Booktowne

Booktowne
171 Main St.
Manasquan, NJ 08736

What We Love:
Whenever I walk into Booktowne, I get this undeniable cozy feeling, but it’s mixed with something else: New Jersey in the summer. So, I would describe it more as a “New Jersey cozy,” which is part of that special New Jersey language that’s bestowed upon you at birth. Standing in the doorway also conjures a liminal experience since your eyes are greedily taking in all of the bounty that surrounds you. Do you turn to the left and check out the newest books, the fiction, and the staff picks? Do you turn right and walk into the cutest, most comprehensive, most colorful children’s section I’ve ever seen (A note to grown-ups: don’t sleep on this. Get yourself a fairy tale or mythology book; you deserve it). Or do you keep walking toward the back of the store, stopping into alcoves of books, New Jersey-themed items, and a secret room filled with artsy treasures you’ve never seen before? My answer: Yes. To. All. The. Things. 

Booktowne hosts regular author events, oftentimes supporting the local library and in collaboration with Algonquin Arts Theatre. For the past five years in November, the bookstore has hosted an annual readathon for charity where the store’s booksellers take turns reading in the window display. Owner Peter Albertelli describes Booktowne as a “literary conclave with everything geared toward readers.” This careful curation and dedication to both the readers and the bookstore is apparent in the greetings you receive when you walk in and the hours you spend adding to the growing pile of books in your arms. 

~ S. Atzeni, author of W(h)ine & Cheese and editor of the Life in the Garden State trilogy 

Bookstore Specialty: 
Fiction, children’s books, and gifts for readers

On Booktowne’s “About” page, it reads, “At BookTowne we offer the warmth, friendliness and quality of the ‘around-the-corner’ bookstores from years gone but combined with the modern world we live in today.” https://booktowne.com/about-us 

Learn More:
You can find more information about Booktowne, check out their bookstore events, and shop their shelves (including merch!) on their website. Their homepage states Booktowne is your “favorite bookstore by the sea.” After spending time in this beachy, NJ town, you can definitely feel it. 

We are so excited to feature Booktowne in our upcoming Indie Bookshops of New Jersey 2027 wall calendar. Preorders are open now. Calendars are printed with a limited print run, so preordering ensures you get a copy before they sell out. Calendars will ship out on August 25th. Or you can contact the store directly to get your copy!