Favorite Book Stores

[Monk]

The Pagan Forum's Ultimate book list started(Restarted?)by Volcaniclastic got me to thinking about my favorite book store to go to in my area. So I thought that it would be useful for any one who wanted to to post theirs here. Even though we are scattered all over the planet some of us do travel and others may not know of these gems in our own backyards. So please add yours to the list so that anyone who wants to can explore it if they get a chance. Also it doesn't have to be a brick and mortar store(Though I like these the best.)it could be a special web site that has a interesting selection.

My all time favorite is the Mayflower book store in Berkly Michigan. It is small and packed with every type of new, old, and rare book on religion/spiritual path you can think of. Not to mention it is like going into a very tiny museum of world religions. I don't know when this book store opened but I remember it being their as a kid and that was a long time ago.

[Yorin]

Re: Favorite Book Stores

I've got a couple that I adore. Back in Killeen (well, technically Harker Heights) Texas, I really loved the Barnes and Nobles they had. It was really big, and the people there actually cared. Before I got my job I was in there all the time, got a coffee, and sat using their wifi to put in job applications and they didn't care one bit and let me stay all day long if I wanted to. I still talk to the manager from there even though I've moved.

Down here in Florida though, I love our Books A Million. The people there are a lot nicer and more approachable than the Barnes and Nobles. Not the greatest selection, but they're more than happy to help you look for stuff, and if need be order it online and get it sent to the store for you, or your house.

Overall though, I love ordering from Half Price Books. I wish there was one down here, but I haven't been able to find one down here yet.

[Willow]

Re: Favorite Book Stores

Half Price Books.

By the way, I was told that HPB expands where there's an interested market and a management team willing to relocate so if you and some friends start sending customer comment suggestions to their online site...

[Torey]

Re: Favorite Book Stores

Bookstores here in Adelaide are closing down left, right and centre. I'm not 100% sure of the reasons behind this, but books in bookstores here are outrageously priced - sometimes a book can be $100 or more here when you buy the same one online for $40. It's sad that my wife and I have to now order all of our books online through Amazon.com instead of being able to browse and feel the actual books themselves. I miss a good "real" bookstore.

[Willow]

Re: Favorite Book Stores

Bookstores here in Adelaide are closing down left, right and centre. I'm not 100% sure of the reasons behind this, but books in bookstores here are outrageously priced - sometimes a book can be $100 or more here when you buy the same one online for $40. It's sad that my wife and I have to now order all of our books online through Amazon.com instead of being able to browse and feel the actual books themselves. I miss a good "real" bookstore.

That's sad. I think I would go batty without being able to hold a physical book.

[Aeran]

Re: Favorite Book Stores

That's sad. I think I would go batty without being able to hold a physical book.

You know, I used to feel that way, but I got used to reading on my tablet and buying ebooks very, very quickly. There is still something special about having a hard copy to get stuck into, and I try to buy hard copies when I can for books I think are worth it, but having basically the entirety of human literature available at the click of a button is pretty awesome too, not to mention the convenience of having a library in your bag instead of trying to decide which 2 or 3 bulky books you want to try lug around for the day.

[Monk]

Re: Favorite Book Stores

Bookstores here in Adelaide are closing down left, right and centre. I'm not 100% sure of the reasons behind this, but books in bookstores here are outrageously priced - sometimes a book can be $100 or more here when you buy the same one online for $40. It's sad that my wife and I have to now order all of our books online through Amazon.com instead of being able to browse and feel the actual books themselves. I miss a good "real" bookstore.

I know this is a very unsettling thing to have happen. We lost many book stores here in Michigan not long a go and have had to resort to ordering some of our books on line. We have been lucky to find a few small book stores scattered around. Also we have been actively buying"used"books on Amazon.com. Because many actually come from small independent book stores that use the site to make sales so they can stay open. Many times the shipping and handling charges are not to bad.

As far as a kindle or tablets go I'm not against them there just not my cup of tea. I just find something comforting about stacks of books, full book shelf's and the weight and smell of a book in my hand. I guess the important part is not the form the book comes in but the ability to find and get the ones you want.

[Willow]

Re: Favorite Book Stores

You know, I used to feel that way, but I got used to reading on my tablet and buying ebooks very, very quickly. There is still something special about having a hard copy to get stuck into, and I try to buy hard copies when I can for books I think are worth it, but having basically the entirety of human literature available at the click of a button is pretty awesome too, not to mention the convenience of having a library in your bag instead of trying to decide which 2 or 3 bulky books you want to try lug around for the day.

Oh I know what you mean. I love my kindle, being able to get free books whenever I feel like looking up random things on amazon... But there really is something satisfying about holding a book.

[lightdragon]

Re: Favorite Book Stores

Bookstores here in Adelaide are closing down left, right and centre. I'm not 100% sure of the reasons behind this, but books in bookstores here are outrageously priced - sometimes a book can be $100 or more here when you buy the same one online for $40. It's sad that my wife and I have to now order all of our books online through Amazon.com instead of being able to browse and feel the actual books themselves. I miss a good "real" bookstore.

over here in NYC basically the same thing. also with online stores like Amazon.com where you can get used books at even a greater price gap. then you have people with kindle, nook or other electronic readers all over the place. when going on a bus or subway about 60% of the people will be reading from a device instead of a real book. another factor that is over here is clerks not willing to order anything unless you threaten to call the manager. then of course online you can browse more books as often these places do not stock too much. the main offline store I bought from was Barnes & nobles. as before Borders went out of business they had hundreds of books on the shelves that were not interesting. and it was pretty much a carbon copy of B&N.

more recently B&N is closing some stores themselves.

a lot of it is going towards the electronic end of it mainly because it saves on paper and space.