Helpful staff will point you to the section you want, but don't necessarily expect the particular book you seek. It's not a new book store; it's a used book store, so they're limited to what comes in. That said, they have a terrific, wide selection. read more

This place is great. It puts most other used bookstores to shame!! October has 1/2 off fiction and you can often find hardcover bestsellers for dollars compared to $30 at Barnes and noble's. read more

This is a very nice bookstore. It's up in Huron Village and has a great selection of both fiction and nonfiction. Because it's a little out of the way, you can get great books here that would probably be snatched up in a minute in, say, Raven or the basement of the Harvard Book Store. They have a big selection of both academic and general interest nonfiction; lots of used "coffee table books" too. The staff are very nice and they have periodic sales where the books are massively discounted. Just remember it's cash only and the ATM service in Huron Village is somewhat limited (no national chain banks nearby, although there is a Cambridge Trust). read more

Absolutely superb. My father came up this past weekend, and we did a used book store tour of Cambridge/Somerville. Even though we hit up all the popular stores (McIntyre's, Raven, Harvard)-- it was the Bryn Mawr Book Store (and Lorem Ipsum) that completely made my life. Small, exquisitely cramped, with an owner who is just so friendly and talkative-- this was my favorite stop of the day. Selection (fiction) was pretty decent and prices weren't all that bad! I ended up buying a copy of Shirley Jackson's "We Have Always Lived in the Castle," and Kafka's "The Trial." $5 total. Ok, so they were not the $1 paperbacks I was HOPING to score. But whatevs. I could spend hours in the place. Definitely worth the trip out to Huron Village. read more

I came in today looking for a specific title. The owner of the shop literally spent 15 minutes going through everything he thought that he could possibly have trying to find the book for me. He was extremely kind and helpful the entire time I was there. We never found the book that I was looking for, but he offered to take my name and number down if he ever got a copy of it in. read more

My favorite spot in Huron Village! Only open a few days a week but is a gem for browsing a variety of used books across subject fields. Nothing commercial about this place and that adds to the charm. read more

A Huron Village treat-- this small bookstore has a really good selection of fiction, poetry, and literary journals (a smaller selection of academic texts) at amazingly low prices. The staff is so very kind and friendly and when you buy something, you know that your dollars are going to a good cause (Bryn Mawr College). Oh -- alert: cash only at the Bryn Mawr Book Store! read more

Not sure how this place got started, but all its proceeds go to Bryn Mawr College's scholarship fund. This place is in Cambridge. That college is in Philadelphia. Just had to get that out of the way. If you are a fan of finding cheap old edition paperbacks and other odds and ends of donated books, this is the place. They seem to be having a perpetual 1/2 book sale. This isn't because they are desperate to sell books to raise funds. It's because they have too many dang books and they are just trying to get rid of the things before they have to start shoving books in the vents in order to find a place to put them. You are definitely going to get a good deal on a potentially weird book at a non-profit bookstore. What else could you ask for? read more

After walking what seemed like endless miles after a day of winter storm to Ortanique, I looked across the street while eating to find this wonderful rare and used bookstore in Huron Village. Quite possibly the largest ground level used bookstore in Cambridge with two whole rooms of books! I also find their selection to be cheap as well, with my copy of Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men" costing just $2! Cash only, please. This is definitely a hidden gem in Cambridge that is worth driving or even walking to! read more

Bryn Mawr Book Store - Bookstores Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I hate to bash a bookstore but after frequently shopping at the Bryn Mawr Book Store over the years my last experience there may very well be my last ever. I brought a cookbook to the register priced as I recall at $5. It was certainly not a bargain price. I had purchased similar books at other used bookstores for less. The owner snatched the book and began to argue about the price after he looked it up online. It seems that there was a single copy of this book online that was priced at some ridiculous amount. I think was $25 according to him. He accused the other clerk of not properly doing her online research before pricing the book. This is not the way to run a used "brick and mortar" bookstore in my opinion. All sorts of things can be listed online for prices that may never be achieved. An online site has a worldwide reach. If you want to be an online seller than be one. But if you're selling out of a Cambridge storefront your reach is considerably diminished and you won't sell many books to passersby at hugely inflated prices. In the end he begrudgingly, with much muttering, sold me the book for the $5. But a friend had the very same experience when shopping at the store and the owner refused to sell her the book at the marked price. Its very weird to have to argue about being "allowed" to buy something that you've innocently brought to the register. I enjoyed shopping at the bookstore in the past before the owner lost his way. It's well stocked and I often left with a bag of books. But I really prefer my book shopping to be argument and drama-free so will make my purchases elsewhere. read more

This is definately a book store worth visiting at least once. It is one of those "land that time forgot" places. Plan to spend an hour to fully go through all that they have. I prefer Lorem Ipsum or the Harvard Book Store over Bryn Mawr mostly because I frequent bookshops regularly and like there to be a fairly high turnover in books which does not occur as much here. Bryn Mawr also tends to be on the dustier side which keeps my visits on the shorter side. That said, there are gems to be found here and the prices can't be beat. Check it out for sure!! read more

Sleepy, quiet, cheap. The collection doesn't move so fast. But whatever -- I've totally found things. I mean, where else are you finding Mavis Gallant and Eric Hobsbawm for a couple bucks a piece? Plus it's a neighborhood shop. And the money goes to Bryn Mawr's scholarship fund. read more

I found out about this place in the Improper Bostonian, Boston's Best Issue. It's a little out of the way but that's what makes it so great. You don't have to wade through crowds, I've spent hours here browsing. The staff is extremely helpful and friendly, I can't stress that benefit enough. And I love the fact that I don't have to check prices while I'm browsing, they have the best regular prices I've seen and some awesome sales as well. Its also nice to know your money is going to a good place. I only wish it had a bigger selection of Art books, but an awesome lit section. read more

A superb used book store with a wide range of titles: a rich aroma of happy hours deep in classic titles washes over you as you start to browse through the aisles. If you have a question, ask the knowledgeable owner. read more

The hours and location aren't ideal for visitors, but it's a pleasant, if oddly organized, used bookstore. The selection is much stronger on art and poetry than a typical used store, with maybe a little less of the social sciences that are more interesting to me -- go to Raven for that. I bought a book on deliberative democracy and had a nice conversation with the woman at the register on the way out. read more

Nice organization, friendly staff, pretty much my Platonic ideal of a neighborhood book shop. Absurdly cheap, at least for the stuff I got. Additional points for having lots of Anne Sexton and H.D. October seems to be 1/2 off most poetry books, so it is definitely a good time to get down to Huron Village and slake your bibliophilia. read more

This is a wonderful used book store with a wide array of entertaining, unique and educational books. The store clerk is friendly, knowledgeable and passionate, he really ties the whole store together. I bought a handful of books here for great prices! Books I probably never would have seen if I went somewhere else! Do yourself a favor and pick up a cheap used book and take a break from your kindle or phone screen reading. Bookstores like this are a dying breed! Support it!! read more

A cool little used book store with some great deals. I live down the street and pass by this little book shop almost every day. When the weather warms up, they have outside book racks and well done display windows. Check it out if you are looking for a good price on a used book with garenteed good condition. read more

This is a fantastic bookstore that it is easy to loose track of time in. Hope it stays around for a long time.

I love this bookstore! It's full of so many great finds. They have a great fiction selection, and I also love their music section. They have music books, some scores, and a whole bunch of records, which really excites me. The prices are great too. They play classical music, which I love, and the store manager is so friendly. If you're in Huron Village, this is a must-see. read more

I love this little store. Filled with the kind of tomes that are as lovely on the outside as they are within, it's a browser's paradise. I fall in love with one volume or another during each trip I make to this place. In the age of the impersonal and terribly detrimental Amazon, I thank my lucky stars that small stores like this one still exist. read more

pros *prices *vast selection *store clerk conversive, knowledgable, and a sweetheart *frequent buyer card (after 10 purchases, recieve store credit for the average of your purchases - $15 minimum) *online store as well cons -pervasive used book smell (unless you love that) -ca$h only read more

I love this bookstore and frequent it often. I always find the staff very helpful and Larry the manager is a wealth of information. There is a large selection and the prices are very reasonable as it is a non profit store. I try to go once a week as I collect books on calligraphy. This helps me not to miss anything new that has come in. They are drowning in new stock at this time. Leslie B read more