Book Gallery

A historic book shop that caters to nonfiction and history, mainly political and war. They do have a small kids section, but not much for fiction current or otherwise. A very cool section for first additions so if you’re a historical book collector this is worth a stop!!

I absolutely love this place. I've found signed books to give as gifts, lesser known books I would've never found elsewhere, etc. The staff is SO helpful and informed, you learn something new each time you're there. If you love books, you have to go!!! It feels so rare to have a treasure like the Book Gallery in our neighborhood.

On wonderful variety and such beautiful collection across the spectrum. From kids and especially love the Arizona history, it's a must visit

I can't believe I completely forgot to review this place. I am in this store at least once or twice a week. The place is a treasure trove, and the prices are fantastic. I seem to be on a mission to buy out the whole store on my own. It's fantastic.

Great place to browse, three levels ish, some pretty great books. A section on teddy bears and a section on plagues. That’s variety. The guy working there said the Phoenix store is bigger. Coming from Tennessee, I thought I was in Phoenix. If you’re planning your trip and you only have time for one, maybe try the Phoenix store.

I love the Book Gallery! It's like going on a treasure hunt for books. I never leave there without a stack of books. I always find at least one book that I've been searching for what seems like forever at this bookstore. Lovely place!

Stopped in from out of town and enjoyed browsing their great selection of used books. The employee or owner who helped me locate some sought-after titles was very friendly and knowledgeable. Please support local, independent book stores whenever possible.

manager/worker was extremely rude & pushy. don’t recommend if you are a college student, was looking & kicked us out for not purchasing anything.

Excellent selection of hardback old vintage books in pretty good condition. Nice selection of bargain clearance outside the store for $1-3 Overall vibe is quiet and musky smelling. Good lighting and organization. Though topics are dated. Not for romance fantasy or more contemporary fiction readers. Poor poetry and traveling section. Missing many categories... Summarized in two words: overpriced and outdated. I've found the same things online for 50-80% off compared to this store.

The smell of old books and squeaky floors does something to my soul. I came in here to peruse. This store has two levels and you could spend all day in here browsing. There are also a few seating options. There's every genre you can think of and something for everyone. It's well organized and labeled. A very enjoyable way to spend some time!

There's a charm of chilly weather and the smell of books! Just stopped by to wander and peruse the children's books section but found some many good finds! There's an astonishing amount of classic literature, history, music, science - absolutely everything! Vintage books are a weakness for me and the dream to have a vintage book collection can be fulfilled here! They also sell gift certificates here so if you need a holiday gift - come by and see what you can find!

Outstanding bookstore. I have been to used bookstores around the world. Both the Mesa and in particular the Phoenix location are superb in collection and customer service. 6 star if I could.

This place is wonderful my daughter had her senior pictures here and they were amazing for letting us get her pictures taken.

7.23.20: Such a treat to find a brick & mortar book store! I don't hang out in Mesa so had no knowledge of Book Gallery. Randy was super knowledgeable & told me their location used to be a movie theater years & years ago. Wow - love learning cool details like that. Their inventory is mind boggling: * First editions of course * Old Life, Look magazines - always fun for the old print ads inside * Classic books * Childrens picture book section * Paperbacks for summer beach reading * Humor books Basically they have something for everyone, even kids attached to their devices will find something to pique their curiosity. CV-19 Safety Protocols: shop employee wearing mask & customers are asked to wear masks but it is NOT enforced. There were only three people in the shop when I was there - I mask up & 2 out of 3 also wore masks.

This is my absolute favorite place, probably ever. The smell of all the old books is just something you don't experience every day. This place is so big and absolutely stunning. The books are amazing and gorgeous. I can't recommend stopping here and checking it out! Love love loveeeee

Well organized, nice selection. Most used bookstores have closed in past few decades and it's always good to see one still around.

Old creaky wood floors, wooden bookcases, stairs leading up and stairs leading down, the smell of old pages.....this is what I love about the Book Gallery. Formerly the "Majestic Theater", a movie theater in downtown Mesa which opened in 1910. In the 1930's, it became the Ritz Movie Theater. An updated Art Deco style theatre that remained there until 1949. If you ask the workers at the Book Gallery, they will fill you in on the history of this place and even show you some photos of its former glory. While they do have a ton or books here, they may not have what you are looking for. Their selections are minimal and many of the books are old and dated. I usually come here and have my kids choose 1-2 books they like. Pages are always yellow and sometimes the spine isnt always in the best condition. Most of the books will have an original price tag on it. Ignore those, and flip to the first page where they will have a new price written in pencil. Prices are a bit high, but understandable to keep this place running. It's definitely not a place where you will find a great deal. This would be an ideal spot for finding an old book as a gift for a friend. Or if you like to keep old Library books as decor for your home.

It's a great bookstore with lots of antique books and comics. Unfortunately, they have a small travel section. This place reminds me of an old bookstore in New York like the Strand or Westsider. Many rare vintage pieces of literature, and even a few vinyl records. Navigating the stacks of books can be quite daunting, though. Many items in this store are mostly at discounted prices, and they offer occasional sale days. Put aside a few hours and let yourself get lost, you might find some out of print books! Valley Metro Light Rail Stop: Center & Main, Mesa

You know you're in a great bookstore when it smells of old leather and great books right at the threshold. There were so many books upon books, but well sorted so you really could find Irish folk and faerie tales if you were looking, which I was. Lots of leather bound editions of great tomes. Genuinely praise worthy. So happy to have this gem in downtown Mesa right on Main! Randy knows everything there is to know about books and the written word.

Have you ever dreamed about being Belle from Disney's Beauty and the Beast? Peculiar? Nose stuck in a book? Annoying piece of hair that keeps falling in front of your face? Check, check, and double check! Well, Book Gallery is probably one of the closest, and I might I add more reasonably priced, experiences someone can have to becoming the nerdiest of all the fictional princesses. I'm not exactly sure what the store's policy is on musical numbers and/or rolling around on their ladders, so perhaps it might be best to hold off on ALL the elation if you can. Though, I highly doubt anyone would blame you if you couldn't contain your excitement. The store is multiple levels and there are an endless amount of categories to explore from "true crime" to "whaling" to "cooking" and "cats"! I'm positive you can even find a section on "pirates". So get lost exploring far off places, daring swordfights, magic spells, people in disguise and if you are lucky you might just step on a creaky floorboard in the mystery section or find a rare treasure hiding in the glorious maze of books.

Excellent place. Smells like books, has all kinds of books and magazines. The service there is always amazing. The person at the cashier knows about books and knowledgeable about the place! I highly recommend this bookstore.

Whenever I have needed something that isn't in the Phoenix store, Randy has gone out of his way to see if it is in this store. If it is, there has never been any problem having things sent over. Any place can have one top notch store. When that same attitude can be said about the other, that is something to be complimented!

One of my favorite bookstores. The owner told me about the building's history, that it used to be a movie theater, and even showed pictures of it back in the day. I'd been in before, but this time I went into just to take a look around. I ended up finding Eadweard Muybridge's "The Human Figure in Motion" in the Arts/Animation section. I'd been looking for this in stores, and sadly eyeing the $37 price on Amazon. This book was in pristine condition & it was an awesome price ($25), so I couldn't refuse! There are so many options for reading materials in this store, & the building has a uniqueness to it that no other bookstore has. You can't go wrong with a good book.

We stopped in here on a whim and found some real treasures. The store was a bit disorganized as they were rearranging everything but that didn't bother me at all. The staff was very friendly! I was able to find a couple of original Nancy Drew books from the 1930s for a very reasonable price and they were in great condition. I will be coming back here again! 10/10!

Browsing used bookstores has been one of life's great joys for me. Unfortunately, it's getting more and more difficult each year to experience the classic used bookstore experience as shops disappear. Thank goodness for Book Gallery. When I want to spend an hour or two looking for an unexpected treasure or just enjoying some bygone ambience, this is my first choice.

This book store is a hidden gem in downtown Mesa ! Who would have thought this place was here... So many old books, books by subjects, laddered walls and old squeeky beautiful wooden floors...I felt like I went to another dimension or back in time before big corporate chained book stores took over!!! It gave me a nostalgic feeling being in there. This is a store you need to have at least an hour if not more in. There are 3 levels to the store. Owner Mike is a real down to earth cool guy too!!! There is also a "bargain" rack with books ranging from $1.00-$3.00. I will definitely be back here!!!

I work near downtown Mesa and love visiting here at lunch or after work. They've got a great collection of Arizona and American West books which are in good shape, plus lots of journals, pamphlets, etc. The only drawback, which is to be expected, is that a lot of their older books are priced higher than you can find online or at other bookstores in the area, like Bookman's. I don't mind that, but it's something to keep in mind when you're shopping around.

The Book Gallery is so cool! It's like hidden gem in Historical Mesa. The store was the Mesa movie theater at one time. The three levels of books from floor to ceiling is awesome. These used books are collectibles. They do not seem to carry "cheap" books. Prices seem to be average to industry demands. The cost is worth supporting a local store with friendly service. Wood floors, wood book shelves, interesting books and friendly store persons equals a must see! I took my kids and wife. We had so much fun looking and talking with the people in the store. We bought a collectible book too.

My friend and I decided to stroll thru downtown Mesa and stopped at this bookstore lots of books on every topic you could possibly look for from sports to space to mythology battles philosophical books and tons n tons of fiction books nice people!!

More spacious than the other Book Gallery, but doesn't have the same quality of books as the other location. Still plenty of books to catch your eye, and the same fair prices. Lots of parking in the public lot behind the store.

The Book Gallery is a great cerebral maze to go wander within where a few hours could easily turn into days. Like any self respecting book store it possesses the basic pedigree of a bedazzling selection of sections around everything from the Punic Wars to grooming your Pomeranian. Unlike the most other shops, the Book Gallery manages to pull off said mind bending pedigree with a good selection of the old and the new while avoiding that whole dirty hoarder vibe. The Arizona section is actually really interesting and includes at least one to two copies of the Kolb brothers famous tome concerning the Grand Canyon as well as more modern books about Arizona. The layout of the shop is good but I still like the overall semi-mysterious creaky floor vibe, which constantly gives you the impression that you just might find a Mogwai around the next corner.

Book Gallery might have one of the best overall collections I've ever found in a used bookshop. And I've seen a LOT of them. My experience here was mainly with books in the science, technology, and transportation genre. The selection was so broad and deep, I'd imagine that it must be incredible in the more mainstream categories. Prices were fair and reasonable, given what I knew about the titles I was finding. I haven't yet checked out the Phoenix location, but the Mesa proprietor says the selection there is even wider. I almost can't imagine it could be. Hours are 10am - 6pm Mon-Sat, by the way.

A great place for books, great customer service, and a knowledgeable staff! Being the bibliophile that I am I've traveled to multiple bookstores here in America and internationally (Australia and Amsterdam). Book Gallery is as good as any bookstore that I've seen.

Great atmosphere and book selection! I make a point to spend an hour or two browsing the selection every time I find myself in Mesa and I'm never disappointed.

So. Many. Books! Would have given 5 stars if the staff was friendlier or chattier but definitely 5 stars for the massive selection and most books were pretty fair on prices. Walk in to smell the old book scent we all love so much!!

They always have what I am looking for, some of the best hard to find books on the Occult or Sci-fi/ horror. The Phoenix store is just as excellent.

We didn't buy anything, but just walking around this place was awesome. The smell of old books, the wood floors, everything was so cool. Even my rotten kids who only care about electronic things loved it.

This is the nicest place ever. Every old book imaginable. Nice people. Great location.

This is one of the best book stores I have ever been in for the interests I have in reading, I collect books that are original, non fiction, First Editions, and in good to excellent condition. However, being a Disabled Veteran in a Power Chair it is very difficult to maneuver up and down narrow isles with ladders, stepping stool and other obstacles. Although, I have also found the management was more than happy to work with me in ordering or finding me books that I want for my library. I really need to go back to this bookstore and start researching the world of interesting reading as I do miss holding a real book n my hands.

Lots of great old books, plus they will buy some of your books for cash. True old school bookstore.

One of my favorite haunts here in Mesa. I love books, and old books, especially. I always go straight up to that little attic area, although I'm sure I'll get around to other sections, eventually. ;) Owner is always incredibly nice and helpful. Book prices very reasonable!

A gem in downtown Mesa. You could spend hours here perusing the wide selection. So many great vintage and historical finds as well!