# The "Dusty Used Bookstore" Appreciation Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 10, 2002, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dusty-used-bookstore-appreciation-thread/113258 "2002-06-10T15:11:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Banger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@Banger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banger)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2002, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dusty-used-bookstore-appreciation-thread/113258/61 "2002-06-13T13:34:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ukulele Ike \* > \*\* > > My mistake…I was on Montague Street yesterday, and I noticed that the store I’m talking about is called **Heights Books** , not Montague. > \*\* Heck, I didn’t even know the name of the book store. I figured you were right with Montague Books because it’s on Montague Street 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krisfer_the_Cat)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2002, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dusty-used-bookstore-appreciation-thread/113258/62 "2002-08-10T15:34:37Z")
Last month while I was in Washington, I managed to run down to Portland one afternoon and dash into **Powell’s Books**. WOW! I want to thanks however it was that recommended it! That place was a dream come true… and eighty three bucks later I was lugging my load out to the truck!😃 ---
**Author:** ![Profane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47774/32.png) [@Profane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Profane)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2002, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dusty-used-bookstore-appreciation-thread/113258/63 "2002-08-10T16:13:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Phlosphr \* > \*\* > > Now if you are on the **EAST COAST** , and live around Connecticut, travel to the southeast into a little coastal town named Niantic, and visit the best book nook I have ever layed eyes on. It is called **THE BOOK BARN** it is actually several buildings on this mans property that are filled with used books. There are cats, everywhere, and a resident dog or two. I have taken my family there many times, and spent an afternoon. It is an amazing insightful experience, worth a trip to SE CT… \*\* Yes!!! I love The Book Barn. I lived in Niantic for a few years, and it was my favorite spot. ---
**Author:** ![light\_strand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a6a055/32.png) [@light\_strand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/light_strand)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2002, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dusty-used-bookstore-appreciation-thread/113258/64 "2002-08-10T17:09:21Z")
[John K. King Bookstore](http://www.rarebooklink.com/index.html) in Detroit is, without a doubt, the best used bookstore I’ve ever been to. But beware: if you go in, you’ll have a very hard time getting out! ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2002, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dusty-used-bookstore-appreciation-thread/113258/65 "2002-08-10T17:31:29Z")
**Mercer Books/Heights Books** just opened up another store! And only three blocks from my house! **Park Slope Books** , on Seventh Avenue between Second and Third Streets! And they’re opening a used KID’S bookshop right next door! So in the past year, not one but THREE used bookshops have materialized within ten blocks of me! Considering there’re only about a dozen goddam independent bookshops left in New York City, this is amazing news. …Speaking of huge used bookshops in New England, is anyone else familiar with the **Big Chicken Barn** on Route One between Bucksport and Ellsworth, Maine? It’s a huge old poultry barn, well over a hundred yards long and two stories high, stuffed with books and magazines… ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dusty-used-bookstore-appreciation-thread/113258/66 "2002-08-11T00:50:39Z")
**Eve** : Where is the Cranky Old Man shop? I know most of the bookstores in central Jersey, but that one’s not ringing a bell. (please email me if you don’t want to say on the boards.) And I’ve got several cool old etiquette books that I’d be more than glad to let you have a look at. ---
**Author:** ![Gjorp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c4cdca/32.png) [@Gjorp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gjorp)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dusty-used-bookstore-appreciation-thread/113258/67 "2002-08-11T03:16:56Z")
I wish there was a used bookstore near me. The closest thing I have is a pawn shop 150km away. There isn’t even a store for new books in my little village. 36km away is a shop called Lots-A-Books. I try to buy most of my books there, I have an account that gives me credit every time I make a purchase (which means I technically pay no tax). And, if the book I want isn’t on the shelf, I can always order it from them, as long as one of their printers supplies the book. They have a small back room where you can get used books. The first Tuesday (I think) of every month they let you bring in your old paperbacks and they give you credit. Unfortunately, none of these are finds. Most of them are old Star Trek books, and they’re all paperbacks. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2003, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dusty-used-bookstore-appreciation-thread/113258/68 "2003-10-26T04:08:00Z")
The best one here in town (Lawrence, KS) is “The Dusty Bookshelf”-- apropos title, don’t yo think? ---
**Author:** ![teleute12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@teleute12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teleute12)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2003, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dusty-used-bookstore-appreciation-thread/113258/69 "2003-10-26T06:39:18Z")
There used to be a really cool bookstore in Larkfield (the north part of Santa Rosa), but they closed about five years ago 'cause the guy kept getting books stolen, and he couldn’t afford it anymore. Too bad - I used to stop in there once a month, even though their sci-fi/fantasy section sucked. They even had a cat! Then there was the place that provided textbooks to the JC. Their section of non-textbooks left much to be desired, but they always had books for whatever class, at a much cheaper price than the campus bookstore. _They_ closed because their lease expired, and they couldn’t afford to renew it. At least there’s still Toyon Books in Healdsburg, even if you do have to dodge yuppie tourists while parking. They have a cat (who is extremely mellow and extremely well-fed), a decent sci-fi/fantasy section… it’d be nice if there were places to sit and read, but the floor works well. ---
**Author:** ![teleute12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@teleute12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teleute12)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2003, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dusty-used-bookstore-appreciation-thread/113258/70 "2003-10-26T06:45:13Z")
There used to be a really cool bookstore in Larkfield (the north part of Santa Rosa), but they closed about five years ago 'cause the guy kept getting books stolen, and he couldn’t afford it anymore. Too bad - I used to stop in there once a month, even though their sci-fi/fantasy section sucked. They even had a cat! Then there was the place that provided textbooks to the JC. Their section of non-textbooks left much to be desired, but they always had books for whatever class, at a much cheaper price than the campus bookstore. _They_ closed because their lease expired, and they couldn’t afford to renew it. At least there’s still Toyon Books in Healdsburg, even if you do have to dodge yuppie tourists while parking. They have a cat (who is extremely mellow and extremely well-fed), a decent sci-fi/fantasy section… it’d be nice if there were places to sit and read, but the floor works well. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2003, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dusty-used-bookstore-appreciation-thread/113258/71 "2003-10-26T06:57:27Z")
There’s one in downtown Grass Valley called **Ames Bookstore** or something. Exactly the kind of place y’all are talking about. I found an old hardback edition of Alastair McLean’s _Force 10 From Navarone_ there. ---
**Author:** ![Katisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bcef8e/32.png) [@Katisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katisha)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2003, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dusty-used-bookstore-appreciation-thread/113258/72 "2003-10-26T09:00:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by light strand \* > \*\*[John K. King Bookstore](http://www.rarebooklink.com/index.html) in Detroit is, without a doubt, the best used bookstore I’ve ever been to. > > But beware: if you go in, you’ll have a very hard time getting out! \*\* Hear, hear! I’m from Detroit originally, and I love it. 🙂 Anyone know of any really good used bookstores in the St. Louis area? I just moved here a year ago, and it seems remarkably deficient in that aspect… ---
**Author:** ![nefertari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7bcc69/32.png) [@nefertari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nefertari)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2003, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dusty-used-bookstore-appreciation-thread/113258/73 "2003-10-26T09:22:30Z")
I’m not the only aussie crusty-old-bookstore lover here am I?? I’ll plug Grant’s bookstore in Melbourne, for sheer amount of cool stuff, even if they may be slightly on the pricey side. Book Affair is another and it’s top notch, big selection and you can find _everything_ there! I love second hand book stores so much more than any other kind, you know beforehand what you’re going to get at new stores - but you _never_ know what will suprise you in second hand ones. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2003, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dusty-used-bookstore-appreciation-thread/113258/74 "2003-10-26T13:25:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FilmGeek \* > \*\*The best one here in town (Lawrence, KS) is “The Dusty Bookshelf”-- apropos title, don’t yo think? \*\* Hi, **FilmGeek** , I’m in Topeka and I hadn’t known about the store you mentioned. I’ll have to check it out! I do like “The Raven” which sells new and used, and specializes in mysteries and thrillers. ---
**Author:** ![McJohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@McJohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/McJohn)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2003, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dusty-used-bookstore-appreciation-thread/113258/75 "2003-10-26T13:58:13Z")
In Houston, we have at least two ultra-cool Half Price outlets (one of which recently moved to a much nicer location where the roof didn’t leak, largely on the strength of our financial support over the years). But the truly atmospheric and enjoyable place here is Becker’s, which was opened a few years ago by a burnt-out lawyer and a Santa Fe artist. It’s a maze of an old house with reinforced floors and a bookshelf-lined breezeway leading to the garage which houses their kids’/sci-fi/mystery section, complete with a huge chess table with wingbacks on either side. Despite the fact that the chess table is in a different zip code from the rest of the place and no one even supervises, not one chesspiece has been nicked in all the time the store’s been open. Deep, inviting upholstered chairs everywhere, you can hole up in a corner for hours and hours; I bet it takes them fifteen minutes to sweep the place for carried-away patrons at the end of the workday. They have a large room with a conference table in it. If I ever start a readers’/writers’ circle here locally, I’m rentin’ that place to hold our meetings. ---
**Author:** ![Hyperelastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Hyperelastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hyperelastic)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2003, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dusty-used-bookstore-appreciation-thread/113258/76 "2003-10-26T18:00:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FisherQueen \* > \*\*I’m still exploring Columbus, Ohio (and if you know other good used bookstores there I’d love to hear about them) but my favorite so far is the Village Bookshop. At least, I think that’s the name. The building used to be a church, complete with white steeple. Alas, no cat, but lots of cool used and remaindered books, sometimes fairly far from the beaten path. \*\* I moved out of Columbus in '99, but when I was there the best used book store was The Book Loft on S. 3rd in German Village. Today I’m going to Acres of Books in Long Beach. It is a truly awesome store, as others have mentioned, in my experience matched only by the used bookstores of London. The “old book” smell hits you about ten feet outside the door. ---
**Author:** ![Hyperelastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Hyperelastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hyperelastic)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2003, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dusty-used-bookstore-appreciation-thread/113258/77 "2003-10-26T18:02:50Z")
Whoops, turns out The Book Loft is new books only. Seems my memories of Columbus are fading, which is not surprising, as it is a very unmemorable place. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dusty-used-bookstore-appreciation-thread/113258/78 "2003-10-27T23:48:17Z")
**Baker** , _The Dusty Bookshelf_ is just around the corner from _The Raven_, on Mass between 7th and 8th. It’s being remodeled for more space at the moment, so it’s a bit messy, but it comes with requisite cat and comfy chairs that look like they were found in someone’s attic and rescued from a slow garage sale death. I like _The Raven_, but it’s SO expensive. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2003, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dusty-used-bookstore-appreciation-thread/113258/79 "2003-10-28T01:49:32Z")
**Why** have so many used-bookstores shut down? Is it something to do with high rents? Tax policy? Competition from online search services? Does anybody know? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2003, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dusty-used-bookstore-appreciation-thread/113258/80 "2003-10-28T03:44:41Z")
> [@](#): > > In Houston, we have at least two ultra-cool Half Price outlets (one of which recently moved to a much nicer location where the roof didn’t leak, largely on the strength of our financial support over the years). Actually, there’s five (if you count the one in Johnson City). Which one moved? > [@](#): > > But the truly atmospheric and enjoyable place here is Becker’s, which was opened a few years ago by a burnt-out lawyer and a Santa Fe artist. It’s a maze of an old house with reinforced floors and a bookshelf-lined breezeway leading to the garage which houses their kids’/sci-fi/mystery section, complete with a huge chess table with wingbacks on either side. Is this the one that’s across the street from the mystery book store? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dusty-used-bookstore-appreciation-thread/113258.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dusty-used-bookstore-appreciation-thread/113258.md?page=5)