Scrinnameless sent me a wonderous account of a used bookstore in Mobile, Alabama, that got me thinking. Get a load of this:
While waiting on my cousin to get out of work (my day to pick her up), I walked over to a nearby used bookstore I’d been in before, and, thanks to your influence, I began to notice the romance novels.
…And, holy fuck, The Book Corner is loaded. Hundreds of Silhouettes, and hundreds again of Silhouettes special editions. Two shelves of historicals. A shelf of contemporaries. Old-school novels out the wazoo.I am not exaggerating when I say my hasty figuring on the back of the business card puts them at a couple of thousand romance novels. Next time I’m out that way, I’m bringing the camera so I can take some pictures for you.
Anyway, it’s kind of a small, out of the way place, so I want you to put the word out to the Bitchery: Next time they’re in Mobile, or if they’re ever in Mobile, they have to stop by this place and buy some books.
It’s the Book Corner, at Schillenger Road and Airport Boulvard, found in a corner in that strip mall between Airport and the Wal-Mart.
I have never had cause to go to Mobile, but now I totally want to go. Like damn.
And Scrinnameless (who promises me pictures of Ye Heaping Big Selection of Romance) has given me a good idea, but I want your opinion: do you think a collaborative map of Bookstore With Good Romance Selections (Used and new!) would be of use to Ye Fabulousse Bitchery?
I can name two good bookstores near me, one used, in New Jersey, and one new, in Manhattan. I’ve started a map (see below) and would welcome your suggestions as to where we romance readers can find good used and new romance selections.
It would seem to me that with independent bookstores closing frequently now, we should make it as easy as possible to find the romance.
If you’d like to contribute, please feel free – anyone should be able to edit that map. And I welcome your contributions—all the better for me to plan a Smart Bitch Road Trip when the book comes out!!
I am so jealous. Our local UBS only has romance novels under a year old. The buyer generally doesn’t buy any of them. The other UBS is closing this week. And our three local Independent book stores have itty bitty tiny romance sections. We are a college town with a lot of bookstores. But romances seem to be only at the grocery store and borders. Fortunately for me, the local libraries take donations and sell them to raise money to buy library books. And someone donates some spiffy books in great shape.
This bookstore is in the oldest, crappiest, falling-down barn-and-outbuilding complex ever to grace the hills of rural southern New Hampshire. It also has over 150,000 books OMFG. Many rare editions, every subject imaginable. Oh yes, and romance.
Old Number Six Book Depot
166 Depot Hill Rd
Henniker, NH 03242
(603) 428-3334?
There are two used bookstores near me that have nice romance selections:
[a href=“http://www.book-rack.com/”%5DThe Book Rack[/a]
13 Medford Street
Arlington, MA 02474
Phone: (781) 646-2665
They have historicals, contemporaries, paranormals and series romances, although I think they are no longer buying series titles.
Smaller but also good is
Annie’s Book Stop
193 Belmont St
Belmont, MA 02478
(617) 489-3763
Definitely more hit-or-miss here. It just really depends what you’re looking for.
The biggest UBS/bargain bookstore in the Boston area has got to be
New England Mobile Book Fair
82-84 Needham Street
Newton Highlands, MA 02461
(617) 964-7440
(617) 527-5817
I think I was too caught up in everything else this place sells to notice whether it carries romance. But absolutely worth a visit for any bookworm.
Bookworm Books
3261 Court St.
Pekin, IL 61554
There are only 3 other sections (about 9 shelves) of other genres. The rest of the store is dedicated to romance. It’s ran by a wonderfully knowledgeable woman named Robin who is always in the know about series orders and new books/authors of interest. She will special order anything for you, gives store credit, takes most used romances, gives 10% discount off new books, and if she doesn’t have it used she will collect your information and call you when a copy is brought in. I’ve spent half a day in there just browsing.
both96
If anyone is ever in Northern Ontario you have to visit the used bookstore I work at, Bay Used Books. We have roughly 150, 000 to 200,000 books on two floors plus more in storage.
We have roughly 20,000 romance titles. We carry Harlequins, Historical, Contemporary, Paranormal and Anthologies in all categories. The books are all sorted by category and are in alphabetical order by author. The majority are mass market but we do have some trade paperbacks and some hardcovers.
We also carry every other category of books you can think of from children’s books to scifi/fantasy, mystery, general fiction, nonfiction, etc..
There’s also a selection of new books that we stock based on customer demands (mostly romantica and paranormals) and we special order for customers with 10% off retail price.
There’s a credit system for anything you bring in. We price most of our books at half of retail unless they’re rare books.
Everyone who works here is book crazy. We all read as much as we can, whenever we can. Our favorite thing is to talk books with customers. We could talk books all day long!
I loved this store when I was a customer so imagine how I feel working here.
Come visit us: Bay Used Books
124 Elm Street
Sudbury, Ontario,
P3C 1T6
Canada
Help, I can’t edit the map. Sarah, can you pin us to Canada when you have a minute. Thanks.
Novel Idea Book Exchange
6310 Woodward Ave
Downers Grove, IL
630-963-8480
This is just about the only UBS that I’ve been to, so I don’t know how it compares with others. I remember going there with my mother about 20 years ago, she would bring in bags full of books to trade in. I just recently got into romance and no longer live in IL, so I only get there once a year. The store is mostly romance, about 3/4.
The Book Exchange
1303 Jamestown Road
117 Colony Square Shopping Center
Williamsburg, VA 23185
The largest section in The Book Exchange is romance!
I did my undergrad in Mobile, and The Book Corner is one of the things I miss most! (We don’t have a romance-friendly used store where I am now.) I got the best books there—it was where I got my hard-to-finds. I took my leftover tip money there each week. I loved Vada May; she was so sweet and I think she even gave me a discount when there was something I really wanted and couldn’t afford. Glad to know she’s still in business!
Also, if you’re in Decatur, AL, try The Bargain Book Shelf—it’s pretty much entirely romance now, with some other genre fiction mixed in. There’s a decent 25 cent selection, and my mom loves her because she has nearly every Sandra Brown and LaVyrle Spencer ever written.
2215 Danville Rd SW # N
Decatur, AL 35601
(256) 355-9139?