Reading in Public Bookstore + Cafe

Call Directions Website Contact the business

Reading in Public Bookstore + Cafe A people-centric independent bookstore that celebrates the love of reading + the human experience, with a strong focus on social advocacy.

Proudly Asian + woman-owned. Visit our storefront or shop online at readinginpublic.com

Our youngest bookseller turns 3 today!! This stack is made up of his favorite books to date. And you know these picks ar...
10/14/2026

Our youngest bookseller turns 3 today!! This stack is made up of his favorite books to date. And you know these picks are carefully curated, considering how many books he has access to. From classics, to vehicles atop vehicles, to animals, bugs, and corn — there's something for everyone!

And a heartfelt thank you from his mama, : it's because of all of you in the community that supports Reading in Public that makes it possible for me to provide a magical, bookish childhood for my beloved Liam. Thank you 💕

Our September Audio Bestsellers are the things dreams are made of 😍Have you signed up for yet? Every purchase supports ...
10/11/2026

Our September Audio Bestsellers are the things dreams are made of 😍

Have you signed up for yet? Every purchase supports us! And their big sale is going on through Monday 🤭

1. The Love Hypothesis by (what do we think about the movie??)
2. Atmosphere by
3. Practical Magic by
4. The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman
5. A Court of Wings and Ruin by
6. Actually, Nevermind by (did you know she's coming to this spring??)
7. A Curse Carved in Bone by
8. After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid
9. A Magical Girl Retires by + translated by

libro.fm/sale?bookshop=readinginpublic

Our owner and manager spent the week at Heartland Fall Forum with other booksellers, publishers, and small businesses fr...
10/09/2026

Our owner and manager spent the week at Heartland Fall Forum with other booksellers, publishers, and small businesses from across the Midwest and they're bringing back a HAUL! See anything you're excited for??

Thank you for Midwest Indie Booksellers and GLIBA for hosting, and all of the wonderful MN bookstores that opened their doors for us 🩵

Our staff is currently reading some pretty cool books. Have you read any of them?🏗️ Liam: Goodnight, Goodnight Construct...
10/08/2026

Our staff is currently reading some pretty cool books. Have you read any of them?

🏗️ Liam: Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site: Crane Truck's Opposites by +
🇵🇸 Courtney: Our Cut of Salt by
👰‍♀️ Lisa: The Mash Up by
🌊 Emma: The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by
🚢 Linzi: Dead in the Water by
✍️ Britt: The Weight of Angels by

September's bestsellers had ✨gorgeous✨ covers! Which is your favorite?1. Grim Tidings by 2. Taipei Story by 3. Theo of...
10/07/2026

September's bestsellers had ✨gorgeous✨ covers! Which is your favorite?

1. Grim Tidings by
2. Taipei Story by
3. Theo of Golden by
4. The Spellshop by
5. Dead Beat by
6. Back for Blood (Never Whistle at Night Part Two) edited by + .hawk
7. Faraway Inn by Sarah Beth Durst
8. The Knave and The Moon by
9. The Odyssey translated by Emily Wilson
10. Dungeon Crawler Carl by
11. Book Club for Troublesome Women by
12. Threshing Day by

Shop local this week (and always)! It keeps your community thriving instead of sending billionaires to space 😬Libro.fm h...
10/06/2026

Shop local this week (and always)! It keeps your community thriving instead of sending billionaires to space 😬

Libro.fm has almost 2,000 audiobooks on sale through Monday, and you can get free shipping from Bookshop.org today and tomorrow 😍

Make sure you select Reading in Public as the store you want your purchase to support. We so appreciate it 🤗

Announcing: Lil Ghouls' Day Out! Join Miss Rebecca for one of two (or both!) 30-minute musical storytimes, filled to the...
10/05/2026

Announcing: Lil Ghouls' Day Out!

Join Miss Rebecca for one of two (or both!) 30-minute musical storytimes, filled to the brim with not-too-spooky Halloween songs and stories 👻

We'll have crafts and activities and encourage you to come dressed in your Halloween best 🧛‍♀️

After storytime, enjoy Valley Junction's Pumpkin Walk from 2-5pm 🎃

Uh oh! Liam drank all of our banana syrup 😩Y'all loved our new Banana Breadwinner Latte so much, we ran out! But have no...
10/03/2026

Uh oh! Liam drank all of our banana syrup 😩

Y'all loved our new Banana Breadwinner Latte so much, we ran out! But have no fear, your new fall favorite will be available again starting Wednesday.

In the meantime, try one of our other seasonal drinks! We promise they're just as delicious 😋

🍎 Bun Applétit Chai or Latte
🍁 (Syr)Up to No Good Matcha Latte
🎃 Patch Me If You Can Hot Chocolate

10/02/2026

We have two amazing events this weekend you don't want to miss!

Saturday 2pm Instagram Live with Katya suvorova to discuss her book, Ungrateful Immigrant Daughter. Order from us to get a signed bookplate!

Sunday 1pm kicking off Banned Book Week with an audiobook walk and writing to our representatives! Thank you Libro.fm Audiobooks + Silent Book Club 🙏

Catch Des Moines Historic Valley Junction

We have SO MANY events this month for you, and it all starts this weekend with an author Instagram live, musical storyti...
10/01/2026

We have SO MANY events this month for you, and it all starts this weekend with an author Instagram live, musical storytime, and kicking off banned book week!! Check out the calendar on our website to see which events request a RSVP versus require a ticket 🤗 Which events will we see you at?

Address

315 5th Street, Suite 100
West Des Moines, IA
50265

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 6pm
Sunday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+15158649089

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Reading in Public Bookstore + Cafe posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Reading in Public Bookstore + Cafe:

Shortcuts

Share

Category