I was in Reno last week and ran across Zephyr Books. Great selection of Nevada, California, and even Pacific Northwest books including trail guides, nature guides, and a lot of history books. I picked up "Desert Summits" by Andy Zdon (which I'm sure Dean has) in new condition and also "Searchlight" by and autographed by Sen. Harry Reid, both for $12.50 each. I could have spent more time and money, of which I had neither. No time for hiking there, either.
Found a good selection in old downtown Kent yesterday...they even have a couple of copies of one of Karen's books and the owner tells bad jokes about Blondes to entertain you!
-------------- guns don't watch your back...
our dogs have shown us the way out when we were lost...AND kept us warm...
for us its ALWAYS a two dog night!
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-------------- guns don't watch your back...
our dogs have shown us the way out when we were lost...AND kept us warm...
for us its ALWAYS a two dog night!
Whenever I travel, visiting used bookstores is at the top of my priority list. I just noticed this thread and on reviewing, realize that a number of these great places are no more. And the first post with the list link no longer exists. When I have some spare time I'm going to migrate what's still useful into a new thread in the Saloon; and make it a list that anyone can add to, similar to the one we have for post-hike grub, by general geo location. If anyone objects, please PM me.
-------------- "There are yahoos out there. It’s why we can’t have nice things." - Tom Mahood
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-------------- "There are yahoos out there. It’s why we can’t have nice things." - Tom Mahood
I discovered Easton’s online only recently, and by accident. I plan to make a trip up there soon for an afternoon of browsing.
So many great used bookstores have folded; Comstock’s in Auburn is gone. The venerable Black Oak Books in Berkeley, just to name a few. One of the best left in our general area is Henderson’s. Extremely well curated. The owner of Michael’s Books retired; so that’s one less in Bellingham.
-------------- "There are yahoos out there. It’s why we can’t have nice things." - Tom Mahood
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-------------- "There are yahoos out there. It’s why we can’t have nice things." - Tom Mahood
Yes, head south to the great Vancouver suburb called Bellingham, WA and visit Henderson Books downtown or Eclipse Books in Fairhaven. I make a point to buy multiple books each visit to do my little part in keeping these great resources in our community. Really good book deals at Habitat as well $1.00 for hardbacks and $0.50 for paperbacks. The Central Bellingham library has a large area of free give away books and magazines too. Obviously the stocks of the later two fluctuate depending on donations. The Bellingham "Friends of the Library" also has (or had pre-Covid) quarterly library sales with great finds esp in the PacNW outdoor guidebook genre.
Oooh yah— Eclipse is great. A little overstocked & cluttery but the owner knows his inventory. Visited last year and on a whim asked him about an obscure contemporary sailing memoir which had a limited printing. I’d never seen it anywhere during my book prowls. He found it in his stacks in 10 minutes.
In re the query about Vancouver, it’s been a lot of years since I visited their stores. Got a fair number of antique mountaineering lit books there. There was one store that had the estate stash of Don & Phyl Munday but by the time I got there it had been mostly picked over. But I did get a few. There was a place on Lonsdale in North Van & a strictly antiquarian place downtown; I can’t recall the names. Just google Vancouver used books - you can usually get a good idea from their website.
On that point, Henderson’s in B’ham has a minimal web presence; just a Facebook page. But they’re probably the best curated in the territory, or at least in the top 3.
-------------- "There are yahoos out there. It’s why we can’t have nice things." - Tom Mahood
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-------------- "There are yahoos out there. It’s why we can’t have nice things." - Tom Mahood
Eclipse is more disorganized but also more fun with with haphazard stacks and piles all over the store. They also have a great stereo setup and play groovy tunes which enhances the browsing. Henderson's has very organized sections arranged alphabetically by author and has more inventory. I kind of think that the stacks at Eclipse are arranged with teaser titles on top to seduce you to browse more. It works! Both have excellent outdoor/mountaineering sections.
Whenever I travel, visiting used bookstores is at the top of my priority list.
Same here, and I used to like Orca books in Olympia, but since the city has allowed the downtown area to turn into a real hobo village, I don't go anywhere near downtown anymore. Which is too bad as I really liked The Spar Cafe and The Oyster House...anyway, 1/2 price books was one of my wife's favorite locations, so I go there now.
-------------- "Out, OUT you demons of Stupidity"! - St Dogbert, patron Saint of Technology
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-------------- "Out, OUT you demons of Stupidity"! - St Dogbert, patron Saint of Technology
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