Their book selection here is great, their inventory is organized in a way that makes finding specific selections an easy and simple task. Each genre and subject is listed on large, visible, and readable overhead signs and plaques, and their new releases and seasonal items are always promoted through front of the store displays and specials signs. The children's area here is small, but well stocked, no matter what your child is interested in reading, they will most likely have a few books on the topic(s). I would have given this shop more stars, but their prices are very high in comparison with places like Pegasus books or HPB. I feel that everyone should have the opportunity to expand their mind through books, so for an average book to be priced at around $14.99 in store is kind of ridiculous, and I have found that all of their books can be bought on Amazon for a whole lot less. read more

Books - Magazines - Bookstores Near Me - Alameda, California

I love that we still have a local chain bookstore here. Was worried after the Borders behemoth opened at South Shore. I always find something fascinating or inspiring to read, and love the staff recommendations. Just walking through the store to read those is fun! The window displays are super charming and I like that the magazines are up front so you don't get that odd feeling of hanging out with the pervs in the back of the store, flipping pages. The remainders and sale books are super bargains! One niggle: I do wish the staff at this store would stop congregating in the check-out crib chatting with each other and start talking to actual customers. Have been ignored at the register while they finish regaling each other with stories on several occasions. Or they rush through ringing you up to get back to their buddies. This is why I ding 1 star. read more

I enjoy the atmosphere here like a good bookstore where you can browse and find something for everyone. The staff reviews of books on the shelf are helpful. read more

Books, Inc. had a groupon $10 buys $20 last week so i grabbed one. books, inc. is an indy bookstore with about 10 locations, most in s.f. this one is in alameda ,on park next to tomatina. store is brightly lit with many sections of books set apart in bookcase-like selves. a representative was helpful in pointing me in the right direction to find the books i wanted. random browsing: -13 bankers-the wall street takeover and the next financial meltdown(15.95) -the predator state-how conservatives abandoned the free market and why liberals should too, k. galbraith (15.95) notes -all titles full priced. -buy 8 books, 9th book free (averaging prices) -would rather pay full price here than at borders -parking better in afternoon. -no fifth star cuz books aren't discounted, understanbly why.... -groupon easy to use. coupon value deducted from total purchase price. read more

A really cute bookstore. The type of store where you have to curate what you stock because you aren't located in a strip mall with 40,000 square feet in which to stock books, a cafe and a music section. I wandered around here for a while killing time till the movie, browsing through the staff picks, a collection of Bay Area books and the latest fiction and non fiction. I would have probably walked out with 7 new books, 2 journals and 3 magazines to add to my growing pile of *things to read* had I not exerted self control and remembered my resolution. "No new books until the old ones are read." And aside from books and magazines, also a great place to pick up gifts as they carry a great assortment of moleskin journals and fun books that would get lost at a mega book store. read more

Always helpful and knowledgeable with free book transfer from other locations so I don't have to shop online! Super friendly staff.

Buzzing crowd hunting for unique holiday gifts was treated to enthusiastic elves leading us to great selections... vintage solutions for procrastinating Christmas shoppers read more

Sorry, guys, but Books Inc in Alameda has lost my business. I have always tried to support local bookstores, but I have discovered that Books, Inc Alameda does not support local authors--at least, not me. I am an experienced, published historian and recently brought my new book (a handsomely produced work of local history) and was treated most dismissively. After visiting in person, then being put off several times over the next several weeks, I was finally told that they didn't want to host a book talk (I live within walking distance, so I am VERY local) and didn't want the book in their store at all. A beautiful book, not unreasonably priced, well written (in all modesty) and with a serious local component--and you don't want to have anything to do with it? AND you hope that I'll support my local bookstore? Sorry, but this is why I will buy from Amazon from now on. read more

I love Books, Inc, especially because there aren't many independent bookstores around anymore. I stopped at this one in Alameda. The bookstore is small and doesn't have a huge selection but has a lot of the bestsellers. It reminded me more of the selection in an airport bookstore than a huge one. I think it's fortunate that Alameda still has a bookstore and I hope it stays that way. read more

Very nice book store! It totally has that neighborhood-like feel to it when you walk in. They consistently host catered meet-the-author evenings for book lovers. Nice location and the staff provides pretty good customer service. Parking can be a challenge. I take my son, who's an avid reader, here to pick up new books. We will continue to come back and support this wonderful book store! read more

I love books and this place. The only reason I am Giving it 4 stars is because of a transaction gone wrong . I went to return a book and a card only to notice they had charged me for the card twice . The young girl struggled to figure out how to refund me . I paid cash so I wanted cash back . The lady who had made the mistake was behind the girl and she said nothing to help her . I watched them a while and the girl was getting flustered . At some point she wanted to refund me only for the book and one card and I was like no thank you I want my full refund . She kept messing with the register still flustered and no one offering her help. It seemed an easy decision , but instead of getting my full cash refund I got some cash and some in a gift card . I didn't want a gift card, but the girl was so flustered that I took it . I got played cuz someone made a mistake . Not cool. read more

I love this book store so much!!! It's huge! They have an amazing selection of sale books, magazines, and their featured books are AMAZING. This month they are featuring books by and about African-American/Black authors/important figures! read more

I've been meaning to write about this place and I finally have the time. The boy and I went here last week and I forgot how nice it was. It's just a cute addition to the Park St. stores and their decor is very homey and inviting. I got caught up looking at their X-Mas/Holiday cards (they were really nice, "green" printed, and some were from the printing press!) The boy browsed through current books...I browsed the cards and came away with one boxed card! It's worth a walk-by around but really...I like this place! read more

I love bookstores. This is an exceptional nice clean bookstore. There is a children's section, magazine section and general supply of reading materials. There r plenty of seating areas prior to making a purchase. Come and take the time to relax and entertain your mind. read more

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Just went in with a friend... was about to leave without buying anything but then got to talking with the two young women working there. Friendly, knowledgeable, interesting, helpful and smart - I left with an armload of excellent recommendations!! read more

This place has a great selection, a super friendly staff, and also happens to be nestled right near where I live. There's no shortage of great book stores in the Bay Area, but Books Inc. deserves a shortlist spotlight. I went in knowing exactly what I wanted to get, but the staff seems to be full of recs, so I'll keep an open mind the next time I'm in. read more

Wonderful staff and selection. Heart warming to be able to go into a bookstore and look at a wonderful array of quality books. YES!

This bookstore is a nice little gem in the neighborhood. Though it is small, it offers a wide variety of books, magazines, and journals. The ambience is welcoming and I feel like I could spent hours exploring in there just indulging myself in the different genre of books they offered. Everything is so organized. The staffs are friendly and warm. I like how their are short reviews written by the staffs next to some of the books. I had a great experience here and definitely will come back. read more

Books - Bookstores Near Me - Alameda, California

Omg I am a true hip hop fan and I wanted to see Rakim but I know I couldn't stand in a long line but the folks who worked at the store looked out for me Gene and Hank thank you so much read more

Very normal bookstore, but it's a great location, and great hours. They also have a good selection and my husband and I go to browse all the time. Staff is always friendly and helpful. We'll keep coming back! read more

My fiancé and I walked into the store and a white male in his late 30s started at us awkwardly and then looked away. My fiancé and I are both people of color and I guess our people don't get to be greeted? Or asked if we need help finding my book for some reason? You people need some growing to do as human beings. Till then you've lost my business. #racist read more

Books Inc and the other shops in downtown Alameda are so inviting. It is not a flashy or huge bookstore but you'll be more than likely to come away with a book, magazine, kids' game or book or puzzle or one of those adorable life-sized dogs and lions (including a Tin Tin's Snowy look-alike) that I can never resist petting I found the perfect Spanish/English board book for some kids I know. They gift wrap it for free and tactfully cover the price with stickers. They have a shopping punch card where they write down the amount of your book purchases per shopping trip. After 10 purchases you get the average amount of money you spent subtracted from your 11th purchase. Today was my 11th visit and I got $14 taken off! Yay! Unfortunately they don't have a public bathroom (which is very common in many stores & smaller eateries). Fortunately there is a Peet's, Starbuck's and a couple of fro-yo places nearby with bathrooms. read more

It was aight. The sales clerk was talking to everyone in an english accent, which I didn't quite get, because it would come and go. Neither funny, or cute, just kinda weird. I found some cool, cheap, hardback covers, but other than that, this place was just a smaller overpriced Borders. read more

This is a cool independent book store on Park St which is close to La Pinata, the movie theater and Yogafina. What more could a local ask for in terms of central location. At Books Inc. they handwrite information on the books that clearly defined what the book content is. Kinda like those Cliff Notes you used in high school. If I closed my eyes I would sware I was in a bookstore on Telegraph Ave. on Berkeley, it has that same feeling. I like that they have a great selection of architecture and cooking books, my faves. Besides the great selection of books they have an awesome magazine section (better then Safeway wink!). Since it is Xmas season today's purchase of books and calenders had free wrapping offered...YaY!!! read more

Independent bookstores are a rarity these days. Park St. has a nice one in Books Inc. It is nicely lighted and arranged with a decent, but not extensive selections of books. It does have a nice selection of magazine in front of the store and a children's' section in back. We went to look for a Rick Steves travel book on Turkey, but they didn't carry it. Overall, nice neighborhood bookstore that has more of the popular items but not the harder to find items. read more

I want to support a bookstore in the town I live in, and I have shopped here for years. I went in yesterday with my 13 year old, we ended up getting 3 books even though we came in for one. The problem we had was with the woman working that day. When we couldn't find the book we were looking for, we asked if they had been moved and she she no, rather abruptly. She walked us over to where they were (hidden behind another stack of books) and pulled them out. When we went to check out she looked at my child and said "THIS is for YOU?!" very rudely. She was judging my kid on her book choice for some reason. My daughter blushed and looked at the floor. I replied with "yes, she's very into it" When we left the store, my daughter asked "what's wrong with me liking this book?" Way to kill a love of reading, so-called "book professional" I don't know what was going on in salesperson's head or who crapped in her cornflakes but I am a customer giving you money, keep your opinion to yourself. I guess her job security doesn't outweigh her need to be a jerk. Next time we go to Mrs. Dalloway's in Berkeley. read more

Books here can be a bit expensive although it's always good to support physical book stores! Many of the shelves include staff reviews of books which shows how knowledgeable the people here are. There's even a section filled with staff picks and recommendations, and I must say, a lot of their choices are wonderful! read more

Books, Inc. provides a tad of cultural and artistic significance to Park Street, a street dominated by nail shops, second hand stores, and second rate restaurants. Books, Inc. is unique in that it bravely provides a varying selection of higher quality books on history, politics, photography, art, pop-culture, gardening, and books for children. I use the word "brave" for two reasons. First of all, the floor space of Books, Inc. is rather small, and is about the same size as many personal libraries that dedicated bookworms keep at home. What is "brave" is that Books, Inc. Manages to cover such a broad range of categories in such small floorspace. Also, I use the word "brave" because Books, Inc. refrains from catering to America's lowest common denominator, namely, novels about romance and crime. I am glad that Books, Inc. has a children's alcove. In the recent past, I spent about $2,000 on children's books. Obviously, buying illustrated children's book, including those from Books, Inc., can be an addiction. Regarding my more arcane tastes for books on fine art photography, the only viable resources are specialty book stores in New York City, Amazon.com, and the venerable Moe's book store in Berkeley. And so, it is easy to forgive Books, Inc. for not keeping a well-stocked selection of books on art and photography. To conclude, Books, Inc. provides a continuously changing and varying selection of higher quality books on a variety of subjects. In particular, I like the display at Books, Inc. of the IMAGES OF AMERICA series from Arcadia Publishing. These are the photo/history books with the brown-tinted covers. The only other type of book that I buy, is books on wildflowers and marine life, and I use these books for handwriting a letter in the blank pages at the beginning of the book, and mailing the book to my mother for her birthday and for other occasions. WHALES AND FRIENDS, located on Lincoln Avenue, is also a good resource for colorful books that are suitable as gifts. As a parting word, I noticed that Books, Inc. took over management of the book store in Berkeley's Gourmet Ghetto, located on the block just north of Walnut Square. I am glad of this. The book store at this location has always had an imaginative and exciting selection of books on art, and has also had monthly book-readings by authors, which I attended on a couple of occasions. Thus, it is likely that Books, Inc. will be maintaining the same tradition of marketing higher quality books. read more

Fun little bookstore with almost everything. If they don't have it, they will order it for you because the staff is just that awesome! There's a big kids section in back if you're looking for something to broaden the little one's minds. Book's Inc is a chain but it doesn't feel that way, it feels like part of the community. One can often find authors here doing reading/signings! They offer frequent book buyers discounts! read more

I visited Books Inc. to get Tina Fey's book Bossypants. When I brought it to the counter the lady remarked that they had signed copies and she wondered if they had any more. She looked at every copy in the store but alas, they were all gone. Deflated, I went home and began to read it later that night. Wouldn't you know it? It WAS signed! On the inside, not the cover. The fact that she searched was very nice of her and then the fact that I actually got a signed one was totally awesome. When I would leave Borders pissed off I would always come here and become much happier. read more

"Books Incorporated! B - O - O - K - S INCORPORATED!" For those of you in your late 20s and 30s or older, you will probably get the reference if you can sing along in your head. This was a fun little bookstore that my friend Jen S. and I stumbled upon this past Saturday. I found a wonderful book, filled with, as the book quotes on it's cover, "Over 100 Studs, Stallions, and Dreamboats from the 70s and 80s". Oh Yea, and it's called "God's Gift" with a picture of Tom Selleck on the cover. Dayam, he is one hairy man with his shirt half unbuttoned and gold chain hanging down his chest, waiting to get tangled in his chest fur. To all you men out there, please, I repeat, please, never get a mustache like his. NOT CUTE! Of course, there were likely studs, as well as unlikely candidates mingling within those pages. Can't have a book with studs from that era without a big ol'e cheesy pic of the HOFF (David Hasselhoff), Tom Cruise, Van Damme, and Erik Estrada. The less likely, were quite funny, with Barry White (the KING of love making music, but really? not a heart throb in my opinion), Mr.T, Telly Savalas, and our own Cali Terminating Governor, Arnold during his body building days. Needless to say, you should check out the book. Guaranteed to bring a smile to your face, even if you don't know who they are. As for the bookstore, I think I bought their last copy. Smart of them to put it on their funny book display. Plus, the staff were friendly as hell and funny. Ahh...Books Inc., thanks for the stroll back to the days when my life was much more simple. I owe you one. read more

I have always loved this bookstore and their selections of books and gifts and could spend hours in here. What really stands out is that they support local authors and artists, which you don't always see at larger stores like Barnes & Noble of Amazon Books. You also tend to see the same titles being promoted at these stores. This is not entirely the case at Books Inc. so it was refreshing to see a combination of those bestsellers and staff picks that aren't on that list. The staff here greet you when you walk in and then ask you if you need help, which I appreciated. A part of me does wish that they had a rewards program or some kind of discount, but at the same time, I understand the importance of shopping local. If you want to shop for unique, artsy gifts, this is also your place! read more

I went here for the first time last night and this place is now easily my favorite book store. The incredible, knowledgeable, friendly staff is the key to this great book store. I was able to tell the staff what kind of fiction I was in the mood for and they were instantly able to give me recommendations. What was super impressive was you could tell they were passionate about literature. When asked, they would give you their personal review and a quick 10 second elevator pitch on why you might like the book. I am glad to have stumbled upon this place and will come here for my book needs from now on. read more

I have been a customer for years. Books Inc is the only Book Store that I go to in Alameda. I enjoy their selection of Magazines, Books, and Cards. Everything is organized and easy to find. read more

Cute bookstore. Wide variety of classic children's books, moleskin, journals, and magazines. staff seems friendly. Vibe: quiet and chill It's located in a nice district read more

Great little bookstore located in the heart of the park street shopping and restaurant district.Our go to spot for our childrens books ....there's also a few nice spots to sit and read while I wait. Not a bad spot to wait if you have reservations at Burma Superstar across the street ...if you ask they'll call your cell when your table is ready ....otherwise your standing outside for some time. read more

Books Inc. is a great addition to Park Street. Bright lights, open late night, a bench to read magazines, all the best sellers, gift ideas, and McSweeney's. What more could you want in a bookstore? Oh yea, it's an indie chain. Seriously, Books Inc. has it all. The sections may not be very big but they have a decent selection of every genre to offer. They even have a punch card so that every time you purchase a book, you are on your way to a free book. I co-hosted a fundraising event with Books Inc. for a local school. The event was flawless and successful. Books Inc's dedication to the community is top notch and we couldn't have picked a better sponsor. Thank you Books Inc. for moving in to the neighborhood. read more

Surprisingly good book store. A wide selection of books and magazine, with lots of yummy coffee-table books, including Taschen's divine new reprint of the world's first atlas from the 17th century, going for a cool $200. There were also a TON of employee-recommendation cards, which I think are the mark of a good bookstore, although they didn't always have the recommendation in stock. Couldn't afford the atlas, so I got a few post-cards instead. read more

Books Inc. was awesome. I came in with my dog Bentley and to check out some books and there are a lot of selection. They are friendly with Bentley and gave him some dog treats!!! They also took his picture, the lady told me she's going to post it on Pinterest which I think is pretty cool. I like this place. :) I'm glad this bookstore allowed dogs because I would hate to leave my dog outside while I am going through all these selections in there. Anyway, 5 stars for awesomeness. read more

Books - Bentley at Books Inc. - Bookstores Near Me - Alameda, California

This was an impressive book store based on all the books. They had all types of books and great selection for a smaller and non-giant-book-store-chain. My favorite find of the day was a cook book with recipes with items you can only find at Trader Joe's! That's so cool! They've also got a great selection of greetings cards and these aren't your regular type of cards! The only down side came when I tried to make a purchase and no one was at the register, I looked around and waited and finally got fed up with waiting... I can't wait all day I have places to go, things to do, people to see and I had to be on my way without making any purchases... booooo read more