The death of a bookstore

[Snowflake]

I love books and I LOVE going to used book stores. There is something about trawling through musty stacks of books that makes me very happy.

Today I am very sad, I just made my way down the block to my favorite used book shop in town, only to learn they are closing at the end of September. Wood paneled and bookcases up to the ceiling (20-25 feet up) and loads of rare goodies to make the mouth water and a variety that is hard to beat. Apparently they announced in March their retirement, so the bookcases that were full to the ceiling last November are now condensed down to about 6-7 feet up. That said, I managed to score a very rare volume at a bargain price (70% off) and some other books I've been meaning to buy, but never got around to it.

If you're in SF before 9/30/06, do stop by Acorn Books on Polk Street (between California and Pine) there is still a very nice selection and the expensive books at 70% off are a steal. My Valentino rarity originally priced at $350 went for a pittance, and in a vintage dust jacket too boot.

I'll be visiting again, it's still a great book store and now I need to find a new spot to satisfy my book desires.

[Alex]

I've been in Acorn many times but never bought anything because they generally were massively overcharging for anything they decided to consider collectible.

I used to be a bookstore person (Powell's was a place I lived in the week following Christmas with my gift money). But I must admit that with all the online resources that essentially create for me an infinite bookstore with anything I might possibly want I haven't really used bookstores as anything other than timekillers for a very long time.

[Snowflake]

I've been in Acorn many times but never bought anything because they generally were massively overcharging for anything they decided to consider collectible.

I used to be a bookstore person (Powell's was a place I lived in the week following Christmas with my gift money). But I must admit that with all the online resources that essentially create for me an infinite bookstore with anything I might possibly want I haven't really used bookstores as anything other than timekillers for a very long time.

Well, I agree, that Acorn could be overpriced, which is all the more reason to hit them now while the selection is still good.

For me, rummaging through a bookstore is still a wonderful adventure, the thrill of the hunt. I shop online 90% of the time since I can and do find wonderful volumes the world over at good prices, but nothing beats the sheer joy of searching the stacks in person.

[Alex]

Yeah, I'll definitely stop by when I'm at a screening at the AMC Van Ness next week. They'll probably be well tapped out but a good book sale is well worth it.

I thought I liked just browsing the stacks but as soon as convenience became so available I learned that it was simply that there hadn't been any other way. Now bookstores, for me, fall into the same category of any other kind of shopping. I rarely go in unless I know what I'm after and can be out in five minutes.

[Jughead P. Jones]

I love used bookstores too, and I am sorry that your favourite one is closing down.

In my teeny-weeny town of 22,500 people, there's a little bookstore that I go to quite frequently. I think I was nine years old when I began to shop there. Now, at 25, I still love to pop in (therefore making me a customer for sixteen years...eep!). Over the years, it's changed its name a few times. It used to be known as Mulberry Hill, then changed to Walkabout Books, and is now under the name of Book Trader. Of course, I always refer to it as "Mulberry Hill", because that was the name it was known as when I was a young 'un. (That, plus the name Mulberry Hill was just so cool!)

The main reason why I started shopping there was because they had a huge selection of comic books (I'm a major collector), but they also had large selections of used books for every age group, as well as a section where people could buy used CD's, DVD's, VHS tapes, cassettes and even 45's and records.

I apologize for going on and on, but I know the joy of going through used bookstores. You never know what you will find!

[Not Afraid]

I'm been jonesing for an Acres of Books fix lately. I was there recently, but it was during the "heat wave" and It was just TOO hot to keep up the stamina needed for that huge place.

I've been to Acorns. Fun store to peruse, but it was always too "nice" to buy. I like the dark and challenging stores. I really hate to see the used bookstores go the way of yesterland, but I don't even frequent the stacks the way I used to. It used to be a once-a-month excursion to Gwen's for Bangers and Mash, then to Acres for hours of exploring. Acres has been declared an historic landmark, so I hope it stays around.

[Alex]

With the closure of the main Cody's in Berkeley and A Clean Well-Lighted Place in the City it hasn't been a good year for Bay Area landmark stores.

[Snowflake]

With the closure of the main Cody's in Berkeley and A Clean Well-Lighted Place in the City it hasn't been a good year for Bay Area landmark stores.


I had heard about Cody's my first week back and learned last week about A Clean Well Lighted (not my favorite), staff was too snooty for my taste but they hosted wonderful events. I understand that Books Inc. may open in that spot.

NA speaks of Acorn being too nice, well clean it was. My favorite spots were two stores I loved in San Jose growing up, Perry's which is where my love of the search was. Crusty old owner and so many books on the shelves, nothing ever got re-priced, so I could and did walk out after a few hours digging with 15-20 books at $2 each. Give me a rainy day and Perry's and I was a happy girl. If we have a stormy rainy day, my itch to hunt in a used book store is almost an unbearable temptation.

The other store was truly a hole in the wall and dark enough NA would have loved it. It was on 2nd Street and I cannot for the life of me remember the name, but you could hardly see in there and box upon box piled in front of the shelves and books shelved behind the books. Then an upstairs that was so narrow and dark, you were sure to come close to falling and landing on the floor below. Great store, never did find much in there, but it was heaven to hunt in.

Acres of Books is on my list next time I'm down in the area.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Oh, this is a sad, sad, sad, sad post.

Book stores closing make me very, very, uh, sad.

[Matterhorn Fan]

Cody's closed? Wow. I've only been there once, but it was packed. Some girl (another "customer") in the poetry section asked me to help her understand T. S. Eliot.

One of my favorite used bookstores was in SLC. Does anyone know if Sam Weller's is still there? It was dark AND organized, but still fun to hunt in.

[Alex]

Yes, Cody's closed. It was generally busy but apparently not many of the people making it busy were buying books. The owners say that the store had been losing money for many years and finally they couldn't justify keeping it open (I believe other branches of the store are still open, just not the one on Telegraph).

[Matterhorn Fan]

Well, I spent a lot of money in there the one time I went, but the T. S. Eliot girl was reading in the aisle. Why anyone would choose to stand in a bookstore to read Eliot is beyond me.

But I can see why that particular store was losing money.