AFK Books & Records

Very friendly staff every time I visit. Kids love going here to look through the books and I love that the kids books are in one spot away from the exit doors. This store has good book deals, I always usually leave with at least one book or if it’s a series then more.

My favorite used book store. Not only do they have a great selection of used books, vinyls and movies they have brand new books and vinyls as well. All of their new books have an automatic 10% (sometimes 20%) off sticker and if you buy a new book you get half off on a used one. How awesome is that? The owner and employees are always friendly and more than willing to help you find exactly what you’re looking for. If they don’t have something in the store they will even order it online for you! Rad people. Rad shop. Check it out.

100% perfect! A little bitty sense of hipster but no pretentious attitude. Staff is super helpful and very knowledgeable. They play excellent music. When I went in it was Jack Black covering Al
Green songs! Store is packed with books! Up front is vinyls and players and other media.
The books are new and pre owned, all excellent condition. Doesn’t smell like a musty old books store either. Popular books and books I have never heard of but wanted to read. The biography section was well stocked with interesting titles and authors. In the far back is a coffee station and free tea and a couple tables and chairs. A small children’s department could use a little kidchill spot maybe some cushions or a play table. Truthfully it could have had something and I just didn’t notice because we were so into the huge collection of unusual Dr. Seuss books, but we were pleased either way. No one gave me a dirty look or intervened when my toddler was rolling on the floors or taking books off the shelves to show me. I can’t wait to spend more money here. Thanks for opening this very cool and much needed book store in Chicks Beach:)

Pretty nifty place to grab books, music, albums, video games, coffee, tea, & a great laugh. This place is nearly laid out in areas and has such a wide variety of things to find in the corner. From hard to find books to portable record players.
The signage throughout the store are fun to read, they have a seating area in the back of the store. They have a $ 3 movie cart, $ 2 book shelf, comic books galore.
Drop in for a sip of coffee and explore the shelves!

Staff was friendly and it has been a great place to sell new and gently used books.
The store has been clean and well-​organized.
They have a vinyl record section.
It was easy and free to park.

How many places in the Seven Cities can you name that do what AFK does? Well if you have yet to go in the store you may think the name deceptive indeed. Although they are book focused, they have much more to offer than meets the eye.
This is a very long overdue review as I have probably done business at AFK for over a year. The location is wonderful for Chicks Beachsters like myself on the corner of Shore & Pleasure House. Parking is plentiful, this will never be a problem. On several visits the parking lot has had minor debris. On my last visit the sidewalks were clear other than rock salt due to ice.
Let’s start with service because the staff really make the store in my opinion. They seem to know about everything if that is possible. They know there inventory well and they have knowledge about everything comic books, audio books, cd’s, dvd’s, albums, cassettes, games, electoronics and of course hard and paperback BOOKS! How can they be an expert in all of this is amazing. So they really know there stuff, then back it up with being as friendly as all get out too.
Inventory of goods is freaking off the hook. They have full shelves of great quality items which cover the gambit those mentioned above. They have both new and used items, but a primary focus is on used. They buy for cash, so if your looking to unload some stuff you call junk, that could very well convert into quick cash to buy something at the store, or not… your call. The children’s area is strong with an expansive display of all types of titles your kids will enjoy. The games titles are building as this is a new area for them after nearby Radical Gaming closed they bought some inventory from them and also buy back games too! Another piece of the business to not be over looked is the electronics. Although not big they do have used game systems. I could not believe my eyes that I saw a Dreamcast system that was mint. I also saw turntables and other small electronic items.
AFK itself is just as organized as you would find a big box book store. Carpeting on the floors and wood shelves houses the books. Also the shop is clean which I appreciate. No smell of musty old books in this place, it has a fresh pleasant smell in which to browse. There is a coffee and for $ 1.99 fell free to get a cup and doctor as you like with all of the items you would find at home.
If there is a negative it’s the fact that they do not promote a atmosphere of hanging out. Only two chairs, no tables and no wifi. Never been an issue with me, but maybe with others. The Children’s area has three cubes.
Places like AFK use to exist, but no longer. This is not only a gem of a place, but it operates at a high level. Misconceptions of resale books shops being a gross place to make purchases cannot be said of AFK. What you will find are great quality items at a fair price with a clean atmosphere in which to conduct your business. It may not be the most convenient for all Southsiders, but it is worth the drive for anyone in HR before you check out a chain. I am a fan and recommend.

Great selection of books & music. All very affordable. Staff are super friendly & eager to help.

Great selection, but just to expensive for me. I’m a cheapo who like books for a couple bucks. I don’t want to leave a negative review because the selection was great and the older guy at the front was so nice! But the price’s had me shaking my head and walking out the door after 10 minutes of looking around.

good selection of Records and used books.
Records need more room. hard to shop the vinyl section due to the # of records in a limited space. ***Update– they have since made many more bins, & have more vinyl. much easier to shop & is organized well. Go check these guys out, def. worth your time.
Prices on NEW records are the best in Hampton Roads for sure. and if you buy anything new, you are eligible to get %50 off any used item.
Check them out. staff and owner are super nice as well.
that’s all.

So I came here with my sister and Andrew last weekend, and I was blown away! This place is super cool! My sister buys vinyl records, and this place has tons! They even have lots that are on sale. What I love most about this place is how organized it is. Everything is categorized and alphabetized.
Not only do they have vinyls, but they have used books, video games, CDs, and DVDs/​blu-​rays. From the outside it looks fairly small, but it’s actually pretty big. I was actually surprised with how roomy the place is.
Lastly, they offer free tea… And I love tea, so I was super excited!

BEST Used Books & Vinyl in Virginia Beach (plus movies, games and more). Just got home from a week in nearby Sandbridge Beach with extended family, and this was a place I wanted to check out, thanks largely to other reviewers here on Unilocal.Not only was I not disappointed in the least, but the family members I brought with me were equally impressed. Everyone found something to love: I got four out-​of-​print hardcover books at a great price; my son found a slew of hard-​to-​find video games; my niece bought six DVD movies at amazing price, and my nephew found two rare vinyl LP’s that made his day. Best of all, the staff at AFK were extremely approachable and friendly. I think this store is a real find. If you’re in VA Beach or just visiting, it’s absolutely worth the trip. We ended up recommending AFK to book-​lover friends who have a summer house in Sandbridge Beach but didn’t know AFK. I wish we lived closer; I’d be a regular customer!

Love it here!!! They have good prices on books and DVDs! New books and good discounts! Definitely one of my favorite used book stores!

A used bookstore in Hampton Roads with the most potential I’ve seen yet. There aren’t many bookstores in the area, and most aren’t worth a second trip. AFK books has used CDs (all my favorite 90s bands), DVDs, etc. in addition to books. They have book sections such as Taoism and SciFi/​Fantasy, History, Music, and Career. That got my attention. However, I was not able to find one non-​fiction book that I didn’t already own, or looked interesting enough to buy for my over-​ful bookcases. I did pick up a fantasy novel. Nice staff. Good prices. I’ll be interested to see how their stock rotates. I guess I won’t find another used bookstore experience here that compares with SF, Boulder, or Portland… but I can always hope!

A very good vinyl selection and friendly customer service makes this place my go to shop for music.

I was zooming down Shore Drive when my hood popped open and blew back onto my windshield. It happens every now and then and I guess the bungee cord that kept it down had fallen off somewhere. No — I used that bungee cord to keep my screen door shut on my front porch during a storm last week and I forgot to move it back to my hood before I left that morning to go see a man about fixing my typewriter in Ocean View. Anyway, I had to stick my head out of my window and safely swerve across a few lanes of traffic. I found some old packing tape in my trunk and permanently fixed my hood. Just as I was about to get back on the road, I noticed I was right in front of this bookstore. I have wall-​to-​wall stacks of books taller than me in nearly every room of my house, but something was telling me to go into this store. I did my best to resist the urge, but something was quite literally pushing me to enter the store. A mysterious, forceful energy.
I nodded politely to the man behind the counter and received a polite nod and a «How are you doing?» in return. I smiled and replied «Hood» instead of «Good» because I was still thinking about my hood. I don’t think he noticed. I walked straight ahead and when I suddenly stopped and looked to my right — the very first book that my eyes settled on was a book that I’ve been trying to locate for over 30 years, «Conan the Freebooter». I couldn’t believe it and let out a loud «Holy Sh*t». I have pretty much every Conan book ever written and this one has escaped my grasp until now. I read about half of it there, but they were closing and didn’t want to be impolite, so I put it back on the shelf and I’ll be back soon to get it.
I looked up and down the other bookshelves quickly and was very impressed. Books presented in a neat, orderly fashion on modest, sanded wooden shelves that smelled as if they were freshly cut.
I briefly glanced at the records, but I only have a cassette player since my messy divorce. Saw records by Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Clash, The Coasters, Chubby Checker, Culture Club, Johnny Cash, and The Chambers Brothers in the section labeled «C». Very impressed.

Vinyl shop in my neighborhood? Oh hell yeah. I am sure the entire store is excellent but I haven’t made it past the front ¼ where the records are. They have a neat little tube amp headphone setup to demo records. I love this place.
Loads of used and new vinyls. Also sell a small variety of hardware like players, preamps, etc.
Compared to the other local record shop I’ve been to, the prices here are pretty damn good.
–Jim

I’ve been meaning to come in here for a while now and check it out and and finally had a chance after lunch on Friday.
The place is nice and very well laid out. Upon entering you’re going to see more vinyl records sitting up front than you’ve problem seen in the last 25 years. Mostly old however I was surprised to see some new stuff in there to. Same goes for the CD’s, DVD’s and Blu Ray.
Once I was able to pull myself away from the media section you enter the main area of the book store (about ¾ of the place is books) and a large variety of categories. There’s even a large comic book & trade paperback section. I was especially surprised by the large amount of audio books available.
All in all a very nice little place and I’ll be checking in again soon.

I could spend so much money here. From records to dvds to books, I want them all. The staff is always super friendly, the store is organized, & you just get a cool vibe from being in there. They have great prices too. You even get to spin a coupon wheel when you check out!

I just found my new favorite bookstore! The really cool part is they ain’t just books. They have tons of movies and CDs and LOTS of vinyl! The used books are in like new condition and I didn’t see one for over 10 bucks, I even saw a few autographed books and they have a nice collectable book section. The kids section was large and really nice. The staff was super cool and friendly, the store is clean and well organized, I just can’t say enough good things about the fantastic store.

AFK Books is awesome! I can’t belive I hadn’t been there before. I’ll be back soon!
They have an amazing collection of used books that are in great shape! I found my fav — Ernest Heminway and lots more. I got «The Old Man of the Sea» which I’ve read and now can read again.
They have used and new books.
I also found some great Blues CD’s. I got Robert Cray and it is fantastic.
I see also that they have an extensive collection of vynil albums too.
I bought more than 20 bucks worth of stuff (books and music) and they said being it is over 20 — I get another 20 percent off! (I already thought I was getting a great deal — now I felt like I was robbing the joint).
I can’t wait to get back here. I’ve been reading Ernest Hemingway and have been so moved — I might have to move — I hope they ship the books to my new Island in the Caribean.
Jim