Popped into 2nd & Charles for a gift run and left with some of Grandma's favorite things -- and maybe a few things I wanted too. This place is such a fun mix of quirky and quiet, with just the right energy to browse at your own pace. I found two Danielle Steele books, a cute bookmark, and the most adorable jelly belly keychain (yes, it actually has jelly beans inside -- Grandma's favorite!). The staff was polite and helpful, and as always, the merch selection didn't disappoint. I love checking out the mini guitars, comics, and all the unique fiction picks they stock. There's just something about this store that keeps you coming back, even when you're "just looking." Highly recommend if you're in the area -- especially if you're gift-hunting or just want to spend a little time among books, fandom finds, and cool surprises all while being economical! read more

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Oh how i wish they were closer! We went in whole in the area and I could stay here all day. It can get a bit confusing as they have the old and new books together, and it's not as organized as larger stores like Bn is, but if you love to go on a hunt give it a try! read more

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Every time I come here I think "I'll get at least ten dollars for my item" this time I brought a huge stack of Pokémon cards from the 90s and got an insultingly low 6$ for all of them. Do not come here because they do not give you your moneys worth. Rip off read more

Came here looking for some good vinyls and dvds (movies) and enjoyed my experience. I really mostly just wanted to give Connor who was working the checkout a shout out because he was super duper helpful and friendly. It can be hard/frustrating for me to find things sometimes and he was able to find every movie I wanted on dvd in a matter of seconds and offered to go out of his way to actually help me. The only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is because their vinyl selection is bleh and their vinyls are really overpriced. Overall though it is a cool store and they have a huge variety of stuff. If you can't find something interesting here I'd be surprised. I was happy with their selection of movies though and the prices were fair for those I guess. read more

2nd & Charles is a bibliophile's paradise! If you're looking to make money from your trade-ins, this might not be your best option. As other reviewers have notes, staff do not individually access items, and the cash value is generally half (or less) what you can get in storre credit. While the trade-in value for cash might not be the best, it's a minor quibble considering the treasure trove of delights the store offers. As a general rule, I'm cool with taking the store credit option because I can always find something I like. If you come on certain days, you can stretch your dollar even further via discounts and BOGO specials. From adorable plushies and action figures to unique calendars and notebooks, there's something for every pop culture enthusiast. The constantly changing inventory, thanks to their buy-back program, makes each visit a delightful surprise. My tip: bring your own reusable bag cart away all your treasures! Otherwise you will need to purchase one (or carry it home in your hands, you've got options here). read more

I cannot believe the amount of times I have driven past 2nd & Charles, thinking it was some tech store something or another that I was not going to be interested in, when inside this magical store is literally ALL THE THINGS I LOVE! FANDOM HEAVEN! THEY BUY BACK BOOKS! GAMES! BOTH OF THE PUZZLE AND VIDEO VARIETY! MOVIES! SHOWS! PUZZLES! The list goes on!!!! There is so much here that I love and so much they have to offer! I came here for the first time on Boxing Day and was so overwhelmed by the sheer amount of stuff I wanted and saw and the amount of SALES! I wanted to buy everything - truly! I have been back multiple times since then and have just focused on exploring the shop one section at a time, so as not to get overwhelmed LOL! My only complaint is that the used and new items are mixed throughout the entire store, so it makes it harder to search between these two, especially when they have sales focused on only the used items and whatnot. All in all though, this place is heaven! I have come here to drop off a ton of books, board games, and movies for them to evaluate as well. The process is super clear and the staff are super helpful at explaining it all and answering all the questions you may have. They have the option to offer your cash or store credit and the store credit option normally is 2x that of the cash offer, so if you're like me and are never at a loss for things to purchase here - you will want to go with the store credit option! Absolutely love everything about 2nd & Charles and can't say enough good things about it! They are the living embodiment of one person's trash is another person's treasure and boy oh boy have I found so many treasures here!! read more

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I've always loved 2nd and charles for new and used books. when i sold my books there, I sold about 40 books, all in amazing, perfect condition. All books were large graphic novels, that were pretty pricey. I only received $16 back unfortunately, so I would not reccomend selling your books there. Despite that, the staff is always friendly and helpful whenever you need to find something. They have an enormous selection of books, new and used and you'll almost be sure to find what you're looking for, for not too bad of a price. (If it's a book, their knickknacks are adorable but pricey) read more

Too picky on what they trade-in wrong people looking at trade-in MediaReload 1000 times better! read more

I love a good bookstore, and I feel lucky to have found this place. I don't come here as much as I would like since it's a bit out of the way for me. I came here recently to check the place out and see what they had in stock for good reading material. Overall, my impression of this place is good. But, I can't seem to find anything I like, and have walked out empty handed. Not once have I found anything I want to purchase. I don't think it's due to lack of selection or prices, but something I just can't put my finger on. It's hard to explain, because I want to like this place and make purchases. But I don't. The service here is good, and the staff is friendly and helpful. They also do book trades, but I haven't utilized this service yet. It sure beats the prices of Barnes and Noble, and they seem to be a fun place to hang out at. I wish they had tables to sit at since I could see myself bringing my laptop here to hang out and spend more time at their store. Overall, the place is a okay, and seems to do a lot of business. I will continue to shop here because they have a decent variety. read more

If you bring more than one item to trade in, they will not tell you how much they are offering you for each item. They will only inform you of how much they will give you for the entire lot. Their prices are too high and their offers are too low. Employees and management are rude and dismissive. read more

HORRIBLE! I walked in to sell/trade 68 blu ray movie/series. The woman behind the desk was beyond rude. I remained polite and waited almost an hour for their offer. While I waited I noticed one of the movies, I had brought was there in their store and being sold for $18.00. When I was called to receive my offer, I was told $10.50 for the whole 68 blu ray collection. I politely declined and the woman literally pushed the movies at me on the counter, hitting me in the stomach. I have never been treated or assaulted in a business establishment in my life! I will further go on to talk to upper management/corporate. Please stay away from this place if you have respect for yourself. read more

This place used to be a Borders, I was really sad when they left...anyway, 2nd and Charles has been in this spot for awhile and I get scared sometimes that they might also leave because when I go, it's not very busy. I love this place! They have new books, used books (usually for a good price), comics, DVDs, vinyl records, memorabilia that pertains to movies and TV shows, etc. It's a very cool spot. I find myself walking around and checking everything out, I usually buy a few used books and maybe a few used DVDs. I've gotten The Office TV series from here for a good price, horror DVDs that I won't find anywhere else, and books that are not at my local library like the old Fear Street books that I adored as a teenager. They also sell incense, lol. Which I am also guilty of buying. The staff are usually helpful and friendly. You can also sell them your used books, DVDs, games. I can't speak on this as I've never done it. They usually have a big bin of free books outside their establishment and I must admit, I've rummaged through and found some pretty decent ones. Also, the items that are not used or on sale, are priced a little higher, I wouldn't come here for anything new. Another thing, they don't have good seating. When Borders was at this location, they had a bunch of seats in the front so you could come and sit, maybe breeze through a magazine while drinking coffee, almost like a Starbucks. The chairs at 2nd and Charles are very scarce, I believe there are a few in the back. If you love books in general, I would def check this place out! read more

Great place to shop and find new things. They sell books and accessories related to books, music and movies. Highly recommend this place.

Disclaimer: I like bookstores. Yep, I do, I just can't help it. I love books and the stores that cater to them, but I don't love every bookstore out there. Some are decidedly better than others, be it "big box" corporate giants, indie/niche booksellers, or the random used bookstore here and there. With that said, I can say that I truly like this bookstore. Primarily dealing in gently used books, vinyl records, DVDs, video games and consoles units, as well as some stuffed animals, toys, journals and gift items, 2nd & Charles is actually quite a nice store. It was once a Border's Books & Music (I could immediately tell by the layout the second I set foot in the door), with the "buy back/trade in" area over where the cafe once stood. I have both bought items here and dealt with them in trade/buy back. No, you aren't going to get rich selling back used books, DVD's, vinyl records and the like, but they do give a decent trade-in value for the items they accept. I've brought them bins of books, etc and the first time, they took everything and the second time I did buy back/trade-in with them, they only rejected two items and both only because they felt they had enough copies in stock. I didn't expect to get rich on it, but I was actually surprised by how much they were willing to offer me in regards to both the straight up trade-in rate and the cash value as well. Maybe I just had exactly what they really wanted and my items were more valuable than I thought or I just keep my books, etc in impeccable condition, but I had already checked their value online and was pleasantly surprised at their offer both times. I thought their rate was more than fair and didn't quibble (which I just so happen to love doing) about the offer, which is rare. If you take their offer in store credit, it can be used at both of their locations, which I think is a nice touch, but truthfully, I've only patronized this particular location, but who's to say that I won't shop at their other store at some point? In that event, I would definitely utilize the option of taking my store credit there toward a purchase, so it's a good thing they offer it. As for the selection at this location, it's decent for fiction and is a winner if you're into Young Adult/Junior Fiction, but the stock comes up a bit short in regards to non-fiction and the like. The biography section could use some updating, plus the selections on art history are kinda slim. Beyond that, the poetry selection is pretty paltry, which I found a bit surprising and uncharacteristic of a bookstore, so there is room for improvement. Other than that, the layout is pretty easy to navigate, the fiction titles are fleshed out, particularly mystery/thriller, contemporary fiction and classical literature. On the non-literary side, this location seems to be increasing its vinyl record selection. Every time I shop here, the display looks like it has expanded a bit. I can only assume they are now trying to increase their vinyl presence with the resurgence of vinyl records recently. I can't say I have a problem with that. Who doesn't love vinyl records? I can't knock a heightened emphasis on that. Oh, and they sell quite a wide range of eclectic "pop culture" goodies, too, including TV series, comic and film collectible toy "tie-ins" and more. You know, gear for all those "fanboys" out there. For what is essentially a used bookstore, the prices are pretty standard, about what I expected. Yes, you can probably do better for the price at a garage sale, but the selection likely would be iffy at best. This is a brick and mortar storefront, not a rummage sale and it's not an online store, either. Besides, I've seen far overpriced stuff on Ebay. As for customer service, it is pretty decent at this location. The guys managing the "buy back/trade-in" section were super nice and even helped carry books in from the car for me. That was pretty nice! read more

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FYI: This is more of a 3.5 star review but I'm trying to be nice. I'm surprised this 2nd & Charles store hasn't been reviewed yet. It's fairly large, it's been open for several months now--maybe even for a year--and it's part of a large commercial shopping district that includes the Baldwin Commons and Great Lakes Crossing Outlets. This occupies the former Borders Books and Music location and reminds me of the defunct Media Play stores. Here you can buy, sell or trade books, CDs, DVDs, vinyl, video games and electronics. Features I like: prices are reasonable, the store bought some used music I had been struggling to sell at other stores and the book selection is solid. My biggest criticisms: I bought a used CD here and the liner names were damaged. Staff should have marked it as having damaged liner notes (or maybe they failed to thoroughly inspect the product?). I don't buy CDs that much anymore but when I do it's often because I want the liner notes. So, quality control. Another issue: I found the DVD selection to be very 'meh' but maybe that's because I'm picky and I don't like a lot of mainstream fare. Overall, I think it's a welcome addition to the metro Detroit area and it's nice to have other "big box" options outside of Barnes & Nobles and Best Buy. Tip: Follow 2nd & Charles on Facebook for exclusive coupons and deals. read more

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Here's a little secret: authors (aspiring or published) can be bookstore snobs. Like beer connoisseurs eyeing up a brewery or a bar, we have our preferences. 2nd & Charles is functionally a bookstore, and in this evolving age of print and digital media, a hydra of many heads: comics, console games, DVDs, t-shirts, and memorabilia ranging from plushes to lunchboxes. Think of it more as an entertainment emporium focusing on the hands on rather than the fare you can find on Netflix or Comixology or Amazon. Perish the notion of a moldering shop full of the smell of slow decay, crammed to the rafters by boxes of 80s comics in sleeves or twenty copies of the Silmarillion. Instead, the large space in warm neutral colours features well-organized shelves divided by department, though you'll have to wade through figures of Thor and Captain America, rack of popular Funko Pops, and games to get to the actual books. Nonetheless, I appreciate a bright and clean space where I can browse at leisure. All they need are a few couches to call back to the era of spending an afternoon reading on a rainy day. The book section features a mix of new and used material, with a definite emphasis towards the used side of things for the children's sections. It's easy to read the trends of past seasons by the number of similar volumes on the shelves. Prices are pretty comparable with other bookstores, at the plus of having a chance of spotting a used copy at a discount. That said, 2nd and Charles isn't going to be competing with Amazon on the sales side of things, but you can pick up all manner of oddities along the way. Wander among the mystery or sci-fi stacks to find an author you haven't picked up before. It's not all pop culture of course. Though it sure looks that way. The front of the store hosts a huge selection of vinyl, various t-shirts for all kinds of fandoms (Doctor Who, Sherlock, Sailor Moon, Marvel, DC, you name it), cute socks, and personal goods branded by favourite characters. Beauty and the Beast was heavily promoted there from dolls to wall prints on my last visit. 2nd and Charles has a niche between Urban Outfitters and B&N, so don't think just books have proximity. They also sell a limited selection of toys, puzzles, and DVDs for various popular imprints. I haven't really bothered much with selling anything back, though obviously you can. PRO-TIP: If you see it and you want it, get it. Turnover can be high. read more

I didn't know this store existed before coming with my friend. We where shopping at Great Lakes and stopped here afterwards. Obviously, I wasn't prepared to sell anything on this day. They did have a lot of eclectic items which held my attention. I could browse for hours in here. read more

We've been here numerous times. Each time hoping that it's going to get better. Every time we are let down! The employees are extremely rude. The employees behind the locked counters never ask if you need help finding anything. You have to ask and they seem annoyed that you've bothered them. The prices don't make any sense, you have 5 of the same item each a different price. I understand new and used prices but when asked about why because we didn't know, we were told to "take it up with corporate." I was just asking a question, not complaining.. I wouldn't recommend this place, unless you really don't want to be treated the right way. read more

Stopped in to see what's available. Lots of TV character and gaming stuff. Friendly staff. Didn't buy anything. read more

Out of 500 books they only took 52 books... They wouldn't even hold the door or help me with my books. Got missed information when I called was told one thing and when I got there was told another. What a joke will never come back here again. Wish I could give zero stars. read more

Omg!!! I love this place! There is such a great selection of items, from books to comics to records. The prices are phenomenal and the customer service is very helpful. read more

The back program is a joke. I took several recent and well-known books and movies (a shopping bag full). They kept everything but 4-5 items (rejected included Out of Africa and Malcolm Gladwell's book Blink). I had to make 2 trips because they could not process the bag of items. I rec'd 4.95 for everything. Laughable. It is not worth the trouble, gas, or time. What a joke. I do not recommend selling to them. read more

This store is very unique. It's basically a brick and mortar eBay. The way they work is buying items from people and reselling them in the store. They have everything from books to DVDS/Blue Rays along with odds and ends. It's a very unique place and a hangout for nerds. Need a Commodore 64? They have it. Needs albums? They have 'em. A little bit of everything. I sold back some CDs and WII games. They took what they had a need for and have back the items they didn't. The store credit price will always be higher than the cash price. Surprisingly for what they bought, I thought the prices were fair. They need to make money and I really don't want to lug CDs back home.... Definitely a cool place, I wish there were more around. read more

Wednesdays are buy one get one free on all clearance books! Totally worth it! Great prices on all the new books too. They have all sorts of trinkets and comics and things. A paradise read more

Pretty big store, plenty of cool items here, but the female in the trade in section, Chanel, was rude to my boyfriend. He had an item on hold, and went in around 9:30pm to trade in some games to put towards the purchase he'd be making. Chanel told him in an annoyed tone the trade in section closes an hour prior to the main part of the store. She was NOT apologetic or understanding. She seemed very annoyed. He was unaware of the hours. Obviously frustrated at the waste of time coming up there which is now fueled by the way she spoke, he said as he was walking away, "That's f*cken stupid." Not at her, but at the situation. The very next day, he came back in to trade in his games, and purchase the product he had on hold. As he's walking up to the counter she starts off the conversation with "Are you the one that cussed me out last night? You shouldn't do that." She said that to him right in front of another customer. Flabbergasted, he told her wasn't he wasn't aware of the hours yesterday. She then told him in a condescending tone, "we're not psychics." We obviously didn't do any trade in or purchases after that conversation. Chanel, I get that retail sucks, and that you deal with a crappy people on a day to day basis, but that is not a way to speak to a returning customer. There was absolutely no reason to bring up that conversation whatsoever. He could've just traded in his stuff, bought the item he had on hold, and went on his way. He didn't even cuss you out like you claimed. You simply added fuel to the fire and that's very unprofessional and immature of you because you just lost the store a customer over your poor actions and attitude. He spoke to the store manager, Chris, who was nice, and apologetic about the situation. Still, unfortunately we most likely won't come back for any further purchases and will be shopping elsewhere from here on. read more

I have been to both 2nd & Charles locations in SE Michigan. I love both, but this one is slightly better. Every time I have been in, I have been greeted and helped with enthusiasm. The staff here is going to go the extra mile for you. It is typical for me to find $100 or more to buy on every visit. read more

I love this place! So many great books for really affordable prices. I always go in with one book in mind and end up leaving with at least 5. (Haha!) they have a great selection of music as well as odds and ends that make great gifts. It's the only bookstore near my house, I really hope they stick around! read more

I had a collection of vinyl lp's, dating back to 60's. Since I now wear a hearing aid, all of the nuances of vinyl now escape me; so, I have to be content with digital. I thought I might do pretty well selling my collection at 2nd & Charles. Of the 150 albums, they were only interested in about twenty. Based upon what they had on their shelves "for sale", it appears that I got about 10-15% of what they will sell them for. I had the option of cash or store credit. Cash is about half of the credit option. As for the store, the personnel are very friendly and informative. The store is clean, organized and orderly. Prices are fair to the buyer (that is why I didn't get rich!) read more

Kind of a rip off. I went in to sell 50ish DVDs (about half of which were tv box sets), all in good condition. I waited 45 min to an hour for them to assess the value of my items (they said it would only take 20). In the end, they couldn't take more than half of my DVDs, and for those they did take, I got about an average of 50 cents per item (this included most of the TV box sets). I wasn't expecting much, and I mostly just wanted to unload some old movies/tv shows, but I felt like this was a pretty big waste of time. The staff was nice, and the store is neat if you have time on your hands, but if you're looking to sell, I have to imagine there is a better option elsewhere. read more

Here's an honest review from a collector of all media, toys, etc. Firstly the staff are always extremely helpful and friendly. Of all the times I've been in this store I have always felt welcome. 10 out of 10. Unfortunately this is part of my review were have to be a bit critical. As a collector I've been around. I've been to hundreds of comic book stores, music stores, toy stores etc. I've also purchased numerous things online. 2nd and Charles has for the most part been decent in their pricing. As far as used books there is nowhere better for low prices. Comics and toys? Well their prices were once pretty good but over time they keep getting higher and higher, and here is were lies the problem. The staff unfortunately do not have any real concept of "condition" of collectibles. This store sells a large amount of comics over their price of their condition. Yes a particular comic might be going for lets say 40 bucks online but that might be it's mint pricing. Not for a copy that is dog eared, and has staple stress. The same goes for the action figures as well. The staff really needs to be trained by a toy/comic appraiser that can teach them how to do basic grading. Either that or read some information online and watch how to grade basic collectibles The worst of all the items are the records. I would say 50 percent or more of the used vinyl are what I would call unplayable huge scuffs, scratches, and warping. Not only that but they seal up the used records now so you cannot inspect them first. That's a huge negative for me. I do understand used records are not going to be in perfect shape but to sell a Led Zeppelin record that has huge scratches and scuffs for 20 plus dollars just because it's Led Zeppelin is wrong. It should be 3 dollar record. If it can't play than its useless to most of us collectors. All in all this store is geared for the average consumer and not towards the collector which is a shame for someone like me. read more

It's like a 80's nerds wet dream in here. They have all sorts of great finds from retro video games to records. They have a decent selection of books and pop culture items and knick knacks as well. Some of the prices are a bit high but for the most part there are good deals to be had. The store is bright and clean and the staff is friendly and helpful. read more

I could live here! The staff are very nice and helpful. My only complaint is the organization of the books can be confusing, but the helpful staff will assist you. Excellent selection of books, music and movies. A book lover's dream. I sell my books for credit to buy more books. And they have a free bin. Funny story; I was looking in the free bin one day and there was a book in there called "There's no such thing as a free lunch". Irony, right??? read more

A great place to spend an hour or so looking around at all that they have to offer. They have a wide array of books, movies, music, games, comics, toys and more. I would definitely recommend visiting. read more

I had four boxes of comics that I wanted to resell. I called the store before bringing them in for examination. I disclosed to them that the comics had been in the basement for approximately thirty years and that the boxes had an odor to them, but that there was no water damage to the comics. I said that a fair amount of them were bagged and boarded and are sorted numerically, by title. The man with whom I spoke to on the phone was nice and told me to bring them in right away. So, I loaded up my car and took them to their store. When I arrived, I again told them about the condition of the boxes. They took them in for review and told me that it would take at least twenty four hours to process them. A few hours later they sent me a text that stated to come in to receive my offer. When I arrived, the same employee with whom I had talked to on the phone, the one who reviews and prices their comics, stated that they could not take any of them as they all had an odor to them and asked me where I had stored them. I stated, in my mom's basement, just like I told you. In a condescending tone he remarked, that's the worst place to store things like comics. I said that's ok if you don't want them, I know that the boxes don't smell great, but do you think that the comics in sealed bags are affected? He curtly replied, I told you, we aren't interested in your comic books. I said, that's not what I asked you, I understand that you don't want them, I want to be enlightened to see what I can do to determine if any of them have value. Not to us, he stated. I sighed and said, you aren't listening to me. He said try selling them as a lot on ebay. I never would have come to their store to try and sell them my items had they been honest and said we might not be able to take them, given your description of where they have been stored, but bring them here anyway. Instead, he told me that he couldn't wait to see what I had and encouraged me to arrive as soon as I could. I have other collectibles in excellent condition. I for sure won't take them to 2nd and Charles to resell. read more

this place was a rather poor experience. they did not have any of the tv series that I was looking for, despite my repeated visits, and their claim of having one of everything. they also had a very small selection of video games for the playstation systems. The only thing that was in abundance at this store, was the selection of downtrodden toilet paper on the floor of their ill-maintained bathroom floor. read more

Great store, Great price and Great collection of books, music and comics! Went to checkout the place and was really surprised by the vast variety. Must go place for book lovers! :D read more

Awful place!!! I use to love it and now I hate it!!! I thought GameStop was worse!!! This place is even worse!!! I went in the other day and try sell my Nintendo Wii, Wii games, and my Galaxy Tab 3. All my items are like new!!! I take care my items!!! So anyways when I went there to go try sell it... This guy offered me 50 cents for each Wii game I had!!! I know because he even said he take all my Wii games for a total of 5.00 dollars for all them and I had a total of 10 Wii games!!! Then next he offered me 8.00 dollars for my tablet 3!!! Wtf and then finally he offered me 21 dollars for my Wii!!! I thought it was a big rip off!!! Especially when he told me all of that he had a smurk in his face trying not to laugh and when I got my items back I notice my tab missed a part. Look like he had trouble sticking in his SD Card in it and broke that part. I just notice it when I got home and the way they return your item they just toss in the box you have with no care at all and that place is so slow!!! Even when it gets busy they only still have one register open which makes u wait hours at a time till its your turn!!! I got a better deal at GameStop for my stuff then this place!!! read more