Book Alley

I’m an avid reader, and The Book Alley is now my favorite place to find rare and second-hand books. It’s a bit tucked away in Pasadena, but worth seeking out. The store is like a hidden gem with shelves upon shelves of well-organized, gently used books. I found an original edition of a Hemingway novel, which made my day. The staff is always friendly and willing to help with any requests.

Meh, not very impressive. Very bland not an attractive place to visit. Staff is... Man haters, unless you are very clearly gay, they would not directly look me in the eyes. Had a very dismissive whatever attitude. But my female partner, with me complete night and day reaction and "Hello how are you? Have you taken or store quiz? Did you like it?" Besides all that, not a special place, not cute, not a great selection. Just a huge selection of cheap paperback smut books(not against it). The price for the books was not compelling, by comparison: Barts books or Last bookstore are far superior and a better trip. At every bookstore I visit I try to at least buy something to support local small businesses. No bookmarks, no store stickers, really?!

It's a fabulous book store!! Aisles and aisles of so many choices; I went in looking for LARGE PRINT books, for an older, but voracious reader, who also happens to be in a wheelchair,,. The aisles were a teensy but tight; but manageable. The staff was sooper helpful, well informed, and very accommodating. And the best part , to me,.. the smell of books! It's a rad store.

Beautiful used book shop, I highly recommend a rummage through the other collection they have here.

Owner goes the day before the monthly Friends of Los Feliz Library book sale and grabs at least 6 giant boxes full of all the good books and leaves nothing for the people that come on Saturdays and wait in line for the sale. Supe lame move dude

Really great book store with an amazing selection. Good prices. I always leave with a stack!! I especially like the online order and pick up option. It makes it easy if you need a specific book!

I initially found a rare book on AbeBooks, and Book Alley was the seller. I decided to call and ask for photos of the book before I spent a few hundred on one book. The gentleman took my email, and I received an email back within the hour with photos attached. I bought it online, and I received the book only a few days later perfectly wrapped. Very satisfied with my purchase.

The owner had not looked through all my books but stated he could not use them although he had put Michelle Obama to the side. I then proceeded to go through my books I had looked up on line and I kept them. He had stated he was going to throw the rest away but got an attitude when I threw them on the floor. I threw them in the area his worker had placed several boxes to supposedly dispose of the books. The man Is a charlatan. I will NEVER go back.

A hidden gem for all your used book needs! The whole store is organized so well and you'll find all your popular books in the front. The employees are so nice and helpful. Prices are also very reasonable.

Brought in books on consignment. Checked back a few months later and owner said they hadn't sold. Waited a few months and called back again and he said they hadn't sold. So now close to a year had passed and I decided to get my books back. Owner played dumb and said there was no record of my books and if I had a list. He continued to play dumb. Total thief

This is not a destination for someone with a mobility impairment that makes walking through very narrow aisles or stepping over/around boxes a difficult task. My dad uses a walker and he wouldn't be able to navigate this space. I enjoyed it though. I was able to pop in on my lunch hour and pick up a nice selection of postcards ($1 small, $1.50 large) and a book that was recommended by a staffer. So many interesting titles, all genres! I saw a few really fascinating one-of-a-kind used books that I would have probably picked up, too, but they were out of my budget at $50-$60 each. Cool vibe. Would make a fun date-night destination- especially with the awesome Blue Rooster art shop next door- and, if there is a coffee shop nearby that would be a really fun outing.

An excellent local bookstore with a huge selection. You could browse around here for hours and find something to read for a good price. The staff is helpful too if you need anything.

What a treasure to have in my neighborhood. There's hardly any bookstores left much rather a used bookstore. They are very knowledgeable and friendly and eager to help. Go and enjoy and tell your friends.

Has a really good collection books and records for a used bookstore. Worth the visit on that side of town

A friend introduced me to this cute little book nook-I had no clue there was one so close to PCC! It's got charm with the many book stacks and clutter throughout the store. It's the kind of place where you have to do some digging hehe-there have a large array of every genre you can think of: fiction, mystery, manga, graphic novels/comics, gardening, cookbooks-etc. the prices aren't bad if ya feel like supporting an independent bookstore ^^

I was looking for children's books featuring black children as a birthday gift for a three year old and stopped Book Alley for the first time. The children's section is well labeled in the far left hand corner of the store. There were several black children's books on display and within the binds of the shelves. There was the Computer called Katherine book I was considering adding to the other three books I grabbed but when I finally decided on it as a book my goddaughter could grow into.... alas the patron next to me had scooped it up. And since I didn't challenge him to a thumb wrestle over the kids book I left with the three original books I had selected. Will definitely return for additional book purchases.

Cute place! Lots of books and they accept donations of books as well. Plenty of street parking.

I love this bookstore and frequently recommend it to friends and visitors. Always something surprisingly and delightful on the shelves. The staff are wonderfully helpful and prices are a great value. A real treasure !!

Surprised these guys are still around. I thought many book stores would become obsolete because of the internet. I have come here for years. They revamped the place. I was here not long ago, looking at books for the fun of it. Didn't really find anything that had interest me. But it was nice to kill some time and look around at some things. I am impressed how they manage to fix up a lot of the store. But I think they will be ok.

Small little book shop that focuses on giving folks the best time to browse around and look for something golden. The staff here are helpful and friendly, and although the place seems disorganized at first, the layout gives a fun and rowdy place to search and find your own way in this independent bookstore. The books here are often a few decades old, but there are many sections that draw me back for any newly received used books at such an affordable price. There are antique looking books for just a few dollars, and a small bookshelf dedicated to the Beats generation. My best find was an old timer recipe book from the New York Times from the 60s, and finding an Easter egg for the fun event here!

February 7, 2022 HOURS: 11 AM TO 6 PM. 7 days a week PARKING: Street parking available Parking lot in rear. X MARKS THE SPOT: I have an affinity for bookshops, but as with every type business & Sergio Leone films you can find the good, the bad & the ugly. I'll ll say that this is a good one, so if that is what you wanted to know, just trust my star rating & come pay a visit. On the other hand. if you want to read my journal (created by me, for me to reflect on in the future), please by all means read on. Just know that I consider this place a treasure & like with all good treasure hunting stories, X marks the spot. PAST VISITS: I first walked through the doors here a few years ago when they had a bearded dragon in the store and this is how I still refer to it today (example: Hey, want to go to that bookstore that had the bearded dragon?). My first visit was great because it was a true discovery of a book lover's paradise. Let it be known that I am a true hunter, in that I know I can get books online & I know what they cost. Instead support the local bookstores. I believe in the primary premise, even if I am paying a dollar or two more, for a book. The enjoyment happens in person.. In 2021, after getting my 2nd covid vaccine, I stopped in. Surprisingly, among the books I made my way home with "a comfort book." A war comic from my childhood called The Losers (not to be confused with a similarly themed comic and horrid movie version in recent years - thanks to the creators there for effing up the name of this great comic and making it so no one will ever want to turn a war comic into a film for years to come). I normally don't look at sections where this type of book is shelved, but I had the time. The comic was in a format I never knew existed. It was 456 war packed pages of B/W line drawings from significant issues from the series. The best part of the day was getting a tour of the back room. February 6. 2022: Needing something to do on a Sunday afternoon, I suggested a trip to Pasadena to hit up the Goodwill Bookstore and Book Alley. Well, disappointment reigned supreme when we arrived @ Goodwill. It seems they have changed the entire formatting of the store from existing as a valued community bookstore to a meh, if that, boutique. The good thing was that we immediately knew we had made our final trip there. So, off to Book Alley with way more time than we were alotting & a place like Book Alley always has something for me. Even when I swear up & down that I absolutely do not need anything. YESTERDAY'S HAUL: On February 6, 2022 I scored a few gems, which included: Character People-- The Stalwarts of the Cinema by Jones, McClure and Twomey. Published by: A.S. Barnes and Company, Incorporated. $8.95 hardcover, 1974 The Professor & the Madman by Simon Winchester. Published by HarperCollins. $1.00 hardcover, no dust jacket, Notes: owning the paperback I definitely wanted to upgrade this book to hardcover. I STILL need to finish reading it & I STILL need to watch the DVD that I bought at least 4 years ago. Uncle John's Bathroom Reader : Tunes Into TV published by The Bathroom Readers Institute. I love the concept found within all the Bathroom Reader series & no, you don't have to be in the bathroom to read it. It boasts page after page of the finest nearly random trivia trinkets. Sometimes they are constructed with a central theme throughout the book, other times arranged in theme blocks & yet other times various trivia from cover to cover. I feel it does well anywhere I set it down, from bedside nightstand to a living room end table. For a quick mental escape that, unlike novels, doesn't have to lead you anywhere, this series is hard to beat. Price: $6.95 I also purchased a faux book called Believe in Santa (see photo). It will be used for gifting at Christmas time, rather than wasting wrapping paper (something we are moving more & more toward each year - with the fanciest reusable gift bags and now this decorative book-like boxes. Cost for this item? $1.00 The only down note. if you can call it that, is I wish this place was large enough to have all their books in display. They have a good bit of their books stacked up on the floor & in boxes (makes me nervous, anxious or something), probably more than the average book enthusiast even has in their entire home. It would be great to see what they all were without losing browsing time opening boxes, so I just avoid the hodgepodge RETURN/RECOMMEND: Yes/YES!

I know anti-black racism when I see it. I will walk you through this sad story step by step. My friend passed away. His mother and I researched local book stores to sell his legacy collection to, in the area to keep it simple. We are trying to pay off their final rent, and all money helps. On 1.15.24, we called book alley. His mother, a small Irish woman with an accent, spoke to a woman who put her in touch with a "book seller." She read off his collection of graphic novels (which includes a fist print hardback copy of saga, box sets of the peanuts collection, walking dead, etc). This man gave her an enthusiastic offer of $150 plus for the lot. JUST the graphic novels. Not even the books. She then lets him know she has 75+ books she'd like have them look at. They said fine, call them again and set an appointment for appraisal. I called the place myself on 1.22.24 to confirm the offers and to set an appointment. I also let them know that he has an additional collection of 80 dvds and box sets we'd also like them to look at. Explained to the woman who answered the situation with my friends death, and they told me to bring everything in. INCLUDING THE DVDS. So we neatly package everything away, graphic novels NEATLY in one bag, books in another, dvds in another. Emphasis on NEATLY. I also have a list of literally every book. So this is a lot of over 300+ pieces of media. 50 pounds per bag. 3 bags. I have a bad knee. His mother is over 70. Physically exhausting to pull off. I manage load everything into a Lyft and take the trip there, while his mother stayed at the house to continue cleaning out his things. I pull up, unload 150 pounds of media, and as soon as I walk into the spot, an old man, grey hair and beard, who has been mentioned several times throughout here, immediately looks me up and down in the most dehumanizing and dismissive manner. Stared at my bags as if he was so exhausted already, and went back to talking with his friend. It was already bad enough he took some other customer in the slot I had clearly planned out and booked. So then I had to wait. When I was finally approached, he did not greet me with any type of kindness. He crassly asked if I was the 11:30. I said yes, attempted to introduce myself and explained the lot of media. He interrupts me rudely as I'm opening the dvd bag and says "I don't need any of your dvds. We have enough." TF? I spoke with their rep the DAY BEFORE to confirm. Then he tells me to my face "I don't need any books but I'll look through." At that point I knew it was a busy, but I was hoping God would grant grace and when he saw the books, neatly packed, great titles, he'd respond. I let him know he could have the hour while I took a walk, mostly because I didn't want to be in a space where I clearly was not wanted. Before I get back to his house, I get a call back from the store saying that they would offer me $70 for the entire lot, not the dvds. Then had someone try to con me into "donating the rest to them." Insane. SEVENTY DOLLARS. after being given an offer of $150 JUST FOR THE GRAPHIC NOVELS LESS THAN 2 WEEKS AGO. So I know what this is. I tell his mother their offer and she BURSTS INTO TEARS. She's crying because she had a whole other offer, something to pay his light bill. She says, without hesitation, without me even mentioning his horrid attitude, "They did that to you because you're Black, Ericka. If I went in there I could have gotten the money." Heartbreaking to hear her say that out loud, on top of how I felt. But I agreed. Icing on the cake? When I return to pick up the books, everything is ruined. Disheveled, thrown about, expensive saga first print tossed to the side. Definitely dug through my dead friends stuff, and tossed it any which way he felt when he was done. I'm disgusted at this point, he knows he's wrong and can feel my anger. He then asks condescendingly "uhhh, something wrong?" I ignored it. You know something is wrong. And it's you and your rancid, racist attitude. He then says "take care" and walks away. So this is what it is. This is who they are. They lied to an old woman's face to have her bring in valuable books, probably to fk her over on the sale, and then when I pop up, there is essentially no offer and a disgusting experience. They have wasted my time behind belief. Lyft rides, up and down 2 flights of stairs. For nothing. After a solid offer. Because BLACK. It will not be questioned. I had hope. I thought I could get this done here. Works out, as I have a $450 offer elsewhere. In. SANE. This was one of my favorite stores while going to PCC. Never again. Not with my following. Not with that energy from that old miserable human.

The owner of this store is posing as a volunteer for Friends of the Los Feliz Library. I say posing because a true volunteer should not be stacking up boxes and boxes of donated choice books that he is cherry picking to resell at this store. He does this on Friday once a month, the day before the monthly Saturday sale. There used to be a wonderful array of books available to all book lovers every month, who lined up early in the morning. There was enough to go around for anyone who was dedicated enough to do this. But now there is virtually nothing available & it's solely because of this person. That is not fair-play. Nothing justifies this. Now you know. Shame on him.

I just really really adore the Book Alley. Employees are always friendly and helpful but not overbearing. The place manages to be both charmingly chaotic and also very well-organized. Come here to get your gift shopping done for everyone on your list as the selection offers something for everyone. This place is especially wonderful for folks who enjoy treasure-hunting and abhor the sterility of new bookstores. Prices are also very good! Set aside at least an hour though because the experience is so good that it's difficult to leave.

To sum up Book Alley: "The video arcade is down the street. Here, we just sell small, rectangular objects: they're called "books". They require a little effort on your part and make no bee-bee-bee-bee-beeps." -Carl Conrad Coreander, The Neverending Story

This is one of the best used bookstores in SoCal. Good prices and a wide selection of good books.

Well established used bookstores are great places to save up to 60% on books currently in print, or find titles in hardcover or paperback that are out of print. Such stores are often owned by highly knowledgeable and experienced people who know the ins and outs of the trade, and can process lots of incoming books while putting up safeguards to avoid getting inundated with kitsch and other genres that only pile up and barely move, such as self-help, romance, "best sellers" and old textbooks. Nothing has changed in this regard since my own tenure in the trade c. 1992-2001. Pro Tip: Call ahead for a mandatory appointment to sell books. Filter out the topics just mentioned. The layout of the store makes full use of the space and length of the building. It never feels claustrophobic inside, in my experience. Many topics have two separate sections in the store because often paperback books are organized apart from hardcover, a common practice in the used book trade. Up front are record bins with popular sections such as jazz, blues, rock and classical. I noticed some are marked for sale on Discogs, so that's cool. It means those are likely in the best condition and less common. On the way out I spoke with George, who was very helpful and he'd even been to my hometown, Ann Arbor, where used bookstores once dominated downtown and central campus. Prices are reasonable, generally half of the current rate with variables. The selection and stock is very well represented here too. Added bonuses are the nearby comic book shop and Zancou Chicken, as well as Pasadena City College. Parking is also plentiful on the streets.

Excellent customer service. Staff truly pays attention to your needs. Highly recommend this bookstore.

First time to this used bookstore. It was a little cluttered with books on shelves, floor, and in boxes. In other words everything that makes a used bookstore great. I was lucky enough to find two books that I wanted so it was a successful trip. Lots of books here in all different categories plus some used albums, abd DVD's. I'll have to come back.

The have a wide selection of books. It's a great place to find unique books. Prices are decent but can get high. I sold some of my old books here for a small amount of cash but I was happy to get rid of them. The owner of the shop seemed very nice.

My favorite bookstore period. I rarely go anywhere else and here is why: 1. The amount of literature both in quantity and diversity is amazing. 2. People at the bookstore, both employees and patrons, are nice and helpful; always open to having a long conversation about any number of topics. 3. They have no issue if you spend hours there. 5/5 would recommend going!!!

Awesome bookstore. Little disorganized but they are getting donations by the dozen so I don't mind. Digging for a book let's me find new random treasures!

If you're lookin to sell ANY GREAT books DON"T come here. I brought over 40 books. Some very classic, like Gone With The Wind first year of printing, along with many other Film and ART books. The owner picked 1 book and gave me $10. for it. I shouldn't have taken it but I thought driving there for a hour, it paid for gas. The book was probably worth $50. The owner was rude and dismissive! Would never go back!

Amazing selection of books and records. Great finds for books that I haven't been able to find other places. Great prices and certain days have 20% off. A must go see !! Helpful friendly staff of course

I always find new and exciting books every time I walk into this used bookstore. It's harder to decide which of all the amazing books to buy.. And the staff is very helpful.

What a great bookstore. The selection of books is quite vast and they have some true gems here. They have new releases as well for great prices. The employee, Karen, was awesome. She was so attentive and willing to answer any of your questions. She gave me an additional 10% on all my books which I greatly appreciated. The bookstore is organized really well. During the holiday season, they have a 50% deal going on for their children and young adult books but I don't know how long it will be going for. She mentioned something about bringing back books and getting a 50% credit for other books. I, unfortunately, don't live in the area but I would recommend checking that out. If I am in the area, I will be coming back!

Love this book store! Has a really large selection of books. The employees are unbelievably nice. You can easily get lost scanning the shelves. Easily one of my favorite book stores ever!

One of the most INSANE bookstores I've been to. Like a treasure-trove. It's love at first sight when you find obscure titles by authors you know and love. The most unbelievable find here, out of all the amazing titles - a book of poetry by a Syrian poet by the pen name Adonis. INSANE. I discovered his poetry in college - and since then has become one of my favorite poets. I also found a book in the Drugs section - which bares no resemblance to D.A.R.E. pamphlets, mind you - about a writer's addiction to opium called Confessions of an English Opium-Eater by Thomas De Quincey (published in 1821). I had to leave because I had as many book as I could carry. The area in general has a lot of great bookstores, but there's something about finding that gem in a stack of used books that can't be beat. It's so easy to toss a new book in a 'free library' locker - but somehow those used books you hold onto and treasure. At least I do. Other finds: Hunter S. Thompson Fear and Loathing in America, Alice Munro, Ibsen, Tristeun eund Iseult. Categories: Essays, Poetry, Drugs, Witchery, WWII History, Afro-American History, Feminism, Fiction, Romance

They had COVID regulations to a T. Team was great and attentive to customer needs. They were super helpful when I was looking for a few books Be mindful that books are EVERYWHERE. I personally think it's what makes this place feel awesome and like a treasure hunt. But it can be a bit of a hazard for those who need to watch their steps or need disability access. An amazing place to dig for used books in every genre. And it is MUCH bigger on the inside. Definitely worth going to for those who love reading.

This is what i'm talking about! Bigger than it looks from the outside. I always used to visit a lot of used bookstores when i was in college but unfortunately they all started dying out and i just went to barnes and noble. But my husband got into used bookstores all of a sudden and he wanted to visit some. We found this gem while in pasadena having lunch. I was very happy to see their collection was pretty organized! They had some stuff in the YA and fiction section that was obscure (by which i mean my libraries dont have them) and that was awesome! I come to used bookstores to find unusual stuff not stephen king's latest (i love him tho just saying). So thank you book alley for a great experience! I bought a book & we will be back!

Friendly, really helpful people who work here! I brought in a few boxes of books to sell, and they priced fairly, even accepting what they wouldn't buy as a donation! Will be back.

I was recently looking for a special birthday gift for a friend although my hand selected box of See's Candy would have probably gone over just fine. I wanted a signed copy of The Jungle, my bank account isn't exactly in the position for a 1906 first edition copy and by isn't exactly I mean is not. I was browsing on abebooks and will admit I'm the last person to know very much about rare books and I searched high and low for a friend or family member with a book dealer connection but when I get on one of my spur of the moment spontaneous kicks I needed an answer yesterday. Girl can't wait, there are many things I don't have and patience is one of them. I was out for a walk, had an idea and needed to execute immediately as I was going to be going out of town very soon. That's when I found a Limited Editions Club, NY 1965 in its slipcase, signed by Sinclair Upton and illustrator Fletcher Martin - numbered (forget which one right now, but c'mon this is a cool gift!) copy sitting right here in Pasadena just 20 miles from home. I called and confirmed it was there and asked to hold it until I could drive over and take a look at it. I purchased it for a friend and hope it went over well, it's his fav book so hopefully he likes it. If not, well he can sell it and buy some other books :) I've purchased other books from them before. I was on a Vintage Cookbook kick quite some years ago and recall stopping in on occasion to check their inventory. Great book store, I'd suggest checking them out - obviously purchasing a book to just read for shits and giggles will be more affordable from amazon but if you're looking for something special I'm certain you'll come across something while browsing the shelves in Book Alley.

Expensive prices for books. I bought a used copy of Space Cadet by Robert Heinlein. A hardback with the dust cover. Probably printed in the 1950s. List price of the book was $5.95 at the time of printing. I paid $25, plus $2.56 tax, for total price $27.56. I glanced at other hardbacks ranging from $75 to about $100 each. A friend, at the same time, sold some trade paperbacks to the store (about 5 trade paperbacks) in excellent condition for $20 total. Buy low, sell high, that's business. But they pay very low prices for their books, and sell them for very high prices. Maybe I was foolish not to bargain for a lower price on my purchase. But you're far better off buying at Amazon, or at a used book sale for your reading material. They price their books like they are selling rare items.

AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING. i could give this place 10209384 stars if I could. Used fiction books for $5-$7 in perfect condition? sign me up!!! As an avid reader, i've come here so often in the past month and always leave with 3 or more books in hand. Sometimes it's hard to find a specific book in-store, so if you don't order ahead make sure you have time to browse and take in the scenery of all the books!

Terrific bookstore, curated by someone who knows his customers (screenwriters, musicians, art school alumni, and inquisitive generalists). It's difficult not to walk away with a pile of interesting tomes.

Moving from the zone of The Iliad east to Pasadena meant finding a new go-to place to shop and sell, and Book Alley has been everything a book lover could want. Fair pricing for both buying and selling and a surprising, never boring selection keep me coming back. The Recent Arrivals shelf has a high turnover and always has something to tempt, no matter how far behind in your to-read pile you've gotten.

Decent prices, huge selection, nice staff. Only two issues, no public bathroom and the music that was playing was loud and odd...it was dissonant experimental and actually made me want to leave faster than I would have. Still, found a stack of books on my list.

Was able to find a relatively new release available preowned in great condition and at a great price. Tom Boxed the hardcover up very nicely, it could have been made of glass and survived my travels! Will be back for more books soon.

This is the best used book store I've found in LA County. Whoever's buying has a very good eye.

I love supporting small, indie bookstores like Book Alley. It's a small storefront, making it a bit crowded (when I say books are literally everywhere, "literally" is not being used incorrectly) and thus a little difficult to navigate at times (as, at least when I went, there was very little space between the bookshelves and the walkways-- there were piles of books on the floor). I think this could make it a bit overwhelming to browse (that said, the shelves themselves are pretty organized). I wouldn't let the clutter put you off though. If anything, it just gives it some rustic charm, really! The staff were friendly and helpful (and checked their computer to see if they had the books I was looking for). There were also some discounted books on little racks outside-- I'd say its worth at least skimming those, as you might find a new read you normally wouldn't go for! Since it's quite small, it's not crowded like the big, indie LA bookstores, and I think that lends it a more relaxing experience. Would definitely recommend.

Decided to stop here one day because I love books. I spent my time just reading and relaxing. Good selection of books both new and used! And I'm happy with the books I purchased! Will stop by again in the future to get more used books!

This is the best bookstore I've been to in Southern California. They have a huge selection. They also have tons of books piled everywhere and looking though stacks of books is half the fun.

Large and eclectic amount of books. I was pretty happy to see that they had a large section of foreign languages, fine arts, art history, and astronomy. Their section of mythology books was tiny, just one bookshelf but still good. They also had Harry Potter paperback books but I already found the last two in Century Books. Large sections of young adult books, physics, engineering, art, history, and fiction books. I didn't interact with the staff and they didn't ask me if I needed help or anything but it's still good.

This is such a good used bookstore! I decided to go for the first time a few days and was surprised with the 20% off sale. I was able to find two books I've had my eye on for a while, and they were both in such good condition. It is a little cluttered with the stacks of books around the store, so you'll need to watch your step, but personally I liked it and made looking for some books more fun. The store was also a lot bigger than I thought it was going to be, so I definitely want to go back and spend some more time browsing. It's nice to support small bookstores and buy used, so I'll be coming back soon.

I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS PLACE! I CAN'T GO IN WITHOUT LEAVING WITH A TREASURE! The ALLEY BOOK STORE is without a doubt one of the best used-book stores I've ever been in. It is organized, well stocked and fairly priced. Look... I'm sorry a lady (below) didn't get the price she wanted for her, seemingly priceless, books. Don't sell them if you think they're undervalued. It's that easy. - And I feel bad that Joe Schmoe couldn't find his NYT bestseller ('bestseller' is a measure of content?). - And it's awful that Cheryl left some stuff on consignment that no one else thought was as valuable as she did (but did I read that correctly? She did sell her goods at an agreed upon price then after left a bad review? Now THAT'S a scammer!). June? You weren't the customer. You were the seller, yet you expected the customer to be obsequious? Curious, that. And Russ? Why didn't you go back and take your items home? It really sounds like you were an impatient nuisance who was constantly calling the bookstore. Notice that any bad review here was from people who were trying to SELL their items not BUY the bookstore's wares. Sorry if the above litany sounds defensive. It's just that in this day and age in which Amazon and Barnes & Nobel sell their shelf-space to the highest bidder and don't know a Booby-Prize from a Pulitzer Prize, tearing down a gem like The Book Alley is downright offensive. I don't go to sell anything. I go to browse and, often, buy. The 'Book Alley' is a good independently-owned bookstore. It's kept tidy and organized and is an amazing place to linger for an hour or so. The staff is friendly without being annoyingly servile; they have other stuff to do and if you don't need them, they go about their business doing it. If you want a really luxurious, satisfying morning, try this. Go in the morning when the bookstore opens, at 11. Street parking is free and plentiful. Spend a stress-free while lingering over their treasures. Buy one or two books then walk a couple of doors down to 'Andy's Coffee Shop', sit at the counter, order a bite, and peruse your treasure. Once your imagination, and belly, are satiated, go home and put the book on your nightstand so you have something to look forward to. In short, 'bookend your day' (see what I did there?) with pleasure.

I paid a visit to this used bookstores a few weeks ago and left happy. There are a lot of books here! Yay! I actually found some things here I wasn't able to find at a few other used bookstores I visited and the prices were decent. The only thing I would say that needs some work is the organization. During my visit it was hard for me at times to tell what was what because there were boxes of books and some books on the floor. Since I was pressed for time I'm sure I missed out on some great reads simply because I didn't see them. Regardless of the organization of the books though this place had a good selection and the staff was helpful. If you're a book lover like me, I would suggest you come here when you have a good amount of time to spare.

First time here today. I was impressed by how spacious the bookstore actually was. It went all the way to the back! And their selection of books is very extensive. I personally liked the vibe of the place... I think the stacks of books on the floor feel like home. I got to meet Charlie the Dragon and his owner. They were both very nice. Places like this, you should take your time looking around... Let the books find you. It's not a noisy and over stimulated book store like Barnes & Nobles or The Last Bookstore in LA. It's a place to find hidden treasures. A place where forgotten books can have a new shelf life. I did purchase a book and I will definitely be coming back for more. Thank you Book Alley