Already Read Used Books

I come from a family that deals exclusively in books, so trust me when I say that this is not a well-​run book business.
Came here to ask about book-​binding, since I was looking to make a custom order and figured it would be nice to have a local small business do it. Parked on the side (no shortage of spaces). The place is empty when I arrive with my parents, save for the three cats perched on stacks of books (those with allergies beware).
I asked the gentleman there about my book-​binding needs, and he gave a rather non-​committal answer and said he would need to see it before he could quote me a price. He made no effort to give examples of prices or talk about options. That’s a shame.
Decided to stick around for a bit and look through some of their many books. Trouble is, while things are loosely organized into sections, you will have to shift entire stacks of books to see the ones you do want. If you make the mistake of looking up something on your phone about the book, expect to be given a hard time about it by the owners. They seem to have forgotten two key things: 1) The Internet exists as a tool, don’t be surprised when people look things up to compare prices or read reviews, we don’t live in the 20^th century anymore, and 2) You literally have no customers aside from me, don’t insult your sole customer just because I try to be smart with my money. After this, I made a quick exit. They won’t be getting any business whatsoever from me.
Combining the haphazard layout of the place with the cats and the bad attitude kind of makes you feel like you’re shopping at a cat lady’s rummage sale. Plenty of used book stores in the area, shoot for one of them instead.
Overall: 1.0 star
— — — -
Pros:
— Street parking and a small amount of
Lot parking as well.
Cons:
— Cats. Why are they here?
— Rude employees who insult their customers.
— Haphazard layout makes searches difficult, if not impossible.

SUCH a terrible experience! I came in to ask about getting two children’s books rebound. Found them in a pile of my old stuff and wanted to get them rebound for my daughter. They were nothing special or valuable, and I didn’t want to put a lot of money into it, so I just wanted to get a ballpark price to see if rebinding was financially feasible. I walked in around 11 on a weekday, and both the owners were there — both on the phone. On what was clearly a personal call. I waited to be acknowledged and finally one came over to say they’d be with me soon, but they were on the phone — discussing their mortgage. uh ooookkaaaay. I quickly mentioned the rebinding and explained my situation– that I just wanted to get a ballpark price since I didn’t want to invest a lot, but she said she’d have to have her husband look at them got off the phone. So, she takes the books over to him while he’s still on the phone, and we browse a bit, as much as one can with a toddler and two cats running around. At this point, we’re about 10 minutes in. In the meantime, my toddler was growing impatient and started playing with the bell they have on the door. Then, this man has the nerve to pause his PERSONAL phone call to shout, «Little girl, don’t ring that bell!» Are you kidding me!!! SO sorry to be a customer interrupting your personal call??? At that point, I was ready to leave, but then the wife came back over to look at the books. Then she called her hubby over– at this point, we’d been there 20 minutes, and I had repeatedly just asked for a price estimate, again stating that I didn’t want to spend much. I totally felt like they were checking out my clothes, bag etc to see how much they thought I’d pay — and they told me they could do it for $ 50 PER BOOK! I was absolutely furious — they could have easily told me that within the first 5 minutes– when I told them I didn’t want to spend much. Instead, they wasted my time and acted like my toddler was causing a noise problem in their filthy, cat-​haired otherwise empty store while they spent 25 mins on a personal call before throwing out a price that they hoped I’d go for since I was carrying a designer diaper bag. Despicable.

The inventory here is HUGE. Seriously, huge. The shop-​owner was in the middle of rotating stock, so twice as many books were out as normal (hardly any walking space). I found 6 pretty cool books that I’m excited about. The prices are relatively high for used books, but I imagine the overhead is high.
The part that did bother me was the cats in the shop. I’m allergic, so I had to limit my time in there, and I still ended up itchy for a good hour after leaving. If I had known ahead of time, I’d have taken some Benadryl and spent the day there!

In short, yes, this place does look odd on the outside. The gentleman running the joint and the 2 cats that stay there are great though. He was very helpful and even though the place has stacks of books everywhere, he was very knowledgable as to where he kept certain titles. The prices are a little higher than your usual book shop or Goodwill, but they’re at least or around 50% off the cover price, in great condition, and titles I actually want to read and buy versus the grocery store rejects.
The buy 2 get 1 free deal is great. My friend and I left with around 20 books total and the gentleman working even helped rebind one of the books that was falling apart.

An excellent used bookstore not far from Old Town, geared more to the avid reader than the collector, though quality book repair and binding work are available. Good selection in a wide variety of genres, the best quality being found in literature, mystery, and sci-​fi/​fantasy. Friendly and knowledgeable service, nice cats, reasonable prices especially on mass market paperbacks.

I so want to like this place more than I do — I love used bookstores, and I love little mom-​and-​pop places… but this one is so crowded and hard to get through, and the cat odor is definitely noticable. They are very nice, and I really want used local bookstores to be able to stay in business, but it is stressful for me to come here, especially with my little kids down in the dust and cat hair. I want going to a bookstore to be a lovely, relaxed experience, and this just isn’t.

I REALLY REALLY wanted to like this place, as I like to support local mom and pop places but it’s VERY hard to navigate through here and find anything worth while. They have a ton of sci-​fi (if you’re into that, I’m not). But not too much selection of anything slightly newer than say, 40 years ago. It’s hot and dusty and if you’re allergic to cats like I am they have cats, beware. I literally, tried and tried to find something, ANYTHING to buy but wasn’t able to. So far nothing compares to goodwill or salvation army for books and they have newer selection and lower prices. It’s hard to stay in the book game these days with amazon and thrift stores. Sorry guys.

A Bibliophile’s Heaven. I chanced up on this when I got off at the wrong bus stop– which obviously was the RIGHT bus stop– and found a book I had been looking for and kept putting off getting. Glad the bus stops here. I’ll be back.

2.5 stars because I like cats with funky tails.
Look, I love local, old books, and odd folks. But I also like good used bookstores with good prices (Already Read’s are ok when they can be found) and titles I actually want to buy.
I like piles of books, having to navigate the aisles with grace and dexterity but I didn’t find anything in my multi-​genre hunt that was worthwhile.
I haven’t traded so I cannot comment on that experience but it’s apparently a trade-​only and not a cash-​option deal.
I wanted to like it more but the odor was not «cool, old bookstore with treasures looming» but more «I think these folks might actually live here with faint cat odor.» I’m not a hater but a lover and used to work here (
) and know the magic of bookstore with full shelves and wonderful owners. I just can’t see myself coming back, especially with another decent option down the road on King Street, Book Bank.

I come here once a month to blow a good portion of my paycheck on old books. Oh, I routinely tear through their ample sci-​fi section, but what really piques my interest are the piles of ancient and forgotten lore. Sure, a lot of the truly interesting ones are pretty pricey, but there’s no harm in very carefully looking. One of my most recent discoveries here was a decidedly archaic «marriage manual» from the early 1940s, which was unpriced. I’ve picked up random gems form here, like a 1920’s print of the Goethe play Iphignie Auf Tauris, and an old history of Shenandoah National Park. Further testament to their commitment to books, the last time I visited the shop I was treated to Ken deep in the middle of restoring a large old book (the title of which escapes me now.)

Some kind of porn thing? Drug front? Such was my fiancé’s and my confusion when we drove past this store and saw it open at 9pm on a Sunday. We thought there had to be more to the story, because at this late hour — on a Sunday, in the history of the printed book — it was simply mind-​boggling that a freestanding used bookstore next to the highway would still be open if it wasn’t secretly peddling something else.
Of course, we had to investigate, so we pulled over. «We’re about to be killed, you know,» Matt muttered.
I’m happy to report that we weren’t. Already Read turned out to be one of those fabulously bizarre, teeming, friendly bookstores that are on the brink of extinction.
The quirky husband and wife who run the place told me that they post closing time as 6 on Sunday, but if they have nothing better to do, they like to hang around later than that and see who comes by. Gregarious and kind, they told us all about their lives in the area, their five years at their current location, and their ongoing battles with the Alexandria fire marshal.
I could kind of see the fire marshal’s point. The store was choked with stock – books on the shelves, books in boxes, 4′ stalagmites of books all over the floor. And of course, there were cats. But come on — a used bookstore that’s sanitized and up to code isn’t a used bookstore at all. I was happy to enter at my own risk.
Matt picked up a book on Thomas Jefferson and asked how much it was. The owners couldn’t find a price, worried that it was part of a set, and told him they’d rather not sell it to him tonight. My heart ached with the poor salesmanship of it all. Books weren’t just commodities here; they were beloved friends. I work in the book industry too and know exactly how they feel.
We ended up buying a ton of books. As I watched the wife lovingly wipe the dust off each volume, then whip out some glue to painstakingly repair a tiny rip on one dust jacket, I knew I’d found kindred spirits.

A very friendly bookstore that appears to do a good job of addressing general used bookstore needs. If you’re not local, it veers a little too close to a «paperback exchange» with shelves of cheap genre books, romances and sci-​fi and the like.
A slightly longer walk from King St. Metro than I expected, but doable.

Their two cats, Burt and Ernie, recent rescues, hang out between piles of books that grow from the floor up to waist level. I forget which one is the mean one, I think Burt. The couple who runs this store, located right off Duke Street, are very kind and knowledgeable people. I’ve been here quite a few times and once in a while, I’ll find an interesting book that I’ll take home.
I recently ran into some old books. Like, older than your mother books. (I’m sorry about that, I don’t know your mother. But what’s been said is said. Let’s both move on.) And they were able to give me a lot of information about their worth. Not only that, they also repaired the books and secured them in packaging as best they could. For free! It was very nice of them. I’m sure they extend such kindess to all their customers.

The trade-​in policy at this store is fair, and the owners Ken and Diane are always fun to talk to. The store was undergoing renovation the last time I checked in (as mentioned by many of the reviewers), but it wasn’t too hard to navigate to the sections I’m looking for. I was very happy to find some vintage Ellery Queen paperbacks that I’ve been scouring for, and I see they have a sizeable collection of Asimov. Will definitely visit again!

Ok, so its a little disorganized, but its a great used book store, and is everything a used bookstore should be — tons of books, quirky yet knowledgeable and conversational owners, a couple of cats — what more could you want? Used book stores are a vanishing breed, so I like to support what is left.

It pains me to give this place only 2 stars. As a voracious reader, there’s never been a time that my home hasn’t been full of books and I’ve spent hours upon hours perusing the shelves of used books stores. As an impoverished college student, the dark and dusty aisles of used book stores in Boston were a frequent haunt.
The folks that run ARUB are really nice, and the recent addition of additional shelving has helped a lot. But I have to admit, in dozens of times walking in over the years — I’ve always walked out empty handed. I’m used to chaos and disorganization in used book stores, but there is just something about this place that really doesn’t seem to invite me to stay a long time and browse for that next great literary adventure.
Again, the owners are very friendly and nice and with this place so close to home (and few other used book stores nearby) I really want to like it.

When I part with my pennies, I like to support: a) brick-​and-​mortars; b) local businesses; c) mom-​and-​pop shops. Already Read satisfies all three of my exceedingly stringent criteria.
The owners, Ken and Diane, are a friendly, quirky couple who love to chat with customers, offer recommendations, or help you navigate the admittedly disorganized store. As this review goes to press, however, they’re in the process of reorganizing the store with bigger shelving. The improvement is already noticeable and lending a bit of order to the chaos, and they’re not finished yet.
Selection here is pretty great, especially if you’re long on patience and don’t mind taking a seat on a stack of boxes to scan the shelves for something to pop out at you. There’s everything from the newest releases (like Stieg Larsson’s «The Girl With/​Who…» series), to more serious literature (like Hawthorne and Austen), to travel, to how-​to, to history. Pulp westerns, mysteries, and Fabio-​covered romances are the most well-​stocked if that’s your thang. Last summer was my Summer of Agatha Christie thanks to Already Read…
If you’re bringing your used books in, Diane will look through your stock to pick and choose what she thinks will sell — non-​fiction, pulps, best-​sellers, and award winners are the most likely to be plucked from your offerings. You are given store credit in return for your books, which you can use towards half the cost of any books in the store. Ken and Diane have to support the store and pay Alexandria-​high rent, so understandably this is their way of ensuring some cash flow. [While they are reorganizing, they are not accepting used books, but will again once finished.]
They also have to support the adorable, the delightful, the lovely Gwenievere, store cat and Already Read mascot. Every time I come by I get sucked in by her cute wittle moon face and end up spending way more time in here than planned. Oh, and if you mention you saw them on Unilocal,they’ll give you 25% off any book…

Depends if you are going in there empty handed or if you want to exchange books for store credit. They double dip ya there. Even with store credit, they charge ½ the price of books in cash. Store credit does not get you what it does in other used bookstores.
YES, they have a ton of books in there. But — for those of us who are more involved in the «booking world», we have definitely been in better places

This place is a hot mess. If you’re trying to find a particular book… they may be able to help you, but only if you’re willing to spend time sorting through stacks of books and boxes. Organized it is not. I’m the sort of person who thinks that flea markets are fun, and I’m not unwilling to dig through a lot of crap to find a cheap treasure. If you are super anal, this book store will probably kill you.
Basically, the owners are friendly and they’ll take your books as trade ins to get a certain percentage off another purchase (not including new books). Not a bad deal if you read a lot. They’ll also order a book new for you with their other orders, so you can get a small discount if you’re willing to wait. Expect to have a conversation with the owners… they probably will want to talk to you because that’s just how they are.
I’d recommend this place for true used bookstore aficionados.

I feel like the magical book from the Pagemaster could be hidden beneath one of the endless stacks in this small, scattered store.
Sadly, I didn’t get very long to browse the considerable collection here, but will definitely be returning. It’s obvious that the somewhat eccentric owner, who also works the register, carefully chooses the books — but don’t expect a well ordered literary trove!
Books are in stacks and piles around vaguely labelled shelves spanning several genres.
I picked up a bunch of old Baby-Sitter’s Club books for super cheap (haha!), but there is a selection ranging from the classics to sci-​fi and everything in-​between — even test prep books for GRE and LSAT at a fraction of the cost as a mainstream bookstore and without the unreliability of amazon!
Again, if you are looking for a place to chill, sit and browse a well-​ordered selection of current reads, definitely stick to B&N or Borders — but this place offers a great alternative if you are looking for a book that is rare or older or the experience of getting lost in a sea of books somewhere off the beaten path.
And, when you are ready to check out an adorable, friendly cat named Guinevere will probably be lazing by the register just waiting to be pet.