Explored this place as a random Yelp find. It certainly takes a minute or two to find being in the…read moreart space multi building parking lot, and figuring out how to get buzzed in by calling, however, there's some really good book hunting here in the decent sized space, particularly if you're a fan of old books. The owner was very friendly and chatty to me and I had a pleasant experience, found a few old reads, and would return. Thanks!

Weird little place in a weird little space. The whole store is under lock and key--one must buzz-in…read moreby telephone request unless one has made a prior appointment to access what could be a browser's paradise. The owner (as he announced himself) is, on every third Thursday of each alternate month, a nice-enough-fellow full of the love of books. But every other day at the store, he cements his love of books at the cost of a passing indifference for his customers that borders on hostility. While the book selection is as comprehensive as it is well-organized, something about the place seems... well... 'off.' It's as though one is being watched--or rather scrutinized--by unseen eyes, suspicious you may be replacing a book in the wrong place, disturbing the piles of rarities without regard to how the newly imbalanced feng-shui will impact the owner as he lingers scowling from the sequestered bowls of the shop. The books are, nevertheless, excellent and priced clearly in the "almost-too-expensive-but-still-just-affordable" range. Comparatively, the prices here are fair to good. You will not be finding any shocking bargains or hidden but neglected treasures here. The books are carefully selected, after all, and intended to turn a profit for the owner. After all, buying low and selling high is the name of the game--and yet, listening in on the owner's bargaining with one collector attempting to sell her books, I'd say there are fairer prices to be had from other buyers. But after exhaustive talks ranging from condition to author popularity (when has it been hard to sell Orwell?), she settled on a price with our peculiar host all the same. It was, in a word, creepy. Upon leaving with my new acquisitions, I was reminded of John Locke's description of this weird trade which combines refined erudition with predatory avarice: "Printers, binders, sellers, and others that make a trade and gain out of them have universally so odd a turn and corruption of mind, that they have a way of dealing peculiar to themselves, and not conformed to the good of society, and that general fairness that cements mankind." True enough of this odd little place, I thought. And then I went home, placed the books on my desk, and retired to take a nice long shower.

The Salmon Brook Shops is a store of a large collection of antiques in Granby. I stopped by on…read moreTuesday afternoon. This is a must visit for anyone who appreciates antiques. There's so much of everything in here. There's furniture, books, toys, fine china, jewelry, paintings, tools, etc... I was a bit nervous walking around, you have to be really careful not to knock anything over, as I'm sure it would cause a domino effect. There's so many delicate little things piled on each other, the tiniest swing of an arm could cost you a big embarrassment of a situation. My favorite are the paintings. The fine China they have is also beautiful and in excellent shape. There was an all wood rocking horse, that you could tell was well loved, but still has more love to give. There was only one other lady there browsing while I was there. It can't be good having too many people at the same time in such a tight space, with fragile items everywhere. If you love beautiful, well kept, antique items, I encourage you to visit The Salmon Brook Shops.

If you like digging for vintage postcards, they have lots! They even thought to leave a magnifying…read moreglass nearby...

This is a great used bookstore. It is almost a literal hole in the wall, located in an old factory…read moredown a long hallway. The books are used but all in fantastic condition. The aisles are narrow so only one person can occupy the space at a time, but it just means you have to look at other books waiting your turn. The prices have a range depending on type, age, and genre but are pretty easy to figure out. Those that do have special pricing are also clearly marked. The shop doesn't have set hours so definitely follow on social media. Not only is it fun to see all the new books that come in, they're very clear about when a sale will come along.

Great used book shop. They're done an expansion for add to their overall are which allowed aisles…read moreto be expanded for easier movement. All books are in great condition and very from an average of $2-$10 with children's books at .50, occasional $1 finds and signed copies or harder to find/newer books being over that $10 average, which is perfectly fine. Still a great overall discount usually and the experience is always great. Always busy!

I visited here again recently and this place is still just as magical! It's tucked away in the…read morewoods and is chock full of immeasurable charm. The owner is English and her business is an extension of her lovely personality. I have childhood memories of this place that could have come straight out of a magical fairytale book. There are many categories here; a large history section, gardening, art, film, geography, mythology, crafts, so many categories and subcategories, and because they are curated by someone passionate with books there are no filler books here. The prices are unbelievably reasonable, this is a curated collection by a woman passionate about books, making a living off of it feels secondary here to the passion of finding the books. You will not ever find another place like this. In a small rural town no less! This is a destination place if you are visiting the area. Such a gem!

Brief drive up winding hillside roads gets you to this barn/oasis of books, reasonably priced and…read morefun to browse across 2 floors and an adjacent annex. Will be back. Be sure to say hello to the tuxedo cat haunting the stacks.

Updated** Came back for my crystals and all things related!…read more I was stuck on a purple kick, something about my stress and needing a calming presence in my life! I was drawn to literally every purple item, dint even look in other directions. It like it spoke to me Variety of things to choose from. Tarot cards, books, loose crystals, geodes, cut rocks, jewelry you name it!! I love all of the variety and you definitely can get lost. We spent almost 1.5 hours here. Two sides of the store depending on what you are looking for

Mondazzi is definitely a hidden gem! I've been traveling here for years. The mineral and specimen…read moreselections are insane. They have a large selection of natural bead strands, jewelry, books, etc. Anything you're looking for, you'll most likely be able to find it there. The employees are so helpful and are very knowledgeable. I will always return to Mondazzi for anything crystal related!

A very small bookshop in rural Woodbury, CT. Couldn't pass by w/o taking a look, but the Sci-Fi…read moreFantasy section was so minuscule, it only took a minute to see that there was nothing there that interested me. Honestly, I've found selections of used books in church basements. That's my report, "Hidden Gem" it is not.

A real life hidden gem. The most organized used-book store that my boyfriend and I have ever run…read moreinto - Seperated by paperback vs hardcover, alphabetized, fiction, non-fiction, mystery, etc.! The selection was vast and the staff on Thursday evening was extremely knowledgeable and welcoming. We received tons of recommendations for nearby bookshops/restaurants/things to do. Cash and Checks, only! A must 'stop_by' location for the average bookworm. Enjoy!

This Barnes & Noble book store is a pretty massive one in Canton. You can enter from the front or…read morethe rear of the store, depending on which way you're coming from. If you're looking for brand new released reading material this is the place to find it. Everything is categorized into fiction, biography, history, romance, cookbooks and more. As long as you know the author, it shouldn't be a problem finding what you're looking for. There are resourceful books for a variety tests or exams one might be taking. At the rear of the store there are records and CDs. This is also where the children's books, toys and games are. There are certain times dedicated to story time for little kids. Should you need a coffee break, there's no need to go far. Starbucks is right here in house. They also have a sale section, usually those are activity books or similar. Be prepared to pay the manufacturer's price for most items.

This a good-sized and clean Barnes and Noble with a pretty good stock of books in all categories…read moreand some magazines as well. There's also a Starbucks inside if that matters to you. It does, however, provide some extra seating which is always a good thing in a book store. That said, we wandered around for quite a while, checking out the history and cooking sections -- everything is pretty clearly organized -- and came away pleased. There's a special section for kids, for tech stuff and for just about any special interest you might have. They have lots of space devoted to gifts, which has never been our favorite part of a book store (let's use that space for MORE books!). There's an information area in the center of the store, and the employees there are pretty good at helping others find items. In all, a nice store, nicely arranged and worth spending some time in, as we certainly did. It is, we believe, the largest book store in this part of Connecticut.

You start in one barn, then realize there are paths, sheds, rooms, and outbuildings everywhere…read more They hand you a map, which sounds excessive but I stared at it for several minutes trying to figure out where to go. What impressed me most was how organized everything felt despite the scale. Sections actually make sense, shelves are labeled, and you can wander without feeling like you are digging through chaos. Pricing is great too. I kept pulling books thinking I would narrow it down later, and somehow still walked out with an armful without feeling irresponsible. The selection is broad without being dusty or sad. Newer releases mixed in with older paperbacks, art books next to cookbooks, random surprises everywhere. There are goats roaming around and a couple of cats who seem fully aware they are part of the charm. If I had one minor complaint, some of the outbuildings get a little tight when it is busy, and browsing can feel cramped. Still, that did not slow me down much. I already know I will be back, probably with a bigger tote next time.

As Connecticut's equivalent to Strand Book Store in Manhattan, Book Barn is a bibliophile's…read moreseemingly bottomless treasure chest! Indeed, dispersed at three distinct locations, BB provides three seemingly bottomless treasure chests. Be prepared to spend several hours browsing their shelves and, if you're game, to buy several armfuls of books. Be prepared in other ways. At the main location, the Barn and its many satellite sheds have some aisles that are damp, dusty, and musty, so if you have respiratory allergies you are advised to wear a face mask there. And while you're at it, dig into your spelunker gear and wear a headlamp, because some of the corners and bottom shelves are so dark you must strain your eyes to read the book spines. Nevertheless, such perils are worth enduring when you arrive home with your trove of cherished books. 5-stars for buying books at Book Barn. An advisory about selling books to BB. You might return home with half of your books unsold. Lugging heavy books from home to car trunk to BB and again to car trunk and again to home rarely can be worth your time and effort. Best to leave at home your paperbacks, and to bring only your hardbacks, as you are more likely sell most of your hardbound books. And best to arrive in the morning soon after they begin buying books, else you must wait in line behind other people selling their books. But, and this is the big BUT. At the conclusion of their hasty appraisal of your entire load of books while you watched helplessly as they rummaged through your trove, be prepared for disappointment, if not humiliation. What they offer to pay you is dismal. They quote you one lump sum for your load of books, never for individual books, but the outcome is as if for, say, your scholarly hardbound book published by an academic press, a first printing in mint condition with its dust jacket intact, they will offer to pay you one-tenth of the price at which they will eventually sell it. To its credit, BB is hardly different from other used book stores in its book buying protocol. Unless you are impoverished, you're better off saving yourself the time and trouble, and instead to donate your books to your local public library. Yet, even your public library will be as selective and unwelcoming, and most of the books they do accept from you will be sold at their annual book sale. The sad fact is that 99-percent of all used books, when measured solely in monetary terms of resale value, are totally worthless. 3-stars for selling your books at Book Barn. So 4-stars total.

It's a cool place, so stop in some time....You'll find cool books, as well as vintage shoestore…read moreaccouterments and vintage shoes to view. Super cool and nostalgic!

Eclectic retro-chic bookstore that is also a hangout for artists and locals. The proprietor is…read morefriendly, witty, and a nationally known sculptor who uses one of the upstairs rooms as his workshop. The building itself is huge and is worth a trip just to explore the remnants of the shoestore, radio station, and candlepin alley that it used to house. This is your bookstore if you want to buy 25-year-old satin wedding shoes, There are many Western and English saddles, 3 pianos , a harp, guitars, and other musical instruments you can play. Not to mention the candlepins.