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Used book shopping
You may never have to pay full price ever again.
Other than buying new books at a deep discount over the
internet, there's hardly a better way to acquire both new
and used books than by visiting area used book stores. In
the process of looking for a particular title, you might
be surprised what you find along the way.
My esoteric friend and I, always attempting to explore
the deeper intricacies of what Milwaukee has to offer, recently
spent a day visiting local used bookstores. Here are a few
you might want to check out on a rainy afternoon:
Constant Reader Bookshop Ltd.
1627 E. Irving Pl.
(414) 291-0452
This charming little bookstore is nuzzled against East
Side landmark, the Comet Coffee Shop. While relatively quaint,
this bookstore shouldn't be underestimated.
Whether looking for a paperback copy of the old western
"Shane" by Jack Schaefer, or a first edition of "Curious
George" by H. A. Rey in the Children's section, the Constant
Reader is a nice contrast to the hustle-and-bustle of larger
book retailers.
If nothing else, take a bounce around the thick shag carpeting
and buy a book that will keep you away from the satellite
dish for a day or two. You may just find a diamond in the
rough.
Renaissance Book Shop (two locations)
5300 S. Howell Av. (second level of Mitchell International
Airport's Main Terminal)
(414) 747-4526
Don't be turned off by the airport location. This bookstore
offers FREE parking (up to two hours) in the airport's parking
structure with a minimum $5 purchase. Whether you're dropping
somebody off, picking somebody up, or just making a special
stop, don't overlook this immense collection of 60,000 volumes,
including new books, used books, magazines, comic books,
etc.
This particular location is the airport branch of the
five-story warehouse store, located in downtown Milwaukee,
and offers books covering a wide range of subjects such
as aviation, railroads, travel, and Wisconsin history. This
store also boasts sizeable fiction and nonfiction catalogs,
as well as numerous backlogged volumes of Life and
National Geographic magazines.
This bookstore is open seven days a week from approximately
7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. While credit cards aren't accepted
as means of payment, personal and traveler's checks are
more than welcome.
Renaissance Book Shop
834 N. Plankinton Av.
(414) 271-6850
With a catalog that boasts somewhere between 250,00 and
500,000 volumes, a trip to Renaissance's downtown location
can be a bit intimidating at first. A few simple suggestions
first: clear your schedule, wear comfortable shoes and don't
wear a watch!
The pitched, scuffed hardwood floors have seen better
days, and large chunks of chipped white paint are falling
from the rusted tin ceiling of the old storefront. Both
add to the bookstore's charming personality and your transcending
shopping experience.
While towering bookshelves engulf you overhead, you'll
find the selection and organization quite impressive. "We
try to cover a little bit of everything," said employee
Henry Smith. "Variety brings in a variety of people. People
walk in and are in awe. We beat some libraries in terms
of what we've got."
When Smith says "variety," he isn't kidding. A gander
at the south wing of the second floor revealed the largest
collection of used paperbacks I have ever seen together
in one place at one time. Fiction, science fiction, westerns,
true crime. You name it, chances are they've got it.
A downtown staple since 1976, Renaissance Books still
contains an element of mystery for some. "People who live
here don't know it's here," Smith said. "When people think
of book stores, they think of Walden's, Schwartz's, Barnes
and Noble, etc. They think of malls, period."
Despite the threat of technology and the Internet to stifle
book sales and make bookstores obsolete over the course
of time, Smith clutches to his optimistic view. "As long
as people still love to read, we'll be in business."
Renaissance Books' downtown location is open from noon
to 7 p.m. (M-F), from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and is
closed Sundays.
Half Price Books Records Magazines (three locations)
16750-B W. Bluemound Rd.
(262) 789-0280
6814 W. Brown Deer Rd.
(414) 354-1235
5032 S. 74th St.
(414) 281-0000
Based on proximity, the Greenfield location is my personal
favorite. Whether you're looking for another $4 compact
disc to add to your music collection, or a bargain-basement
deal on the next title on your summer reading list, this
is the place to go!
Children's books, romance novels, craft books, true crime
paperbacks, vinyl record albums, VHS videos, magazines,
rare and signed first editions. You name it, it's more than
likely here. Take a gander. You might be surprised what
you'll find.
At all three locations inventory changes on a daily basis,
and frequent trips can net some pretty incredible deals.
If you're like me, and are trying to build a prestigious-looking
bookshelf without breaking the bank, this is the perfect
place to start. Let the search and seizure start today!
Bay View Bookshop
2261 S. Howell Av.
(414) 744-0742
While the sign over the front-door of the business reads
"Bay View Antiquarian Books," owner George John simply calls
his business Bay View Bookshop. "It's less pretentious.
(The name Antiquarian) is no good in this neighborhood.
People come in looking for tropical fish."
Surrounded by a collection of books that is nearing 150,000
volumes, John says he is usually "too tired" to do much
reading anymore. "The work is endless. It has no beginning
and no end."
Perusing the store itself provides a very interesting
experience. The creaky hardwood floor, which hardly ever
sees sunlight, seems to take you back in time. Bookshelves
that nearly reach the ceiling create endless aisles of books,
almost seeming to scoff at the claustrophobic. Sections
titled Americana, mystery, science fiction, feminism, philosophy
take you to different worlds. The thick, earthy smell of
the basement with its dim fluorescent lighting invites you
to discover a lost literary relic.
Having been in the book-selling business for more 30 years,
and 10 years at his current location, John feels he is treading
water in a dying business. "(The business) would be dead
if it weren't for the Internet."
Bay View Bookshop is open from noon to 6 p.m., Monday
through Saturday, and some Sunday afternoons. The web address
is http://www.abebooks.com/home/GOB/.
In the summer of 2001, Bay View Books was locked by
the city and slapped with a sticker declaring it unfit for
human habitation. That's likely due to the barely passable
aisles and teetering towers of books. However, there is
no sign that the shop is moving out, so we assume it will
reopen. But, to be sure, call before heading over there.
Downtown Books (two locations)
327 E. Wisconsin Av.
(414) 276-5330
This bookstore seems to grow in size every time I stop
in. Recent expansion has added a back room on the second
floor, and plans are in the works to further expand above
Walgreens, which will eventually boost the amount of retail
space to 10,000 square feet.
This extremely clean and organized bookstore offers bright
and vibrant lighting for its endless mazes of nooks and
crannies which offer clearly-marked mystery, thriller and
fiction sections, to name a few.
One can find Disney videos, regular VHS videos and cassette
tapes among the 250,000 general edition books, an entire
level tucked between the first and second floors devoted
solely to back-issues of National Geographic magazine,
and a massive collection of comic books on the second floor.
This Downtown Books location is open from 9 a.m. to 7
p.m. (M-F), 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, and 10 a.m. to
5 p.m. on Sunday. So pick a day, take an hour, plug the
meter, and lose yourself in the wonderful world of literature.
Downtown Books
715 N. Plankinton Av.
(414) 276-6477
This location has a "literary" specialty. Small but extensive,
this bookstore offers a substantial array of modern fiction,
hardcover and paperback classics, and even books on tape.
When I walked in I was astonished by a 1927 edition of
13 volumes entitled "The Classroom Teacher" and the multiple
paperback copies of Dashiell Hammett novels, including "The
Maltese Falcon."
A small staircase leads to a minuscule second-floor area
featuring a classic literature collection that's worth the
trip up, and there's an equally minute staircase that leads
to a tiny basement area as well.
According to Keith Pajot, owner of both Downtown Books
locations, this location will be closing in the fall and
combining with the Wisconsin Avenue store.
This location is currently open Monday through Saturday
from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
Pajot said that he also sells rare books by appointment
only.
Other notables:
Red Wheelbarrow Bookshop
1213 E. Brady St.
(414) 223-5941
Yesterday's Memories Old Book Shop
5631 W. Center St.
(414) 444-6210
Recycled Books & Records
2239 N. Prospect Av.
(414) 276-1321
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