Your local bookstore in Downtown Crystal Lake!

Brink Street Market
Located on the parking lot side of the shopping center.

Upcoming Events

Tuesdays with George!

May 20 @ 11:30 am - 12:30 pm

Tarot and Crystals Night!

May 22 @ 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Tuesdays with George!

May 27 @ 11:30 am - 12:30 pm

@abalabixbooks21
Abalabix Books

@abalabixbooks21

Abalabix Books is NOW OPEN! Come in to find your next great reading adventure and meet George! 🐶
  • We're ready for the DTCL Garden Party and looking forward to seeing Pedalpalooza riders too!

Don't miss the fun! C'ya tomorrow!!!

#abalabixbooks 
#georgeisthecutest 
#georgeisfamous 
#gardenparty 
#pedalpalooza
  • We went a little @natgeo crazy! Check out these great big books that are colorful, interesting and educational to keep kids interested all summer long. They are so pretty! We love them all!!!

#abalabixbooks
#georgeisthecutest
#georgeisfamous 
#natgeorocks
@penguinrandomhouse
  • Here we go again!!!
  • Hi everyone! It's time to VOTE for your favorite bookstore dog again! Check out the post by IndieBookBuzz in our stories! (George is seen here wearing the adorable sweatshirt he received when he won last year.)

#abalabixbooks
#georgeisfamous
#georgeisthecutest
#votetoday
  • Come in and check out our selection of middle grade novels in verse! So many great choices to consider.  #georgeisfamous #georgeisacutie #middlegradebooks #downtowncrystallakeil
  • It's not too late! Spend $15 at the bookstore and get this great Mother's Day craft for FREE! 

(while supplies last)

#abalabixbooks 
#happymothersday❤️
#georgeisthecutest 
#georgeisfamous
  • George five days after Independent Bookstore Day: 

📚 so many giant stacks of books that could have fallen on my head,
🦵so many legs to zig and zag around,
🎤 so much singing! (Well, actually, that was pretty cool.)

I'm still exhasted!

#abalabixbooks
#wearesograteful
#georgeisthecutest 
#georgeisfamous
  • What a great Independent Bookstore Day we had today!!! From Zach von Zonk's numerous readings of his hilarious book, "E-I-UFO", to delicious cookies from @cheshire_cakes_bakery, to our @librofm Golden Ticket winner, to a store that wasn't empty for one second today. George and I are gonna go sleep for a couple days now. Peace and love, Diane, Amy and Mitch.
  • I hope you were one of the lucky people to get one of these beautiful cookies made to honor George's famous bow-ties! Thank you @cheshire_cakes_bakery!!! 

Happy Indie Bookstore Day!!!

#abalabixbooks 
#cheshirecakes 
#georgeisthecutest 
#georgeisfamous 
#independentbookstoreday
We're ready for the DTCL Garden Party and looking forward to seeing Pedalpalooza riders too!

Don't miss the fun! C'ya tomorrow!!!

#abalabixbooks 
#georgeisthecutest 
#georgeisfamous 
#gardenparty 
#pedalpalooza
We're ready for the DTCL Garden Party and looking forward to seeing Pedalpalooza riders too!

Don't miss the fun! C'ya tomorrow!!!

#abalabixbooks 
#georgeisthecutest 
#georgeisfamous 
#gardenparty 
#pedalpalooza
We're ready for the DTCL Garden Party and looking forward to seeing Pedalpalooza riders too!

Don't miss the fun! C'ya tomorrow!!!

#abalabixbooks 
#georgeisthecutest 
#georgeisfamous 
#gardenparty 
#pedalpalooza
We're ready for the DTCL Garden Party and looking forward to seeing Pedalpalooza riders too! Don't miss the fun! C'ya tomorrow!!! #abalabixbooks #georgeisthecutest #georgeisfamous #gardenparty #pedalpalooza
4 days ago
View on Instagram |
1/9
We went a little @natgeo crazy! Check out these great big books that are colorful, interesting and educational to keep kids interested all summer long. They are so pretty! We love them all!!!

#abalabixbooks
#georgeisthecutest
#georgeisfamous 
#natgeorocks
@penguinrandomhouse
We went a little @natgeo crazy! Check out these great big books that are colorful, interesting and educational to keep kids interested all summer long. They are so pretty! We love them all!!!

#abalabixbooks
#georgeisthecutest
#georgeisfamous 
#natgeorocks
@penguinrandomhouse
We went a little @natgeo crazy! Check out these great big books that are colorful, interesting and educational to keep kids interested all summer long. They are so pretty! We love them all!!!

#abalabixbooks
#georgeisthecutest
#georgeisfamous 
#natgeorocks
@penguinrandomhouse
We went a little @natgeo crazy! Check out these great big books that are colorful, interesting and educational to keep kids interested all summer long. They are so pretty! We love them all!!!

#abalabixbooks
#georgeisthecutest
#georgeisfamous 
#natgeorocks
@penguinrandomhouse
We went a little @natgeo crazy! Check out these great big books that are colorful, interesting and educational to keep kids interested all summer long. They are so pretty! We love them all!!! #abalabixbooks #georgeisthecutest #georgeisfamous #natgeorocks @penguinrandomhouse
5 days ago
View on Instagram |
2/9
Here we go again!!!
6 days ago
View on Instagram |
3/9
Hi everyone! It's time to VOTE for your favorite bookstore dog again! Check out the post by IndieBookBuzz in our stories! (George is seen here wearing the adorable sweatshirt he received when he won last year.)

#abalabixbooks
#georgeisfamous
#georgeisthecutest
#votetoday
Hi everyone! It's time to VOTE for your favorite bookstore dog again! Check out the post by IndieBookBuzz in our stories! (George is seen here wearing the adorable sweatshirt he received when he won last year.) #abalabixbooks #georgeisfamous #georgeisthecutest #votetoday
7 days ago
View on Instagram |
4/9
Come in and check out our selection of middle grade novels in verse! So many great choices to consider.  #georgeisfamous #georgeisacutie #middlegradebooks #downtowncrystallakeil
Come in and check out our selection of middle grade novels in verse! So many great choices to consider. #georgeisfamous #georgeisacutie #middlegradebooks #downtowncrystallakeil
2 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
5/9
It's not too late! Spend $15 at the bookstore and get this great Mother's Day craft for FREE! 

(while supplies last)

#abalabixbooks 
#happymothersday❤️
#georgeisthecutest 
#georgeisfamous
It's not too late! Spend $15 at the bookstore and get this great Mother's Day craft for FREE! (while supplies last) #abalabixbooks #happymothersday❤️ #georgeisthecutest #georgeisfamous
2 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
6/9
George five days after Independent Bookstore Day: 

📚 so many giant stacks of books that could have fallen on my head,
🦵so many legs to zig and zag around,
🎤 so much singing! (Well, actually, that was pretty cool.)

I'm still exhasted!

#abalabixbooks
#wearesograteful
#georgeisthecutest 
#georgeisfamous
George five days after Independent Bookstore Day: 📚 so many giant stacks of books that could have fallen on my head, 🦵so many legs to zig and zag around, 🎤 so much singing! (Well, actually, that was pretty cool.) I'm still exhasted! #abalabixbooks #wearesograteful #georgeisthecutest #georgeisfamous
3 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
7/9
What a great Independent Bookstore Day we had today!!! From Zach von Zonk's numerous readings of his hilarious book, "E-I-UFO", to delicious cookies from @cheshire_cakes_bakery, to our @librofm Golden Ticket winner, to a store that wasn't empty for one second today. George and I are gonna go sleep for a couple days now. Peace and love, Diane, Amy and Mitch.
What a great Independent Bookstore Day we had today!!! From Zach von Zonk's numerous readings of his hilarious book, "E-I-UFO", to delicious cookies from @cheshire_cakes_bakery, to our @librofm Golden Ticket winner, to a store that wasn't empty for one second today. George and I are gonna go sleep for a couple days now. Peace and love, Diane, Amy and Mitch.
What a great Independent Bookstore Day we had today!!! From Zach von Zonk's numerous readings of his hilarious book, "E-I-UFO", to delicious cookies from @cheshire_cakes_bakery, to our @librofm Golden Ticket winner, to a store that wasn't empty for one second today. George and I are gonna go sleep for a couple days now. Peace and love, Diane, Amy and Mitch.
What a great Independent Bookstore Day we had today!!! From Zach von Zonk's numerous readings of his hilarious book, "E-I-UFO", to delicious cookies from @cheshire_cakes_bakery, to our @librofm Golden Ticket winner, to a store that wasn't empty for one second today. George and I are gonna go sleep for a couple days now. Peace and love, Diane, Amy and Mitch.
What a great Independent Bookstore Day we had today!!! From Zach von Zonk's numerous readings of his hilarious book, "E-I-UFO", to delicious cookies from @cheshire_cakes_bakery, to our @librofm Golden Ticket winner, to a store that wasn't empty for one second today. George and I are gonna go sleep for a couple days now. Peace and love, Diane, Amy and Mitch.
3 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
8/9
I hope you were one of the lucky people to get one of these beautiful cookies made to honor George's famous bow-ties! Thank you @cheshire_cakes_bakery!!! 

Happy Indie Bookstore Day!!!

#abalabixbooks 
#cheshirecakes 
#georgeisthecutest 
#georgeisfamous 
#independentbookstoreday
I hope you were one of the lucky people to get one of these beautiful cookies made to honor George's famous bow-ties! Thank you @cheshire_cakes_bakery!!! Happy Indie Bookstore Day!!! #abalabixbooks #cheshirecakes #georgeisthecutest #georgeisfamous #independentbookstoreday
3 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
9/9

We can’t thank you enough!

Our Grand Opening was a huge success and we can’t thank our Crystal Lake community enough! Your kind words of gratitude and encouragement for our little bookstore were, and continue to be, amazing and uplifting. As they say, we hope this is the start of a beautiful relationship.

In order to serve you in as many ways as we can, please know that we offer curbside delivery. Whether you placed an order in the store or on the phone with us, we can take payment over the phone and then bring your books out to your car.

And if for some reason you can’t make it into the store, like, idk, you live in Florida or something, you can continue to support us by shopping through our page on bookshop.org.

We truly appreciate and value your business and hope that we can be of service for many, many years to come!

Happy reading!
Diane (and George)

It’s a Local Thing. It’s a Community Thing.

You probably never think about it but when you support a local business you are not just supporting that business, you are also supporting all of the small, local, independent businesses that they support. Small businesses make up over 99% of the businesses in this country and when you support a small business, on average 67 cents of every dollar stays in your community.

Abalabix Books is proud to support the following merchants:

  • Baldwin Web Design
  • DowntownCL.org
  • Ed’s Rental
  • Fastsigns (independently owned and operated)
  • George Roach & Associates, CPAs
  • Mason Wasz Foundation
  • McGrath Printing
  • Howell’s Flooring and More
  • Men in Paint
  • Today’s Uniforms
  • Waggoner Law Firm

We look forward to seeing this list grow and grow as we become an integral part of the Crystal Lake business community.

Abalaba who?

So, no, you’re not crazy. “Abalabix” is not a real word. But it is a word that resonates with my family and makes us smile every time we think about it or say it.

When trying to decide what to name my bookstore, I, of course, began by Googling every literary or reading type name that I could think of. One that I almost used, were it not for the copyright of the great Mr. Ray Bradbury, was “Stuff Your Eyes” in reference to a passage in Fahrenheit 451, “Stuff your eyes with wonder. Live as if you’d drop dead in ten seconds. See the world.”

…Read More

Get In Touch!