Petunia's Place

Tucked away in the Opus 1 shopping center, this small bookstore is more than you might expect. The location is delightful, with a courtyard entry and large corner windows allowing natural light into the shop of delights.There are, of course, books, shelves and shelves of books, mostly children's books. What excites me, though, are the puppets and stuffed animals. I'm always on the lookout for unique such critters for my storytelling gig with the Fresno Police Chaplaincy. This shop, along with its owners, go out of its way to meet your need, whether it be a book or a special character to help tell the story in the book. They also host authors and special events that make a big deal about their main business--BOOKS. How can you not love a place that makes a big deal about books? As an aside, the store does not accept Discover Card for payment so bring your Master or Visa Card.

Wonderful gem of a local bookstore. So FUN to browse & stumble upon items that would make great stocking stuffers for the littles. Buh-bye, Amazon. Hello, Petunia's Place. Great location in Opus One to hang out, grab a tea at Little Leaf Tea or grab a bite to eat at Little Leaf or the Chinese restaurant also in Opus One.Recently, I called to see if they had a title in stock. They did. I needed two other not-so-common books for school that they did not have in stock, and they patiently and kindly ordered those as well. I later emailed to cancel one book order and asked them to order a different book. Jean responded within an hour or two and accommodated my request. All that to say they've been really accommodating! I'd much rather give my dollars to a local small business owner than a giant conglomerate. Thank you, Petunia's Place.

Great children's bookstore! Everything was neat, the people working there were helpful and the book titles are current. They also offer a teacher discount if you have your school id. I loved the selection of books! Support local bookstores!

The inventory and selection is pretty awesome - would earn a 5 star - but I have to agree with some other reviews that the staff is not thrilled by kids in the store - in this case a precocious 4 year old that wanted to touch everything in site....no love felt by the staff...so the predicament is amazing display that any young child would go crazy on - but within a more for an adult shopping environment - so great place to shop for the kids in your life - maybe leave them at home - I do recommend!

I love Petunia's Place and think it's an awesome bookstore, which Fresno needs more of. The folks working here are always very nice and helpful. They love giving you recommendations and will also tell you fun tidbits about books they sell (for example, if an author is local or is scheduled to come visit the bookstore soon). It's a bit small and cramped, but that adds to the fun. They have a good mix of kids books and toys/gifts, so I always stop here to buy presents for my nephews. They also sell teen YA books and some adult fiction.There are tons of parents on here complaining about the store allegedly not being good with kids, which doesn't make sense to me. Every time I go in, I see the employees speaking with kids and offering them recommendations, they seem to love the kids when they're well behaved and respect the books. I also see tons of kids running around, rifling through the pages of books so fast they tear, picking up books and dropping them when they spot something new, etc. Hell, that upsets me too and I'm not even the owner. I don't blame them for being upset when kids do that. This is a locally owned small business, not Barnes and Noble, when books or toys get damaged they take a financial hit which hurts more than when the same happens at Barnes and Noble. Consider that.

The one and only store in Fresno if you're in the market for children's and young adult literature. The little old ladies (and I know that sounds derogatory, but they are elderly and they are tiny) can tell you all about every kid's book published in the past 30 years. They know which authors have books coming out in the near future, and if you give them a topic (the Holocaust, haiku about the weather, World War I, Georgie O'Keeffe, just about any damn thing) and an age range you're shooting for, they can immediately rattle off titles and authors. If they don't carry the book, they will immediately offer to order it for you. These ladies are seriously knowledgeable about kiddy lit, and they are passionate about it. Best of all, they are more than willing to share their opinions about titles. If they don't think a book is going to grab kids' attention, or the illustrations are lacking, or the vocabulary is tipped too high or low, they'll be sure to let you know and offer what in their opinion is a more appropriate book. I have discovered some absolute gems through these ladies.The store itself isn't big. It's tucked between a Chinese restaurant and a ladies clothing boutique. But, they don't cram the floor space with fru-fru stuff like bookmarks, cutesy pictures frames, beaded coin purses, and toys. It's books, books, books all the way for this place.I love it!

Petunia's Place is the consummate "little shop around the corner" straight out of the movie You've Got Mail. Super high quality, friendly and knowledgable staff (owned by two retired Fresno teachers), and threatened by Amazon and the big chain stores. The importance of getting your children and grandchildren quality literature cannot be over emphasized, and this is the place to do it. If they don't have what you want they'll order it for you. But the real value is in the knowledge that they have about children's lit. They'll no just the right books for your kids. Not to mention the ones that should be be read by us older kids (those of us older than 21 or 65?)Guarantee your child's success in school by reading to them nightly!And get those books from Petunia's Place!! Buy local!

This is a hidden gem where you can buy great books for adults and kids alike. Great customer service !

I've been coming here since I was little. They can help you find the perfect book for your little one. Their book recommendations are our family favorites!

Yes, there are larger stores but I doubt you will find any that are better or where they care as much about books!Don't support this shop just because "it's local," shop here because it's a very nice shop. Even if I don't find what I'm looking for (or know what I'm looking for :) ) my visits are always welcome and put me in a book-loving mood!