Willow Books & Café first opened its doors on November 16, 1996. In a short space of time, the Bookstore/Café has established itself as one of the area’s premier bookstores, and one of the largest Independent Bookstores in New England. The store opened on Great Road in what was once the home of Mass Hardware in Acton, a town which had no bookstore of its own. This central location, on Route 2A, one quarter mile East of Route 27, draws from many surrounding towns in Massachusetts, including Acton, Boxboro, Concord, Carlisle, Littleton, Maynard, Westford, Harvard and Groton. The store stocks over 100,000 titles and features books, DVDs, and a Distinctive Card department. The attached café was added to provide a place where people in the community could meet, discuss books, and have lunch or a snack with some of the best coffee drinks and desserts available. From the very beginning, we have featured live jazz performances every Friday night in our cozy café. Admission is free.

Founded by Acton resident, David Didriksen, a book industry professional who gave up the corporate world to pursue a dream, Willow Books & Café has been built upon two governing principles: professional excellence and customer service. As a locally owned and operated Independent, Willow Books & Café is unique retail experience: a neighborhood bookstore with the selection of a superstore and the heart of a family business. We do not merely serve the Community -- we are part of it.

Willow Books & Café is a state-of-the-art bookstore with all the amenities of much larger stores, and a professional staff that will always go the extra mile to get the right book for every need. We place a premium on customer service, the “old-fashioned” way of connecting books with people, because, despite technology, there is still no better way to do it. The Company motto, “Where Friendly Service Is Not A Lost Art”, reflects our belief that too many retail stores today have forgotten what it is all about, that every customer deserves personalized service by attentive knowledgeable staff.

Willow Books & Café is the ultimate Community Bookstore, a reflection of the people and families that make our community such a wonderful place in which to live. Every customer is important to us, so please - drop by for a visit and experience our world.