Always great prices and a good selection of sci-fi/fantasy. I just wish I lived closer.
Colleen F.
Place rating: 1 Henrico, VA
I was shocked by the blatant rudeness I had to witness while in the Book Exchange today. I went in with a rather heavy box of books and the older lady behind the counter made a joke about how man books I brought in. As I was browsing a younger lady(possibly an owner?) came in from getting lunch. She let out a frustrated sigh at the mountain of books needing to be looked at(three others came in after me to drop off books). She seemed very annoyed at the presence of all the books… her coworker said they weren’t all from me to which the younger of the two replied«quite frankly if a box is too heavy for me to lift I lose interest» WOW. Just wow. I don’t expect a red carpet to be rolled out for my used books but stifling the bad attitude till the customer leaves the store might be a better business practice. Also hard cover books from the art section can only be paid for with half credit and half cash. Kind of a bummer.
Tina K.
Place rating: 3 Richmond, VA
I used to love wandering through this store when the sweet old woman owned the place. She had a way to making everyone feel welcome and she and I always exchanged some chit chat about books we love. Sorry to say that when she passed away, so did the warm feeling. I have been going to this store for 8 years and there is not ever a passing nod of recognition when I drop off books there. Customer service and remembering people who have patronized your establishment for a long time, seem to be a cornerstone of a small business. I’ve noticed that their inventory isn’t as vast as it used to be and they’re getting a lot pickier about the books they’re willing to buy. I can put up with a lot of things when the atmosphere is friendly, but frankly, I always feel like I’m inconveniencing the owner when I show up there.
Mark S.
Place rating: 4 Glen Allen, VA
Amazing selection of books of all genre. All fan of reading owes it to themselves to check the store out. The prices are half cover, and considering the great condition most of the books are in, it is a great deal. Their science fiction and fantasy selection is insane.
Lauren B.
Place rating: 3 Richmond, VA
This bookstore is kinda hard to find at first… it’s near Kabutos on Southside(or across the street from the American Family Fitness, for you gym rats). This used bookstore is not my favorite in comparison to others. I am sad to say the customer service lacks, unless you are a regular to the older crew. However, what I do love about this place is the HUGE selection. They have every type of book you could look for… from textbooks and maps to fiction and children’s books. They even have some other varied topics of interest — from home improvement to gardening. Things are a bit overwhleming at first to find things, but they have easy to read signage that will help you find what you are looking for. The walkways down the aisles are a bit tight but this place is never crowded, so you shouldn’t have a problem getting through. They do book exchanges, but from what my friend and I experienced, they are somewhat selective on their choices.
Allison C.
Place rating: 2 Midlothian, VA
Lots of books, but I was really turned off by the rudeness of the guy working there. I strongly prefer the smiles and helpful attitudes of the people at The Cracked Book on Hull St.
Michelle A.
Place rating: 3 Frederick, MD
This is one of the only completely used bookstores in Richmond, and while it’s not spectacular, it’s refreshing to see it still alive and kicking, in an age of . It’s a pretty big place with lots of fiction and romance novels of all types… the selections of literature and art and travel, etc. are way way smaller… It also has a room of children’s books. The main thing I wish they had available was a computer to search their inventory. I find bookstores to be a little overwhelming nowadays unless I have a list of books I want to buy, or can remember specific authors names. So for me, the best part about this store is the fact that they have displays with popular titles scattered around… I found most of the books I bought there, like one of Barak Obama’s books… For 3 books that are relatively new and in better than average condition, I paid $ 20. It’s not super cheap, but then again the books I bought were worth that much really, even on probably. I wouldn’t want to pay half the cover price for some romance novels though… so I can see where some folks might find this place to be a bit overpriced. I also haven’t tried to sell any books there yet. I am considering it though– if I can trade in enough to get a new book or two, that would be awesome.
Meredith B.
Place rating: 5 Midlothian, VA
I love this place and the people who work there. They wont always have the book I want, what used bookstore does, but they often do, or something similar. I have traded in more books than I can count [though they won’t take everything] and gotten just as many in return. I don’t know why anyone would say this place is ‘overpriced’. Almost every used bookstore I have ever visited has the same policy: half-price used books, and sometimes the hardbacks and comics cost less than that, especially if their condition isn’t ideal. Maybe I’m biased– I really do love the people there… and they love me back. The last time I was in they flat out –gave– me a series of five books.
Jack M.
Place rating: 2 Boston, MA
Overpriced. Pretty expensive for their used books. I looked around quite a bit and just couldn’t bring myself to buy at their prices. They have a trade-in system, but I was just looking for cheap books. There are better stores around than this one…