If you love books, you know the joy of discovering a hidden treasure: That former bestseller (original price – $29.99), now $3.00; A classic from your childhood; a forgotten treatise on success and life; an engaging piece of fiction overlooked by our “wired” society.
Used bookstores come in all shapes, sizes and owner temperaments. The best are well-organized, stimulating environments. The worst are stolid, dust-filled mausoleums awaiting demolition.
Here, in my very experienced opinion, are the best places to shop for used books in the Minneapolis/St. Paul/Twin Cities area:
Half Price Books – As of this writing, Half Price Books now has seven (7) locations throughout the Twin Cities. And despite the “chain store” feel, any one of the seven stores are the best place to find any type of used book. (No, I don’t work for them!) Through aggressive advertising, they insure a steady stream of new and varied material, in all subject matters and including DVD’s, computer software and records. Store locations can be a bit of a challenge for the traveler (they tend to be located in neighborhoods away from major freeways), but with limited time, you’ll definitely want to start here. There web site offers directions to all stores and maps.
Magers and Quinn – Located in the trendy Uptown Neighborhood, Magers and Quinn has a HUGE selection including current titles and collector’s books. They should be your next stop after checking out a few Half Price Books stores. Just down the street you’ll find another used bookstore, BookSmart, which doesn’t have the collector’s titles that Magers and Quinn does, but seems to have a decent selection of new titles.
Uncle Edgar’s Mystery Bookstore and Uncle Hugo’s Science Fiction Bookstore – If you’re looking for mystery or science fiction titles, these two stores (located in the same building) are a must. Both carry HUGE genre selections, and the staff are very friendly and knowledgeable. Don’t miss this store if you are a mystery or science fiction fan!
Dinkytown – Yes, there really is a place called Dinkytown. It’s a University of Minnesota neighborhood, and parking can be a problem, but at last count there were three pretty good used book stores – Book House in Dinkytown, Cummings Books and Biermaier’s Books. All three have that overstuffed, “pile it here” feel, but remember that some of the best finds are found at the bottom of the stack.
Lien’s – Located near downtown Minneapolis, Lien’s is an old-style antiquarian bookstore with an emphasis on old west and Americana, but has a varied selection of others items as well. The stock doesn’t change as fast as some stores, but it’s a good place to find eclectic titles.
Midway Book – Something of a Twin Cities institution, Midway has a very good book selection in all categories, and perhaps the Twin Cities best selection of used magazines as well. While a bit thin on newer titles, they have lots of collectibles, including comic books. And whatever you do, be sure and visit the basement!
