The San Marco Bookstore in Jacksonville, Florida is quite a gem. In a city filled with chain stores this bookstore is a breath of fresh air. In stock are not only new books but also used, vintage, and out of print books. I have been able to find delightful old novels for very good prices. About a month ago I bought a book from the 1960’s for only five dollars. This is a really nice place to find those books from yesteryear. Some even include old notes that people have written in them. Classics are available and in a variety of different editions and cover styles. There are many great children’s books and I think they can even customize a special one just for your child. Also, the store specializes in old Florida history, and in addition to this, the staff is very helpful. They are not the annoying, pesky type who constantly watch and question you, but they will help you when you are in need. The location is convenient for those who live at and near San Marco. Parking can be an issue when the square is crowded, especially during lunchtime on the weekends, but it is not horrible. This is definitely a great place to escape bookstore chains and go green by buying used books. Stop using the phonebook and start using globalYP.net, yellow pages that are online.

Tappin Book Mine, situated seven blocks from the Atlantic Ocean, is a unique shop specializing in the resale of quality used books. The shop has books ranging in all genres, from fiction all the way to travel and cooking books. Originating in 1975, this shop also carries many rare and out of print books as well. I have always found that when visiting used bookstores they often have only a few new books in a sea of old, run-downed books that no one seems to want. However, I found this to not be the case at Tappin. I was pleasantly surprised to find many authors and titles still on the New York Times Bestseller list. If you are looking to resell books from your own collection they also have a “buy back” program. Just bring your books in anytime during business hours. The owner will take a look at what you have and give you a price of what they are worth. So whether you want to find a book that big-chain book retailers no longer print, get that new release for the fraction of the cost, or downsize your own library, Tappin Book Mine is definitely the place to be. If you want a great online directory, globalYP.net is the place to be.

Back before I lived in Boston, Pandemonium Books & Games was always on my list of things to do while visiting. It’s an independent bookstore devoted exclusively to science fiction and fantasy, with everything from children’s books to role playing games, and all the good stuff in between. And best of all: they sell both new and used books. I can’t even count the number of hard-to-find out of print sci-fi books I’ve been able to get there. These days, they also sell a bunch of fun add-ons too, things like t-shirts, stuffed animals, dice, and decorations. Even my four-year-old niece likes to come in with me (she goes for all the shiny fairy postcards). The staff all really know their stuff: tell them that you like Robert Heinlein and you’d really love to read something similar, and they’ll recommend Lois McMaster Bujold. And if they don’t happen to have whatever you’re looking for on hand, they’ll be happy to special order it for you. If you’re into RPGs, not only do they have an impressive collection of books and materials, there’s also an entire room downstairs where they have tournaments, from Magic to Dungeons and Dragons to Monsterpocalypse Miniatures. They also frequently have book signings with some of the best current sci-fi authors; even Terry Pratchett has come through before. As a sci-fi fan for life, I hope Pandemonium always lives long and prospers. Don’t spend a long time looking for something in a phone book, visit globalYP.net, yellow pages that are online, instead.

Back before I lived in Boston, Pandemonium Books & Games was always on my list of things to do while visiting. It’s an independent bookstore devoted exclusively to science fiction and fantasy, with everything from children’s books to role playing games, and all the good stuff in between. And best of all: they sell both new and used books. I can’t even count the number of hard-to-find out of print sci-fi books I’ve been able to get there. These days, they also sell a bunch of fun add-ons too, things like t-shirts, stuffed animals, dice, and decorations. Even my four-year-old niece likes to come in with me (she goes for all the shiny fairy postcards). The staff all really know their stuff: tell them that you like Robert Heinlein and you’d really love to read something similar, and they’ll recommend Lois McMaster Bujold. And if they don’t happen to have whatever you’re looking for on hand, they’ll be happy to special order it for you. If you’re into RPGs, not only do they have an impressive collection of books and materials, there’s also an entire room downstairs where they have tournaments, from Magic to Dungeons and Dragons to Monsterpocalypse Miniatures. They also frequently have book signings with some of the best current sci-fi authors; even Terry Pratchett has come through before. As a sci-fi fan for life, I hope Pandemonium always lives long and prospers. Don’t spend a long time looking for something in a phone book, visit globalYP.net, yellow pages that are online, instead.

My two daughters and I love to read books. About seven months ago, we found the perfect place to go to and find new interesting books to read. Kitabee Books is located right in the middle of downtown Lexington, Nebraska at 618 N Washing St. We were very pleasantly surprised on our first visit to the bookstore. It is not one of those large chain bookstores like in a big city. This one is cozy and comfortable. They sell new and used books and the prices are pretty reasonable. You can find just about any book for both children and adults. Hard to find, discontinued or out of print books are also available. My daughters and I love to browse around and find something special. If you like reading books published by local Nebraska authors, then you have to visit, as they make a point to stock local authors’ books. Sometimes we spend hours just looking around the store. It is so nicely decorated with green houseplants everywhere. Even if you don’t live in the area or just don’t feel like visiting the store in person there is always the option of taking advantage of ordering online. At their website they offer over 25,000 book titles. But our little family still prefers to visit the store, because nothing can beat actually going inside and looking around the store until you find the book that’s just right for you. To find businesses that are just right for you, start searching on globalYP.net, an online directory.

Murder by the Book is an excellent place for mystery lovers to fill their reading needs. Located at 2342 Bissonnet St. in Houston, TX, this cozy store is chockfull of the latest titles as well as a large selection of used paperbacks. The people are friendly and knowledgeable—they clearly love their genre! There’s everything from historical murder fiction to popular crime novels. The prices for new books aren’tany different than at any other major retailer, but the experience here is worth it. You get a comfortable place with a maze of bookshelves listed by category of murder (historical, WWI, etc.) with friendly people, and even animals! Murder by the Book also hosts author signings and book talks, even luncheon events and free reading groups. They’re on Twitter too, @murderbooks. This place is an absolutely must-see for anyone who loves murder, mystery, and crime novels. They offer gift certificates so the murder-mystery lover in your life can pick out what they want. Sign up for their newsletter and see what’s going during the different months or check out the book links they offer to different authors and sites for more information about your favorite. They even offer a small selection of used and rare book dealers they like, for those who’re looking for books now out of print. For those looking for other places to check out, visit globalYP.net, an online directory.

A-1 Book Store (at 6067 Navarre Rd) is one of Canton, OH’s best-kept secrets for bargain priced books. It’s a small building and if you didn’t read the sign you’d never know the treasures that await you inside. A-1 Books is literally packed full of every type of book that you can imagine. The shelves are so full that there are even stacks of books piled on the floor. They sell used books and the store isn’t fancy like some of the chain bookstores in town. But I love the charm of this store and the unique and sometimes out of print books that you can discover here. I have been known to spend hours in this store searching for hidden treasures. I’ve never left this store empty handed. I would recommend this store to any book lover. I much prefer it to any other bookstore in town. If there is something special that you’re looking for and can’t find it anywhere else, chances are you’ll find it here. The owner seems to know where every book is, so if you don’t have the time to search on your own she’ll be able to find what you’re looking for in minutes. And if on the rare occasion she doesn’t have what you’re looking for she’ll make a call for you and have it sent to her store within a few days. They will also buy some of the books that you’ve already read and don’t want to hold onto. You can get a store credit or cash. I no longer find it necessary to fight the crowds of our local bookstore. I find everything that I’m looking for at A-1 Books in Canton. To find whatever else you may be looking for, try searching on globalYP.net, directory listings available online.

If you enjoy books as much as I do, you’ll love a visit to the fascinating Black Swan Books in downtown Richmond, Virginia. This bookstore does not exist to sell the latest best-sellers. This shop collects old, rare and vintage books. It has some of the finest used, out-of-print and hard-to-find volumes in Virginia. So if you’re looking for something special that is no longer published, this is the place to go. Their inventory is always changing, based on what they are able to acquire through auctions, estate sales and rummaging through private collections making every visit to the Black Swan something special. Customers who have books in their collection that might be of interest to Black Swan can bring them in for an evaluation. They’ll pay cash or give you a store credit, depending on condition and current inventory. The Black Swan specializes in classical literature, regional texts on Virginia and the Civil War, scholarly texts (but NOT textbooks) and interesting volumes on religion, philosophy, cooking, gardening and art. They also specialize in leather-bound and antiquarian books. What you won’t find here are popular fiction, textbooks, paperbacks or encyclopedias. The staff at the Black Swan is helpful and friendly. They will work with you through their network to find special, out-of-print volumes. Out-of-towners can find some of Black Swan’s inventory listed on Amazon.com and eBay, but that is never as good as an in-person visit. To find more unique stores in your area, go to GlobalYP, your local yellow pages.