Kulturas Books

Lots of used books, but kinda pricy, if you don’t shop on line, this might be a place for you. The consignment clothes are just ok, I rather go to Secondi, located a few steps away. Also, we walked by the store and went in to check it out. My coworker, with her less than perfect English speaking skill, asked the lady, probably the owner, if there is a job opening, the lady replied with an attitude «bring a resume first then we can talk» she probably need a person with an MBA to help her run the store lol
(I didnt finish this review on 3÷12÷2012, Today the store was closed, not too surprise)

I love this place. It’s rare to find a used bookstore that’s small but curated with such excellent taste that they have what I’m looking for nearly every time I go in there – most recently, a 2012 day planner with plenty of room to write in. (Seriously! They had this! At a small used bookstore!) The vintage clothes are gorgeous too. Live long and prosper, Kulturas!

I went to this place because the reviews raved about the variety of books to dig for, and miscellanea.
This place is almost a thrift store.
Maybe if what you want is to find some odd thing to gift a friend– this place is a curious stop– but don’t go out of your way to find used books here, I was disappointed. Very small, prices are all about 85% of originals.

WOW!!! SO MUCH GREAT STUFF in such a small place, Derrida, Vreeland, Kudelka, Chanel… Surfing and Surrealism… Miles Davis and David Foster Wallace this place rocks and brings hope back to the planet earth that all this is still important to folks… Kulturas is a small bookstore with a huge punch as far as quality, variety and well price srock… many paperbacks in like new condition 50% off list… great sections of philosophy, fiction, native and latin american studies, afro-​american studies, terrific french and spanish language sections… a large and excellent selection of film and cook books… art and photography are very strong here as well it goes on and on… and the SORT-​OF-​VINTAGE idea is a real hoot, with a really nice clothing selection (mostly women’s) CONSGNMENTS I think… from the fine to the frilly to the day to day funk… great stuff and an open sweet vibe… remember the store is on two levels so don’t miss the lower one with jazz and blues LPs books on music, drama, and loads of history… staff seems to be a bunch of really knowledgable hot girls and a very helpful tall dude. Oh yeh… and they are open late too until 10 pm… get there… you’ll see what I mean… you won’t be able to go home empty handed… I’d give it ten stars if I could…

Used books + used/​vintage clothing etc. + random artwork = a big pile of awesome.
Kulturas’ book selection is everchanging and includes rare and out-​of-​print finds with a really cool selection of nonfiction (arts, photography, biographies, film, politics, history) and an usual number of books in foreign languages. (Bonus – some are half price!) The displayed artwork tends toward urban off-​the-​wall, and you never know what you’ll find amongst the «sort-​of-​vintage» clothing (designer and non) and trinkety randomness.
This is a fun place to bring an out-​of-​towner, shop for unique gifts for your hipster friend, and buy stuff to make your house look like it’s owned by someone cultured and interesting.
5 stars! Shop here and support a real, paper-​filled bookstore, because I’ll be devastated when my future child says, «How do I find out what happens next? I’m tapping the page and nothing’s happening!»

A nice place to buy a book, or purchase a gift for a friend. If shopping for other beware, you just may have to get something for yourself too. A large poetry section. They had a book on the life of Baudelaire that was the perfect gift for my boo! Tons of Sarte, Rimbaud, Voltaire, and other great poets.

This bookstore is definitely a gem. Unfortunately, the larger store in Tenleytown has recently closed, but the selection at the Dupont Circle location is just as good. It’s a short walk from the Dupont metro station, and it’s next to a cute gelato shop (also good). This store has a small but carefully-​selected selection of used and rare books. There is no shortage of interesting finds here, particularly if your interests lie in visual arts, philosophy, mythology or poetry. I went in just to browse, and came out with book on Native American history & culture, the Philosophy of Literary Form, What Is Existentialism, a compilation of poetry from the Nuyorican Poets Café, and a Jack Kerouac novel. The books are mid-​price as far as used books go, or expensive if your means of comparison is to a library bargain-​book sale. The books are in good condition and the staff is generally knowledgeable and friendly.

This review is about a month overdue…
Used-​book wonderland. It’s the type of place that you could spend hours browsing through, if you had that kind of time.
It isn’t your typical D.C. bookstore. The narrow space, minimal furnishings and jazz music playing made me feel like I was in a spot on a random street in NYC. Some books are stacked in rows two titles deep, so you’ll have to do some digging and floor-​sitting if you’re searching for something specific. There’s also a rack of vintage clothing in the back, and art and CD’s for sale near the entrance.
I don’t think that you’ll find deeply discounted books here, but with so many titles, you’ll definitely find something you like.

Kulturas is back! After a (presumably unsuccessful) stint in California, Kulturas has returned to the District’s Tenleytown neighborhood, making me very happy indeed. They specialize in rare and «pre-​loved» books and «sort-​of-​vintage» clothing, not to mention various odds and ends. They have a great selection of unique postcards, an impressive children’s books section, and an even more droolworthy assortment of art books and biographies. Best of all, the proprietors are really kind, wonderful people. I happened to be browsing for a first edition Roberto Bolaño once, and, pleasantly surprised that I was familiar with the author, the owner/​husband immediately began singing the Columbian writer’s praises (his fantastic and «fiery» wife/​co-​owner is also from Columbia). While they didn’t have the first edition that I wanted, the owner took my number and information with a promise to call me if what I was looking for turned up. This is the kind of business that generates a deeply loyal, almost cult-​like following. Drink the Kool-​Aid and support Cult-​uras!

I was in DC overnight after a long weekend in New York. So, I visited Kulturas Books a day after visiting Strand. Needless to say, not even the Library of Congress on «dollar a bag day» could get 5 stars compared to Strand.
Back to this place, a great selection of books, though some of the prices can be a bit high. I realize, great neighborhood, but I come from Upstate NY and I know microwave cookbooks when I see them.
Okay, so that’s a couple of criticisms. Why 4 stars? The bargain stairway. $ 1 and $ 2 gems. I got a Ralph Nader reader. You can’t go wrong with that. And the associate working there was very friendly.
The place has a bit of a hipster feel to it, but don’t be scared, just keep your head high and buy the bargain books. Don’t feel cheap, tell them I sent you.

The atmosphere here is nice, and the location is excellent, but the average selection and high prices are a turn off (too much stuff is internet priced.) Owners seem savvy enough to be capable of better.

Great little book store. My only regret is that I saw a book one day and forgot my wallet… the next day it was GONE! That didn’t stop me from getting anything though. I got three books and a skirt. I wasn’t even looking for a skirt. They have great books that are hidden behind each other, so make sure that if you’re coming here to take your time.
They take credit cards and they have a downstairs section. If you see a book you want, GET IT! Because I guarantee that it won’t be there later.

We have walked past this place a few million times, but finally stopped in last night. From the outside, I was expecting a clothes store with a few books, but this was definitely a bookstore with a few clothes. The book selection varies depending on genre (I found the poetry surprisingly good, and the fiction surprisingly unexciting), and it’s definitely a bit pricey for used books (I think it’s half of the new price, which is high now that I’ve gotten used to Books for America prices). But the place has a nice laid back vibe (good music, good lighting, chairs, friendly staff), and it’s the kind of place where you want to linger and browse.

Old books and some vintage clothes. This shop is great. Lots of hidden treasures, and polite staff. Great location, too. We wandered in on a stroll after dinner. They closed at 10pm.
Heard a rumor that they’re gonna close the store in Tenleytown and bring that merchandise down here… which would be a shame because I like both stores — although this one smells a lot nicer. The one in Tenleytown smells like a mothballed grandmother’s attic. :)

Excellent used bookstore near Tenleytown in Friendship Heights.
Kultura also carries vintage clothing and knick-​knacks, suitable for gifts.
The best thing about the store is the very careful selection of book titles. This bookstore specializes in the «hidden gems» among the midlist books that make it into print.
Some excellent history books drew my eye. Also, some hidden jewels of autobiography and linguistics.
The store is located near Conie’s Café, which is just West of Wisconsin on Fessenden. So, buy the book at Kultura and walk around the corner to Conie’s for a coffee, pastry, etc.