What are the best used book stores in San Diego?

I am going to be in San Diego for a few days and I would love to visit some used books stores. I am always looking for mid to late 19th century editions of the classics, Heritage press, Easton Press and early Franklin editions, Folio Society and of course LECs. I would appeiciate any suggestions you may be able to give. The list of books stores in the San Diego area is daunting and I would love to narrow it down some. Thanks.

Russ

I think the very very largest is "the Bookman" at 4275 37th street has a huge inventory.. However, be prepared to spend at least a 1/2 day browsing. A full day would be better, because their system of organization is a bit eccrentric. The director Irwin Herman is very helpful and seems to know his inventory quite well. If he doesn't have the specific book you are looking for, there is a good chance he;ll know where you might find it.

I haven't been there for quite a while because my own TBR is huge at this time... but I'm assuming it is still like it was a year ago (last time I was there0

D. G. Wills has probably the best- selected selection of used books, together with some new ones. Adams Ave Bookstore is pretty good, as is Fifth Ave Books.

#3 has mentioned several good general used bookstores. I also like Maxwell's House of Bioks in La Mesa.

In the 1990s we had up to a dozen used bookstores on Adams Avenue. Now, most are closed and the ones that remain ate too often paperback exchanges or friends of the library shops. There are also mail or Internet sellers on the San Diego Booksellers Association list.

James

Hey, I forgot to say welcome to SD.

Thanks everybody. I am going to have a blast searching.

Sigh. I'm just a visitor from afar, but you all used to have two of my all-time favorite stores, sadly long-gone:

John Cole's Bookstore in La Jolla and Esmeralda's in Del Mar

Thanks for the memories :)

You know what's really strange? Nina's Books in the College area is a small, but fantastic little trove to explore. For some reason, I always find what I am looking for there.

I just moved to San Diego, and I was wondering about this. Thank you so much!

Is Bluestocking Books in Hillcrest still open? If so, it's on 5th Avenue near University.

Also, there' used to be Point Loma Books out on Rosecranz at the far south end of Rosecranz. Really great books but I haven't been over there in a few years and I have no idea if he's still open.

I have visited 5th Avenue Books and Bluestocking Books (both Hillcrest area near 5th & University) as well as Point Loma Books. In La Jolla see D.G. Wills. In Normal Heights see Adams Avenue Books. In La Mesa visit Maxwell's House of Books.

It all depends on what you'd like to find as well.

There is a directory of the San Diego Booksellers Association.

James

Poway Friends of the Library runs a well organized, though small used book store. The highlight is several times a year they empty storage and have a huge sale. Everything is less than $1. Lots of things are 25 cents. Hey, plug: The next sale is July 28. Members get in at 9, public at 10. Until 4 pm. All proceeds benefit the county library.

Friends of the Carlsbad Library are having a sale the first weekend of August. They have lots to sell and some really great things!

Since we don't get good book fairs in San Diego very often, may I suggest setting aside time on Oct 6-7 for the Pasadena Book Fair. This has proven to be a very good one in the past for us to make purchases and this time we'll have a booth to offer children's books and especially juvenile series books.

James

I was in Carlsbad all last week and happened upon a really classy second hand shop just off the beach in the heart of the village on Carlsbad Village Drive, Fahrenheit 451 Books. Well worth a look.

EnriqueFreeque, I have been to that one - "Classy" is very apt.

bardsfingertips, sounds like "classy" is really a euphemism for stuck up.

18> Have you been there? The two times I've been there the owners have been friendly and down to earth. Approachable. By "classy" I was referring to the uncluttered, impeccably organized, collector's ambiance of the place, and the mouth-watering, rapid-heart-rate-inducing availability -- right there on their shelves! -- of so many interesting and offbeat titles, nearly every one in pristine condition, like out-of-print novels by Wyndham Lewis, James Branch Cabell, and Rikki Ducornet; books that I've found to be exceedingly rare to chance upon during all the years I've haunted brick and mortar stores. If "classy" in their case is a euphemism for anything, oh please say it's for "awesome"!

Oh, no, I quoted it to quote Enrique. I actually meant classy - it is a very nice place.

I was there yesterday. They have a very well-selected stock, along the lines of D G Wills. The person I dealt with was friendly and very knowledgeable.

OK, you really did mean classy. I stand corrected. I'll have to check it out.