Mercer Street Books & Records

One of the few remaining independent bookstores in Manhattan. The shelves are packed with a wide array of well-priced and compelling books, all in good condition. Good music (think Baroque flourishes and free jazz deep cuts) is always playing in the store. A friendly array of longtime staff are more than happy to help you out. Come here and come here often—it is good for the soul.

Awesome independent bookstore stocked with vintage books and records. I’ve found so many unique items here on my periodic visits, including hard to find 70s reprints of Cold War action novels in pristine condition for $5 a piece. You can easily spend an hour flipping through all the records, which I’ve done on several occasions. Worth a visit if you’re in the NYU area!

That I LOVED THIS PLACE! It has such a rich selection of books for all genres. I particularly enjoyed the sections on history and biography/memoirs. There was a bunch of books that I had never heard about that I picked up and look forward to reading. Their books are in good condition and even appear barely used or new for many. Most of the books are under $10 ($6-$8 range). And the staff are super helpful. Just a heads up, you will want to buy more books than you need. I'll definitely be back here whenever I'm in town.

Cool little used bookstore. Has a lot of books that aren't always found everywhere. Not a crazy amount of brand new books, but when selling used you are kind of at the mercy of what comes your way. Reminds you of the bookstores that have fallen by the wayside over the years, definitely worth a visit.

TLDR: Not recommended—rude employee, uncomfortable atmosphere. If you want to be treated like you did something wrong simply for buying a book, here’s your place. Visited for the first time in early January 2025. I enjoyed spending about 20 minutes browsing the fiction and poetry sections, eventually choosing a book from the former for purchase. As I looked through the religion and other areas, I noticed in multiple places signage was either incorrect or missing. But I was able to figure out the categories easily enough. The atmosphere of the place was okay enough until I got to the front counter to buy my book. It was a paperback for seven dollars. The older gentleman at the register looked at the book and started asking me questions in a defensive tone about where I found it: “Where did you find this? Was it in the area behind you?” I assumed he meant the recent arrivals bins, and I said no, I saw it in fiction. “But do you mean mystery fiction or regular fiction?” I said regular fiction. He said nothing in response. I have a hunch the book was incorrectly priced and he was ticked off about losing a few bucks. Sorry dude, not my problem—talk about awkward! Anyway, he rang up the book and I paid, and asked for a paper bag. He simply left the bag on a stack of books in front of me and promptly began ringing in the next customer standing beside me. Message received: you don’t need my business. No problem, I’m happy to oblige.

This little shop is close to NYU, so expect to find what you need. Excellent reads all over the place. Historical books, etc. I love book shops and libraries. I will always support keeping them open forever. We need them now more than ever.

I love this bookstore and could spend a whole afternoon here! It is very organized and has an impressive, diverse selection of categories. The hardcover books were all in excellent condition and reasonably priced (don’t believe I saw one in the general area that exceeded $15). I cannot speak highly enough of the quality of the books available. Additionally, the gentleman running the store was lovely and helpful. I look forward to my next visit!

I’m not very into books, but it seems like this store has a bit of everything, but not a lot of something. However, it looks very authentic (read chaotic) and the owner seemed nice. Good to stroll and to discover some hidden gems, but not a place to go when you look for more mainstream titles.

had a good selection of books, records, and cds, its more of older things then new, the people were very nice, they kept it a nice peaceful atmosphere.

Favorite book store in the world. I hope they stay around forever. Mercer St Books is perfect for when you don't have a plan and are willing to wander and find some treasures. I got a signed copy of Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (by Douglas Adams) for $2 here. I've also purchased incredible incredible incredible photography books -- one of my favorites is a stunning one from the late 50s about the United States' changing landscape which I purchased for less than $25. You'll probably be disappointed if you expect to find anything hot off the press here (I check for Sally Rooney & Crying in H Mart each time I stop in, alas to no avail), but I've also been lucky and gotten some recent David Sedaris releases, most recently a Candice Carty-Williams, etc. Mercer St Books is also fantastic for finding books that you've been meaning to read but forgot you wanted to read and then serendipitously see a copy for $6. I've found some of my favorite books this way (this year, Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin). From Bukowski to Vonnegut to Fanon, some of my favorites have been Mercer Books finds. I think there'd be something for everyone's taste here -- my mom loves it for their french books, my brother loves it for their philosophy books, etc. This review is too long so bye but PS they always have a million Philip Roth books if you're into him okay bye

Malcolm X said "The most disrespected person in America is the Black woman," which explains why I got some really crappy service. I came in and asked for a Toni Morrison book - the guy who worked there, I presume the owner, told me that there are no Toni books because she died so she's super popular... Thing is, he didn't even get up and search! He just sat there talking to his friend! Didn't even care about offering customer service. I shrug and decide to walk around because I'm bored... Lo and behold, I find 5 Toni books, even the one I asked for! I really was flabbergasted at the crappy service this old white man gave me! On the first day of March which has international women's day and a day after Black history month, I experienced misogynoir from a cis old white man! Do better and actually walk around and help your customers instead of saying things you don't know because you're lazy and don't find my patronage worthwhile!

I've been coming here for months and I occasionally find something interesting, but most of the time it's a little too overpriced to justify buying. They do carry some books that you can't really find elsewhere, but a lot of it is kind of just junk they need to replace. Even though it has a nice aesthetic, it's really not anything more than a browsing store.

My absolute favorite New York bookstore in over 20 years.

Tons of great books and wide selections. I really liked that there were good condition, classic children literatures. Found many vintage, out of print books in great conditions. Would come here again.

The book keeper is very knowledgeable of the books. When you take the time to go through the store, you can sit on the floor and immerse yourself in the precious findings that you are bound to encounter.

Carlos and Chris represent this local hidden gem with great tunes and strong recommendations of what and whom to read. This place has amazing art books hard to find collectibles, classics, scifis, paperbacks, records, and a ton of magazines to browse through. Much easier to deal with then the strand which can feel a little to touristy at times. Stop by and you'll find it right here.

Just as a courtesy it would be nice if you would change your hours of operation on your website so people don't show up there at 8o'clock and find out you just closed but it says you're gonna be open till midnight.

Mercer Street Books is a great NY institution. I started going in 1999. I have been out of the city so it has been a while, but I found many good philosophy and poetry books there that now have there home in my library.

Super cute place with great books. The owner is really nice and fun to chat with. Stop by and support smaller bookstores!

One of my favorite stops to browse and purchase a wide variety of used books. Mercer Street has nice selections of books on history, poetry, literary biography, art, fiction, and reviewers copies. I have been coming here for decades. I almost always make a purchase. The prices are reasonable. I will keep coming back, as long as the collection continues to reflect the best in literature, biography, theatre, etc. Unlike some bookstores that push a political agenda, Mercer Street presents quality books.

Wonderful selection of books and decent prices. Certainly a great place for bibliophiles to find a bargain or spend some time browsing and meandering. Prices are better than Strand and I am always happy to support small businesses. Also a good alternative to Strand if you want to sell or trade in your unwanted books. They will give you a fair price. Check here first before hitting up B & N or Strand, they may have what you're looking for at a fraction of the cost of those stores. It seems to be NYC book world's best kept secret. Also have overheard some interesting conversations here- smart clientele! I usually spend awhile here and take the treasures I find over to one of the many coffee shops in area or to Washington Square Park. Not a bad way to spend the afternoon! My only issue is that they often open a lot later than the website says....

Swung by with hopes of finding some nice second hand sci-fi and found a great collection of 2nd hand records - my only haul this trip. Nice prices, good collection of digger vinyl. Walked away with Patti Austin, Sergio Mendes and Chicago Fire for under $20. Friendly staff with some good-looking collectible reads behind the counter. My Tip: look up and down and under as much as you can - lots of treasure to be found!

Superb resource for book finds and LPs - crammed full of gems Keep it in business during Covid or we lose a rare treasure chest of literate serendipity Easy to buy more than you have room for, like every book loving New Yorker!

I saw many boxes being hauled out of the store yesterday - did they move to a new location?

This is a gem and institution, it makes me so happy when i stumble upon use bookstores and mercer street books and records is such a rarity in this technologically driven day and age...dont come here with a plan or time constraints, i spent almost an hour here just browsing the aisles and grazing the huge selection of multi-lingual and assortment of genres. walked away with a chinese self help book ( yes in chinese) and the man in the high castle for a steal.

I dropped in to find a book on cacti with no luck. The garden section was somewhat ... threadbare. One 2 shelf bookcase about 2 feet wide with not enough books to fill it & many books laid flat. That said they seem to have a decent selection of material in other genres. We have to support our second hand bookshops. They are in honest danger of becoming extinct! I found & bought an interesting book as did hubby.

A New York institution. This is a great place to browse alone or with friends, or to pick up a book to bring to the park. It's not glitzy. It's not the place to go if you have a specific book in mind or if you want to find a title immediately. It's the kind of place where you might find an old Phil Ochs record, run into a former college professor (who teaches 500 miles away), find a book that an ex recommended to you long ago (but you never read), a work you hadn't heard of by one of your favorite historians, or a place to walk the aisles with a friend (tip: buy each other $6 books that you promise to read in a month). Look at the titles and remember old conversations. It's also unfortunately sometimes a place where you'll see on the shelf the book you're currently reading, but at a fraction of the price. There's also a strong poetry section and really nice staff. Browse when you're looking for perspective, when you're feeling down, when you've exhausted your phone contacts list, and with your partner after breakfast on Saturday.

Stumbled in yesterday while killing time before a movie at the Angelika. There are so many books and records! I ended up buying an awesome vinyl that I've been looking for for a little while. The store has a very small-town feel to it, and if you can move past the disorganization to find books, this could be a great choice for you. From what I saw, it looks like they have lots of used books and vinyls for low prices and a very large variety of genres. I'll be visiting again.

I love to explore used book stores and as I was walking to NYU, I ran into this little shop. They had a good selection of used books and vinyl. If you have time, I'm sure you could find some good gems. They have stacks of books that haven't made their way to the shelves.

Perhaps my most enjoyable book flea market around this area; weeded out selections as opposed to it's *larger* competitor in nearby Broadway... I can't remember one time when, walking from seeing a movie @ the Angelika, I haven't been lured to browse through the little bargain stack they have outside. And what books I've found!! Excellent bait for the big fish and the small fish. Inside it's more of the same; really simple layout and no particular identity or flare whatsoever. Just books, no drama. Come and browse, and take some very great books at really great bargain prices and selections; Mercer has Mercy on those of us who are not thrilled by thrillers. So yeah, come.

Selection here is unique & I saw less attitude than at some other bookstores. If you're looking for something specific, though, I would suggest calling first since I'm not sure they'd have it here. Browsing here is fine since you aren't literally on top of people & can get around if necessary. Overheard some interesting conversation here so if you're smart, you may get more of a kick out of being here than someone who just got here from Redneck Town.

Got the record I was looking for but the guy at the counter put my change in the register right in front of me and refused to give it to me! Some people..... would not go back again!

I'm a huge bookworm so I was more than thrilled when I found this little gem during my lunch hour. I really racked up on books that I have been longing to read or add to my collection. I love that their selection is diverse, reasonably priced and includes collectors books and records of most genre. The staff is pretty knowledgeable and the hours are also good. They will also hold books for you (but only for a few days!) if you're like me, and your book stack is larger than your wallet. I would recommend this place and I go there often.

A very cool bookstore when you're looking for the unusual off the beaten path selections. Vintage books and vinyl records. A fun browse will turn up a few hidden gems. Old school no frills, just lots of great books in good condition for gifts and reading. Smells like musty old books. Enjoy your visit. You'll settle in to the stacks and find a good one you never expected. Small but organized. I'll be back for sure.

I love this place. It's my favorite book store in the city. It has an old time bookstore look, unlike the chic boutique look other bookshops have adapted. The shelves are always well-stocked with goodies, and the staff is usually very helpful. There is also a nice selection of music. In my experience, this is also the best place in the city to sell books. I've always gotten the best offers for used books. I

Great selection, and great prices. Exactly what you want in a used bookstore. The smell of books, organized but muddled enough to feel like you've struck gold when you find something good. I found an illustrated version of A Christmas Memory that I will treasure forever.

One of a vanishing breed - the independent book store - and a fine representation of the genre. Sells used books and records. I can't vouch for the latter but the book selection is excellent. Prices are reasonable, and some really great bargains are to be found here and there.

NEVER take your used books to these guys for sale. They are pirates and rip-off artists of the first order. You will get 3 times what Mercer offers by taking your books to the Strand...guaranteed. BE FOREWARNED!

This place reminds me of the stores that my father used to take me to when I was a kid in the 70s. Sure it's a bit disorganized, but that's part of the fun - not knowing what you might uncover amongst the stacks and piles. Great selection of used lps too. Nothing pleases me more than spending an evening browsing in Mercer Books. May they live long.

Nice old school used book store with a small selection of vinyl. I'm glad this store is still around. I was interested in the used records they have. First thing, there is no turntable to test play them. Most of the records look clean and in nice condition. I bought a few, when I played tested them at home I was shocked at how badly used these were. If your a record collector, make sure to check the records out good. There are not cheap records, actually they are very competitive with other used record stores in the east village. You're not getting any deals because it's a used book store.

Great selection, friendly staff, super process. I bought shone used poetry books for myself and some family.

This is place is like my home planet or something. I could stay there forever. They have so many books that it can come across as disorganized, but it really isn't. This isn't a Barnes and Noble. You can't just walk in f**k s**t up and walk out. You really have to take your time and look. Most off the books aren't duplicates so if you blink, you just might miss it. The prices are definitely not two dollar signs. Most of the books are under 4 bucks. As a college student myself, I'd say that's pretty darn cheap. I would definitely recommend this place to a friend. But it's like I said, only go if you have time because although it's basically just two long aisles, you will get lost in a sea of literacy.

Remember when you were a kid and your parents told you to pick up all your crap and put it away, so you took your books and shoved them onto the shelves in no particular order? That's the main idea of Mercer. Yes, there are categories here -- fiction, lit crit, poetry -- but some categories are more organized than others (mercifully, fiction is very well organized and alphabetized, though there is a strange system of leaving books in crates on the floor) and some categories are just barely contained chaos. But that's sort of what makes this place great -- it's a bit cluttered and a bit messy, but you're guaranteed to find something good if you poke around for a few minutes. What's more, the guy who owns the place is a sweetheart, and the book prices are very reasonable.

I made an account on yelp just so I could leave this review. In today's day and age, people already don't read too many books, but the price of physical books continues to climb. At some stores like Barnes and Noble, a simple paperback book could cost you upwards of $17. However, I was able to purchase three excellent paperpack books from this store for $15! There were so many selections in any and every genre, and I know that from now on I will make the trip up to the city for the sole purpose of supporting this small business. No complaints whatsoever.

Eh. Just eh. Nothing much here worth looking at. Call first, don't go out of your way.

When I lived in New York this was a regular stop for me on the weekends. I loved the messy stacks and potential finds. This place has been the standard of all used book stores for me since I left New York.

This place feels like a typical campus used bookstore, even though NYU doesn't feel like much of a campus. Reasonable selection of books for the space, decent selection, some interesting titles, prices are fine. Nothing too exceptional; given its location and clientele, it should probably be better than it is. Worth a look if you're in the area.

Always sonething of interest here for the LP buyer. Records are cheap and clean. Stock doesnt change that often, but worth a visit every couple weeks. No turntable for listening but the dude with glasses is happy to play from counter. Owner not so happy to play records for you, but ask anyway!

Although I love reading and collecting books, I really love this place for their record selection. If you're into collecting vinyl Mercer always has a great selection.

I struggled with the heat and humidity of Thursday July 30 and carried 160 books to be sold. Thank very much to the no e gentleman who helped me the last leg of my journey. Upon arrival at Mercer. I put the books on the counter. He looked thru them taking all but appprox. 30 titles. He offered me 35$ cash or 42$ store credit. I thought perhaps I didn't hear correctly. So I verified...$35? I said that he was taking approximately 100 books and paying me 35 cents a book. He said that he didn't understand my logic. He said he would only give me a pittance of amount because these books won't fly off the shelves. I attempted to escape this establishment with $50. But the miser said all he would give me was $35...Take it or leave it. So as I was not equipped to carry those books any further i took the $35. I told him that he was robbing me. Also that I'd prefer to be robbed in the street by knife or gunpoint. He said he was sorry I felt that way but he wasn't trying to get over on me. I beg to differ. He was a condescending man who I guess thought I should be ecstatic over his cheapness. told him...ok, you won this time, but I will have my time at the plate. I will win the round. I would, never, ever step foot in that establishment again. He will hear again from me though. Book sellers beware...avoid this store! I've bought many books going back to the early 90's...no longer will I spend one thin dime at Mercer Books. Zero stars for the bookstore . I attempted to remove the one star as I rate this place zero. Was unable to remove the star.

Walking town Mercer from Bleecker, I found this wonderful bookstore. I'm always finding something I like. The prices are good too. It's hard to find a store like this any more in New York City.

A good book store. I don't quite get the system for the books stacked in the square containers near the front, but within these piles are some not so easy to find books (a good thing). When I was there, it seemed like someone sold off a bunch of Dennis Cooper books and the poetry section was a little slim but I think that's common in a lot of used bookstores. Prices are reasonable.

My husband and I like to stop here when we are walking around the neighborhood. We only "discovered" it a short while ago, but my husband has already found several books that he wanted for a good price that were hard to find elsewhere. I am more of a browser than a buyer of books, but I enjoyed browsing through their shelves. It isn't a large book store, but there are some good finds to be had and it is worth checking out to see if it stocks items you'd be interested in. Plus, the Housing Works bookstore, which always has interesting stock, is just one block down and two blocks east, so you could have yourself a bookday. Happy hunting!

Cramped, poorly organized, often grumpy service. Don't bother to sell them books because the prices are terrible. Better to donate to Housing Works. There is the occasional find.

Here's to an independent used book store, cheers. They also sell LP's. The collection is toward the academic side (NYU faculty dorms a block away) and fairly disorganized. To enjoy you'd want to be a knowledgeable reader willing to comb through junk to find gems. I'm not that, so it's a little bit frustrating. Going in with something specific in mind is hopeless, but I can usually find something unusual from a favorite author.

This place used to be a dump, but it seems to be a bit better organized now. Still hard to find anything you want, but it's an improvement. Not much selection and a lot of the shelves are taken up by middling titles. No one seems to be putting any thought into what 's for sale here. More like a junk shop to me. The record section is mediocre.