This book store was super cute!!! The owner has his pretty doggie in there and she is the sweetest little thing! The owner is super nice and was sweet to have a little chat with. I got 3 books for 21 dollars so it was definitely worth while! There's also places for 1 dollar books and 3 dollar books up in the front. If I'm ever in the area again I will make it a stop in my trip! read more

Bluestem Books - Bookstores Near Me - Lincoln, Nebraska

See all

Bluestem Books in the Haymarket district of Lincoln is a great store! The owner is very helpful and there is a good selection of low priced books. read more

My daughter & I visited this MOST CHARMING bookstore last Friday. The owners were exceedingly kind & helpful while the store itself was clean & organized. We will CERTAINLY be returning as soon as time affords! read more

I wandered in. There were: books by popular authors, a range of genres and unique categories; affordable prices; a kind owner; and a sweet little dog sleeping quietly. read more

a gem of a store. starting by the employees. do not mind a pop up great book. information is sweet. thanks for being a part of not holding back. -spotify name own.freestyles read more

Found this hole in the wall hidden gem bookstore while on my trip to Lincoln, NE. I love used bookstores like this, it's very organized and the best part is finding little hidden gem books. Great and fair prices, the owners are soooo sweet! Love the energy of this whole place! I'll definitely be back when I come back to town! Highly recommend! read more

Bluestem Books - Great book finds I found here! - Bookstores Near Me - Lincoln, Nebraska

This place is enormous it just looks tiny from the front. Scott's, the owner knows his books, buys well and has such a unique selection. There are old and new rare and not so rare and unusual books that will take you on a journey that a movie or Instagram or Facebook could never match. Reading is a lost art of critical thinkers I encourage you to come here and begin the journey. You won't be disappointed. read more

A bookstore with real character plus a great selection of books. Say hi to the friendly Marybelle.

Awesome staff, awesome selection. If they don't have what you need, they will find it for you. This is locally owned Lincoln gem!

Love this store. Perfect atmosphere. Good prices and a must go to location for used books.

An amazing selection, killer prices, and knowledgable staff. It is a wonderful place to browse and get lost in their beautiful store. I've called in a couple of times and they have had multiple copies of the book waiting for me right away. read more

A pretty neat little bookstore. I was only here a few minutes, stopping by during a long walk, but it definitely has some charm. There's a pretty decent selection, for the size of the place, and the prices seem very reasonable. I bought an older print of "Breakfast of Champions" by Vonnegut for 5 bucks, when a newer (but not any more readable) print runs 15 at other places. Most of the stacks up by the front deal with nature and that sort of thing, then as you move towards the back there's the philosophy section, a side room with children's books, and then finally the literature section. Almost all of their books are old, but in good shape. They also have a few carts full of newer collections of books. The three people who run it (at least I'm assuming they ran it) seem pretty friendly. I even had the pleasure of eavesdropping on some hilarious story about a one-eyed animal or something. I've spent innumerable hours of my life at Barnes & Noble, but it's interesting little bookshops like Bluestem that will always be near and dear to my heart. They just have a character you don't usually get at the bigger, chain stores. read more

Every city or town I visit, the first thing I do is look for the local bookstores, preferably a used bookstore. Bluestem is one of the best used bookstores I have ever visited, and that's including Powell's in Portland and Elliot Bay Book Co. in Seattle. What I loved about Bluestem was that it was well organized, far cleaner than most used bookstores, and there were so many books in the stacks that I hadn't run across before. If you're a history buff, you could spend hours in this store. One more thing. If you're sensitive to smells, you'll enjoy Bluestem Books because it has none of that musty smell usually found in used bookstores. Now, I don't mind that old book smell myself, but I know some do and it might be worth knowing that you won't find any old moldy books here. Also, don't be put off by the fact they also sell first-editions and such. There are plenty of bargains to be found in these stacks. If I ever make it back to Lincoln, I'll definitely stop in here again. read more

On store fronts peppering this city you'll see posters encouraging folks to pick 3 small businesses to spend $50 with each month, as a way to bolster the local economy during these precarious times. This is on my Top 3 list. Eminently browsable stacks offer a broad selection of engaging books; eminently pettable Diego, el doggo de Bluestem, greets you happily each time. From the exterior, the store looks small - and it is - but its narrow rooms go deep into the back of the building, and its bookshelves are floor to ceiling. We dropped by for a look, stayed for an hour, and busted our book budget, which is a lot to say for a space that can't be much over 600 square feet. read more

Bluestem recently moved to a new location at 137 South 9th, so if you approach the old address and are disturbed (we were) never fear! They are still in business a short walk away. I stop in here every time I'm in Lincoln for a nice browsing session. I liked the atmosphere of their old location better, but the 9th St. store has more space and is nicely organized. Drop in and sell your old books and find something new to take home--their prices are excellent. read more

They don't come much better. A strong section on Americana, Nebraska, the Prairie States, and American Indians. Books on foreign languages - old, foreign-published, small runs - that are sometimes difficult, sometimes impossible to find elsewhere (such as on amazon). Good selection of history books. Excellent selection of Loeb Classical Library books (Greek and Latin) from Harvard. Good holding of familiar classical literature (mostly English). Fewer books on religion and science, though the selection of spiritualist books is interesting. Some rare volumes. The books here are neither cheap nor common. If a familiar title, the book is (usually) uncommon in binding, cover-boards, size, part of a series or collection, or other production quality. Store is neat, clean, very well organized. The owner and his family are fantastic. He has specially sought specific books for me, and provided them at perfectly affordable, yet commercially reasonable costs. If I could visit only one bookstore in the entire world, this would be it. (I visit Lincoln usually twice a year, and pick up half a dozen to a dozen books each time.) Alack, that future generations may see no more bookstores like this than were seen in "Fahrenheit 451", though for reasons less statist! read more

Friendly and knowledgeable staff. A quaint, inviting space filled with high quality used books at prices better than you can get online. I'm a fan of Nebraska history and this place is my oasis, filled with rare and hard-to-find editions of the books I'm thirsty for. Today I called to see if they had a title I wanted, and within 5 seconds the book was in the hands of the person on the other end of the line who described its condition, gave me a price, and offered to put it on hold for me until I could pick it up. Best. Service. Ever. read more

What a great little bookstore! Excellent quality selection and very reasonable prices given quality of the books. Staff is very nice & someone clearly has a passion for offering great books to the public at fair prices. If you love books, as I do, you'll appreciate this little gem of an independent bookstore! read more

This is a wonderful place for any of my fellow used bookstore lovers like myself. This is a nice, friendly, local used bookstore that is filled with a variety of different selections of books for everyone. I always find plenty of "hidden gem" books here that I am always tempted to buy or end up buying. The staff has always been helpful and friendly. I would certainly advise anyone in downtown lincoln to stop by. read more

If you love books and live anywhere near Lincoln, you simply must put Bluestem on your to-visit list. Probably the best independent bookstore in the area, and despite its size, it approaches some of the celebrated shops I've often frequented in, say, Chicago (O'gara & Wilson, Powell's) and NYC (Rizzoli). I found some real gems at Bluestem (even during my first visit) and even had to leave a number of desired titles behind---and that after browsing only the mathematics, science, and philosophy sections. (In other words, Bluestem is likely even better than I think it is.) Within an intimate space operates a friendly and knowledgeable staff with a judicious eye for off-the-beaten-path acquisitions, solidifying Bluestem as a home-run location with a wonderfully eclectic selection. What a valuable independent bookstore should be. read more

Friendly little bookstore near the Haymarket with a great selection of used books. One of my favorite places to browse.

Upon walking into Bluestem Books for the first time, I was greeted by the familiar smell of aged pages and leather covers. The stacks of books adorning the walls, counters, and every space in between were artfully (but not inaccessibly) laid out by genre, then by author, and the cutest, softest, smiliest dog greeted me. Nostalgia took over, as this sweet pup was the spitting image of my childhood dog, and I had a mini wig-out, took his photo and gushed about him to the owners of the shop. After that, I meandered around the various rooms of books, finding my happy place in poetry and nature writing, while my mom got lost in the travel section. Another patron in the store picked up an Ogden Nash book and mentioned to her husband that she can usually never find Ogden Nash in bookstores. Of course, I quoted one of his best poems in her direction, unsolicited: "God in his wisdom made the fly, and then forgot to tell us why." It was a glorious moment of obscure-poet fan meets obscure-poet fan, and damn if it wasn't just lovely. And the DOG. I adore this place. read more

Great little bookstore tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the street. Good selection, fair pricing, and a friendly store-owner who talked with me for a bit. read more

very nice people. great selection. We drive in from TX twice a year and always hit it at least once per trip.

Went in the other night and got some love from Diego. He ran right up to us, made my night. They have a great selection of books, too. Love going there. It's a real treat. I usually stock up for a few months a time. read more

I love this store. I go there because I know that they carry more than just the first book an author did or their most famous writing. They always have something special for me to just grab and go. The cost is so cheap for the many treasures you are able to find. The owners are great people and very easy to talk to. I mentioned an author to Scott and within a month he had a ton on the shelf. My kids love their little area as well. I go there all the time and spend way too much time there. The owners know my two boys and I very well. read more

All-time favorite bookstore! The only thing better than the book selection is the amazing family who owns it!