“This is bookstore is well kept and the staff are very polite. I purchased a father's shirt because my daughter goes to the school. Beautiful memorabilia items if you have the money.”
“Omg they have all the juicy literature and history one could dream of. I can’t wait to bring my son as he really enjoying our summer reading extravaganza. Reading and literacy equates to freedom”
“Moe’s Books isn’t just a bookstore; it’s a Berkeley institution that lives up to every bit of its historic reputation. Walking in, you're immediately struck by the sheer scale of the inventory across its four distinctive levels. The main floors (one and two) feature an incredibly vast selection of fiction, blending standard paperbacks with hidden gems. As you climb higher, the depth of their specialized sections becomes staggering. The third floor is a dream for anyone interested in eastern or western thought—the philosophy section spans massive wall-to-wall shelving, and the Buddhism section alone commands four full bookshelves without bleeding into other spiritual topics. If you look closely, you'll also discover an incredible selection of rare, out-of-print occult texts, offering some real hidden treasures for collectors and curious minds alike. Finally, the fourth floor opens up into a sprawling history department that feels more like a university library than a retail shop. The staff is incredibly knowledgeable, the pricing on used items is fair, and the atmosphere feels like a timeless pocket of the East Bay. Truly the best bookstore experience I've ever had.”
“A great selection of books, found a few contemporary authors that I didn't know of, also saw all the classics, Dickens, Woolf etc. Atmosphere like you want in a bookshop, quiet, staff reading behind the counter”
“I was invited to a book signing by one of my friends. I had lab work done at the Kaiser Lab around the corner. I was in the neighborhood. The author was a guy name Phil Canalin who attended Encinal High School. I enjoyed myself listening to him reading parts of his book titled Time Out. I love this bookstore and the surrounding area with the restaurants and small retail businesses. AAMOF, I was at Books, Inc., several years ago when Tony LaRussa appeared for a book signing. The employees are helpful and pleasant with patrons coming in to either browse or shop.”
“Had some issues with my record player. The staff was awesome in immediately helping me. Righted the ship and had great selection of vinyls to add to my growing collection”
“Wow! This little lounge is such a gem. I saw this online and have been wanting to visit it for some time. I finally got the chance to, and it exceeded my expectations. Upon walking in, you’re met with a beautiful display of books and architecture. The herringbone wood floors, the gold hardware, sconces and light fixtures, with the dark blue book shelves. It was all so stunning and well designed. The staff here are so sweet and knowledgeable. Offering you guidance to the space and how things operate. The wine selections that rotate each month with the staff picks on books is also so neat. Will be coming here often for sure (now questioning if I should get an annual membership) 😅.”
“Great selection of new and used books. I always find something new (to me) and interesting to take home. The people there are very kind, helpful, and intuitive to their customers' needs. Especially for those of us who are other-abled but don't obviously appear to be so.”
“Well run store, now in a new location. They have very cool vintage pieces, albeit a little bit pricey (but hey, it's vintage!) and they keep a vast selection of books & media. They buy gently used items at fair prices and sell their media at very fair prices too. Friendly staff, and Alameda is glad to see them expand into their newer, shinier location on Park.”
“I've been to the other Pegasus store (a few miles north) many times; however, this was my first visit to this branch. A bit smaller than the main store but still a great selection and well laid-out. Found a couple of books to purchase and will return for more! If you're near Berkeley (even if you're not), stop by for an hour or 10!”
“I visited this bookstore a few weeks back and honestly have not stopped thinking about it. The atmosphere is stellar, like you're wandering an old wizard's cozy collection. So many amazing books, and as a collector of vintage fantasy mass-markets, this place was heaven. Highly highly recommend!!”
“Great used book store. It's a wonderful place to spend time browsing books. They also buy books so if you have extra and the local lending libraries are full bring em down.”
“Gotta love when a bookstore lives up to its name!! This tiny little bookstore had a good selection of books and a cat asleep and ready for pets at the register! The kids loved it and it was possibly the calmest bookstore I’ve ever been in.”
“I really enjoy this book store. Great selection of books that are in great condition. There always feels like there are hidden secrets around in boxes scattered about! The books are a little more expensive here though, so it doesn't feel like I'm getting a great deal for a second hand book.”
“Knowledgeable staff, wide range of genres and topics with a focus on critical theory, literary fiction, ideology, and art. I’ve ordered books through them multiple times and it’s been great! Staff has excellent recs.”
“This store has the best selection of Judaica and the owners are so helpful. It is such a pleasure to have a brick and mortar store where I can compare items. And around holiday times there is no better place to shop.”
“Like books? Like people who like books? Wanna buy books and support a vital literary infrastructure? Just wanna stroll around a cool neighborhood and walk into a place randomly, a place that'll make you gasp with unspent wonder? This is the place!!! Go here!”
“Sooooo knowledgeable! Walked in asking for book recommendations for my kids who are emerging middle grade readers. Looking for books that would be motivating and captivating to keep them reading. The woman in the children’s section gave me tons of options! I happily over bought! My kids are excited to read her recommendations! 10/10 on all counts!!! 💯”
“Cute little independent bookshop. I saw a lot of books I probably would have missed in a place like Barnes and Noble. Nice kids selection. Personal notes about books by the staff as well as recommendations. Will definitely return.”
“Great store with everything you need for your spiritual journey. Awesome selection of tarot, oracle, crystals, candles and many more! Ms. Valencia is super sweet, kind and knowledgeable. Highly recommend! I am a regular now =)”
“They have an eclectic collection of books, movies and music DVDs. Apparently, these are donations that didn't make it to the library shelves. Prices are very reasonable and the staff is friendly. I actually like this place better than the Pleasant Hill library which has tried to become too many things. If you are a nerdy bibliophile that likes older reading material, try this bookstore.”
“This place is promising I was able to find a book that was very difficult to find didn't think they would still have it but luckily thanks to Rudy he was able to find the book and send it to me by mail this place is reasonable and awesome 😎”
“Tally Ho has something for everybody, they have a large selection of used books at super affordable prices! Upon check out they also have a point based rewards system that seems promising.”
“Always enjoy a trip to a new B&N. Nice clean and great layout. Little to no street parking. You will likely have to park on the upper levels but a few hours is free.”
“This used bookstore is right inside the ground level by the parking ramp. It is very clean, with wide aisles and does not feel cramped at all like some bookstores can get. Great variety of used books, broken down into various categories to make browsing easier. Most hardback seemed to be 2 to 3 dollars, but there are some 50 Cent specials and even ones that can get down to a quarter apiece. Right off Telegraph Avenue near campus so a great place to get a lot of books without spending much money plus supporting a great cause.”
“Every time I try to convince myself that I’m on a book-buying ban, I get pulled right into Womb House whenever I’m in the area. You’ll feel like you stepped into a turn of the 20th century time-capsule the moment you walk into the store. It’s really warm and inviting. As the name would suggest, you’ll find curated selections of mostly female authors. Although I did score some vintage copies of Freud and Lacan. 😍 The owner is really nice and personable and knows her stuff so she’d be able to give you good recommendations. Shout out to Jessica! 🙏”
“This place attracts a strangely high frequency of obnoxious customers, but otherwise I have no problems with it. Books are, of course, very cheap, and they have a huge selection. Not everything you want is always in stock, but that's just the nature of it. Sometimes trade-ins are worth it, sometimes they aren't--but at least the store has that feature so you can clear out some space on yr bookshelf. Strangely good selection of poetry chapbooks, and fun to look at the video games behind the locked glass cabinet. Decent selection of CDs (music), good selection of LPs. Lots of TV. Of course they have like, trinkets/stocking stuffers and notebooks. Just an all-around solid bookstore. However, the employees are somewhat unprofessional, and the customer base is super stalkercreep.”
“What a lovely find. The place was clean, well organized and the staff was most helpful. The used books are in good condition too. Three books for 4 dollars. We're coming back!”
“What a great bookstore! And it's a really great place for last minute kids birthday gifts, they do a great job with the complimentary gift wrap. The people who work here are the best. ❤️”
“Has a great selection of new books in multiple genres for a smallish bookstore and a huge selection of pre-loved fiction and children’s. Staff is always super helpful and I like their recommendations!”
Barnes & Noble is proving that physical bookstores aren't going anywhere. The retailer just opened three new locations across Texas and South Carolina, marking another step in its comeback story. Barnes & Noble opened 57 stores in 2024 alone - more than it had opened in the entire decade from 2009 to 2019. The company isn't slowing down either, with plans to open more than 60 new stores in 2025 and a goal of reaching over 1,000 stores nationwide in the coming years.
