Square Books is a staple of Oxford culture, a staple for visitors and locals alike. There are four Square Books shops on the Square, each with a unique charm. Here is a guide to them all.
The Square Books staff aims to make everyone feel welcome, including students. They work to make the college reading experience more enjoyable, offering free loyalty rewards, locally roasted coffee and book-related merchandise.
Square Books
Square Books is the central store of the four locations. The two-story, corner building is difficult to miss with its tall windows and antique Fortune’s Famous Ice Cream sign. It also has a balcony complete with outdoor seating and hundreds of books to explore inside.
This location is known for its strong collection of fiction and Southern literature, featuring books from and about the South. You will find books of every genre here: sports, thrillers, mystery, romance, fantasy and even religion.
Photo by Alana-Brown Davis
Other than books, the shop offers notebooks, postcards, posters, shirts and plenty of bookish trinkets.
The store is considered by many Oxonians to be the heart of the Square.
“I love to read, and (Square Books has) a lot of options,” Claudia Leibham, a sophomore finance major, said. “I can walk to the store, pick out a book and then read it there on the Square.”
Photographs and signatures of famous writers and Southern figures line the stairwell, celebrating those who have visited over the years.
Square Books was the first place in Oxford to serve espresso when the cafe on the second level opened. Today, that coffee is still enjoyed alongside a book and the balcony.
Off Square Books
Off Square Books is the “middle child” of the three locations, featuring high ceilings, open windows and a warm, eclectic atmosphere.
“We call it our lifestyle and leisure store,” Lyn Roberts, the general manager of Square Books, said. “That means we have games there, cookbooks there, metaphysical books, gardening, travel and all sorts of leisure activities.”
Opened in 1993, this location quickly became home to active authors and the beloved Thacker Mountain Radio Show. Here, they hold book signings and conversations with authors.
Photo by Madison Twiddy
“We’ve had lots of famous writers who have appeared there and read and spoken and signed books,” Richard Howorth, Square Books owner, said.
This location offers a careful selection of art, photography, architecture, gardening, cooking, crafts and travel books. Off Square Books also buys and sells used books.
You can also find an assortment of cozy and bookish items here. You can purchase puzzles, cards, games, socks, posters and more trinkets. The items range from everyday, useful objects to fun and unique finds.
“The completely random stuff they sell, joke socks and stuff like that, the open floor setup and the stuff they sell draws me,” Cameron Bolen, a sophomore music education major, said.
Square Books Jr.
Square Books Jr. is the children’s bookstore. It was originally the site of the first Square Books until it moved to the two-story location in 1986. In 2003, Square Books Jr. opened, offering young readers a dedicated space.
“My favorite location is the kids store because I can pick out books for my niece,” Jane Reid Strinkamp, a sophomore homeland security and defense major, said. “My niece and nephew like to read, so I like getting them books.”
Photo by Reagan Kurtz
The atmosphere here is bright and makes you feel like a kid again. The shelves hold children’s nursery books and picture books all the way to a strong young adult selection. Whether you’re shopping for your children or you want to pick up a YA book for yourself, it’s the perfect spot.
Lola Fyke is a junior psychology major who works at Square Books Jr.
“The atmosphere is just incredibly cozy,” Fyke said. “I love coming to work and finding out we got in some new books or new stuffed animals. I love all the little stickers and notes we’ve got behind the register. It’s never an unwelcoming place.”
The shelves also offer toys, puzzles, games and more. A small play area in the back keeps kids entertained, and twice-weekly storytimes are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10 a.m.
“I’m glad we do that,” Fyke said. “It gives kids a chance to meet authors they look up to, or are just fans of in general, and I think that’s important to fuel their enthusiasm for reading.”
Rare Square Books
Rare Square Books opened at the original Square Books location, above Square Books Jr. on Sept. 14, 2019, a date that also marked the 40th anniversary of Square Books opening. Square Books was moved in 1986 to its current location to provide more room.
“The main store, it’s really the heart of the business, but on the other hand, upstairs where we have Rare Square Books, is where we started,” Howorth said.
Rare Square Books holds collectible, vintage and first editions. The shelves feature books that you can look through for hours in awe. Not only are there so many special books, but the staff is incredibly
Photo by Akayla Hughes
friendly and willing to help with anything you need.
“We experimented with selling rare books, signed books, first editions and that sort of stuff and thought ‘Well, we can do that upstairs,’” Howorth said.
They will look for special edition books by request and will spend as long as you will let them explain the different books on display, as well as any special ones they might not yet have out.
Square Books now boasts its four stores in three buildings and five levels. These buildings are merely feet away from each other in the heart of Oxford Square.
