Randy is a great guy. Don't listen to bad reviews. Those people are mental. Probably the best book store in all of nashville especially if you like antiques. I've been going for years and I've never been disappointed. He's very helpful. Maybe some people just have a bad attitude or they take him the wrong way and get their little fragile feelings hurt. Just disagree with his opinions if you don't like it and move on. Some people are way too judgemental, if you wanna spew your political opinions then open your own store. Anyway, he can drive a hard bargain for some books but he's often willing to come down on the price and make deals. I've never had a bad experience. read more

Only operates from 10 am to 3 pm Selection was crammed with repeat sets of civil war books strewn all over the store. No deliniation between historical fiction and biographical accounts. Pricing placement inconsistent. Some are written inside the cover. Some are on stickers stuck to the cover. Leather bound books in antique cases and stacks of old maps facing external windows and exposed to direct sunlight Clerk was loudly speculating on what another customer might have stolen or damaged the second he left after speaking to them. Came up besides me to peer out the windows muttering as she wondered which way he went. Owner loudly speaking at length on the phone about the brilliance of Confederate general Nathan Bedford Forrest, famous ignorant brute. Audible from every part of the store. Children's books were only kept in the furthest sections from the door and counter, on the top two shelves. Shelves and sections poorly marked. I asked the clerk where I could find anything by Robert E. Howard. She said she didn't know where anything was in here and brought me to ask the owner. When I asked where to find anything by Robert Howard, he just sneered at me and asked what kind of author that was. I explained he was a fantasy and historical fiction author and contemporary of Edgar Rice Burroughs, whose works I had been able to find. The owner waved me away and said at the end of the aisle there were a few fantasy books but he usually doesn't keep that kind of thing. We were standing next to a leather bound collection of stories of the Knights of the Round Table. When I got to the directed section, there was a single hardback collection of Harry Potter stacked neatly and a few produce boxes of 1965-1985 pulp science fiction novels, mostly missing their covers, haphazardly stacked on top of each other and bending and warping the books underneath. The shelf next to it was empty. Ends of shelves were crowded with printed out memes taped up in place, some self-congratulatory about being one of the few people in this day and age who still read, some fart jokes, some complaining about President Biden, and some suggesting that there were more white slaves captured and brought from Persia than black slaves brought from Africa. They have a lot of old and rare books, yes, but they don't take care of them, do not preserve collections consistently, do not sort their books into accessible formats, and do not provide a welcoming environment for incoming patrons. read more

The selection is impressive, especially regarding southern and Tennessee history, any bibliophile could browse for hours; just ignore the very strange opinions that are displayed randomly aroundthe shelves. The hours are somewhat limited and generally speaking, the proprietor and employees are somewhat less than welcoming. It's a Nashville icon, well worth visiting...oh, make sure never to read the Nashville Scene article from the early 2000's about alleged buying of stolen books by the owner. His ethics seem a little squishy. But again, if you love old books, visit. read more

Popped in to ask about unusual book I found in my dads storage unit and was treated very rudely

Unique inventory of books, numerous worth collecting including out of print, signed, and first printings. Very knowledgeable and passionate owner. read more

Wonderful store. If you like old & rare books, this is the place to go to. Everything from Special Edition hardcovers of the Classics, to more hidden gems, they have it all. I could spend hours there. If you're a hardcore bibliophile looking to expand your library or a lover of history, you cannot pass this store up. read more

Elder's Book Store - Books - Bookstores Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Wonderful book store. Enjoyed my conversation with owner Randy today and browsed their amazing inventory. Highly recommend!

Very bizarre personal opinions on health, science, and politics typed and taped to the ends of the aisles. Will not return.

The man (owner?) couldn't have made me feel more uncomfortable keeping a constant eye as I self-consciously walked around. Very unsettling creepy and unfriendly. Won't return. read more

Great store... a true historic asset of Nashville. The owners know the books, history and Nashville. It is like walking into a bookstore with one hundred years of history... because it is! read more

If you love history, Southern history in particular, you'll LOVE this wonderful bookstore. The owners are fabulous, as well! I hit this each and every time I'm in Nashville. read more

Elder's Book Store - Bookstores Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Elder's Book Store is a great place to shop for gifts for the holidays. They definitely have some older, beautiful editions of books, including many first editions. However, their hours are a bit limited (close at 3), their selection is limited (great for gifts or a treat for yourself, but not an all-purpose bookstore), and their customer service leaves a bit to be desired. Still, I highly recommend it for upcoming holiday shopping. You can find some beautiful, leather-bound and old editions of books for gifts! read more

Oldest book store in Nashville with a very unique selection! Owner was very nice to me and my husband. We enjoyed learning more about their store. Shop and support local! You are helping small business owners - not large corporations. read more

I usually don't leave reviews like this, but this place prompted me to. Impressive collection, but the workers leave much to be desired. You would think people working at a shop with so many incredible, historic finds would be enthusiastic and personable, but instead they're condescending and rude. The most "help" you get while browsing is when the owners are making sure you're not looking through special books without the intent to buy and scolding you. They offer no help, and don't seem to care about your enthusiasm for old books. Overall, I'd give it 5 stars for the collection and 1 Star for the people working there. read more

Good place for good books, get your readin on

Gift books for the serious bibliophile are special here at Elder's. Sis might savor a book about a member of the Camelot Kennedy family or about a successful entrepreneur. Dad might like a first edition heritage antique book about bygone days of yore. I like the books about historical Nashville. Lovers of fine old books may enjoy the calm quiet of Nashville's oldest public bookstore. It is now over 80 years old. Elder's Bookstore probably has the most extensive selection of a combination of first editions, investment-grade antique books and maps, southern history, and other classic works in the great state of Tennessee. Prices are commensurate with the fine selection here. Obviously pulp fiction and run-of-the-mill pop books are cheaper at standard used bookstores. Elder's is a good place for booklovers wanting to enjoy taking home a classic to read, and giving it a loving home in their personal library. read more

Thank you so much! Tamara Saviano's "Without Getting Killed Or Caught" is a Great Book!! What a vivid walk through the journey of Guy Clark, a single-minded, self-made aristocrat of literary performance art, and his friends, who were everybody who was anybody in the folk/country music scene...or would be. The brutal honesty & well placed "random facts" evoke an insatiable appetite to know more, and a times...to know less. At times, leaving me fighting to reconcile due respect & adoration for Guy Clark's talent, everything he accomplished, everyone's lives he touched, the near God-like impact he had on the music & songwriting scene (and who was and wasn't cool enough to be in the club) ...with contempt for some choices he made along the way. Bravo for luring me in so deeply that I take it personally enough to have internal conflict over it, as if these joys and pains were somehow my own. But aren't they? We all know and love everyone in this book and the magic they made for us. "Without Getting Killed Or Caught" shows us all that there is no limit if you don't ever see one. Just do what you do. Whatever you do. Just make sure you make magic. Thank you Tamara Saviano...for making magic! read more