Best Used Bookstores?

[schin]

I've been on this used book kick. I've try to visit as many used book stores when I visit a new city.  Any recommendations?

[Santayana]

If you ever find yourself in Port Townsend, Washington, I own William James Bookseller there.  Powell's in Portland is a mecca for used book fans.

[John Hjorth]

Great topic, thank you for starting it, @schin!,

 

So, we have a really pro book worm among us, @Santayana  ! - That's just great! -Do you have links to the above? 

[Jaygo]

2 hours ago, Santayana said:

If you ever find yourself in Port Townsend, Washington, I own William James Bookseller there.  Powell's in Portland is a mecca for used book fans.

 

Wow that's awesome. Would you tell us a bit of the backstory here. How did you get into this?

Edited May 26, 2025 by Jaygo
spelling

[benchmark]

3 hours ago, Santayana said:

If you ever find yourself in Port Townsend, Washington, I own William James Bookseller there.  Powell's in Portland is a mecca for used book fans.

+1 on Powell's, just an awesome place.

[schin]

6 hours ago, Santayana said:

If you ever find yourself in Port Townsend, Washington, I own William James Bookseller there.  Powell's in Portland is a mecca for used book fans.

@Santayana @benchmark - Thanks for the recommendations. I heard great things about Powell's. I was up in Toronto for the FFH AGM and there was an artist that took a picture of it. It's that iconic I guess!  But, definitely looks like a place I want to visit.

 

Last year, I ventured to LA, SF, and PHX/Tuscon and there's a strong book culture there.  

 

I have not been back to Washington State recently and will definitely swing on by William James Bookseller and Powell's.

 

I'm generally lucky to see a shelf or two of business, economics, and finance books -- you realize how much of a niche or unloved of topic we have here.

[schin]

4 hours ago, Jaygo said:

 

Wow that's awesome. Would you tell us a bit of the backstory here. How did you get into this?

@Santayana +1 - I'm with Jaygo here and would love to understand the backstory... and if possible, economics.

 

In Austin, TX, they have a lot of "Half Priced Books" franchises and "2nd and Charles" in the DC area.  Seems like a good economics for them -- with store credits and buying inventory 25cents on the dollar or lower.

[Santayana]

I purchased an existing store that had been there for 25 years back in 2012, when I decided to leave IT behind.   It's the kind of business where the economics only work out if you're able to do pretty much everything yourself.  My wife and I run it by ourselves and do about $300k in annual sales and take out about $80k to pay the bills. 

 

As a lifelong book lover, it's a dream come true.  As a financial investment, not so much, because of the labor it takes.

Edited May 27, 2025 by Santayana

[DooDiligence]

9 hours ago, Santayana said:

If you ever find yourself in Port Townsend, Washington, I own William James Bookseller there.  Powell's in Portland is a mecca for used book fans.

 

Nice! Have you ever considered adding a cafe? That location looks great.

[whiskybravo]

9 hours ago, Santayana said:

I purchased an existing store that had been there for 25 years back in 2012, when I decided to leave IT behind.   It's the kind of business where the economics only work out if you're able to do pretty much everything yourself.  My wife and I run it by ourselves and do about $300k in annual sales and take out about $80k to pay the bills. 

 

As a lifelong book lover, it's a dream come true.  As a financial investment, not so much, because of the labor it takes.

Would love to linger there (and of course buy some books).  Congratulations!

[whiskybravo]

Strand.  When I moved to New York in pre internet days I bought the 1973 Encyclopedia Britannica there, which was the last year before the split into micropaedia and macropaedia.

[Santayana]

12 hours ago, DooDiligence said:

Nice! Have you ever considered adding a cafe? That location looks great.

No interest in running the bureaucratic gauntlet that a food service business involves.

[Xerxes]

@schin

 

based @Jaygo comment about used-book store in Ottawa I will do a few field trips to see what i can find. 
 

I will report back soon. 

[Jaygo]

20 hours ago, Santayana said:

I purchased an existing store that had been there for 25 years back in 2012, when I decided to leave IT behind.   It's the kind of business where the economics only work out if you're able to do pretty much everything yourself.  My wife and I run it by ourselves and do about $300k in annual sales and take out about $80k to pay the bills. 

 

As a lifelong book lover, it's a dream come true.  As a financial investment, not so much, because of the labor it takes.

 

This is also a bit of a dream of mine. Or just to be surrounded by old books in general. I would love to have a little chess zone too.

All I can say is bravo for taking the plunge. I really hope it works out for you.

I was in a small town in Italy this past year called Bassano Del Grappa and there was an amazing book meets curios shop with a wood fireplace and a view of the snowy hills, the old man had complementary grappa, I was in heaven.

 

@Santayana If I am ever out that way I will add your shop to the itinerary.

 

 

 

[Jaygo]

5 hours ago, Xerxes said:

@schin

 

based @Jaygo comment about used-book store in Ottawa I will do a few field trips to see what i can find. 
 

I will report back soon. 

 

Are you in Ottawa? The shop I went to was book Bazaar on Bank street. The business section is downstairs. 

[Xerxes]

30 minutes ago, Jaygo said:

 

Are you in Ottawa? The shop I went to was book Bazaar on Bank street. The business section is downstairs. 

Montreal. 
 

But am in Ottawa often. 

[schin]

21 hours ago, Santayana said:

I purchased an existing store that had been there for 25 years back in 2012, when I decided to leave IT behind.   It's the kind of business where the economics only work out if you're able to do pretty much everything yourself.  My wife and I run it by ourselves and do about $300k in annual sales and take out about $80k to pay the bills. 

 

As a lifelong book lover, it's a dream come true.  As a financial investment, not so much, because of the labor it takes.

@Santayana - That economics don't look that bad. But, the benefit of being around something you love every day is awesome.

 

Are there certain books you're looking for or specialize in?

[schin]

44 minutes ago, Jaygo said:

I was in a small town in Italy this past year called Bassano Del Grappa and there was an amazing book meets curios shop with a wood fireplace and a view of the snowy hills, the old man had complementary grappa, I was in heaven.

 

I was in Dubai last year and wanted to check out a used book store, but worried it was be in arabic.  Was there a large selection of books written in english in Bassano Del Grappa?

[schin]

11 hours ago, whiskybravo said:

Strand.  When I moved to New York in pre internet days I bought the 1973 Encyclopedia Britannica there, which was the last year before the split into micropaedia and macropaedia.

@whiskybravo - I was in New York and a few blocks away this weekend.... I regret not stopping by.

 

I really enjoyed the "Old Book Shop" in Morristown, NJ last year when I visited.

 

https://www.oldbookshopmorristown.com

[Santayana]

49 minutes ago, Jaygo said:

I was in a small town in Italy this past year called Bassano Del Grappa and there was an amazing book meets curios shop with a wood fireplace and a view of the snowy hills, the old man had complementary grappa, I was in heaven.

Now that sounds like a dream!  I can only imagine the trouble I could get into if I decided to start serving liquor "on the side" here in the US.

 

[schin]

Just now, Santayana said:

Now that sounds like a dream!  I can only imagine the trouble I could get into if I decided to start serving liquor "on the side" here in the US.

 

 

@Santayana - It'll be awesome if one of your shelves open up to a hidden SpeakEasy!!!

[schin]

Another hidden gem  ---  I enjoyed a visit to the "Last Bookstore" in Downtown LA. I found two books related to Barclays and ABN AMRO that gave me some background on both banks and made me some alpha! Bonus!

 

https://www.lastbookstorela.com

[Santayana]

6 minutes ago, schin said:

Are there certain books you're looking for or specialize in?

No, we're a pretty broad general interest store, so pretty much anything as long as it is a quality book in good condition.   We have books ranging from $5 to $5,000, but our bread and butter is paperback editions of relatively current books and classics in like new condition.  It's far easier to sell 100 $10 books than 1 book for $1000.

[Jaygo]

14 hours ago, schin said:

 

@Santayana - It'll be awesome if one of your shelves open up to a hidden SpeakEasy!!!

 

This guy just had a clear bottle of the town special on a shelf behind his counter and offered it up in a little glass to try. I think you should get a globe that opens up into a small bar for the good customers. 

 

On another note I was told the best source of used books is to get in with the estate sales people and let them know you buy bulk lots. The hope is you get some stuff that can move and find the odd gem. The sad fact is most end up in a 20 yard bin in the driveway after someone passes away.

 

Books can be so much to some people that I hate the idea of them being thrown away. My dad had a collection of Spanish encyclopedias that was his treasure as a young man. He grew up desperately poor and was forced to leave school in grade 6 to start work, all earnings went towards the family but he saved bits and pieces back from the family pot and quietly bought an book at a time. Knowing he would never go to University he had to learn somehow and he figured the encyclopedia was his best chance. 

 

I have that somewhat incomplete but so meaningful collection on the bookshelf now and its basically a beacon for hard work no matter what the odds. Impressive man who despite never being formally educated could talk circles around most people in most subjects. When I die that collection will hopefully be cherished by my kids but the message will become foggy and I really hope they dont end up in a bin down the line. 

[DooDiligence]

15 hours ago, Santayana said:

No, we're a pretty broad general interest store, so pretty much anything as long as it is a quality book in good condition.   We have books ranging from $5 to $5,000, but our bread and butter is paperback editions of relatively current books and classics in like new condition.  It's far easier to sell 100 $10 books than 1 book for $1000.

 

You're probably already aware of this, but eBay seems like it would be a goldmine for sourcing vintage iconic titles that would fit into a $10-30 retail slot.