# Used-bookstore? Used-book-store? Used bookstore? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 13, 2013, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/used-bookstore-used-book-store-used-bookstore/666102 "2013-08-13T03:11:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Doubting\_Robert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e495f1/32.png) [@Doubting\_Robert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doubting_Robert)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/used-bookstore-used-book-store-used-bookstore/666102/1 "2013-08-13T03:11:37Z")
Following the rules in the dictionary and in the Chicago Manual of Style, I understand that a place that sells books is a bookstore (unlike a place which sells music, which is a music store). A sale of used books is a used-book sale. But what do you call a place which sells used books? If you say “used bookstore,” that sounds like a bookstore that has been used. “Used-bookstore” is no better. “Used-book store” follows all the rules, but it seems to ignore the existence of the word “bookstore.” Opinions? Robert ---
**Author:** ![Bozuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@Bozuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bozuit)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/used-bookstore-used-book-store-used-bookstore/666102/2 "2013-08-13T03:19:15Z")
I don’t think you’re required to use the word “bookstore”. Just because that word exists, it doesn’t mean a store that sells used books isn’t a used book store. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/used-bookstore-used-book-store-used-bookstore/666102/3 "2013-08-13T03:25:27Z")
I don’t think anyone with anything approaching fluency in english is going to read “used bookstore” as anything other than a bookstore that sells used books. ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/used-bookstore-used-book-store-used-bookstore/666102/4 "2013-08-13T03:34:00Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > I don’t think anyone with anything approaching fluency in english is going to read “used bookstore” as anything other than a bookstore that sells used books. Like for instance, they could conceivably think that a “used bookstore” might be a place that sells books, and is long overdue for some fresh paint. No one would actually think that, but still, let’s just leave out all the hyphens and call it a “used book store”. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/used-bookstore-used-book-store-used-bookstore/666102/5 "2013-08-13T03:41:27Z")
If you wanted to be really precise, you could call it a used-book bookstore. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Downtown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mr\_Downtown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Downtown)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/used-bookstore-used-book-store-used-bookstore/666102/6 "2013-08-13T03:44:23Z")
Indeed, one of the other Chicago rules is to set solid familiar terms where no confusion could reasonably arise. _used bookstore_ ---
**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:** [August 13, 2013, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/used-bookstore-used-book-store-used-bookstore/666102/7 "2013-08-13T04:13:06Z")
> [@Keeve](#): > > Like for instance, they could conceivably think that a “used bookstore” might be a place that sells books, and is long overdue for some fresh paint. Or maybe it’s a bookstore that sees a lot of use. I have a Barnes & Noble discount card which gives me ten percent off all purchases. So for me, Barnes and Noble is definitely a used bookstore. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/used-bookstore-used-book-store-used-bookstore/666102/8 "2013-08-13T04:25:34Z")
I would just call it a used book store. Or [Moe’s](http://www.moesbooks.com/). ---
**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:** [August 13, 2013, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/used-bookstore-used-book-store-used-bookstore/666102/9 "2013-08-13T05:22:35Z")
> [@Nametag](#): > > I would just call it a used book store. Or [Moe’s](http://www.moesbooks.com/). Moe’s is not a used book store as far as I’m concerned. I’ve never even been to California. ---
**Author:** ![48Willys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/db5fbb/32.png) [@48Willys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/48Willys)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/used-bookstore-used-book-store-used-bookstore/666102/10 "2013-08-13T06:32:54Z")
Now you-all are confused! Moe’s [http://www.moschowder.com/index.php?dir\_cat=13368http://](http://www.moschowder.com/index.php?dir_cat=13368http://) is a good sea-food eatery. In Newport in the 70’s & 80’s it was near a good used book store. I used to buy a book and read it in Moe’s while I ate their fabulous clam chowder. Great times, I can see how you-all got confused. I do not know, nor care, how you-all write used book store. I really only care about finding a good one! I always liked Powell’s [http://www.powells.com/used](http://www.powells.com/used) In Portland Oregon. It is on West Burnside. Most of my favorites have closed up shop and are gone forever. Bummer. ---
**Author:** ![bardos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bardos/32/1069_2.png) [@bardos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bardos)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/used-bookstore-used-book-store-used-bookstore/666102/11 "2013-08-13T06:50:10Z")
second hand bookstore? ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/used-bookstore-used-book-store-used-bookstore/666102/12 "2013-08-13T06:56:57Z")
> [@bardos](#): > > second hand bookstore? [First handbook store.](http://www.idsinternational.net/handbook-store) [Second handbook store.](http://www.printhandbook.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/used-bookstore-used-book-store-used-bookstore/666102/13 "2013-08-13T13:20:57Z")
> [@Keeve](#): > > . . . let’s just leave out all the hyphens and call it a “used book store”. Leaving out all the hyphens isn’t clearer, just lazier. “Used bookstore” is clear enough, because “used” modifies “bookstore” as a kind of shorthand for “used-book bookstore”. If you meant a well-word bookstore, the burden would be on the writer to clarify further. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/used-bookstore-used-book-store-used-bookstore/666102/14 "2013-08-13T14:03:31Z")
It’s used bookstore. Anything else is prescriptivism gone mad. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/used-bookstore-used-book-store-used-bookstore/666102/15 "2013-08-13T14:18:34Z")
if the books are used then you could say they weren’t good enough to keep. the store would then be not-good-enough-to-keep bookstore. then there could be a problem of people wanting to buy the business. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/used-bookstore-used-book-store-used-bookstore/666102/16 "2013-08-13T14:32:33Z")
What if they close the used bookstore, because it’s not getting enough use, and use it as somewhere to store books? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/used-bookstore-used-book-store-used-bookstore/666102/17 "2013-08-13T16:03:04Z")
> [@Keeve](#): > > Like for instance, they could conceivably think that a “used bookstore” might be a place that sells books, and is long overdue for some fresh paint. It’s down the street from the shopping mall that dates back to the 1800’s. You know: the antique mall. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/used-bookstore-used-book-store-used-bookstore/666102/18 "2013-08-13T16:10:26Z")
> [@Keeve](#): > > Like for instance, they could conceivably think that a “used bookstore” might be a place that sells books, and is long overdue for some fresh paint. You are correct that such a position is conceivable. You did think it up, after all. The real question, though, is whether such a confusion is probable and the answer to that is an unequivocal no. ---
**Author:** ![Doubting\_Robert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e495f1/32.png) [@Doubting\_Robert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doubting_Robert)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/used-bookstore-used-book-store-used-bookstore/666102/19 "2013-08-13T17:20:49Z")
Thanks for all your comments. I see most of the votes are for the phrase I was trying to avoid (used bookstore) and no one voted for the answer that seems to be best to me (used-book store). That’s life, I guess. Robert ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/used-bookstore-used-book-store-used-bookstore/666102/20 "2013-08-13T17:25:15Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > It’s down the street from the shopping mall that dates back to the 1800’s. You know: the antique mall. My brother and I made the same joke when we saw an antique mall inside a shopping mall that hadn’t been updated since the early 80’s. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/used-bookstore-used-book-store-used-bookstore/666102.md?page=2)