This was surprisingly the highlight of my Boston Commons trip. I could stay here for hours and their collection is pretty extensive. They have a $5 sale on some of Thur books but most are $10-12. Definitely worth the visit! 5/5 for its interiors and my Muhammad Ali hardcover read more

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This book store is super cool. It has both an indoor and outdoor section. The third floor on the inside features rare books. Here, I found a Puss in Boots popup book from 1977 and it made my day. read more

Brattle Book Shop - Puss in Boots Pop-up Book 1977 - Bookstores Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Fun bookstore to explore for interesting old and rare books you won't find in a traditional barn and noble type of store. Great for finding coffee table books or stocking up books in a bundle ss they keep their prices pretty low. It's a unique store that everyone should check out at least once! read more

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I wanted to like this place more but I found it to be a bit claustrophobic with high shelves and narrow aisles. It is organized but it was impossible for me to find what I wanted, which was a female biography or autobiography as a gift for a friend. They don't have a specific biography section, the young lady working the register said, "It depends on what they did." So I wandered through politics and art and film, not finding anything. I ended up leaving without a purchase. read more

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Adorable used bookstore in downtown Boston. They don't have many new books, but they have a wide variety of older books for a very good value. Definitely worth stopping here if you're in the area. read more

I love book stores and the history behind it. I definitely had this on my bucket list. I loved everything about it. I went through all three floors and enjoyed looking at all of the books inside as well as the books located outside that are priced $1-$5. This is a must see!! read more

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The bookshop does not actually sell magazines. The salesperson I asked about this was rude and dismissive towards me, telling me that this was a bookshop and not a newsstand. read more

A solid spot for browsing a variety of classic books at affordable prices. The outside book carts make it easy to explore before stepping in. Not a place for modern reads, though. read more

Brattle Book Shop is one of the coolest bookstores in the USA. It's just off the Boston Common on a historic side street. The bookstore itself sells used books on two levels. There's all types of books and you can easily get lost in the mix of it all. The store itself is no-frills and a book lover's dream, but the real magic is in the parking lot next to the shop. With brick buildings on all sides, books are on display on carts and in shelves built into the walls outside. It's so picturesque! If you love bookstores, this is one NOT to miss while in Boston. read more

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Very reasonably priced. Good selections and lots of old books. I loved the vibes on the outside book selection.

Really cute outdoor and indoor bookstore. I have never seen a bookstore outside so it's a great concept. read more

Brattle Book Shop - Bookstores Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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While visiting Boston, I wanted to stop by some cool bookstores and saw this one on Yelp. The pic of the outdoor section looked familiar but couldn't place which movie it was from (The Holdovers). We got there at around 4:55 pm--the store closes at 5, but they were already pushing the library carts into the store and closing up the outdoor bookshelves. Then, once inside the store, you couldn't browse half of the bookshelves because the aisles were being blocked by the outdoor library carts they brought in. Why not just close at 5 and then bring the outdoor stuff in, instead of impeding people's ability to fully shop at the store? Very disappointed. read more

I absolutely love this book store. It has such a cozy cool feel, absolutely packed with books on all sorts of cool topics. It's not a place to find many copies of the latest popular book, but it's perfect for spending some time exploring cool, rare and/or used books in a broad area of interest. It is particularly great for finding books about local things. The rare books section on the top floor is the highlight for me, but there's also something great about the regular outdoor section selling books for below $5 ! Any book lover should definitely check it out!! read more

While I do love a good outdoor bookstore, this one was just ok. Just felt way too crowded, but maybe that comes with the territory of being in a compact space. For any of you bibliophiles who also do a fair amount of traveling, you should check out Bart's Books in Ojai (California). It's a larger open-air space with an even wider collection of books to spend hours in. read more

Everything about this place is 5+ stars: the amazing outdoor shelves in a book-painted lot, the reasonable prices, the beautiful old hardbacks, the sign, the little magnet you get with your books. We first stopped by on Sunday (then realized they weren't open) and got a chance to see the bookshelves and bookcover "art" that usually can't be seen when the bookshelves are outside. Came back the next day and spent a half hour gawking over - and ultimately purchasing - two books. read more

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I honestly only came here for a photo opportunity while exploring Boston. It felt so "Harry Potter", like an alley street way with a little box store. Little did I know that there was actually a box store building and an outside area with books. I didn't purchase a book (which I should have) but they prices were very cheap and so many genres. However. Awesome spot for a really cool photo, if it isn't busy. read more

Brattle Book Shop - Bookstores Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I absolutely ADORE this place. I've been meaning to stop by for ages but finally stumbled upon it as I was exploring downtown crossing area with a friend. They have all sorts of books that you are bound to find a hidden gem you will take home with you to enjoy in your reading nook. Even if you aren't into reading or interested in buying books, it's worth just looking around (both inside and outside of the shop) and taking in the history of the location. I was able to find some really good vintage postcards (all for $1 each), which I am so excited to send to my friends and family. I hope to come back to browse through more of their books. read more

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So many used books and even series in very good conditions. Unlike some of the reviews here, I find the outdoor book shelves are sorted by genres. I didn't have to waste time digging each shelf for some random gem. There are even more inside the store, which is right next to the outdoor garage. They have some seriously good collections. I can spend more than an hour just looking at books and still feel silence very charming. read more

Brattle Book Shop - Always has outdoor sales! The bookstore itself is on the left. There are more books categorized inside. - Bookstores Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

This place is very cool. They have an outdoor area with books and inside is packed wall to wall. I would say if you aren't really into reading probably not the place for you though. It's definitely not a Barnes and noble, you won't find New York best sellers or Reese Witherspoon's book club recommendations but it is a very cool spot to check out. And some of their books are as cheap as $3! read more

Quaint book store that is brimming with personality. I spent a couple of hours here just scavenging around and exploring the various books that they have! It's a cute little place that I will definitely be coming back to. It's not the kind of place however, that you go to with something specific in mind, but if you love discovering new old books, then this is the perfect place. read more

I'm a sucker for book stores and libraries. I made it a priority to hit up Brattle Book Shop while I was in Boston. It's easy to find and looks tiny from the outside but inside there is much more room since they have more than one floor. There are also cheap books outside. You can trade in old books here which is pretty cool. They have some unique and rare books if you are looking for something like that. I spent a while browsing and found like a million things that I wanted to buy. I didn't really have space in my suitcase to bring back books but did I still buy four of them? Yes, yes I sure did! read more

Definitely one of the coolest places I've been. The outdoor book selection was super unique, and they've got practically every genre you could think of in the interior. Super sick selection. Wish we had it in my hometown :) read more

Brattle Book Shop - Outdoor bookstore! - Bookstores Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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This is a book lovers dream. Brattle has an outdoor book market with racks of books for $3 - $5 and a some cool art work. This is a fun thing to do and definitely offers a unique experience. Once you go inside the book shop you will find it divided into 3 floors. This is kind of the tj max of book stores. Every rack is broadly labeled and there is some attempt to organize by last name but for the most part it is organized chaos. This means there are hidden treasures all throughout. The top floor is a special room of rare books and there was an incredible selection up there. Overall this is a nice way to spend a couple hours and you may even find a few gems to take home. read more

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An inspirational bookstore! This place is jam-packed with books. It goes on for three stories, and an outdoor book selling area! Be sure to check out their well-sorted, well-lit shelves for anything from an out-of-date reference book to the most recent novels on the NYT best sellers list. This place has it all. My favorite thing about this store is the third story, where the antique and rare books are kept. They have old books on phrenology and maps of Colonial Boston. Cool! The prices are all on the first blank page of the book, so you have to thunb through the book and get to know it before you learn the price. The staff was helpful and courteous, even though I was just looking around. I especially enjoyed the outdoors area, where every single book as $3. What a deal! I will certainly return to this book store next time I need a hard-to-find tome. read more

Stay away! (1) Beware when you try to sell books to this store, they will really lowball you. I took my books elsewhere and got almost double what they offered me. (2) The employees here are extremely rude. They act like you're interrupting their day and they're doing you a favor to wait on you. read more

As an English teacher and total book nerd, I was very excited to visit this historical bookstore. The wonderful, musty smell of old books permeates the building and the hunt for the perfect read begins! Unfortunately, you'll need to allow hours for the hunt because there is a lot of stock (spanning 3 floors and an outdoor area), but more importantly, the books are not organized! They are haphazardly shelved by topic, sometimes correctly, and even the smaller sections (like the kids area) makes no effort to differentiate between age levels or content, or use any alphabetization. As a result, it's a cool spot to kill some time and explore, but if you're actually looking for something specific, it can be incredibly frustrating. Book prices span the reasonable (couple bucks) to the outrageous (old or historically important, you be the judge). I was torn between loving this place and being physically pained by the utter lack of organization. Also, if you are claustrophobic, stick to online shopping- shelves are packed and aisles are very narrow. read more

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We had a wonderful time wandering the shelves of this classic bookstore. The alleyway outside is clever and full of fun finds while the inside proffers rare or antiquarian books. It was great exploring this historic site and I'm chuffed with my book of pipe smoking poetry!! read more

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Instagram worthy book shop, for sure! I love the idea of this whole place. So different. I came for the pictures (don't judge me) and got what I came for! read more

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It's a decent book store, but the collection of academic press books is relatively thin compared to other used book stores. Very few books in Analytic Philosophy read more

Just witnessed one of the company cars parallel park into a spot in front of the Boston public library and it hit the car behind it a total of four times. Short man with white hair then got out of the car and walked away. Didn't even check to see if he caused any damage. Disgraceful. Never doing business with this book shop. read more

Brattle Book Shop - Company car - Bookstores Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

As much as I enjoy shopping at Brattle Book Shop, I do need to say that if you are selling books, their offers are stunningly low. If you are selling books, I recommend trying other places, including the other local book stores in Boston and Cambridge, and even Amazon. (It's easy to set up a seller's account.) Here are two very recent examples: I took in a perfect copy of a signed first edition by a famous author and they offered me five dollars. The young man who looked at it said, "We see these all the time." He always tells you how your book has condition issues even if it is new and unread. I listed it on Amazon and within 24 hours I sold it for $250. Second time: More or less the same. I was told that a set of rare books was worth "nothing" and that I should donate them to a library sale. Then he said, with great reluctance, that he could give me $25 for the set. Fortunately I had done my research. No thanks. I listed them on Craigslist and had a happy buyer within 24 hours. He paid me $550. I'm not sure why this happens, but it really pays to do your research before you sell there. I know it is a business, but that is just seriously bad form, in my opinion. Better for the buyer than for the seller in here. And I do buy here all the time. read more

I actually like this store, but am giving it only one star, because of the following. I've shopped at Brattle Books a number of times. Some of the staff people are as nice as can be, they actually act human, not like robots, but my God, some of them are sullen, surly or even rude. I just called (at 9am on 2/9/23) to ask if their outdoor area was open. I did so because it was overcast outside and I would be traveling from a distance. The woman who answered the phone sounded annoyed, telling me, "It's open unless there's precipitation." Maybe they get this question a lot, who knows, but the needed information wasn't on their website at any rate, and this area HAS been closed at times because of a "chance" of rain, even when it didn't rain. As I started to say, "thanks for your help", she abruptly hung up on me. Some who work at this shop - like this individual - come across as being highly educated people who couldn't find work in their chosen field and who ended up at Brattle books, disgruntled as hell.) One time I bought a stack of books, paid for them, and browsed in the immediate area while the clerk bagged them. I thanked her, left, and discovered later that I only had half of my books. She had filled two bags, put one on the counter and the other on the floor behind the counter, neglecting to say anything when I left with the one bag. When I came back hours later to get the other half of my purchase I saw owner Ken Gloss standing there. The clerk in question was elsewhere. I quietly explained to him what had happened, and his response was, "Um..okay". After a few more awkward seconds he added. "Sorry". Don't even bother trying to engage some of the clerks in a friendly way as they ring up your purchases, unless they engage you first. You can say, "Good morning!", "I really love this store" or "So happy to have found this book.", and you'll often get no response, not even a nod or a smile. No, I don't expect them to be my "friends". Yes, I expect some degree of friendliness and civility during a business transaction, a transaction that keeps them EMPLOYED. If robots ever replace humans in book stores, it will be because human "robots" like these folks helped pave the way. I don't know if the work environment at Brattle Books (a great book store, otherwise) is toxic or if a lot of customers are jerks, causing staffers to become withdrawn, sullen, surly or outright rude, but this is no way to warm yourself to people who would like to be repeat customers. Not at all hard to exchange a few polite words or to not hang up the phone abruptly. read more

Too freakin cute. An open air bookstore wedged between brick buildings in downtown Boston. You'll find everything from used gardening books to classics and everywhere in between. There's also a small indoor section but the books under the sun steal the show. There's something so peaceful and "right" about an outdoor bookstore/library. You'll probably end up spending just as much time taking pictures as flipping thr read more

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If you're a person who loves old book smell, used books in general and a bargain, well, your heart may just overflow in happiness at the sight of the offerings here. Inside and outside, Brattle has many, many books for you to peruse. You'll find books you didn't know you needed...and then some. It's not organized very well so if you are looking for something very specific, you may need to ask for help. But isn't the fun of a used bookstore just spending hours perusing until you find that hidden gem? read more

Brattle Book Shop - Bookstores Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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As a book lover, this is the best book shop--cover-closed. With an amazing selection and outstanding service, Brattle Book Shop is a bestseller. Tucked down a small street, Brattle Book Shop holds two parts for you to explore: the outside section and the inside three-story shop. I literally stopped walking when I saw the outside section and in between each level of the inside shop, fascinated that so many books could be held inside this beautiful, well-organized shop. Brattle has every genre you can think of, from mystery to nonfiction, from photography to rare books. It has a little of everything, so you will definitely find something excellent to read. Everything is very reasonably priced, too, considering the uniqueness and rarity of these books. (Support a local bookstore, too!! This kind of place is a true classic and going away with modernization. Buy a few books and help to keep the doors open.) Keep in mind this is not your typical book store with the latest reads. Here at Brattle you will see the hard-to-find and lesser known, yet utterly classic books. What you find here you will not find anywhere else!! The service at Brattle is simply fantastic. Each staff member I spoke with was extremely kind and welcoming, as well as very helpful. They showed as much joy as I did when I made my way to the cash register with my stack of books. They are very knowledgable, too, and offer their expertise when searching for a specific subject or book. Add a mug and a tote bag to my massive stack of books (a book for a friend and many reads for me), and I officially represent my favorite book shop wherever I go. I could literally spend hours in this shop. It is so difficult for me to leave, but I know I will be back soon to stroll the aisles. read more

Book worms and book enthusiasts beware! This is book heaven for those of you out there who love a good read. Take a smell of each book and find that one nestled in the shelves of the book that will change who you are for the better. I was lucky enough to stumble across this treasure trove during my trip to Boston. This hidden gem is the reason bookstores were invented. As one of the older bookstores, it has a vast array of books to enjoy. I was lucky enough to find a group of books from my childhood that I thought I would never find. These books were the ones my grandmother taught me to read with and the whole collection was found at this store! Reasonably priced, I was over the moon to find them in pristine condition! The staff was super friendly and helpful in aiding me in where to go to find the subject matters I was also looking for. They boast a large collection of first editions for collectors and have such a large collection of all various types of books, you are bound to find something that sparks your interest. And, for those with a budget, their outdoor carts have clearance priced books as well! Stop in, fill a book tote with as many books as you can! It will be worth the trip. read more

Brattle Book Shop - Outdoor book selection - Bookstores Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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I love used books for one reason and one reason only - they're cheaper than new books. I find nothing particularly romantic in yellowed pages and spines bent to submission at a prior reader's hands. I like my books pristine, and if they're going to suffer scuffed covers and beverage stains, I prefer these marks to come from my idiocy and my idiocy alone. Which is why I was underwhelmed by the selection of used books at Brattle Book Shop. There are plenty of desirable titles, but there seems to be little in the way of screening for wear and tear. That said, I did walk away with well-kept titles from Julian Barnes and Cormac McCarthy for reasonably good prices. If this were only another used book store, I'd give it a lower rating, but Brattle rustles with a sense of history and a dignified importance that you don't find every day. The prominence of this place in the book world is evident from the impressive rare book collection on the third floor. The place is rather museum-like and definitely worth checking out. Posters boasting great pieces adorn the walls, along with their going prices. Most of these pieces are already sold to collectors, like a covetable first-edition copy of Lolita. Another noteworthy item was an autographed photograph of Abraham Lincoln that went for $75,000. Seriously, $75K? But also seriously, LINCOLN? So if you're just looking to buy a used book, try the Harvard Book Store. If you want a hunk of history and have some time to browse rare books, do yourself a favor and check out Brattle. read more

Probably one of my favorite bookstores in Boston. I love general used book stores to begin with... old books shouldn't just be thrown away. They are real treasures! (plus, reading is sexy all around) So, check out Brattle Book Shop when you get a chance... you'll find yourself getting lost among the aisles and rows of books... both indoors and outdoors! read more

Brattle Book Shop - Outdoors book shop - Bookstores Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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What a pleasant surprise it was to discover this book shop. It's got a reasonably well organized assortment of quite a variety of used books. The bargain "bin" outside is worth a visit too, but I wonder how quickly they can react to inclement weather? While the selection is varied, I wouldn't necessarily come in here with a shopping list. You might find books by various authors, but not necessarily specific titles. I did feel some of the fiction was a little pricey for some not-quite-classic literature. Still, it's a fantastic place to spend some time. read more

Honestly, I've never been into a book store like Brattle Book Shop and I think it has created a monster. Since returning home to Southern California, I've been on a mission to find any and all bookstores in the area (I've also purchased a decent amount of books to add to my pile of books I need to read since the trip). The best part about Brattle Book Shop (aside from the number of books) was the average price per book. Having such cheap books available made me want to purchase every book that caught my eye (and trust me when I say there were SOO many books I wanted to immediately sit and read). The alley next to the store with the super discounted books were organized randomly and it'll definitely take some time to get through. Once inside, each aisle will have different subjects and themes and will be organized alphabetically by author, but there are so many treasures within all of the rows of books. So if you're serious about finding some good books, definitely allocate a decent chunk of time in your day. I easily could have spent a good hour in one row of books. Overall, this experience has made me realize how much I want to read so much more. It has definitely rekindled a fire I used to have burning for all kinds of books (the fire has definitely died down over the years of being engrossed in technology and work and school). I'm so happy that I took the time to visit this store and I highly recommend it to everyone in the area. read more

Brattle Book Shop - The alley next to the store had such a great selection of $5 and $3 books - Bookstores Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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