYLOCALBUSINESS!!!
Jim B.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Portland, ME
Every town should have a book shop like Ada Books. Of course, there’s the population density thing that Providence provides, but not every city the size of Providence or larger has an Ada Books. Heck, some medium-sized cities don’t even have one indie bookstore. Great selection of magazines that you can’t find in most places – The Baffler, Adbusters, The Believer, and the zines. Ample assortment of small press fiction and poetry, as well as a wide array of used nonfiction, too. Attended the final reading in the Publicly Complex Reading Series for 2014. In town for the weekend to visit our son and he suggested we check it out. Enjoyed hearing Matthew Derby and Dan Bevacqua read fiction. Always my goal on a trip through Providence to make a stop at Ada.
Ciara G.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Dr. Phillips, Orlando, FL
I was a little confused when I walked in I didn’t know you could purchase these books silly me. This is the cutest little book store. I would much rather go here than Barnes and Noble. The books are priced very affordable and you never know what your going to find.!! If your like me and will read anything go for it you will not be disappointed. The prices are in the inside cover if anyone’s wondering :)
J R.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Cranston, RI
Very nice small book store. Fits well in the neighborhood. Right next to white electronic coffee shop. Grab a book and get some coffee for a nice distraction from this cold weather
Jonpaul G.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Warwick, RI
A great bookstore not only provides but also manages to teach a little something. Ada has the kind of careful curation that is only possible when a bookstore is run by someone who truly loves books and reading. If you do step through the door, don’t be surprised or offended if you’re not greeted with profuse enthusiasm. The person working the counter will likely be reading and continue to do so while you browse the shelves. I can’t say enough about the importance and vitality of this store. It helps the local arts and writing community, stocks hard to find zines and small press works, and is located next to one of the best coffee shops in New England. On the practical side, drive one block or two further west, away from the highway, to find parking that isn’t limited to 30 minutes and consult their hours before visiting since they open late.
Lizz F.
Rating des Ortes: 5 New Orleans, LA
Owner resembles a good –looking William S Burroughs and has the strange and sharp wit to boot. Buttressed by erudition gleaned from his shelves, start your next literary revolution here!
Mckenzie G.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Providence, RI
Owned by a husband and wife teacher team, Ada books is the perfect neigborhood used book store. The store is well organized and filled with authors you’ll recognize as well as indi and local authors. I love the rounded bookcases that make the most of the small space as well as the small window nook that just looks perfect for an afternoon reading session. Ada also hosts live community readings and book groups. Something that makes this place even more of a community space. My only wish is that the hours were more flexible.
Jeff W.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Providence, RI
A very nice small used bookstore. I found it a bit hard to navigate for such a tiny place. Great if you’re just wondering around but if you’re looking for something specific it might be a little hard to find.
Steven L.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Providence, RI
This is my favorite bookstore in Providence. I stop in to buy my fill of McSweeney’s books every once in a while. They are chock a block full of all the best paperbacks you could ever want. I just can never figure out their hours. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone for an early morning walk on a Sunday in Providence hoping to stop in to browse some books and they are closed in the mornings. So my one gripe about them is I don’t get to visit as much as I want.
Bill H.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Berkeley, CA
Ada has a good selection of used books, and a great selection of zines and comics. The place is super-small, so you’ll be in-and-out in about ten minutes. I especially enjoyed the bench area towards the front of the store, where you could sit with a few zines and look out over Westminster.
Leslie P.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Providence, RI
This is a great little bookstore. If you, like me, are a Libra with an eye for aesthetics, you’ll find that the pretty wooden shelves and eye-catching displays will make this a spot you won’t want to leave. I’m a poetry buff, and this is a great place to see poets read and find all the small press poetry books your little heart desires. It has Providence’s best selection of comics and graphic novels too. Come here to get your Taffy Hips zines!
Amy N.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Brooklyn, NY
This is, by far, the best book store in Providence. Ada’s shelves are brimming with pristine trade paperbacks. In addition to an awesome fiction selection, Ada boasts carefully chosen graphic novel, art, lit crit, biography and cooking sections. Ada is also my go-to place for literary and cultural magazines like Adbusters, McSweeney’s, and The Believer. Brent is a quietly accommodating owner. He’s always helpful and never pushy. This place is very small but that’s one of it’s perks in my opinion. Quality over quantity every time!
Renata C.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Berkeley, CA
I really like the coziness and selection in this bookstore. The owner is kind, and his interior decorating skills are awesome.
Casey B.
Rating des Ortes: 4 San Jose, CA
Small, tidy, and well-organized. A very good selection of out-of-print editions as well as out-of-print titles period. You’ll definitely come away with at least one title that you hadn’t expected to find. An excellent and pleasant use of a small space. The only negative? No place to sit. But I’ll be browsing here repeatedly nevertheless.
Erin C.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Sierra Madre, CA
Tiny, clean, and cute shop with a very small and specialized collection that includes film studies, fiction, and graphic novels, among other things. A good place to browse and see what turns up; not for locating a specific item. Definitely deserving of your patronage. Bonus points for being close to White Electric Coffee. It will be interesting to see how this store develops in the coming years.