This may be my favorite used bookstore yet! The ladies working there were so welcoming and friendly. They let me and my boyfriend in a few minutes before opening so we could get out of the cold. So thoughtful. The selection was amazing. I snagged some older titles and then came across a table with some newer titles and all $6 and under. What a bargain. Will absolutely be back! read more

At first I couldn't find this place because there was a mini golf set up in the courthouse square. I had to literally walk around the block and saw these signs that read "used books" "this way" haha. This place is really hole-in-the-wall basement ish warehouse type feel bookstore. The prices are amazing for the used books. It is incredibly reasonably priced. I found two children's books in very good quality for $1 each. What a steal! For the most part, don't expect finding hot new bestsellers in here. This place is like for book antiques or if you need a used copy of something that might be a few years back. It was good for what I needed since I'm looking for some older historical fiction books about the American revolution. I was surprised to find two books here that I needed and so maybe you'll get lucky too! The couple who owns this place are very friendly. They said hi right upon me walking in. Selection is pretty wide, the books genres are organized in a neat way but the books themselves are scattered. For example, the fiction and nonfiction adult books are alphabetical order by last name but the children's books are not. It made things harder for me to look but I didn't mind since I had time. If you're in a rush then maybe this place isn't the best or just ask the lady up front for help! Overall this place is a gem and the proceeds go to a good cause--San Mateo historical foundation! read more

I spent the day in downtown Redwood City with my granddaughter...I love used book stores so when I saw this own under the Museum, it was obvious we had to go in... Lots of book all categorized. The Childrens' section is well stocked with nice book for little ones and there's even a table with chairs so we could sit and peruse in order to make our selection. All of the books were only $1-2 dollars so you will not go broke getting new books for the little ones. Being that it is close to Halloween, we did find a really cute book for $1... Definitely go there and support the Encore Book store. read more

Yay! Unfortunately, this bookstore is quasi-hidden, underneath the San Mateo County Historical Museum. We were eating lunch one day on the courtyard, and H wanted to check out the bookstore. To be frank, I would not have noticed the bookstore if he had not mentioned it. Walking into the bookstore was a little awkward since it seems like we were walking into a tunnel. Nevertheless, the bookstore is AMMMMAZINGGGG!!!!!! They have newly used books (New York Times Best Sellers) to really old books. This place is pretty much like a library, but you donate your purchases to the museum. Most of the books range from 50 cents to 5 bucks! I purchased a newly used book,"The Friday Night Knitting Club," for $1.50! =D read more

I can't believe I've never been here!! Found an amazing used bookstore on the square. It's right below the San Mateo County History Museum. It's either the biggest or second biggest used bookstore in the area that I've ever been to. I ended up buying 5 books as a start (all five for 10 bucks)! read more

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I have gone to Encore Books for a couple years. Here is the place to find Their Link. Click on the Photograph where it says Encore Books to get into the Store : http://www.historysmc.org/ Please come visit Soon and Often ! I have just begun as the volunteer for taking care of Comic Books , most of which I am donating from my decades as a reader , and collector , and part-time Geek. I am selling some of my extensive collections online these days to survive S.F. Bay Area living. Encore books is operated by volunteers of the Funder's Sale , which raises Income for the San Mateo History Museum ~~~that is the former Courthouse which is on the Plaza, on Broadway, downtown Redwood City. It is above Encore Book's basement locations. The first , sprawling room you enter has vinyl, CDs, Dvds and Blu rays, and many imports and Anime films. Biographies. Hobby books. Hardcover Fiction and trade paperbacks . Non-fiction sections include : Music. Theater. Art and museum exhibitions books. Architecture. Some unique non-fiction categories , such as "weird" and paranormal studies. Signed Books are near the Anime dvds. The comic books & graphic novels should be in this area , as well. Sometimes the ladies who volunteer move categories around. So, if you don't find a section of Books , Please Ask at the front Desk. There is a massive children's books selection in the big, rear room. This includes vintage , olde and collectible kidz Books. Go father back into the final , medium-sized room where the paperbacks are in this rear area. Sci-Fi mmpb. Mystery mmpb are back there, also thrillers, romance , and westerns. Many rooms here full of all genre of fiction and non-fiction. Many olde , vintage hardback Books are in the entryway enroute to the big room in back. read more

Great little used bookstore in the basement of the San Mateo County Historical Museum. Quite a few cheap books in decent to new condition. They have a room just for paperbacks and almost all of them are a dollar each. They also have quite a collection of collectible and old books. The volunteers are eager to help you find the books you want or need. The reason the hours are so few is because the people who volunteer there are retirees and senior citizens, many of them have a difficult time driving because of their eyesight. Instead of complaining about the hours, why don't you all actually *volunteer* there to help solve this problem? (I would volunteer but I don't live in California.) read more

My favorite used bookstore to lose myself in! Bring cash and don't plan on having cell reception. Friendly people and great (but unpredictable) selection of books. Super cheap so it's a fun place to treasure hunt! read more

The Funders Bookstore can be found in a tiny pocket within the San Mateo County Historical Museum in Redwood City. What makes this an ideal loot-finding adventure is that the majority of the books are in near-fine condition, and no ex-library. Proceeds go to fund the historical society. If you are collector this is where you should be shopping. Now, it looks as if the seasoned volunteers do high-grade the books and set aside a collectible section-but its obvious collectibles and to the untrained eye an old book is not necessarily a "collectible" book-but its how much research do they do? Probably not alot because its too time-consuming. I consider this bookstore, one of untapped wonders-so much that on my very first visit I uncovered a Near Fine, First Edition Susan Orlean-not bad for paying $2.50 for a book that is worth $175 on the open market! read more

Surprisingly large store -- you expect it to be a room in the museum, but it's not. It takes up most of the basement of the huge museum building, which is a former courthouse. Probably 20,000+ books in there. Some of the sections are junky and need to be purged, and the "collectibles" section is strictly for nostalgia seekers, but overall the quality of books was reasonable, as were the prices. read more

Funder's Bookstore is synonymous with Encore Books. The banner out front indicates that they're open. The hours aren't long as it's run by volunteers. As other reviewers have noted, the variety of older (sometimes century+ old) books is excellent, and the prices are more than reasonable if you find something you want. The signed books, on the other hand, are generally overpriced, with a few exceptions which I bought! For the browser, the sections in which I note the best selection are fiction (hardback); oversized art & architecture books; sci-fi; and romance (paperback). read more

I have a huge problem with this store ... I can never leave without buying several books! I love it here. The selection is phenomenal. Lots of rooms to explore on every subject imaginable ( including a great ' weird' section). Classics to SciFi to cookbooks ... And a great collection of rare books. If you haven't been here you have to come visit. The books are super cheap and you'll be helping a great cause as proceeds support the work of the Historical Association. Win win! read more

Encore Books - Lots n lots of books! - Bookstores Near Me - Redwood City, California

Deeply hidden within the History Museum I set out to find this place. I wasn't disappointed! This bookstore is a treasure house. Stacks and stacks in 3 full rooms. Very modestly priced from $1-$3. read more

I LOVE this bookstore! When you first arrive, it looks like a smaller bookstore but then they have a large second room. I've bought classic books here as well as bestsellers.. they have something for every reader. Very cheap books and the staff is wonderful as well! read more

Finding this store is kind of a surprise. It's actually a pretty good used bookstore. I just wished they had longer hours.

This is a fabulous used bookstore. No matter what your taste this bookstore has it all; And the prices are the lowest of any local used bookstores. They have a large collection of cookbooks, a huge mystery section, and a large selection of recent bestsellers as well as old books, hard to find books, art books. It's in the basement of the Redwood City Old Courthouse which is now a museum. read more

Awesome, cheap, HUGE (3 huge rooms), friendly used book store. Difficult to locate. It is in the San Mateo County Museum. If you stand facing the building from Fox theater, it is a small door on the left. It looks like a whole in the wall, but is huge inside. They have a whole room of paperbacks for a dollar each. Love this place! read more

There aren't as many used bookstores around as there used to be but this one is terrific. Plenty of non-fiction plus a whole ginormous room full of paperback fiction if that's more your thing. I've made a number of very interesting finds here too, you never know what you might come across! Prices are very reasonable as well. read more

I love the Funder's Book Store! Cheap books, the thrill of the hunt, friendly old lady volunteers! Less one star for short hours, and wish they had even more books. The book sale monthly at the San Carlos library has a better selection. read more

This place is teeming with books from new fiction to classics to childrens books and everything in between for very affordable prices ($1-3 on average). Their back room has a ton of mass market paperbacks (sci-fi, romance, mystery, fiction) that are a dollar each. Their classics section is great for finding vintage copies that you wouldn't be able to get anywhere else. They have a lot of different genres to choose from and not a lot of foot traffic. The ladies who work here are also very friendly and all the proceeds go directly to the san mateo county historical association. It is a great place to relax and scope out some new books! read more

Short hours, stellar prices. I just bought eleven or twelve books for $24. Some of the books were NEW hardbound bestsellers. Granted, this place does not have a great selection of kid's books, but it has everything else, including antique selections. The little old lady volunteers are sweet as can be. Great place to go! read more

Best kept used-bookstore secret. Very reasonably priced. It's my first stop when looking for required reading books for high school or a novel that's finally climbed down the best sellers list. Donate your used books (& as I recently learned, stamp collections are accepted) here, also to support the museum. read more

This is amazing bookstore. There is so much to see it's endless. They are used books that are donated to the bookstore. The basement is very large and they have the books categorized and organized really well. Then they have a little special section where they sell first editions, signed copies by the author, and some very old books that are just beautiful. As a book lover, I can spend so much time in there shifting through out this diamond mine of a bookstore to find that really special gem. I have found so many. The prices are very reasonable too. Also, the staff are really sweet people. The most terrific thing of all, the money goes towards a really good cause. The money goes to the local historic society. I highly recommend going. If you love books and treasure hunting, you'll love this store! read more

I've been looking for a place like this for a long time. Big selection, cheap books. Great!

Unearthed a bunch of obscure sci-fi novels from the sands of time for about as many dollars. Enough said.

very good selection, books on every subject. the store goes for rooms and rooms, one thing to know is that it's cash only.