Penn Book Center

This place is just fantastic. They stock a thoughtful mix of academic press and scholarly titles, the staff are extraordinarily helpful and nice, and they’ve been fantastic for me in terms of special ordering books as well. They also have a big sale every spring.
This bookstore is really one of the best of it’s kind.

Have purchased hundreds of dollars worth of books here over the years and have earned a lot of rewards points to purchase books of my choice. Gotta love the rewards program. Went in to redeem those points this afternoon and enjoyed walking around the quirky layout. The staff has always been knowledgeable and helpful. Seeing less and less of bookstores these days, but I hope this one stays around for a long time.

I work at Penn, and whenever I need a break from my dull job, I take a walk to the Penn Book Center. This gem of an indie bookshop is a great place to find the book you want, the book you didn’t know you wanted, and the book you’re going to want. The bibliophilic vibe is strong, from the friendly, knowledgeable, and crush-​worthy staff to the overflowing shelves that seem to be curated rather than merely stocked. So inviting (seductive, really) is this place that I always have to fight the urge to buy a stack of books every time I stop in. In fact, as I’m typing this, I’m thinking of a few titles I saw there this week…

This place would be worth 3 stars in NYC, SF, PDX or Chicago.
It’s worth 5 stars in Philadelphia, given the sorry state of indie bookstores there.
But I like to keep it real. I am not lowering my standards for Philadelphia.
So 3 stars.

This is a great indie bookstore of the academic variety.
They have a really nice philosophy section too, and large, which I appreciate. I also like their art history, sociology, and architecture sections.
On a recent visit I was scanning the philosophy titles… head tilted at 90 degrees. I had just scanned past a few John Rawl’s titles, when I did a double-​take. Something was off. What the… It seems they have no Ayn Rand. Rand always comes just before Rawls in every other philosophy section of every other bookstore in the world. I have been conditioned to subconsciously make note of the stark white book design of Rand titles, which are conspicuous by their absence here at the Penn Book Center.
So I wonder what is going on? Rand is a big seller, so maybe all of the Rand titles were sold out at that moment. Hmmm. I think a more likely explanation is that the the staff have exercised their right to curate their selections, and to exclude Rand’s works.
It’s so weird. Rand’s been dead since 1982 (31 years ago), and The Fountainhead was published in 1943 (70 years ago). Much to many people’s chagrin, her work has a tenacious hold on the minds of many, on one form or another. If sales figures are any indication, she has earned a spot on the shelves at least.
Sigh… apparently not at Penn Book Center. It’s a strange decision for an indie bookstore to make… to exclude a well known and BIG selling writer. Wouldn’t they stand to gain by selling her works? I suppose they don’t want to provide moral sanction for the Rand, who is the personification of evil.
The next time I’m there, I should check to see if they sell Mein Kampf, the Malleus Maleficarum, or The Communist Manifesto.
Oh silly me… of course they carry those titles. Wouldn’t want to be culturally biased.

if you like being gouged for books while the waitstaff sneer at you, Penn Book Center is great. I got a Groupon-​type coupon from them a while ago (I want to say last fall) and they didn’t honor it for any books ‘used for classes’. Are you actually kidding me? What differentiates between a book used for class vs not? A Penn class? A Drexel class? A class being taught on Earth? I tried arguing with them multiple times, to no avail. I was out the $ 20 or so bucks from the Groupon but I have told all my freshmen/​sophomore friends to just order on
and get 1 day shipping. The ‘convenience’/‘service’ of Penn Book Center is nonexistent.
They get one star purely because the books are always in great shape and the store is organized well for their small space.

Best independent bookstore in Philly, around the corner from the best magazine shop in Philly (Avril 50).

If you’re on UPenn campus, Penn Book Center is a great place to pick up books, whether for academic or personal interest.
Looking for Penn sweatshirts and umbrellas? Go to the «Penn Bookstore».
Looking for real books? Go to the Penn Book Center.

Crossing Walnut Street at 38^th a voice rings out from behind me: «They charged me with attempted murder.» Naturally I slow down to listen in but I can’t quite pull it off in a nonchalant manner. I allow the men to pass me as I pick up a newspaper, then begin following them, which immediately does not seem advisable. I pass them again (they’re crawling slowly through a throng of college students) and stop and window-​shop Penn Book Center with an ear tuned to the loud possible murder talk.
«I’m out on bail for about 5, 6 months» says the defendant, whose rigid neck looks capable of repelling knife thrusts. I begin to lose interest based on the judge’s view that the man was not, in that moment, a flight risk, but I continue to look into the window, now pretending to read a poem posted in the window. Sylvia Plath’s «The Moon and the Yew Tree». There’s a line in there, «it is quiet /​With the O-​gape of complete despair». A big truck climbs up Sansom making an awful racket, blotting out conversations up and down the block. Not so the conversation of the prison-​shank-​alert-​necked man and his comrade in camo pants, the former actually raising his voice louder than the truck, shouting, «SO I PLEAD GUILTY TO AGGRAVATED ASSAULT!» Case closed.

I have had positive and negative experiences here.
If you need to find a book and you’re willing to pay top price, they will help you find it or order it for you. I also was double charged once and the guy who emailed me back was very speedy and helpful, which I appreciated. They also buy back books at the end of the semester. Sometimes the staff can be a little rushed, which is frustrating, but overall good experience.

I am more inclined to support the local shops than the B&N’s down the street. This book store caters to the College or SAS as we called it in my days. Okay, College and SAS refers to College/​School of Arts and Sciences at Penn. You’ll find profs will inform this book store to order books for their history, philosophy, english, art, etc. Overall, I was impressed with this store. During first week of classes, it is a zoo and people have small baskets in line. Still, you will get the customer service that you will not get at Penn B&N. This says alot for students who are still trying to figure out what’s required and recommended for the course, etc. Plus, you can easily spend a lazy afternoon looking at photography, art books in this store. Relaxing. Ahhh…

When I lived in the area this was one of my favorite bookstores. I’ve moved to Cambridge, Ma and I’m surrounded by great bookstores, but I still miss this place. It doesn’t have a ton of fiction, but it’s so well curated that you’re bound to find something great here. This isn’t the place to get the latest Dan Brown, but wander in with an open mind and you’re likely to find something. I discovered one of my favorite books ever here, Gregoire Bouillier’s «The Mystery Guest» on a face out. They also have a great urban planning/​city and art sections as well. This is a great independent bookstore that should be supported.

Came here for an obscure book for one of my literature classes. Felt kind of cramped, but I wasn’t really here to browse. Remember thinking that things were pricey, but then again, college textbooks are almost always pricey. The staff was really nice though, but I generally like places with nice comfy couches so I can sit and read, so this wasn’t the place for me.
I remember my friend found their return policy to be very strict (I walked with her over to help return some textbooks), but I think that’s the same for most college bookstores.

This is the small bookstore at the end of the 34^th block that hides away from the big Barnes & Noble Penn Bookstore at the center of 36^th and Walnut.
It’s a slightly more expensive, art-​heavy and art history /​language /​social sciences bookstore. You won’t find the heavy math /​engineering /​hard sciences here.
Every once in a while you’ll find a nice book sale here, but otherwise I find myself wandering over to the Last Word or House of Our Own.
One extra star for a staff that really knows the books they sell, though. I could list authors and titles and they automatically knew if they had it already.

There are very few occasions where McThrill is wrong (well OK maybe a whole lot more than a few). But so far the colossal one on Unilocal came when I mistook Penn Book Center for it’s Barnes and Noble themed counterpart. I corrected my grave error (a couple months after Carrie clued me in. I’m such a Slacker sometimes!). But since then I’ve been interested in finding out what Penn Book Center had to offer. And I found it to be the perfect new bookstore for an avid reader.
All of the staff know a great deal about books and are able to hook you up with some pretty good suggestions. All the books for the various Penn classes are towards the back but Their even worth looking at when your not in the class. And the vast selection of books that they bring in is phenomenal. They also have a great selection of discount books towards the front.
Ever since my all time favorite Robin’s Bookstore closed it’s doors I haven’t had the urge to hit up too many New bookstores and have been picking out used treasures. But with a quality store like here not too far away I might have just found a reason to go back.

First of all — this is NOT Penn’s bookstore: the Barnes & Noble pretending to be a university bookstore is four blocks away, on Walnut.
Penn Book Center is a jewel of an independent bookstore. Glorious. An incredible selection of great books – current nonfiction, literature, poetry, film, philosophy. If it’s good or smart or something that people you admire are reading, you’ll find it here.
And the great thing is that despite the heady selections, the owner and his staff are all as down to earth and nice and helpful and knowledgeable as can be. That’s because they’re the real thing: readers of books. Nice smart people.
PBC is for the genuinely bookish (who can be shy and self-​conscious) although it’s also fine for the pretentious, who will melt into the calm, unassuming ambience that allows you to lose yourself in the amazing range of readings (how do they fit so many great books into such a small space?).
If you love books, it doesn’t get any better than PBC. (Bonus tips: cruise the textbook aisles in the back of the store and you’ll find who the hippest profs at Penn are, as well as their picks. Tip #2: don’t be shy, go upstairs and look around — lots of good stuff tucked away up there too).

I actually jumped up and down (or maybe I clapped my hands, honestly I don’t remember, but I do recall it being something gleeful and dorky) when I saw Lynda Barry’s new book «What It Is.» (What it is is actually a very cool book on writing and how summoning memories can conjure up new ways to be inspired. I highly recommend it.).
But most of all, I loved the stillness and quite nature of this independent bookstore. The employees and customers alike all seem relaxed, and nobody is ever in a hurry. Are they piping something in through the vents? If so, this may have just earned them a coveted honorary sixth star — ’cause I’m pretty sure you can’t feel this ethereal at a Barnes & Noble.

I would like to clear up the misconception that this is the UPenn bookstore. It is not! The Penn Book Center is independently owned and located at 34^th and Sansom; the official university bookstore is the one run by Barnes & Noble at 36^th and Walnut. Big difference!
That said, I am biased because I worked here, but this is a pretty awesome little bookstore. Be nice to the staff and they will reward you with personal attention and suggestions. I feel awkward reviewing this place as a former employee, but yeah — basically, it is awesome and NOT the official university bookstore.

Biased from the beginning. Why? I’m addicted to books and my neighbor works there.
A really great selection of books, I hit this joint up almost five days a week on my lunch break, and yes, I almost always buy something. I continually find books of interest that range from social science, politics, religion and art.
The staff are quiet but helpful and I never feel hawked like I do at other stores [if you’re black too, you might feel me on this one].
I should just do direct deposit with this place…

Most of the profs in the Humanities at Penn opted to order their course books through this small campus bookstore, instead of the Barnes & Noble run «official» campus bookstore. Always good to support the little guy, right? So, after hundreds of dollars of obligatory spending here each semester, it’s often easy to forget that the Penn Book Center is actually a really cool little book store.
The upstairs has interesting stuff arranged according to academic interest (lit theory, poetics, management), and downstairs, toward the front of the room, the latest in good fiction and creative nonfiction are always displayed, in a way that helps me notice what I always miss in that giant Barnes and Noble store up the street.
Also, in the books-​for-​classes section, all the books are arranged by the professor. I always thought it was cool to stroll the BRC isles; sometimes there profs you really dig, or classes you always wanted to take but could never find the time — in the BRC isles, you’ll almost always find something interesting to read on your own time.