Union Ave Books is a true gem! Stop in and get lost in all the good book recommendations from the staff and displays on the tables. Excellent place for gifts, puzzles, stationery and other fun things too! Plus, there’s coffee right next door. Yes, please!

Have you ever gone in a store and wondered if, by crossing the businesss threshold, you somehow stepped into bizarro-world? Thats exactly what this store is like.I am an avid reader and have thousands titles in fiction and non-fiction across just about every genre there is on my home shelves and thought for sure Union would have something that would catch my eye, but nearly every book in this store seems like it was picked by an angry Twitter protestor - I mean, when even your cookbooks have racial topics in the title, maybe its time to reevaluate your myopic world-view and put out some books that people might actually enjoy reading.I was hoping it would be a cozy and fun local bookstore, and instead its a dumping-ground for nonsense and forgettable titles that will end up in landfills or being pulped in a decade after their original owners give them away to KARM and they dont move.

Love this staff and this shop! They have an awesome team who has great recommendations and great insight. Love all that they do and will never get tired of browsing their store and chatting it up about books ‘n stuff! 🙏🙏🙏

About a 50:50 mix of kind:unfriendly employees. Its also rare for them to mention their loyalty program. I work in retail, so I know they could do better.

Pre-covid, Id go in person to browse and it was always a very clean, organized, and relaxing place to see what sort of goodies caught my eye. I recently placed my first online order for a new release as I wanted to support the author AND my local bookstore directly. The staff were very friendly on the phone and in their comment correspondence. Highly recommend!

They are only allowing shoppers in by appointment only. This is an insane business practice for a bookstore. We sat at the lovely coffee shop next door and watched them lose walk by business while they sat in an empty store with a locked door on a beautiful Saturday. Not worth giving out money to a store that treats customers that way imho.

Union Ave. Books is a wonderful little gem in the heart of Downtown Knoxville. A wonderful staff, a well curated selection, and a warm inviting atmosphere makes for a delightful experience.

Very cute book shop. Unfortunately the sales clerk was very rude. Their book selection is liberal, celebrating anti Christian values.

Rude employees but darling store. I came in from out of town to shop and support an indie bookstore but both employees were making aggressively clear that they were closing soon. I just had to leave it was so odd.

Great small book store with a very large selection. I find an amazing book or two every time I go in. With covid you currently have to make an appointment, but I was able to book one just 10 minutes before I arrived.

Nice book store located in market square Knoxville

Made an order online - great service! Asked for a birthday message to be included as the order was going directly to book recipient and they happily complied! Always great to support a local bookshop - superb service and friendly staff!

A haven for lovers of paperback books and literature accessories alike. The curators have distinct but varied taste so I can find something for myself, something popular, something for a friend who barely likes anything, and can almost always enjoy a shop dog scuttling around the floor while I browse. I often come in just to enjoy the atmosphere, which is calm and open in the best way.

Always handy with an interesting bit of material to read and very convenient to my house. I just like the small store feel whenever Im in there.

VERY limited selection. Has a specific political leaning in the choices of subject in all there categories.

Always 5 stars. Always great customer service and suggestions. Always great books. This place is a true asset to downtown Knoxville. I go here every chance I get. And its always just as pleasant as the time before. Its a really great place to explore local authors.

A wonderful, well curated book store. The staff is always lovely and it is one of the absolute best places in Knoxville.

Charming, eclectic, well-stocked downtown bookstore. Its a gem worthy of your time. And as a bonus, they have a wide array of novelty gifts and locally sourced greeting cards (some are sweet & some are just edgy enough).

Nice selection

This was my second visit to the store on a trip to Knoxville. A nice, quaint little store that has both new and used books. Also has nice gift items for lovers of books and knowledge such as magnets, stickers and mugs.

It not only has books, but also little knock knacks scattered Im between. Its very cozy, and has the feel of a bookstore. 10/10 would go again 😁

Probably the best in Knoxville, but 4 stars due to middling size of inventory. However, inventory does have good variety. Staff is very helpful and knowledgeable.

Great customer service and selection!

Cute bookstore with freshly rotated featured books. Wide selection of books and tons of cute trinkets to grab as souvenirs or fun office decorations. Also the owners dog has his own face on a tote bag for the store and I love it

First time in a long this store today. Loved it. Staff was very accommodating and pleasant to interact with. My daughter and I had completed the Wheres Waldo hunt hosted by this bookstore. My daughter had a blast and discovered she was the first one to complete her her Waldo passport and turn it in to be registered to win the Waldo book prize. Great summer time activity children! Because of my experience today I will definitely come back to this bookstore in the future. I recommend to anyone living or visiting downtown to stop by and check this place out.

This is my favorite bookstore in Knoxville. Has a very nice, small and hipstery vibe to it. They go more for quality instead quantity of books in stock, which to me is a great thing. Its a beautiful store as well.

Incredible shop. It has only gotten better with time! You can tell they are really selective about the books that they carry, and they a lot of love and attention goes I to this place. 10/10 will go as often as I can!!

Love this bookstore, and the people that work there. Thank you for staying cautious, and thank you for assisting me on my visit.

One of my favorite places in Knoxville. Great book selection & staff is always wonderful.

I finally changed my some day Ill visit Union Ave. Books to Sunday. What a find! The shop is bright, incredibly clean, and the staff is welcoming without being pushy. Id be hard pressed to NOT be able to find a gift for everyone on Christmas and birthday lists! Thank you for supporting local authors also. Christina, Oak Ridge, TN

Since discovering Union I have visited three times in the last month alone. The selection is small, but you can order specific books offline. The staff is friendly and it is just a contrasting atmosphere from large chain book stores. I love to support local book shops and this one has everything I need. Can’t wait to go back soon!

This is a cool, local bookshop in a neat part of the city. I found a couple of great reads here. If I lived in Knoxville TN, Id keep returning.

Beautiful store. very friendly staff. Great place to shop for gifts for kids and adults. The selection in store isnt very comprehensive since it is such a small store, but I noticed a few people picking up books they had specially ordered. It is a little expensive for me. Overall, this was a pleasant shopping experience, and Union Ave a great option for supporting a local retailer.

Union Ave Books is easily my favorite local bookstore. Great selection, knowledgeable staff, author signings, and supportive of local community and libraries. If you stop by, be sure to greet Scout the store pup.

Thank goodness for this magical place. Its a cute little book shop with lots of personality. I highly recommend this place. Its a wonderful place to buy a gift for a loved one, or stock up on cool stationary.

My favorite bookstore! They have a very unique and interesting selection. Its a great place to discover new authors and titles or to get special gifts. Its conveniently located down the street from Market Square. Park in the Locust Street Garage right across the street. Its free to park there after 6pm and on weekends!

Family owned. Very cute. Great selection of books and gifts.

I love that Knoxville still has a local bookstore that not only survives, but thrives! Union Ave is the perfect place to find unique gifts for the avid reader in your life, or just a wonderful stop to treat yourself to a new read!Im never disappointed by their selection, and I find myself stopping by almost every time Im downtown. Not to mention they support the English department at UTK and encourage their students in their literary ventures.

Small selection but knowledgeable staff willing to order you what you want. I hope they succeed in this age of e-books. But some books just need to be in print!

Very cute book store. Has a strong retro library feel. Definitely worth checking out if you are in the area.

This is such a cute bookstore. The childrens section has a wonderful variety of books and games. The staff is helpful and friendly.

Showcased items appeared to feature author women. Good selection of popular book titles and less common publications. Quaint little book shop!

Fairly small store, but they have a lot of books and keep titles that are up to date and relevant. Great place to look for gifts and to browse. Plenty of selection despite not being the biggest bookstore. Very close to Market Square and the rest of downtown so this is a great stop if youre already downtown.

Love this bookstore! I actually found a book that i havent been able to find anywhere else.. Such a little treasure! Every time I come in, everyone is so nice. A very welcoming feeling!

A great local bookstore. Small but well stocked. I love the interior; its very classic and charming. I really enjoy shopping there.

Nice, Old School downtown bookstore. Might not have a massive amount of books but they carry a lot of hard to find ones.

Beautiful independent bookstore with a great selection, excellent staff, and a well-fashioned space they also use to hold events, like an independent bookstore should! Very close to great restaurants like Chesepeaks, and a very short walk to Market Square. Next door to a great espresso bar, too (Pearl on Union). Nice place to spend an afternoon between the two spots.

Great to still see local bookstores. Great little place. Great atmosphere & Democrat Friendly.

Quaint little bookstore with a progressive bend to it. If you are from the University its a good place to find something interesting to read in your spare time. You can pick from the book clubs of Knoxville selections, or one of the curated selections from the staff, or a wide variety of texts in various fields of both fiction and non-fiction

Quaint little bookshop with a nice selection. There was a book club meeting there which blocked one whole section of the store, so some of the books I wanted to browse I couldnt. Staff was pleasant. Found a nice book for my son.

Lovely bookstore, filled with books in its modest space. It has a great selection of books nationally popular and from local authors. Its location is perfect because it is next door and within walking distance of many other shops.

Local book stores are more important than ever, and Union Avenue is my absolute favorite. Their selections are familiar enough that you wont feel overwhelmed, but also unique enough to find something new and unexpected. Youre sure to find something worth reading on the staff picks shelf and you cannot find a better local literature section anywhere in Knoxville.

I love this book store it is so unique and has great character. We need more places like this in knoxville! I would suggest stopping by if you are in or near market square!

Not a lot of variety of books, they put many teen rated books under the recommend for children section. Very sweet staff, bought a book for a friend and he offered to wrap it. He did it very fast and it was beautiful. Books are also a bit expensive.

Small downtown bookstore open about 7 years. Just enlarged & now carry greeting cards & have room for book signings & other events. Great to see a local bookstore succeed!

I love the folks at Union Ave. Books. They are knowledgable about selections from adults to kids, which is a great thing as my oldest child receives recommendations from them, too. As an indie, their collection is curated with a progressive eye, something I truly enjoy. They have great author events, and I have picked up signed copies from local legends, a former vice president, an astronaut, and David Sedaris. They are also doggone friendly, which was great when my kids wanted to flop on our dog on a hot summer day in the childrens section!

Wonderful bookstore, very friendly staff (including shop dog Scout)!

Wonderful local bookstore, I come here with my wife every time were downtown. The selection is wonderfully curated and the staff can give great customized recommendations. Why support a national chain when you can shop local!

Small but very nice book store. Wide variety of subjects. Has both hard and soft cover books.

Really nice little bookstore in downtown Knoxville. Staff is very friendly and helpful. Really great atmosphere.

One of my very favorite places in the Knoxville area. The book selection is always interesting and varied, and the people are helpful. I especially like the shelf of books recommended by the staff.

Awesome little book store with a surprisingly wide selection on current and classic reads. And you gotta love the creaky wood floors. Makes you feel right at home for those book lovers out there.

Great little bookstore! Diverse selection and friendly staff. Great poetry books in stock, too!

In town for a couple of weeks & intent on soaking up as much local Knoxville as I could - luckily Union Ave Books was well stocked in local Poets, travelogues & other authors. A small, but fantastic local bookstore.

A jewel of a bookstore downtown that has something for every interest. So good to see them expand in that location.

Great local bookstore. Regular live music and live readings. Good selection of local authors. Friendly staff.

Lovely little book store. Cute to browse and buy. A good spot for finding gifts.

I have purchased: Baby books and gifts for several baby showers (cards too), Travel books, non-fiction for my mom, fiction for me, best sellers for John, several cute gifty things as well for birthdays and Christmas. They have ordered books I have requested. I have given them my CC number, drove up and had them run out the gift wrapped books / present! I have received: Great book advice, new friends and hugs. THE BEST Bookstore in Knoxville!!!

Great place to browse and purchase books

This is a quaint,homey environment. A real old fashioned book store. I loved it.

A great place to discover wonderful books.

Great selection of books by local writers.

It was great! Large assortment of books!

Best, yes the very best, bookstore in Knoxville. Fantastic knowledgeable staff and staff pics! This is why brick and mortar will still be here in the day of Amazon. Dont miss their events!

A nice little bookshop with an eclectic selection!

One of my most favorite bookstores of all time! Fantastic layout and great selection

Great selection of books with a very good local section, lots of gift ideas, helpful, friendly staff

Very nice selection of books for all ages.

My favorite bookstore in Knoxville. Small and quaint, yet large enough to almost always have exactly what you are looking for.

My husband and I really love this bookshop, they have so much more than books and it’s all very unique. It’s small but quaint, it’s a fun place to look around in for awhile. The only bad thing is the lack of wheelchair access. I noticed when we brought my sister who’s in a wheelchair 24/7 that she couldn’t even see half of the store because there is a step or two that goes down to the second half of the store so she couldn’t view anything, she had to stay on that main floor which really sucked. We asked if there was a place she could wheel down but they just said nope... Not impressed with that at all. So if you’re in a chair be prepared to only see one part. I felt really bad and embarrassed to have brought her here but I didn’t realize before. Guys please come up with a way to wheel someone down, it prevents people to see the rest of the store.

The best damn book shop in knoxville. Great selection, fabulous and knowledgeable staff

Great selection and layout with very helpful staff and local contributions.

Eclectic selection of books. Cute little store.

Cute and cozy bookstore, love the recent expansion! An excellent selection of books for the size of the store.

Very small book store just perfect has all you need

I havent stopped reading the book I bought, The woman who smashed codes has been an amazing good read, I cant put it down.

A quaint little bookstore in an excellent area downtown, where everyone can stop for a quick purchase or browsing.

This is such a quaint book store with such a wide variety of books and notebooks.

Nice book store. Great service finding books.

Very friendly staff and great selection! Like the staffs favourite section.

Could it be any cuter?Very nice, helpful workers also!

Great book store with friendly staff and a great selection

Good selection of books. Nice atmosphere!

I only visited because I walked by, and since I sadly didnt have any money I couldnt get all the books I saw! The woman at the counter was very kind too!

Best small bookstore in the old city by far. Great selection and relaxed atmosphere.

Nice and clean location. Staff kept eyeing me like I was about to steal something because I had my hood on my hoodie up though; so it felt to me anyway.

Excellently curated and constantly bringing in new, relevant content. I have spent so much money here.

This bookstore was a great find. I was visiting from out of town. I found several books here in my favorite genre that I had not seen anywhere else, and I bought them all!

A fantastic local bookstore with a great vibe and friendly, helpful staff. Folks here can order in *any* book for you, so next time around, skip Amazon and go here!

Super friendly staff, small enough to not get lost...large enough to offer selection!