The selection displayed in the window is always interesting and pulls me in when I am wandering to the Ave during a break between classes. It's pretty small and crowded inside, but that just sort of adds to the charm. The ivy covered brick building is lovely and it's mere steps away from Allegro, where you can get great coffee served up by pretentious baristas (but that's a different review I suppose...) read more

I really like this bookstore. Excellent for readers like me who just like to casually do unstructured browsing to randomly discover nice books at great prices. If they had a doorway into the next door coffee shop (allegro), that would be the final feather in the hat. read more

I love this bookstore! Nicely organized, consistent quality, broad selection and those tempting titles. I love the 'pulp' section, with those older paperbacks. Got me hooked on the detective novels! You can't walk out without a delicious treat for avoiding laundry, mowing, or even homework. read more

My favorite bookstore in the county by far. I tell people if you can't find what you're looking for it's because you found something better.

could spend hours in here love their selection and how cheap everything is! the staff is also so friendly and helpful

Great store! Stopped in for the first time today and the selection was marvelous. And a big shout out to the staff for comforting and helping me when I was assaulted near the store. They made a sucky experience much less sucky. read more

Magus is a stop on virtually every trip I make to the U District. I'm still new-ish to Seattle (going on three years now), so I could be missing a better used bookstore in the greater Sound, but I'm starting to doubt it. I've got a system in place: Religion first (specifically Judaica), then Philosophy, and finally Foreign Languages with breeze-bys through Classics, Mid-East History and General Linguistics. I almost never fail to find something in Judaica to take home and they seem to have a real knack for acquiring personal libraries and collections from estate sales and such. Philosophy is also pretty reliable. I've made lots of trips to the Hebrew/Yiddish section (note: they are two different languages, so I'm always annoyed when booksellers collapse them into one category) and haven't always found something new there, but when I have found things, they've been doozies (ex: a six-volume Hebrew edition of the Mishna in excellent condition for just under $45 -- I think I cried a little). The other areas I hit are solid as well, and I've found some unusual fiction that I wasn't expecting to find used. My partner reads a lot of mystery/police procedural stuff, and he usually finds something to take home, too. Though their science fiction section is good, one area where they are sorely lacking is horror. There's a separate section, but it seems to me that they've never internalized the idea that it is a truly separate genre from sci-fi and thus they don't seem to be as aggressively on the lookout for it as for other sorts of books. There are a lot of sections I haven't explored (either for lack of time or money, having spent both of them), but they look good from afar. The staff generally leaves me alone (which I prefer in a bookstore; if I need their help, I'll find them), but when I have had questions they've been very helpful about pointing me in the right direction. Like I said, it's on the itinerary for every visit to the U District and looks like it'll be on there for a while. read more

This was one of my favorite spots in all of Seattle. The ppl who work here are very friendly and helpful. They have an extensive collection of comics and science fiction, and it's pretty easy to sell here. I would recommend this as the used book store in Seattle. read more

there are books stacked upon stacks of books and there isn't nearly enough room for all of them. but i love this bookstore. i've been there browsing and i've been there looking for a specific book and either way i hardly ever leave empty handed. the staff is so helpful and knowledgeable and professional. more than once they've gone in the back to find a book for me. it looks, smells, and feels like a really great used bookstore. read more

Wow...this place is a million times better than the vastly overrated, snooty, Elliott Bay Bookstore. The staff here seem to be genuinely interested in helping you find the books you want--and if they're just putting on an act, that's more than fine, because they go out of their way to help you. The shelves are chock-full of interesting-looking titles, and refreshingly free of "reviews" by sales people. My only gripe--and it's a small one--is that it's hard to reach a lot of the material, but the friendly staff will quickly go get it for you. This is a genuine review, written by someone who has no connection to Magus (or Elliott Bay). Check this store out. read more

I have mixed feelings about Magus. On the one hand, I've found something I had to have there more than once. That's significant, because I'm at a place in life where if a book comes into the house, another one of equal size pretty much has to go. So I use the KCLS for my fiction habit unless I need a throw away for a trip, and typically only buy bass guitar books and motorcycle books to keep. On the other hand, the staff there seem snooty and distant. They'd probably like me better if I wasn't such a lowbrow and bought literature instead of Harley picture books and transcriptions of bass lines for classic rock songs. Oh, well, they can't keep me away. read more

At first I thought we were so lucky so have a store like this. Then, I fell victim to what strikes me as a strange and disappointing little game. They sell me a used paperback at their price. I read it once, doing nothing other than turning each page once. Then they refuse to let me trade it back, or substantially reduce the tradeback value, because "it is damaged". After this happened twice in a row, I had to notice the pattern, particularly when the books are fiction that I read through pretty quickly and only once, and I know nothing out of line has happened with the books during the week or so I had each of them. The store attendant did not appreciate it when I suggested that the condition of the books could not have changed much while I had them, and that if it were marginal for a book, the book's price should be specifically reduced and a warning given that it will not be eligible for trading back. While the dollar amounts involved are small, I don't like the sense of being shortchanged or accused of not knowing how to treat a book. I guess I'm a relic from a bygone era when people were treated like they mattered. read more

I came here to sell some antique books based on a recommendation from a colleague. While the shop itself is charming, I was very disappointed with the level of service from the staff. The woman behind the front counter seemed annoyed that I didn't know that I should have gone directly to the back counter to sell my books. The man back there was condescending when telling me they "couldn't possibly resell" my books. Regardless of the level of truth in that statement, I'd rather take my business to a shop where the employees treat their customers courteously. read more

Great used bookstore! There are a lot of used bookstores out there and when you get used to the really good ones (such as Moe's in Berkeley, CA) you have very high standards. This place meets such standards. It has a very large inventory in which you can find almost any fiction book you are looking for, as long as it's not something very obscure (and even then you might have luck) or something terribly awful (why would you be looking for that? I'm talking to you Dan Brown fans...) As for non-fiction, you can find something on almost any topic you can imagine. When I head into a used bookstore I go straight for the religion and philosophy section and this place had a lot of great stuff there. A lot of old stuff and a lot of obscure stuff. I highly recommend this store to any bibliophiles that may happen to be strolling down University Ave. in Seattle. Also a very good place to look for class texts, especially classics. read more

Here is an exercise for you. Go to one of those 'big box' new stores that are a chain, then give yourself an hour or two to browse here. "I have wandered, unchecked, in a garden of bright images'. This store is very dangerous. I fell in love with a $250 dollar book on crows, that had a crow on the spine, and would have bought it had it not been my food money for a month. I have found the best history, paleontology, and poetry here, in wonderful bindings, at good prices. That $250 dollar book was an aberration. There is one lady who calls out my name when I walk in, so they are friendly, too, and have good memories as I only come in once every six months or so (but I do buy books). There is NO other bookstore that is in its class in this state for acadmeic books. And Powells, say, in Portland, does not have the selection, book by book, this place has, even though it is bigger. . You want a Loeb classic? Check - got it. You want a good geology book - got it. You want Moby Dick in hardback? Got it. If you are going to be in the University District, do not miss this place, if only to go and see what a used bookstore should look like. read more

Magus is everything you want in a bookstore. The staff are helpful and knowledgeable. The selection and pricing are great. It is on the top of my places I go to whenever I am in Seattle. read more

Currently my favorite used book shop in Seattle. I always find something of interest here -- almost always reasonably priced. I am always surprised at the plentiful rarities to be found on these shelves -- I guess, being next to the University of Washington provides a pipeline of good stock. Unfussy, friendly atmosphere, and the staff works hard to keep the shelves stuffed with goodies, but not so overflowing you an't comfortably browse. They have a fast turn, so the stock refreshes quickly. They know books and they know how to run a good, solid bookshop -- if you love poking around old bookstores, you'll love Magus. read more

Quite simple. Stop in on a rainy day. Get lost in the stacks. Buy a couple of cheap books and talk to the staff about their favorite reads. Then head over to Cafe Allegro for some espresso and reading. read more

i loved magus books while i was in college. i used to peruse their stacks all the time for good cheap books. it's small, cozy & filled to the brim with all kinds of books. i still love going in and looking for books at magus when i need to buy a new title. read more

This seems less well known than some of the other U-District book stores, but it's typically the first place I go when looking for something. The staff seems extremely knowledgeable, and they have a ridiculous selection of used books. It's a bit more warehousey feeling than some places, but it's not supposed to be Barnes and Noble. read more

I've been popping into this place for more than twenty years. My husband and I occasionally have a date night by eating first at Shalimar, around the corner from Magus on the Ave, and then bopping on down to Magus. We only do this 2 or 3 times a year, but when we do, we don't need bags, we need BOXES. For such a small store, they cram in a great many books, often lining the floors in front of the bookcases also. I have never sold anything back; if I am not keeping a book, I generally prefer to give it away than to go through the hassle and disappointment of reselling (not just to Magus, but to any store). But we have found some titles here I couldn't find anywhere else in the state. The only place that compares to it is the truly massive Powell's City of Books in Portland; I make that trek maybe once a year, and the rest of the year is all about Magus. Friendly; some nice greeting cards while you're there, also unique; and a teacher who spends big can usually get a paperback comped. read more

I love small used book stores. And Magus is really great. They have a really good selection and the staff has always been super helpful. The only complaint I have is that a lot of times there are books stacked on the floor and I feel like I'm going to knock over things half the time! But, I always find a few treasures each time I go in, so that's a small price to pay for good books. read more

Magus is one of the last great used book stores with a really great staff!

Love it! Love it! Love it! I don't know what else to say! I LOVE THIS BOOKSTORE! They have such original books that you may not find anywhere, I am not talking about fiction. I usually don't go to places if they don't have parking. Magus is an exception. I hope they'll stay in business forever. We (as a civilization) need stores like this. read more

Excellent foreign language section, including books in Asian languages. Unlike some other stores, this place is really well-organized, with almost all the books neatly on the shelves and not cluttering the floors. They also have sheet music and some greeting cards. A really good quality shop. read more

Like all bookstores adjacent to a university Magus books has a pretty wide ranging collection of scholarly work. I looked em up on-line when I arrived in Seattle and purchased Understanding the Bible, Stephen L. Harris, 3rd edition because like history books, books about the bible that are impartial are hard to find. I am a bit of a bibliophile I cannot leave this store with anything less than one or two books. Of all the compulsions I have ever suffered from finding gems in used bookstores is one of my favorite. Magus more than suffices, and the helpful people working there have always been pleasant. read more

Magus has always seemed the place to find that rare used textbook for my UW classes. Loved it then, love it now. The location is delightful for the readers in the U-District. I agree that the categorization is just detailed enough to usually locate what I'm looking for (if they have it and usually they do). Personally, I appreciate the fact there are no cats and only dust bunnies. Good prices - love to support the private business. Helpful staff when it comes to searching. Had one surly experience, but seems out of the ordinary. read more

So I called to inquire about the availability of "The Equinox" 10-volume set by Aleister Crowley. The first thing the clerk says is, "Have you checked the internet?" Wow, like, of course I have checked the internet. That's how I found this book store. I tell the clerk I can get a set from Amazon for $1200 and the clerk says, "Yeah, well, if we had we wouldn't sell it for much less." In other words, you might as well seek other places to purchase your books because not only does the Magus not propose to help you find them, you won't be getting any better of a deal even if you did buy from them. Banish this, fool!!! read more