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Still a great town for used bookstores
By david_yamada on Mon, 07/20/2009 - 10:12pm
A weekend visit by out-of-town friends served as a welcomed reminder of how much fun it is to browse the Boston-Cambridge used bookstores. We didn't manage to visit all of them, but we spent quality time in four:
Brattle Book Shop on West Street is full of great finds, especially the $1-$3-$5 outdoor bargain stalls. This is my favorite used bookstore in the area.
Commonwealth Books adjoining the Old South Meeting House is a great little bookstore jam packed with books.
Rodney's right off the Central Square T stop has great selections for academic geeks on the 1st floor and a 2nd floor full of remainders, sports, history, and other topics.
Harvard Book Store near Harvard Sq. T stop has a terrific selection of used books & remainders in the basement level and some bargain remainders on the main floor.
Even though we've lost some of our used book shops over the years, these are among the remaining stalwarts, and it makes for a pleasurable, low-key day to spend some time in them.
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Comments
Diskovery
Have you tried Diskovery in Brighton? It's not very organized, but it's cheaper.
first I've heard of it...
...but will keep in mind next time I'm in Brighton. Cheap is good.
Diskovery is very good...
It's in Oak Square, so not near a subway. In my experience, the owner will take a couple dollars off the prices listed inside the books.
Not a subway, but a train
It's about 0.8 miles from the Boston College green line stop to Diskovery. The 57 bus (which is a subway frequency route) will get you much closer.
http://1smootshort.blogspot.com
Lorem Ipsum Books
157 Hampshire Street, Inman Square, Cambridge. From Central T, walk up Prospect St. (past Starbucks) a few blocks, then take a right on Hampshire St. (intersection with the 7-11, gas station, and KFC/TacoBell).
Disclosure: It's owned by friends of mine.
will check out
...and will be tempted by KFC along the way!
Other options on Hampshire St....
... City Girl Cafe and the S&S Deli.
Or walk another block or two on Prospect St. to get to lots of stuff on Cambridge St.
Or walk 10 minutes towards MIT on Hampshire St., and you're at Emma's pizza, Cambridge Brewing Co., and misc. One Kendall Square places.
(Actually, rather than walking up Prospect from Central, a *much* more pleasant walk is Norfolk St. That starts on Mass. Ave. where Blockbuster is.)
Boston Book Annex
On Beacon Street near Elephant Walk. Great place.
http://1smootshort.blogspot.com
That's one of my favorites!
But, thanks to everyone for the list. I'm going to schedule some visits. I still mourn the loss of Victory Hugo on Newbury. Being able to stop in on my daily walks was heavenly.
Now I have to plan to visit a used book store.
Coolidge Corner
Downstairs at Brookline Booksmith
best in town!
I love the Booksmith -- they have a remarkably good used selection in a fairly small space. The ratio of good books to utterly worthless and unsalable junk is much higher here than anywhere else I know in the Boston area; certainly better than at Book Annex or even the HBS.
I wish that...
...Boston's public transportation wasn't so oriented towards getting people downtown and back. I live in J.P., but without a car, Brookline isn't as convenient to get to via the T or bus for a casual visit. Otherwise I'd probably be joining the chorus about the Booksmith as well!
Take the 39 to S. Huntington
Take the 39 to S. Huntington and Boylston, then it's a pleasant enough walk. Or, take the 66 all the way to Coolidge Corner.
Yep
We're right near Roxbury Crossing, and we mostly run errands in the Fenway area, Coolidge Corner, and JP. The 39 bus will drop you off half a block from Brookline Village.
http://1smootshort.blogspot.com
I'll give that a try...
...especially with the fall-like weather.
Thanks for the suggestion!
definitely a structural problem
with the T lines. I solve it by biking, and Coolidge is maybe a 15 minute ride, tops, from JP... but when friends are visiting, we usually end up walking over there, or taking the 39 or 66 halfway (hardly worth waiting for the connection).
Even walking isn't too bad -- but yeah, the T lines create a weird barrier, more mental than anything else.
And if you ever find yourself near West Roxbury
Check out Pazzo Books on Centre Street (and then check out the Trading Post around the corner - not so much old books as old stuff).
One more Cambridge used bookstore
McIntyre & Moore in Porter Square. They have at least temporarily added a separate 'bargain ground floor' (the main store is in a basement).
is THAT where they went?!
I loved M&M when they were a few blocks off Harvard Sq, didn't get there nearly as often when they moved to Davis Sq. I'll have to make a pilgrimage to Porter Sq for M&M and Porter Sq books.
Oh, that's what it is. They
Oh, that's what it is.
They might want to tell their landlord to remove the "this retail space available" signs. Those, combined with McIntyre's "50% off" signs, give the impression of a going-out-of-business sale.
Seconded twice
Two second votes for me.
Boston Book Annex in Audubon Circle, and Lorem Ipsum (great nameplay) in Inman Square.
bookstores
I love Diskovery in Brighton. Things are barely organized into categories, but that is it. Books are stacked on top of each other, and there are stacks behind the front stacks. The sweet lady who works there seems to know where everything is though. There are also movies and records. A sweet kitty roams the aisles too.
Lorem Ipsum (inman sq) is a fun place as well.
The downstairs at the Brookline Booksmith is my second home. I frequent the just arrived shelf almost everyday. I also like the downstairs at the Harvard (not coop) bookstore.
Raven Books in Harvard Sq is great for academic books and literature.
Hah!
Diskovery! It's a great store. She seems to know about everything she sells, too. I bought a Bad Brains tape off of her a few years ago and she said "I don't like this one, I like the yellow tape better." Really nice lady. You can get lost in that store for *hours* if you're not careful.
I'd been looking for used bookstores
in the area since I moved back here...thanks for all the recommendations!