There is nothing quite like walking into a used bookstore. They have a setting all their own, with the smell of old books and oftentimes shelves full of rare, aged, out of print, and sometimes poorly organized, wonders. There is no guarantee when walking into a used bookstore that you will find the exact book you are looking for, but you will find something for your trouble. And that sometime might be even better than what you originally went looking for. Spokane has a number of used bookstores that offer up a variety of services and customer service that ranges from awesome to pretty shabby. For those that love the adventure of searching out treasures at used bookstores, the following businesses are the places they should check out.
2nd Look Books, located in the Lincoln Heights shopping center on the South Hill, doesn’t look like much at first glance. Just another unobtrusive strip center store. But when you walk inside you realize it is so much more. Two floors crammed full from top to bottom with books are just waiting for your perusal. The main floor is fiction, divided up into genres such as romance and science fiction/fantasy. Children’s books are also located on the main floor, as is the sales desk and window displays. Racks of softcovers stand just inside the front door, while paperbacks and hardbacks fill shelf after shelf stretching back the length of the store. Downstairs is a labyrinth filled with nonfiction titles, from cooking to biographies, from collectible editions to rare hardcovers. The shear amount of books located on the bottom level can be a bit daunting, but there is a desk downstairs where a helpful store associate can give you pointers or direct if you are looking for a specific section. 2nd Look Books offers store credit in trade for used book inventory, and they also have their books entered into a database accessible through their website. You can look online to see if the title you want is at the store, how much it will cost, and what edition it is. You can also call ahead and an associate will help you out.
Located downtown, Auntie’s Bookstore is something of an institution in Spokane. They are home to live events such as readings, musical performances, children’s activities, and book clubs. They have a café located to one side, and an Uncle’s Games store nestled in their first floor. They also have multiple floors of books waiting to be discovered. Unlike 2nd Look Books, Auntie’s sells both new and used titles. They are placed on the shelves together, though the used items are clearly marked with a sticker. You may be able to find only a used copy or only a new copy of a book you are looking for, or in some cases they will have both to choose from and it is just a matter of how much you want to pay for the book and what condition you want it in. The inventory for Auntie’s is available to search online, so you can find out before going to the store if they will have what you are looking for. You can also place orders online and have books shipped throughout the country. Local authors are featured prominently throughout the store, even those self-published, so you can get a taste of the writing coming from the region. One of the things that truly sets Auntie’s apart is the level of service you receive from the store employees. These are people that are well read, that understand and enjoy books themselves, and that are happy to answer your questions about books they may have or new ones that may be coming in soon.
Hastings has multiple locations in the Spokane area, including on the South Hill, in the Valley, and toward the North side of town. These stores sell a variety of media, such as movies, music, and video games. They also have selections of books and magazines for sale. Because of their “buy back” program, customers can sell used books to the store for in-store credit or cash. The used books are placed on the shelves for sale at a discounted rate. They also sell new books, so even if you can’t find the title you are looking for as a used copy, chances are you will be able to find it new. The discounts offered on the used materials depend on the condition of the book, the original price of the book, and whether or not the store is trying to sell off inventory quickly to make room for new items. Each Hastings location has a different selection of used books available. If one location does not have the book you are looking for, they are happy to call another location to see if it is in stock there. Their website does not offer a way to search used inventory from the stores, so you will have to call ahead if you want to check on something before going in.
