Here’s A Book Store

Here’s A Book Store, located in a predominantly religious Jewish neighborhood, carries a lot of Jewish-​interest fiction and history (Holocaust and beyond). But it also has a lot of everything else – so much that it’s packed floor-​to-​ceiling with new and used books, with barely enough aisle space to get past someone. The lighting is dim in spots and the store is dusty. It’s not very user-​friendly, but I don’t think that deters book-​lovers. If you’re looking for a particular title, it’s best to ask for assistance because books are horizontal and two-​deep. The staff knows their stock pretty well and can either find it or tell you they don’t have it. IMO the used books, especially those in only fair condition, could be cheaper ($ 4.50 for a dog-​eared Stephen King mass market paperback), but I appreciate the overhead and effort that goes into maintaining a brick-​and-​mortar store.

We usually travel to New Jersey or Connecticut to go to used bookstores because in Brooklyn, where we live, there are virtually none, and this is the only one in the part of Brooklyn where we live. It’s okay but could be much better. First, the store is dirty. Dirty. I was looking through books on a floor level shelf and can’t tell you how much dust and big dust balls and hair there was to contend with. If you have dust allergies, stay away or wear a mask (I’m not kidding). Second, the prices are written two times, once inside in pencil which is fine, but for some reason the books are priced a second time on the cover, and the pencil is pushed down hard causing the price to be indented even after you erase it. Why do they do this? Third, much of the stock is damaged. Bent pages, torn covers, water stained, and did I mention dirty? Fourth, the pricing is kind of high. Paperbacks are several dollars each. For $ 1.00 I would buy a «reading only» copy now and again, but not for several dollars. Having said all that, it is fun to look around as the shelves are loaded with books, sometimes two rows deep. The books on higher shelves (they have step stools and ladders to help you browse) are less dirty. They need a bigger store to spread out more. The staff is nice. I wish I could rate this place 4 stars but I can’t. As with most any bookstore, you could get lucky and find some books in good condition. But I wouldn’t go too far out of my way to visit.

As soon as I walked into this book store, I felt as if I had been taken back in time. It looks, feels and sounds like the typewriter repair/​baseball card store I used to go to as a kid in Brighton Beach. It feels of memories and smells of days gone by. Books are packed into shelves from wall to wall and floor to ceiling. A beautiful selection of fiction and non, sprinkled with a solid selection of children’s books as well. They are not pushy and they don’t make their money selling coffee and croissants. In other words, it’s not a place to be ‘seen’ but rather to experience for its intrinsic value. And it’s likely the only legitimate, independent, english-​language bookstore remaining south of Park Slope. It’s one of the few in Brooklyn. I purchased a book for $ 4.50 and when I gave a $ 5 bill, I got a dollar back. Come on. Now Here’s a Book Store.

Floor to ceilings (and boxes in between) of books, glorious books. It’s not the easiest place to maneuver around, but there’s definitely something there to make your efforts worthwhile. Yes, on humid days it can get a little ‘old page musty’ in there, but do we judge the things that we love for faults beyond their control?

Awesome little used book shop. I even found some books on cultural anthro. And great kids books too. Keep on keepin on!

I am in love with this bookstore. I came in hoping to find a few titles off my comp. lit. grad. class syllabus and walked out with nearly everything I needed — which is a feat, I assure you. The owner was so nice, knew his store thoroughly, and could tell me right off the bat whether or not he had a certain title. Super cheap, super helpful, amazing little store!

I love this bookstore — it is everything an independent local bookstore should be. You can get lost in the stacks here — there are so many wonderful new and used books and just the right atmosphere for browsing (and buying).
Perhaps more importantly, though, is the service. The owner knows so much about the books in his store and can point you in the right direction for every request. They can turn around special orders really quickly, too. I called at 4:50 PM on a Friday to order 25 copies of a book for my school and they had it by 11 AM on Monday! And they stayed open 15 minutes late for me because I got stuck at work.
I can’t ask for more in a bookstore.

Love this place. There aren’t many bookstores like this left.
They have a ton of great books, super knowledgeable staff and will buy/​trade your used books. If you can’t find something ask, they know everything about their inventory and will happily help you. I wish it were a tad bit cleaner/​less dusty but that sort of adds to the character of the place.

I’ve been going to this establishment for years and everytime I walk into this ity bity bookstore I always manage to find a book I can’t live without. And while small, I can wander around for hours looking at books that are out of print or no longer carried by the library.
They carry new and old books and will order books for you. And a note to Ian, you should ask Duran for help when looking for a book because he knows where all the books are and can locate them in a flash. This can save you from some innocent minor catastrophes.
The mother and son team (I assume) are very well-​read and interesting to talk to about books and books that are being read by book clubs.
This is a boon to the southside of Brooklyn because mostly all the bookstores have closed down. Yes, there are people that are cultured and interested in literature in South Brooklyn and we’d love it if someone paid attention to us now and gain.
The only downside to this place is that it’s difficult to find parking and the brownies will get you if you’re even a couple of minutes late. I was two minutes late last week and the lovely metermaid gave me a ticket. I could have sworn she had a smirk, but it could have been just my frustrated imagination. *sigh*

Echo the sentiments of Ian R. — extra points awarded for its indie status! This store has every single book — and while the store may have precarious, unnerving stacks and stacks and stacks of books, the staff of this store know its contents intimately — they can find anything and everythng that you need almost instantly. They will also bring you new and used versions (when available) of your request, offering you the opportunity to pay less (I have no qualms with a $ 4.50 used copy — it just means I can buy more!). They have a great selection of gently used books at next-​to-​nothing prices. This store is definitely worth the visit!

Extra star off the bat for being an independent bookstore. Hooray for independent bookstores! Another star for being the only bookstore in a 200 mile radius.
Star for packing enough books to fill a Barnes and Noble into a store the size of a Dunkin’ Donuts. Minus a star for having to play book Jenga and potentially knocking down a hundred books if the book you’re looking for is in a bad spot.
Two stars for the mounds of used books (even some used graphic novels my favorite) because I’m cheap and I also like to imagine all the filthy things people did with a book before I owned. Take back a half star for the used books not being cheap enough and another half star cause I confuse some of the crappy looking new books with the used books.
Bonus star to the old woman who usually works the register for telling off anti-​semites, anti-​arabites, and various other hatemongerererers on various trips I’ve made to the store.
I don’t think that adds up to 3 stars. Screw you if you’re counting.