Half Price Books

This place was okay. I found it hard to navigate and I think it’s because I’m used to the one on Skokie Blvd. I always go straight to the clearance or bargain books section first. I didn’t find many popular or well-​known books on those shelves. At the other place I do. I think it is definitely convenient for me since it’s in a huge plaza so you can do all your shopping in one place, but it’s not my favorite store.

Was not impressed at the fact that my nursing school books which were in good/​new condition were only worth $ 7… 5 nursing school books and 1 nursing CD program all only $ 7. Would not come back to sell my books again here but I would only to buy since they sell really cheap books and I found so many classics.

HOLY HIPSTER HEAVEN, Batman!
This is the ultimate in used book stores — and it doesn’t just stop at books!
They’ve got aisles and aisles of every kind of book you can imagine: fiction, nonfiction, classics, mystery, sci-​fi, how-to’s, cookbooks, art books, signed books, antique books, history books, adventure, religion, philosophy, new-​age, Pagan/​occult, self-​help, psychology, romance, textbooks, first editions, poetry, children’s, soft cover, hard cover… I could go on. New and old: they’ve got it!
Along with their books they also offer a host of planners/​datebooks/​journals, calendars, cards, stationary, games, toys, collectibles, DVDs, CDs, records, and other finds. Not everything is used, either — they offer new products as well.
This place is HUGE, and well-​maintained. They buy and sell, so you can bring your own stuff in and have it priced! The lighting is bright and the atmosphere isn’t at all stuffy. If you need help finding anything, there’s always someone around who will be happy to help you. The staff is very attentive and friendly, so don’t be shy.
The prices are great and you can get armloads of books for a fraction of what you would spend at other stores. Even if I don’t have something specific in mind when I go in, I always find something interesting.
Now, if only I could cure myself of compulsively buying books faster than I can read them all…

Great place! You can always find something interesting here. Great selection of reading material. Great service and very reasonable prices.
I usually visit this place every couple of weeks and always walk away with something unique.

Of course they have a great selection of books to choose from, but there’s something else they have that brings me in weekly. They have a huge array of movies, box sets, blue Rays etc. most of their prices are very agreeable compared to the price of a new movie. They even have clearance movies for $ 1-​$ 3! I just love this place.

You would think that a place that calls itself «Half Price Books» would only have cheesy novellas and random manuscripts on the shelves for people that want quick cash. I’m here to tell you that it is exactly that, and also the exact opposite. At a glance, this location feels like a Ma and Pa place, especially the traditional, inviting ambience that it gives off. One of the things that I love about HP Books is the used video game section. They have video games from the Atari days up to the most modern of systems. The PC game selection is also very impressive. One of the things I like about the place is also the return policy. If the game doesn’t work, no problem! (Some limitations apply) The other half of the store includes records and cd’s, dvd’s and blu ray films, movie and tv show posters, a huge collection of empty journals and scrapbooks, gift books, puzzle books, board games, wacky electronics, and more. The staff feels like they’ve been ripped out of the Big Bang Theory tv show, but not in a bad way either. If you ask them questions, they seriously know their stuff. That’s what I love about the staff at this location, they are very knowledgable and friendly.
Overall, if you’re looking to get lost in a book, find an old game for cheap, or start a journal/​scrapbooking hobby, Half Price Books is the perfect place to go!

I love to read, a lot; therefore, I love Half-​Priced Books. It’s cheap (generally), it’s interesting, it’s close to me, and they almost always have something I want. Books, movies, CD’s, records, magazines, stationary, games, you name, they got it. The History of Farting? Oh yes, please pick up your copy at the register. Clearance movies are a weak point of mine. Do I want Secondhand Lions for a dollar? Of course! When Harry Met Sally? I may already have a copy, but who can beat 50 cents! They have a lot, I enjoy getting history books and generally other non-​fiction materials here, though every once in awhile I’ll grab myself a fiction.
Prices are all over the place, 50 cents, 20 bucks, just depends on what you’re picking up, rarely anything unreasonable sounding and generally everything is in good conditional. My only beef I hold a little is their buy back price. You can go and sell all your old stuff there, great… for your two big boxes of stuff we’ll give you $ 5 max. Really? –_​– I get it, they won’t make money if they give you anywhere near the price they sell it at, but it’s like a 25 cent for a $ 10 book exchange. Not really worth it, but if that doesn’t matter, go for it. Depending what you sell depends on what you get back, of course.
Employees have always been a nice and happy bunch. Whether you need help locating something in the mass of stuff or merely checking out at the register, they are good. By the way, there is a bathroom in the back of the store if you need it. Parking is in a lot shared with multiple other stores located in the strip mall.
For your casual reading needs, school books, cheap movie night date, hits from the 60’s cravings, whatever it may be, Half-​Priced is a good place to start.

Store carries variety of books on most of the subjects, employees are laid back and pleasant, prices are decent and everything is well organized.

With the decline of the bookstore, it’s good to know there’s place like Half Price where we can find great old music and unusual books. Every time I go in, I’m guaranteed to spend at least a half hour combing through the CD’s. The prices are excellent and I’ve even found music that isn’t even available on iTunes. The staff is a little picky with the books and media they will buy back from you; I guess they have a pretty established idea of what will sell and what won’t.

Arguably the least friendly bookstore you’ll ever have the misfortune to enter. I’ve been to other locations and found staff to be helpful and friendly. Employees here, however, spend more time chatting than trying to assist customers.
Not so, at this outlet. My advice is to stay home and shop online or find another used bookstore.

I would give this location 5 stars if I was only reviewing the quality of the store and customer service; however, the buy back program is a bit skewed.
I went to Half Price to attempt to sell a huge bag of Blu Rays and DVDs. They only gave us $ 43 for a huge stack of basically brand new Blu Rays and DVDs. There was another stack that were barely scratched and they said they would have to recycle them if they took them from us. I was kind of taken a back. I’ve bought DVDs from their clearance section and they were in worse condition than I was giving them. So, I’m not sure exactly how they calculate the buy back program, but I still love the store regardless… I just don’t think I’ll sell any more media to them.
Otherwise, this particular location is pretty great. I would highly recommend it.

I love this place! I’ve been coming here since high school and I’ve never been disappointed. They have textbooks, CDs, records, comics, video games and rare collectibles.
The staff is excellent and know everything there is to know about the contents of the store. They truly seem like they enjoy their job.
They even will pay you cash for books you don’t want anymore. I’ve gotten some of my books sold here but they can be very picky.
I’ve ALWAYS found what I’m looking for and more.
They have used copies as well as a lot of new copies. The prices are unbeatable and you will always find what you’re looking for. They have really good hours too and extend their hours for the holidays. They even have cool knick-​knacks and toys. Also, there is a small play area for children.

Love shopping here but they are so unpredictable and a waste of time on buy backs. They have offered me, on the same day, 50 cents and $ 18 on the very same book. There’s just no rhyme or reason in how they price your buy backs and it’s so infuriating I stopped doing it entirely.

Free wifi and great people watching! As other Unilocalers commented, if you are looking for a bookstore with lattes, this is not the place for you. This place is bare bones, kind of warehouse-​like. It felt kind of musty and I thought the floor needed a good sweeping.
I brought son #3 here in search of some metal music. According to him, all the good stuff is old and can only be found in places like this or garage sales. They have LOTS of music here, even vinyl and some 8 track tapes!
The books are organized well with signs and everything. They have NEW ones kind of interspersed with the old ones. We saw one book for $ 1.25 and right next to it was the new version for $ 7.00, so if you are trying to be frugal, keep your eyes peeled for the bargains.
As far as the people watching goes, there is quite a diverse group that comes into and works at this store. If you go to the coffee bookstores, most of the people look alike, but that’s not the case here! I work nearby, so I constantly see all kinds of people coming in and out of here.
If you are planning to sell some books here, you have to go into it a certain way. You need to think about how you aren’t getting any money out of them sitting around your house and then you will be ok with getting barely any cash for them. If you want to put in the effort, I would say that you would get more money on ebay, unless it’s a book with a million copies already listed. I had an autographed, hardback book from a great children’s author and they offered me $ 1.50 for it. I decided to regift it instead.
All in all, we had a good experience here.

Can I just say that this is my favorite store to go to lately? Not only do they have everything from books to toys to everything you want to learn to do but also friendly employees. Some things you can’t get from your chain stores for gifts, you can get from Half Price Books. I am just in love in love in love with this store. I hope more success goes out to you in the years to come!

Great selections of books, DVDs, old magazines, music (records, CD, tapes) and FREE COFFEE! You can also find newer books on their shelves as well. The staff is knowledgeable and helpful. If you’re looking for a particular book I recommend you to call in first, if they do not have your request, they will search their database and can order it or have it transferred for you.
If you’re looking to just go in to find inspiration you’re in the right place as well. They buy and sell used books and its GREAT!

Another fine example of why I should trust my fellow Unilocalers right here.
Half Price Books is the bee’s knees if you’re buying something.
Half Price Books leaves a lot to be desired if you are selling them something.
I had my first visit on New Year’s Day. The deals were fantastic! I got 48 die cut greeting cards with envelopes for $ 6.99! These are the perfect cards to send to my customers when things come up. So reasonable! We found a ceramic coffee mug with a rubber fitted lid… my hubby had been looking for weeks and we randomly found a reasonably priced one here. We found TV on DVD in the clearance area that will make my son happy. Total scores!
Fast forward to today when I bring in some books and magazines (mostly magazines). I wander away so they can come up with an offer for me. Ten minutes later, my name is called over the loud speaker. I wander back.
Five dollars.
Five dollars?
Yes, five dollars for my four shopping bags of stuff. The good news? I just wanted to get rid of the stuff. The not so good news, now my husband is not pleased about wasting my time. Meh. I think he’ll get over it.
In short? Buy here. Don’t sell. Unless you just want to be rid of the items. You may spend more in gas than you will walk out with in cash.

Not gonna lie, I wasn’t expecting much out of this place. I was just figuring it would be along the lines of another «resale» type shop that «loved» their stuff too much. You know, where you walk in, and it’s more than you would pay on Amazon or at Barnes and Noble?
This store is so much more than that, though! They have a lot of different sections. There are a lot of new books, but for cheaper prices than you would see at Borders or B&N. You can pretty much find a gift for anyone on your list here, that’s for sure!
This particular day, I was looking for Christmas books to complete our «25 days of Christmas Books» for under the tree. I needed 4 more to complete the 25 days leading up until Christmas, but I didn’t want to spend too much.
After doing much searching (read: browsing, because I have book ADD) we found a little part of the kids section for seasonal books. It provided me with all of the books I needed! The selection was a bit on the small side for those, but not too bad! The paperback I bought was .99 and the most expensive hardcover I bought was 5.99. WAY better than $ 16/​pop!
Oh, and there were a ton of clearance books in the kids section for .50 and $ 1 each. I definitely stocked up!
I will definitely be back to do more Christmas shopping!

This Half Price Books is a money trap like Target. I double dog dare you to leave without purchasing a single item. I don’t think it can be done. We pop in to take a quick peek and leave an hour and $ 40 later.
I’m particularly fond of the language and learning section. They currently have Croatian CDs to pick up basics while you fly, and a Polish version as well. I’ve even found Beginner Hungarian and Hebrew. I’m still saving up for Teach Yourself Islam and Hinduism.
Their card section is decent. You can find individual cards for 50c or boxes of holiday and birthday cards for $ 1 – 5. The main company, Driftwood Designs, is ingenious. They are the first boxed cards I’ve found where their square cards come with regular envelopes that don’t require extra postage. I love anything that saves me money!
The clearance section is decent. My most recent find was a Cooking for Two (romantic, not baby) for $ 1! And the rest of the books are reasonably priced. I’ve got my eye on A Silent Spring and Android Karenina. But I may just purchase the Vatican board game to prove it exists.

If you like books, you’re like this place.
I say that because not all bookstores are created equal, especially the bargain book stores. I think it took me so long to actually venture into this store because I’ve been to other book stores (like books a million or something) and thought the selection was terrible and did not find anything buy-​worthy. However, HPB is not like that at all. They actually carry popular items and best sellers on their shelves.
I am not one to buy books (clutter, dust, better off at a library, etc.), but I feel compelled to when I am in this store. It’s nicely organized and it is inviting. They have new and used books (mostly used) but in decent to excellent conditions. They also have a section of games and other gift ideas as one may find at a Borders. The clearance section is located in the back right corner of the store. It looked like a lot of nerdy stuff, but I did not spend the time to dig through that section.
The staff is friendly and helpful. I paid cash for my purchases and didn’t want the change coming back to me. I give him the old «you can keep the change» line and he excitedly said they have a donation box that he can put the change in and hurried off the get it.
LOCATION: Next to Office Max. There’s also an Indian grocery story a few doors down that sells really yummy sweets.