What an interesting and quirky little bookstore offering a good mix of new and used books. The team working here and extremely helpful and want to ensure you find what you seek. They have a special deal as well, by 4 used books and get 2 free. How could a bibliophile resist when seeking used and out of print gems? The store also has a little restaurant inside where you can order food - not sure what exactly as on both of my visits I didn't check out the menu but it smelled good as I walked around the store. read more

I have never been in this bookstore. Not exactly sure why. They have a huge selection of new books and used books. They also have lots gifts and kids toys. I am trying to shop small and local this summer and support small businesses. I can't wait to try out the new crepe restaurant. My only downside would be that I thought the used book prices seemed high. read more

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Many cities the size of Grand Forks no longer have any bookstores, so we can count ourselves lucky to have Ferguson Books & More! The Ferg, as my family and I affectionately call it, is the only dedicated bookstore in Grand Forks. They have an enormous selection - possibly a couple hundred thousand books in stock, but I don't think anyone has counted them. Their inventory is primarily previously enjoyed books, although they have many new titles in stock including several of local/regional interest and by local authors. Their main browsing showroom is loosely organized by topic, although organizing by sub-topic would be helpful for the time-strapped customer who may want to spend a little more time reading and a little less time hunting. For example, they have a section of books pertaining to sports, and scattered throughout that section are books about baseball mixed in with books about golf, horse racing, football, etc. It would be nice if baseball books had their own subsection, golf had its own subsection, and so on. Another aisle I frequent is the how-to section, where books on gardening, knitting, deck-building, wedding planning, interior design, jewelry making, and home handymanning are all mixed together. They really should be organized by topic-within-the-topic for more efficient and pleasurable browsing. The staff are always friendly and ready to help, so if there's a title you've been searching for, don't hesitate to ask if they might have a copy. They may even be able to call you if they come across it. In addition to books, the Ferg also carries CDs, DVDs, and educational toys, and they offer a decent children's book section. There's also a large room of used mass-market paperbacks, some rare vintage books, and a display of coffee-table books. And speaking of coffee, a particularly charming feature is the French Taste café and crêperie, serving Bully Brew coffee and a creative variety of both sweet and savory crêpes. French Taste will get its own review from me soon, but for now let's just say it's a wonderful addition to Ferguson Books, because coffee goes so well with books as much as it does with crêpes. Ferguson has their famous Bag Sale twice a year, but unless you sign up for their text reminders or you happen to be in there the week before, you might not find out about it. The bag sale is as many books as you can cram into a standard paper grocery bag for $20. The sale goes from open to close on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, but it's only a couple times each year. The sale is limited to the books in their back stockroom, where there are thousands of books but their order is totally random. If you enjoy the thrill of the hunt, and you have a wide range of interests, and you allow yourself at least twenty minutes, you will easily fill a bag, perhaps two. It's a great deal for you as the customer, and it helps out the store because that's inventory they won't have to price and sort into their general topic sections of the main room. Everyone wins. Ferguson occasionally has book-signing events as well. Due to my schedule I haven't had the opportunity to attend any, but I've received text alerts about them and it's very cool that they have authors come and speak at these events. There are only a few things I don't care for, but they're likely easy fixes. There's a room off the main retail area that would be ideal for parties, meetings, or classes. However, lately it's been looking like a stockroom. Hopefully this space can be put to use and become a pleasant gathering space for the community. Another area could be made over into an inviting reading nook, with proper lighting and seating arrangements conducive to getting lost in a book while waiting for a friend. Another aspect that I personally find less than appealing is the area around the checkout counter. So often there are boxes of books needing to get priced and put on the shelves, even a shopping cart filled to the top with such books. I understand that it takes time to get around to doing this, especially when there are customers to help. But perhaps there's a way to streamline the process and not let the boxes pile up as they get emptied. This sort of thing might not bother most bookworms. But it isn't as neat and tidy as it could be. I like to hope it's a work in progress and that soon the piles around the checkout will diminish and the books will be dispersed to their appropriate departments. It's nearly impossible to wander the stacks at the Ferg and not end up making a purchase. It's one of the gems of Grand Forks. If you're looking for a gift for someone who knows how to read, you are sure to find one at Ferguson Books & More!. Disclaimer: I have not been paid or compensated in any way for my honest review of this business. read more

I am in love with this store, well I like it a whole bunch anyway! It's best termed a used book store but they are have many brand new items! The prices are great though and they offer special deals based on the number of used books you buy. Needless to say I will need to ship a few books back to Vegas so my luggage won't be too heavy. Now, I cannot do this review without raving about the wonderful play area for the little ones, I didn't even know where to start with my grandson. We could have played for hours! The clerk told us customers can just keep bringing books back when they're done and they will receive store credit to use for more books. Love it!!! read more

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I personally made an account on yelp to review this bookstore, not only because they have great service and is staffed by wonderful employees with an extremely knowledgeable owner, but because I was shocked by the other reviews that I saw on the site. The one thing that really stood out in my mind when I was first looking around for a bookstore in the area and stumbled across their website was the coupon page. Now lots of places will try to lure you in by giving you a ridiculous deal with a plethora of assorted requirements to receive the discount. What really shocked me was that all the store was looking for was some feedback. I can tell by the website and stock that FBM is a store in growth that is looking for direction. Its that struggle and that ever evolving quality that I think gives FBM its charm. It is rare that I run into a store that really does value what I think, not only about the experience but about the philosophy of the experience I want to receive. Their trade in policy is one of the best that I have seen and one of the most honest that I have come across. If you are a reader that is looking to have an ever evolving library for your own pleasure or for your kids and family then this is the store for you. This store will give you the ability to tailor your personal collection to the books that you enjoy and find meaning in, instead of having a large number of books you may not like. Their prices also allow you to experiment with books you may not have bought at a normal store, which I find to be an ingenious business model. In the end, does FBM have some rough edges? Yes. Does FBM have some things it can improve on? Yes, and they want your feedback. I've had a conversation with the owner about what he is trying to do with his business and I feel its admirable. The bottom line, is that FBM is exactly the kind of store that the town needs. It gives people jobs, provides awesome product, and hopefully will build a community around it filled with new and veteran readers. I challenge you to walk into the store one day if for nothing but to see what they have to offer. Even if you don't find anything that suits you, I promise you that the conversation and the atmosphere you find there is one that you will be glad you experienced. read more

It's a new AND used bookstore owned locally and opened amidst the closing of major book stores. They are here to help Grand Forks. Maybe they don't always have the book you want, but they make an attempt to order the book for you if you desire and if they do have any books you are looking for they have some pretty great deals. The owner, Dane, works really hard to make customers happy and it ruins his day to hear a complaint, good luck getting that much commitment out of a national chain. I've bought dozens of books from FBM and I even worked there for a while. Do give it a chance if you love books (like I do) and go see for yourself, it's totally worth a visit. Warning: If you do love books, plan on being there for a while, there is a lot of browsing to do and comfortable furniture to rest on if you need a break. :] read more

Friendly and helpful!! Not the most organized or cleanly place, but it has local charm. If gladly buy books here before going to a chain store. Support local businesses!! Children's section had a lot of variety and was inexpensive. There was also a variety of old/new adult books as well. Definitely worth checking out this place if you like to read or simply enjoy a friendly conversation. read more

They seem to always be trying to improve their set-up, I think this shows that they listen to customer input. All books seem to be at least half price or better. I think it's a bit understaffed, but that's how they keep their prices low I guess. I've ordered from them a couple times (they give you huge discounts on items bought in the store if you order) and have been fairly happy with the quality and timeliness of it. It's a fun store. read more

I have since returned to Ferguson and I must say that the selections and organization of the store have improved. I also like that the owner listens to, cares about, and responds to feedback. Now, while I did find some improvements, I do still find the store a bit overwhelming and a little trying to navigate. I would suggest bigger signage so that one knows what section one is in when browsing. I have been to the store often enough to know my way around general sections, but it may be daunting for a first-time visitor. In any event, I do enjoy the expanded selection and volume of titles. Moreover, it's still the best alternative to UND's bookstore in town. read more

Horrible, rude, and sub-par customer service. We were treated like lepers for bring our child into their store. Our child is well behaved, was 100% supervised, and did no damage. We were treated rudely by an employee, who turned out to be the assistant manager. She made no effort to placate us when we complained and instead, continued to argue her "point" which was that some parents don't watch their children. Not applicable to us. Bottom line. If you have toys where children can reach them, they will touch them. Parents shouldn't be presumed guilty until proven innocent. Totally disgusted and never returning. read more

If you're looking for mass market paperback fiction or romance books Ferguson can provide, but it's slim pickings at both locations for any other genera. To be fair though, they can order most anything you want, but if you're browsing around don't expect to find much. Prices for the used mass market paperbacks are good, but for any other edition the prices are not anywhere close to being competitive. They offer good store credit for your books but it's only good for six months. If you're planning on selling books for some quick cash don't bother, the rates are abysmal. Expect less than $1 a book, even for almost new hardcovers, graphic novels, and non mass market editions. With a few stocking improvements these could be halfway decent stores, but as they are now I'd stick to online buying and the library. read more

I love Ferguson Books, it's definitely the best bookstore in town! For the most part, I usually browse the used book section because they are priced very well and they have a huge selection of used books...in fact, I blame Ferguson and books for my book addiction and my overflowing bookcases....literally, if you pull a book off of my bookcase, you will see that their are multiple other books hidden behind that book, I'm seriously out of control! I don't have too much experience with their new books because they tend to be a bit spendy for me, but it seems like the new book section is fairly small, but in my experience Ferguson books is willing to order in any book that you may want. Also, this bookstore has a much better atmosphere than the UND bookstore, which is about 60% of UND memorabilia, rather than books. Aside from the book selection at Ferguson Books, they also have many other unique items for sale like their awesome toys that make me wish it was socially acceptable for an adult to act like a 5 year old in public. In addition, I love the book signings at the store, I especially enjoyed when Elizabeth Smart and Christina Baker Kline came there. I think the only the only thing that could make the store better would be a coffee shop, in which case, I doubt I would ever leave the store. I would also love I the started sending out a newsletter, so that I could better keep track of the events and promotions happening. read more

Horrible experience. Words can't describe the way I was treated when I began to window shop at this store. After 5 minutes, I just walked out in frusturation. read more

As a lover of books, used books and locally owned businesses I was very excited about Ferguson's. I went the first week they were open and while opening any new business is difficult and takes time, I found myself very disappointed. First of all, I was not impressed with the "unwelcome" I received by having the gentlemen at the counter be too busy on his cell phone to bother with even saying hello when people came in. I thought I'd give it a chance and went to browsing, but found the quality of stock to be awful... it looked like the wholesale lots you can purchase on ebay for near nothing. Not to mention the prices were way too high. A lot of B rated authors with prices in the range of $3.99-$6.99 for a used and tattered copy!! The genre selection is simply terrible, very few fantasy, sci-fi, non-fiction books. I did manage to rummage around and find two books I thought might be worth a try and really wanted to be supportive of a new business. Sadly while checking out the gentlemen there was pre-occupied and seemed angry about something - not a good feeling at all. As a first experience I wasn't sure I'd go back, but alas as a lover of books thought I'd try them again. My second stop in wasn't much better than the first, bad selection of books / genres and highly overpriced. I went a 3rd and 4th time looking for specific books that would be available in any store new or otherwise because of their popularity. Not only did they NOT have them, but when I asked they failed to offer to have them shipped in. Once was at the Mall store where I was given a coupon for the other store and told they should have them, of course the other store did not. I simply gave my coupon to another customer and left. I highly doubt I will go back and will certainly not recommend them to anyone. It's clear the owners are interested in only making money, they are not passionate about books as they advertise. Anyone that is passionate about books would ensure they only had the finest quality of stock at reasonable prices, they would be welcoming and interested in talking about or recommending books to their patrons. I've been to literally 100's of used book stores over the years and I must admit this is the worst I've ever been in. Sad to see that there was not a timely response to a previous review by an upset customer - took near 5 months. Very unfortunate, some things can be fixed, owners cannot. read more