Capitol Hill Books

This is one of those little bookstores you see in the movies but can never quite seem to find in real life. The décor is great and really fits the cozy bookstore vibe. The selection of books was amazing. I can never find Ursula LeGuin anywhere but there she was, patiently waiting for me in the science fiction section. Not only that, but there were book suggestions in every section. Some sections even listed award winning books in specific genres. My favorite part, though, was the local section. I’m from out of state and really wanted to find something uniquely Colorado. What’s more Colorado than a book full of short stories from local authors? I doubt I’ll find any other souvenir quite like it.

Rows and rows, stacks and stacks, and nooks and crannies of used books. The best way to experience Capitol Hill Books is to clear an hour to devote to digging through shelves. While there’s not much in the way of best sellers or new releases, there are a lot of gems from a variety of genres.
If you’re looking to sell books, I recommend this spot over other more well known book stores. They’re generous with their buying policies, as well as the store credit. Plus, the folks who work here are really friendly and a pleasure to support.

Most of the books I look for in shops like this are in the science fiction and fantasy realm. I was pretty happy with the selection they have here. On top of that, the people behind the counter are super helpful and pleasant to talk to. A couple times I’ve gone to other used book stores and found the book I just picked up from Capitol for like 50 cents cheaper but hey… it’s 50 cents ^_​_​^
Definitely check this place out. Super convenient if you’re downtown or on Colfax!

What can I say? It’s a very solid used book store in a perfect location. It’s slightly bigger than most, which is great because it’s more likely to have whatever you’re looking for while still maintaining a cozy vibe. Although I usually consider used book shopping a recreational activity that’s best done in person, their online catalog is impressive and super convenient if you don’t have all day to bounce around stores. And where else are you going to see a (legitimately) fascinating debate between a homeless man and a cashier who probably has six graduate degrees? I’m sold.

Capitol Hill Books is one of my favorite places in Denver. It’s in a great location, has room after room of books stacked to the ceiling, and always has helpful and friendly people on hand to assist, if needed. I enjoy visiting the actual store (and I’ll look for any reason to visit a bookstore), but I’ve also ordered from them online and had items shipped to my house. Highly recommended, and you’ll feel good supporting a local, independent bookstore!

Small quaint and effective lots of interesting titles magazines and postcards the lady that runs the front is awesome and she is funny… not a bad place to stop for a recreational read and good joke

I love this book store. As a child my parents would take me here, and I would sit in the children’s section and read the Velveteen Rabbit. As an adult I peruse the sci-​fi section, where they have cute little card recommendations, and a great selection of the classics, such as Asimov, and Heinlein. The store is set up with a wonderful maze of bookshelves, cute little post cards and gifts, and it has a worn and old, but inviting feeling. The staff is amazing, very friendly and helpful, and will personally take you to anything you’re interested in. They’re also very knowledgeable, and have read a lot of books I have asked for. If they do not have something you’re looking for, they will order it for you and call you when it’s in. The location is also great, because it is located right by the Capitol Hill park, some cute cafes and coffee shops, and you can go from buying a wonderful book, to reading it at the park.

Capitol Hill Books is one of the venerable used bookstores in Denver. It is located on Colfax across from the state capitol. It has a large floor plan and stocks a wide and eclectic inventory. They generally get good titles in and in good condition. Sooner or later almost every title will pass through its doors.
My favorite thing about this store is its online inventory. Particularly, it list newly arrived books. I used to like this feature a bit more when it listed all the new books on one web page. Now the list includes book covers but is broken up over multiple pages. The covers is a nice touch, but are not the actual covers and often don’t even match the actual cover of the book. I am one of those people who the cover of the book matters, but I know that is not the same for everyone.
The staff is helpful and knowledgeable. They are happy to search the shelves and back stock, check their inventory history or order a book. They will even keep track of titles you are searching and call you if the come. However, like many used bookstores, the staff can suffer from a bit of pretension and condescension.
Over the years the book buying and pricing policy has become a bit annoying. For years the standard policy in Denver used bookstores was to purchase used books for 50% of what the store would sell the book for which was generally 50% of the cover price. There were always some exceptions, but that was basic deal. Now Capitol Hill Books usually pays only 40% of what they plan to sell the book for. Also, they often price some books for more than 50% of the cover price if they think it will be more popular.
There is no good way to track if the 40% paid is based on this increased price or if CHB is taking the extra on both sides of the transaction. I believe in free markets and know the world has been hard on used bookstores, so I try not to begrudge CHB for this, but I don’t like it. They are now much lower on my priority to bring used books for trade. I also generally decline to pay more than half price for a used book. Between other used book stores, bargain books and online stores, one can usually find either better prices and better conditions.
The store is organized, but often there are multiple locations where a title can be located which can be frustrating if you are search for a particular title.
Over the past year or so CHB has been charging $ 5.00 for all mysteries. This is a great deal on the purchase side, but hurts if you bringing in mysteries for trade. What is a bit more frustrating is they now decide to sell some mysteries as fiction to avoid pricing the book at $ 5. This can make it frustrating to find some titles. I understand why CHB does not want to sell TPB Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett or Kate Atkinson for $ 5, but it is difficult to figure out when The Maltese Falcon is not shelved in one of the mystery sections.
Overall, I like CHB, but like any curmudgeon I like the way it used to be.

Very friendly and helpful. Also lots of cool goodies besides just books.
Reasonably priced and they had lots of options.

This place is super cute and has a wide selection of used books. It’s location easily bumps it up a star, as it is so conveniently located in the cap hill neighborhood.
I enjoy walking over and browsing. They have all sorts of little knock knack things as well. Cute magnets and bookmarks, so you can come up with a decent gift for something here.
My only complaint would be it is a little but pricey for the used books. I got a popular book published in the 90s. And it was 8 dollars. I could have purchased it for the same price brand new on amazon… BUT we have to support out local small businesses.

Walked in and walked out, have no interest in paying $ 5.99 for a
used paperback that I can get in any other bookstore for $ 3 or less.

As many times as I have passed this place, I have never gone in. Sometime back in May when I took a day off from work and played tourist, I stopped in to visit with fellow Unilocaler Julio T. I perused the book store that carried used books. I don’t recall if they also carry newer books or not.
I can always find books at a bookstore, just like leading a camel to water, in a bookstore, I thrive. I managed to find 3 used mysteries and got to spend some time doing my favorite thing, stopping to sit down and read for a bit, before I paid up and shoved off to grab lunch.
The book store was arranged by different sections of interest, so you’re sure to find something of interest. I promise it won’t take me another 17 years to go back. :-)

I love used books. It means someone loved it enough to share it with the rest of the world. I love the creases in the spines, I lvoe the dog eared pages. I lvoe the out of print books that people have forgotten, but someone likes me stumble along to read and remember and find joy in an old book again (it was Lavondyss by Robert Holdstock).
We need more places like this.

You know that super cool bookstore that every cool indie movie features in at least 10 separate scenes? Or maybe the bookstore where the protagonist of a sitcom develops a big time crush on the lady/​gent who works at their local bookseller?
Capitol Hill Books is THAT bookstore in Denver. Eff e-​readers, Cap Hill Books has paper and lots of it.
I stopped in here for the first time (shameful, I know, since I only live 3 blocks away) to get some children’s books for a baby shower and I was really impressed by the prices. All three books that I got were new and they were a great price. Especially knowing that the baby will likely teeth on the cardboard, rather than actually spend time reading the pages.
I currently have a backlog of books on string theory and swarm intelligence (you know, light reading) to keep my own brain occupied, but once my own bookshelf is full of books I’ve read, I’ll definitely have to come back to pick up some new, cheap reads.

Stumbling upon Capitol Hill Books was one of the highlights of my afternoon. For a former bookcollectaholic, it was a little like almost relapsing. I resisted the temptation to handle even one book. It’s that first book that does it to me.
I will be back. I had been on my feet a while when I arrived and was tired. The shelves are loaded with rare and used books of good quality and good condition. And some great titles.
Nice proprietress, too.

Kudos for an independent bookstore that’s not in absolute chaos like the end of civilization. However, their focus seems to be more towards the fiction lovers rather than the design, foodie, or illustration crowd. So unless you’re looking for recently best-​sellers, this may not be your place to find hidden gems.
As for the staff, they do seem to be in their own little world at times (which can be a good and a bad thing), but the overall ambiance is comfortable and can make a nice little stop when you’re looking to explore the general area.

Every so often I go on a tear trying to fill in some spots in a collection I’ve been doing for about 10 years or so. So I make a run of all the used bookstores I know of or haven’t been to yet.
Capitol Hill was a decent size and relatively warm on a cold day. They had huge sections of fiction and non-​fiction that were pretty well sorted out. Their children’s section had almost nothing in it and was only comprised of a few shelves.
The selection they had seemed mostly newer books and newish used books. Nothing older than a few years. So if you’re wanting that used Stephen King, Dean Koontz, or Twilight book this might be for you.

Nice big and bright used book store. The staff seemed friendly and it was well organized and easy to find the section we were looking for — all good things!
If you are looking for newer used book titles, then you are golden. Your gonna love it. If you are hunting for some vintage editions or specific series/​titles — then you are likely out of luck. Not much of that here.
It seemed popular enough, but not quite what we were looking for in a used book store.

It’s so much more than a simple used bookstore. It’s cozy, has a diverse selection, and I wish I could have spent more time here.
My favorite part of the store is the vintage pictures and postcards hung up all over the store. I wanted to peel them off the wall and take them for myself, but they’re not for sale. Damn.
The staff is unobtrusive, but they are there to help if you need it. Every employee working there was knowledgeable about what they had in stock, and they didn’t have attitude. No one even looked up as I came in/​walked out empty-​handed. It was like I wasn’t even there, and that’s the way I like it.
The prices are reasonable, considering that you’re paying for higher quality books.
I can buy my favorite thing here… postcards! Yep, that’s what did it for me. Any place that has original postcards with vintage icons, whimsical sayings, and praiseworthy portraits is a place that will have my repeat business.
Be sure to visit the website before stopping in. You can search their inventory and see staff recommendations and book reviews. You’ll also see the book trading rules online (no cash for you, sorry pals). Additionally, teachers get 10% discount on books for the classroom (sorry teachers, I don’t think the discount applies to your romance novels), and us regular folk can get 10% for a year once you accumulate $ 100.
So if you set out for a Colfax adventure, either start your trek here, or end it here.

This is such a charming bookstore full of charming people. It’s like a little haven of quiet coziness in the middle of Colfax’s bustle. As everyone has said there is a great selection of books to peruse and purchase here. And the prices are generally great.
The selection here is a bit broader than other used book stores because the shop is a good size. And it’s cleaner and more organized that many used book stores, too. The woman working had most of her books organized in a computer catalog so if you don’t have time for browsing you can just ask if they happen to have what you’re looking for.
However, I recommend going when there is time to browse. This wonderful place definitely deserves your attention.