Frequently Asked Questions
Where are you located?
79 Leonard Street, Belmont, MA, right next to Didriks kitchenware store and The Wellington restaurant.
Is there parking?
There is a giant parking lot behind the store. You can access it from the side streets either by the fire station or near the train station. The first 2 hours are free. There is also some limited parking on the street in front of our store. Parking is free for the first 1/2 hour but you must input your license number into the parking machine.
What kind of bookstore are you?
The best kind: A full service, floor to ceiling, astonishingly warm and cozy general bookstore featuring everything from My Struggle #45 to Fodor’s Game of Thrones Travel Guide. (Actually, not really those. But pretty much everything else.) Online we sell fiction, non-fiction, children's and young adult books, and audiobooks.
Do you buy or sell used books?
No.
Do you have a kids’ section?
Absolutely. An awesome one. So awesome, your kids will say, “Aw, do we have to play video games? Can’t we go to Belmont Books instead?”
Can I leave my kids there while I go shopping or do my yoga workout?
No. Any children left unattended will be fed espressos and doughnuts until you return.
Do you have a café?
Yes. The Black Bear Café—full of delicious beverages and snacks. Because we believe books, coffee and fresh-baked muffins were meant to live together in harmony. They align our chakras, cleanse our bad humors, and keep our neurons dancing.
Do you have author events and readings?
Yes. We strive to have at least 1 event a week, featuring local and national authors, in addition to a weekly story hour for kids!
Will you hold an author event for me/my partner/my grandmother/someone I met in the subway during a power outage?
We are always open to new possibilities for events. Inquiries should be emailed to our Events Coordinator via our Contact Page.
Will you sell my book?
We’re always on the lookout for new titles. Email us your request with as much information as you can: your name, the title, a picture of the cover (if you have it), and a synopsis, as well as any links to your website, the publisher’s and reviews. We’ll weigh the potential sales, cost, interest to our buyers, competition, etc. to determine whether the book is a good fit for our store. Please DO NOT just show up at the store. As much as we may be happy to meet you, we're more than likely in the middle of a dozen other tasks and can't make a decision about any book on the spot.
Do you have on-line ordering?
Definitely. It's so much fun some people can't stop themselves from adding things to their shopping cart. And if you select "Pick up at store" for your delivery option, there's no shipping charge!
Do you take pre-orders?
Yes. Books that can be pre-ordered will usually say "Coming soon - pre-order now!" next to the "Availability" tag and display the "Add to Cart" button. Just add your pre-order to the cart and checkout the same as you would with a book that's already in print. We will notify you as soon as the book comes in. Or, if you requested shipping, we'll ship it out to you right away. In general, we start taking pre-orders about 6 months before publication. Please Note: All pre-orders must be pre-paid. Payment will be charged when your order is placed. This reserves your copy and ensures that there are no authorization/payment problems later.
Can I pick up my order at your store?
Yes! We recommend conctactless pickup, where we place your order in a bag outside our back door and you can pick it up at your convenience without risking unnecessary exposure to other customers. But you can also pick up inside the store, if you prefer.
Do you sell ebooks?
Sorry, but we do not currently have an ebook provider.
Do you sell audiobooks?
Yes, via a terrific online service called Libro.fm. You can find a "Get the audiobook" purchase button on the page for any book that Libro.fm carries. It's a wonderful, easy-to-use service and we get a portion of every sale. So you're still supporting your local independent bookstore when you buy from them.
Do you do book fairs?
If you mean a fair with cotton candy, ferris wheels and tiny books given out as prizes when you dunk the mayor in the dunk tank, no. If you mean an awesome collection of the newest and best books sold for fun and profit to aid your school or organization, yes. For more information, email us through our Contact Us page or come into the store and ask for Kathy, Tildy or Chris.
Are you hiring?
Yes and no. Right now, we're fully staffed. But you never know when we might have another opening. Check out our Employment page for details. (Note that all candidates need to have patience, a sense of humor, a love for books and the ability to alphabetize even in their sleep.)
Who would I contact about getting some books banned?
No one here. But we’d be happy to talk to you about the books. Who knows? Maybe you’d change your mind.
Will you come read bedtime stories to my kids?
We would love to. But most nights we’re too busy reading bedtime stories to our own kids. We do, however, promise to have a great selection of stories for you to read. Because even Make Way for Ducklings can get a little boring after the 4,735th time you’ve read it.
Do you offer drone delivery service?
If you mean do we deliver boring people to sit in your livingroom and go on about the history of mud, no. If you mean do we deliver books using airborne devices that have the potential to fall out of the sky and put holes in your roof or crush poor Fifi while she’s out doing her business–also, no. Actually, we don't offer any delivery services at all right now. Sorry!
What's with the little yellow station and the train?
That's Wellington Station–one of the most recognizable sites in Belmont. First built as a schoolhouse, it was then moved and converted to a train station, then moved once again to become an artist's studio. It finally landed pretty close to where it began, and now serves mostly as a landmark and a nice place to meet and hang out in the summer. If we could have put the bookstore there, we would have. But having it as part of our logo is the next best thing. As for the train...well, what's a station without a train? (Curious about Wellington Station? Click here for more information.)
Still have questions?
Please go to our Contact Page and let us know what you're looking for.