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Most memorable bookstore

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Misfit
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 9581
Joined: August 2008
Location: Seattle, WA

Post by Misfit » Thu August 12th, 2010, 1:02 am

I still haven't built up the courage to go into Powells. Too dangerous.

There's also the Chapters store on Robson Street in Victoria BC. Robson Street is the Canadian equivalent of Rodea Drive. Chocolates. Furs. Shoes. Clothes. Where do I go? All three floors of books books books.
At home with a good book and the cat...
...is the only place I want to be

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Madeleine
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 5860
Joined: August 2008
Currently reading: "Mania" by L J Ross
Preferred HF: Plantagenets, Victorian, crime, dual time-frame
Location: Essex/London

Post by Madeleine » Thu August 12th, 2010, 11:13 am

Oh yes, Hatchards in Piccadilly is lovely.

There's also a Shakespeare & Co in Paris, I think someone else has mentioned it already.
Currently reading "Mania" by L J Ross

enelya
Reader
Posts: 84
Joined: January 2009

Post by enelya » Thu August 12th, 2010, 1:27 pm

It seems I have to plan some trips...I love London, it is the best for bookshopping as far as I am concerned. When we go there it is either museum or bookshop ( forbidden planet). Now i wanna go there badly!!!!Time to save up

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donroc
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Location: Winter Haven, Florida
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Post by donroc » Thu August 12th, 2010, 2:35 pm

Pickwick in Hollywood decades ago.

Tro Harper on Powell in The City aka San Francisco.

I have since forgotten the name of a used bookstore on Western near Melrose in L.A. that had many unusual books at fair prices. I found original editions of Homer Lea's Valor of Ignorance and The Day of the Saxon among others

It is most memorable for another reason. In 1965, my wife and I saw there a 50 year old heavy oak chessboard with handmade squares of different colors covered with glass. When she asked the price, the owner said, "What do you want it for, checkers?" My wife replied, "No, for chess.

He raised his eyebrows. "What? You, a woman, plays chess? Tell you what. I will play you double or nothing for the board and let you be White."

My wife checkmated him in less than eight moves, and his cronies had a great laugh at his expense. He said the board was hers and wanted another game saying he would take the challenge more seriously.

My wife played Black and won again. That was when I told him she had won competitions in Brazil and beat me 75% of our games. Each time we returned, we had a big laugh over it with the owner.
Image

Bodo the Apostate, a novel set during the reign of Louis the Pious and end of the Carolingian Empire.

http://www.donaldmichaelplatt.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXZthhY6 ... annel_page

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sweetpotatoboy
Bibliophile
Posts: 1641
Joined: August 2008
Location: London, UK

Post by sweetpotatoboy » Thu August 12th, 2010, 3:22 pm

My mind's gone blank on the name but there was a great bookstore on Charing Cross Road that had three genre specialities: fantasy/SF downstairs, and romance and crime upstairs. A few years ago, it moved to the other side of the road in much smaller premises and became crime only. I'm not 100% sure it still exists even in that guise, though I was still getting their mail order book as of a few months ago.

Apart from that, I have found great used bookstores in many British towns, all stored in my memory if I'm ever there again. A great one in Bath, another one in Cheltenham and a recent discovery in Tewkesbury. Oh and there's a great English used bookstore in Jerusalem that I always visit.

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Michy
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Joined: May 2010
Location: California

Post by Michy » Thu August 12th, 2010, 5:34 pm

I love Donroc's chess story.

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rockygirl
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Posts: 349
Joined: August 2010
Location: Upstate New York

Post by rockygirl » Sat August 14th, 2010, 9:02 pm

Well, I'm definitely going to have to drive over to Connecticut and go to the Niantic Book Barn. It looks fabulous.

My favorite bookstore for many years was Murder Ink, in NYC. The staff there opened my eyes to historical mysteries and always had the best recommendations. I only went in a few times a year, because I always came away with more books than I could carry to my car! Sadly, like many of the independent, specialty bookstores in NYC, Murder Ink is now closed. I still mourn for it.

My current favorite bookstore is Read It Again in Monticello, NY. It's a used bookstore run by the county's Literacy Volunteers. All books are donations, usually in great shape. The books are beautifully organized. And best of all, all the proceeds go to help the Adult Literacy Program (which is now able to offer math classes as well). I always bring my bags of used books to this fine establishment, and I feel rewarded by the opportunity to browse. All books are $1 to $2, so it's easy to refill my bags for just a few bucks.

Ash
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Joined: August 2008
Location: Arizona, USA

Post by Ash » Sat August 14th, 2010, 9:53 pm

Rocky, Poison Pen in Scottsdale might be a good resource for you, via their website:

http://www.poisonedpen.com/

They have lots of historical mysteries, including all of Sharon Kay Penman's (she is a frequent visitor to the store, tho not frequent enough for me!)

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rockygirl
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Joined: August 2010
Location: Upstate New York

Post by rockygirl » Sat August 14th, 2010, 10:29 pm

Thanks, Ash!

litchickuk
Scribbler
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Joined: August 2010

Post by litchickuk » Thu August 26th, 2010, 5:51 pm

the open-fronted one in Orpington will always stay with me even though it shut down ages ago.
Now i cherish Baggins in Rochester - a trip there is like a day out!

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