The first time I bought a book by myself, saved up my allowance, walked here, and got a paperback by Phillip K. Dick. It was 1972. Love this bookstore. Great selection, it's in the vicinity of the University of Chicago so you're likely to find well read books from the personal libraries of people who use words like "hermeneutical," and "epistimelogical," and yet they also have a good selection of mysteries and science fiction. Good choices in poetry, history, science, literature, and collectibles. Read books and learn stuff. read more

Powell's Books Chicago - Bookstores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

If you're looking to get lost in a bookstore, this is the place for you. This used bookstore is extremely whimsical and inspiring. My best friend who recently moved to the area, told me this is the best place to get dreamy. There are a variety of books to pick from spanning across all genres. There is a method to the madness. I only checked the price of one book I was eyeing and it was a classic for about $9. I'm sure the prices vary here. We were left to explore which I enjoyed, but we were warmly welcomed and said goodbye to upon our entrance and exit. I especially loved this one photographer's coffee table book. I recommend checking this bookstore out. read more

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Amazing selection of books and great customer service. Prices are very low here as well. My new spot! read more

Powell's Books Chicago - Bookstores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The best bookstore ever! Great selection! Always have what we're looking for! Expert staff knowledgeable! read more

Great destination for academic (lots of philosophy and religion) as well as poetry (I'm always looking for poetry). Haven't been back in a really long time, but I was impressed with the selection when I went about 9 years ago. I live in Oak Park and rarely get out that way, but perhaps another visit is in order! read more

Amazingly organized for how large the inventory is. Good ambience and some fun corners to tuck into; I would recommend this store to anyone looking to get lost in books for a couple hours. Two hours here went by pretty quickly. -1 star for no public restrooms :/ p read more

Racism at it's finest. So, I come in there one day with about 4 boxes of books from a bunch of great writers and authors. Great variety, easy reading all the way to advanced. Ask the counter person to appraise the items I brought in, he does so. Well, he was done in 2 minutes and I brought in approximately 80 novels. Told me, ALL of my books were advanced reading books and they don't accept those. Huh??! This store is filled with every type of book imaginable. So, I brush it off and as I was about to collect my items, I decided to donate them instead. As, I literally did not have to to hull a bunch of boxes to every book purchasing store in the area. Guess what? He accepted them! So, they were to advanced to purchase but hey, if it's free, why not take them? Not a fan of the spot and it's left a bad taste in my mouth ever since. Hyde Park resident since 2017. read more

The barely concealed contempt the owner (the older, bearded man) and his protégé (the young man with the tie) have for their patrons is only possibly made up by the admittedly excellent selection and often rock-bottom prices. If you are into academic, esoteric, and rare titles, you will enjoy browsing the shelves here, but be sure to leave without exchanging words with either of the aforementioned personages: you will (in any combination) likely be verbally browbeaten, insulted, laughed at, and told you have boorish literary tastes. Standard customer service practices at other bookstores, such as checking an inventory or providing a discount on a larger set, are requests that will be greeted as beyond-the-pale, if not straight-up traumatizing, by this Kafkaesque duo. Even the other workers, when they have not already quit, warn you to stay away and keep your mouth shut! In any other neighborhood than the insular Hyde Park, this behavior would be seen as shocking. Alas, here, you will be told by a grad student in combat boots that it is part of the "local charm" or "fabric of the community"! read more

I called yesterday and spoke to a worker about selling my books. I asked if they take religious/philosophy/personal enrichment books and he said they take it. Drove out an hour through city traffic and carried heavy boxes in through the shop. The man working did not even have the decency to greet us and took about 2 minutes to review our boxes and said "excuse me, we don't take these books." and that was all. I should have asked why but decided not to. Most if not all of my books were religious/philosophical studies of value. I could have told him about my conversation yesterday over the phone and asked him why can't he take my books, but this worker was uninvested, uninterested, and disrespectful. He has no intentions of helping. Worst experience ever at a book store. read more

Great bookstore from what I remember but the new hours suck. I feel like 9 out of 10 times in the area, they are closed. That and the fact that 57th street books is now new books only means a real dearth of bookstores in Hyde park which is shameful for such an intellectual neighborhood read more

I like this place!! Powell's books chicago is a cool spot. It's Small, quaint, intimate and convenient bookstore. The prices are very reasonable. Close to home. Close to my favorite vegan restaurant B'gabbs. Each time I tell myself that I'm only purchase 1 book but I end of getting 3 or more. read more

Powell's Books Chicago - For $4.95 - Bookstores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

One of the best bookstores I've ever visited, Powell's offers varieties of rare, forgotten works deserving of rediscovery. Friendly for scholars, students, and other bookworms, you could easily get lost for hours flipping dusty pages... Staff are friendly and accommodating, and the bathrooms have all sorts of interesting graffitis and notes from passerby. Definitely work visiting! read more

Powell's Books Chicago - Bookstores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

There are so few great bookstores left anymore. Powell's has some new books, but they are a marvel when it comes to used books. Their history started in Chicago where the founder, a University of Chicago Graduate Student started a bookstore in 1970. Their flagship store is in Portland, Oregon, and they have a huge internet business (www.powells.com). The location in Hyde Park is very large - it is all on one floor, but rooms seem to grow from one to another like limbs on a tree. Each section is clearly catalogued so you may find whatever you are looking for very easily. Their selection is huge. They also have a large selection of collectable and antique books. It was very interesting to see the people working there wearing white gloves so they don't mar the books. Prices are very good - everything is discounted. This is not a glamorous store - it's not Barnes and Noble, it does not have a coffee counter, there are no comfortable seating areas to sit and read books. But, they have just about every book you could want, or they can get it for you. It feels like a simple, old fashioned bookstore. read more

I can't believe I haven't received this place before! This is a great bookstore! (And in a neighborhood of great bookstores). This is the ideal used book store. The books are in good condition, well organized, and cheap. They buy and sell used books. (The look carefully at books they are buying, most of mine are usually rejected, but this does lead to them selling good books in good condition.) Any books that they do not buy from you, you can leave outside for anyone to take for free. (So if you want free books, it's good to look in the front). Oh, and street parking is free and easy! read more

Terrific used book store with great prices and fair payment for used books. It's on the other end of town from me and still worth the hour-long trip to get there. Friendly staff. read more

I'm from PDX and frequented their locations there a lot. Imagine how ecstatic I was when I discovered this bookstore here! Great selections and great staff. Thank you! read more

Yeah I won't be setting foot here again. Its kind of a cool old antique book store but the dude behind the register has no idea what is going on in there. Was too consumed in solitary or what ever he was doing. When I asked him if he had a particular book he went to Amazon to check out the book. Then he said "eehhh...... check mystery if we have it, it will be there". He has no knowledge of what is in stock nor do they have a program or system to keep track of inventory. My fiancé went to check for the book and while trying to prevent from blowing my brains out from boredom I figured I'd buy a comic and read it a bit. My girl likes to shop for books. So I asked if he had The Walking Dead. Had no clue what it was. lol..... I almost felt offended. I went to grab my fiancé so we could leave but she was already on her way up requesting to leave. She is like Johnny 5 and can read books at that rate of speed. So when she requested to leave I asked why? She said they had no order on their shelves. They did not have them by title or author. We walked out and went to 57th St. Books. A million times better. Night & Day. read more

Nice used bookstore in general with good options and some unique finds in my particular subfield. The staff is often quite rude and bitter, which is odd to me since I once worked in a bookstore and relished it. But my main gripe is that in 15 years living in Hyde Park, they haven't bought a single book I've brought in to sell. Not one. I've brought in scores of academic books and fiction over the years, and the employees always act as if my books' mere presence in the store is polluting. I even brought in castoffs from my PhD advisor's shelves (at her request), and those were rejected. There's always a weak excuse, offered rudely: "We're not buying academic books now." "We're not buying fiction now." "We're not buying anything in the fields of philosophy/history/religion." Whatever it is, they're not buying. Recently, I brought in a hardback signed copy of fiction I had bought at The Strand in NY, and as expected, they rejected it. I know they mark up, I would have accepted a dollar or two for something I paid much more for, but no such luck. Hey, Powell's: if you don't buy used books, stop advertising that you do! And if you're never going to buy anything from me, I'm going to stop buying from you. I can usually find what I need, including used copies at good prices, on Amazon. I can sell my used books there, too. read more

Walked in today, and by the way I was treated by the person behind the counter and another employee, I won't be coming back again. It's simply not worth it. They are happy that they don't have an inventory of their books, and when I inquired about a book they said that this is the precise type of book they don't carry.. and the way the person shared that landed as a judgement on me. Another review on here helped me see that this is how employees in this store are and not a personal thing. Either way, I'll stick to the library and buying used books online. read more

I'm not really clear on why there are so many negative reviews of Powell's on here, especially regarding the prices. Where, exactly, are you going to find extremely rare and expensive academic books for a fraction of their original cost? And even for perfectly standard titles, as in fiction, the prices are cheaper than most other used bookstores in the city. I've found books here I've never seen anywhere else, at least not used, and it's a great place to wander around for a while, just hunting down things you might have heard of (or may never have encountered). I'd definitely say that other stores have much better general interest selections. Powell's in Hyde Park is definitely biased towards academic subjects, but that makes it all the more valuable. It's pretty easy to find stores that consistently stock popular fiction releases, but if you're trying to find less easily accessible titles at a bargain price, this place is a goldmine. read more

Overrated. I have always felt Powell's is overrated and often too expensive. But today, I am convinced. I wanted to buy a book of riddles. I asked for something by Bennett Cerf. The store clerk gave me a blank stare. He tried to fake it, but I knew he had no idea who Cerf was. He sent us to their dank downstairs to the "humor and gaming" section, which was filled with books on how to play bridge and blackjack. I didn't see the humor in it. We went back upstairs and I said something on the order of "Come on, now, this is Powell's. How do you not have a humor section much less any of Cerf's stuff?" In the most People's Republic of Hyde Park way, the guy says to me with a straight face, "we have some medieval stuff over here that you might find amusing." Medieval riddles. Sure. Overrated. read more

Love this bookstore!! Great selection and prices. Knowledgeable staff. I stop in regularly. You can find wonderful books at good prices

I'll take this location over the other Chicago storefront or for that matter the one in Portland, OR. The art, music selections rival the Strand in NYC - not as big of course but just as solid. Prices are fair & the condition of their stock is solid. The staff is knowledgeable & helpful and last time the guy at the register bent over backwards tracking a book down they he knew they had but wasn't where it should have been. I just kind of went along with my browsing not thinking anymore about it until he popped from around the corner after having found it in a stack to be re-shelved, Always a worthy stop! read more

The last remaining Powell's Books in Chicago and not to be confused with the Powell's chain in Portland, Oregon. This is my favorite used bookstore in Chicago--clean, brightly lit, organized and with a huge selection of first editions and rare books. As you'd expect being close to the University of Chicago, Humanities makes up the largest section, with literature, criticism, philosophy and history being the bookstore's strengths. read more

Amazing bookstore. It looks small from the outside but is huge on the inside. Lots of little areas to explore. The type of place I can spend hours in. I can't wait to come back. read more

Powell's is a really nice bookstore but pretty standard in the "huge shelves filled with too many books" kind of way. Its a good place to get some books and browse but is also a little difficult to navigate and isn't for everyone. Staff, however, were really great. read more

I absolutely adore used bookstores. Can I just tell you that I fell in love AGAIN LOL. The place is very cramped, but the selection is awesome and the prices are reasonable. My main interests: philosophy, classics, poetry and photography. All sections were filled to capacity. I loved it. O.M.G. I had to ask someone to help me get a copy of Pablo Neruda (which was on the highest bookcase I've ever seen) but it wasn't a problem. Not to mention that parking was a snap, and its right by the train station. read more

This bookstore is a transcendent experience indeed. We visited a dozen Chicago bookstores over the weekend, and Powells was far and away the best. Packed to the gills with quality titles, and many ridiculous deals on used and new overstock books. Art, architecture, and design sections were top notch. Many rare titles on Chicago history. We walked away with a half dozen books each between the four of us. The staff were hands off but friendly and helpful when asked. To those complaining about chairs, it's a bookstore not a reading room. It's also not a comic book store, so they don't have Walking Dead. Yet they do have rare graphic novels and vintage Pogo titles, so there are finds to be had. If you're serious about books, be sure to check out Powell's in Hyde Park. read more

I like the other two Chicago Powell's, andit says on the website that this is their 'most academic' bookstore, so I was hoping for a big philosophy section, and indeed there is a whole wall full of philosophy books. They are quite selective in their choice, however, focusing especially on canonical classics and analytical thought, which left me a bit disappointed. There were lots of ladders and boxes in the already narrow aisles, plus it is rather dark, with a strange buzzing sound in the back room,and to top it off, the salesperson wasn't particularly friendly. Uncomfortable. read more

I don't know which is a better source of interesting stuff to read: the store itself or the Free Box that sometimes appears outside. Someone left about 3/4 of the complete Michael Innes mysteries in there once. I was in heaven for weeks. It's hit or miss, but I also found a beautiful, ghostly photo of a guy and his dog from about a hundred years ago tucked away in a book. The store itself has a really good drama section, and they have started carrying the NYRB reissues of classics (classics extend to mid-20th century gems like Amis and Taylor), over toward the northeast corner. read more

I definitely don't hate Powell's, it's a nice store. But I wish there were more places to sit down inside(it's funny the location on Lincoln Ave. has more places to sit down, though not much more), and it feels more cramped and dark than 57th St. Books does(my fav of the used bookstores on 57th). I don't hate it though, as I usually find some interesting books to read. If I wasn't so poor, I'd probably make more purchases at stores like this. read more

this review is strictly for its online 'customer service'....which is non-existant. let's say it's AWOL. We were looking for a couple of books in brand new condition and sent a message to see which locale had them and the condition of the books, since it appeared on their site as being available. After a couple attempts to contact them, and not hearing back, we went elsewhere and gave our business to another independent bookstore that actually provided assistance. Now maybe that bookstore didn't offer rock-bottom like Amazon.com, but we were okay with that and will always choose small businesses that offer acceptable service. Powell's did not and we will not be going to them anytime soon. read more

Popped in here one afternoon on my way home from the hardware store. And I fell in love. Wound up picking up two incredibly priced books, and will likely be in there again soon. What I won't be picking up? The book on the history of the toothpick. read more

This place has amazingly packed shelves. I browsed here while waiting for a friend. What can I say? They have great coffee table-esque books that you can just browse through. I read books on the Mad Men Advertising era, junk food gourmet meals, Japanese theme restaurants and all sorts of vending machines. The amount of books here is just astounding. Topics range from fashion, western civilization and even a basement full of graphic novels. read more

Powells will be at the Printers Row Lit Fest again this June. The picture of Powell's tent at the Fair from last year is on the new web site. Powells always handpicks the books they bring to the Lit Fest. I think they have been there forever. They are part of what makes Chicago great South or North. read more

Meh. That seems to contradict the four star rating, but after living in Boston for years and coming out here and finally visiting The Famous Powell's (granted, only the Hyde Park location), I'm just not impressed. So many remainders but not enough quirky stuff (occasionally make some great picks... but when you see what you think is the only copy of The Sage and the Second Sex, for example, and you snag it, and then a month later you see four, and then you keep seeing two or three, you start to feel there's nothing really special about the place other than the name and the rep). Except for one cute brunette and another who's a Doctor Who fan, the staff is pretty cold. Almost surgically or antiseptically frigid. You shouldn't react to a question about what Will Oldham song is playing on your iPod the way you would as if I've asked if I could borrow your wife for the weekend. (I had to clean my fridge ALL BY MYSELF, thank you!) Also don't ignore someone who just got clocked in the head with your heavy metal front door. i don't care how engrossed you are in the prospective sale--you were maybe 15 inches away, and you're quite lucky I neither passed out in the doorway nor collapsed on the sidewalk in front of your free book box. That would have been a big lawsuit WIN for me. It makes me wonder why this store's still in business while Rodney's, a great Central Square Cambridge (MA) institution, has about a week of lifespan left. But then I remember: I'm not in Cambridge anymore--I'm in Chicago, a decaying (in the most Spenglerian sense) City State with absolutely no class or charm (fuck Art Deco--EVERY American city has Art Deco) and about fifty-five actually literate people in the Hyde Park neighborhood (maybe twenty of whom attend U of C). Anymore I pop in, glance the philosophy or the poetry, and pop back out. Avenue Victor Hugo on Newbury Street in Boston. Twenty-nine years, and a total Ayn Rand worshipping test tube baby schitzo running the place, but it had character and class and tradition and rep and the best sci-fi collection in the Northeastern United States. All Powell's has is rep. Worth the pop in, but don't be surprised if you pop quickly out. It doesn't really encourage the browsing that even O'Gara and Wilson across the street does. NOTE: I have to admit that it's really just awesome to see a pompous U of C git try to pick up a chick by impressing them with his ability to read the names "Hegel" and "Fichte" from the spines of the philosophy section. German's tough but the pronunciation of his surname is probably the most accessible thing about Kant. "Ah... yes... I think you would really like Nietzsche..." Had I not been engaged to one, I would have probably been able to pick up the pretty Asian woman who had also been in the aisle on that afternoon on sole account of the knowing glance and smirk we exchanged after this guy and.. I dunno... maybe he just found this girl wandering aimlessly in the fiction and lassoed her in with his "profundity"... anyway, after they'd moved onto the next room. Ausgezeichnet! read more

Probably the best bookstore in Chicago, if slightly devoid of charm, but probably everyone knows that already. Definitely the biggest used bookstore in the city -- it's huge, but slightly claustrophobic compared to their Lakeview store, with 12 foot stacks of books everywhere. Specializing in academic press clearance -- large numbers of Oxford and Cambridge books at very low prices. The Strand couldn't exist in Chicago -- the city doesn't have the density to support customers for miles of aisles, and people would never tolerate the crowding. Powells is what's possible, and it's really very good. read more

I come here all the time, and it's definitely a fixture of Hyde Park. I can't imagine the place without it. Mostly their selection is absolutely great. I guess the organization could be a bit better, but I know it's tricky with a used book store, and it adds to the appeal of poking around. I would prefer they had a bigger section on architecture or contemporary design books, but that may also speak to the tastes of Hyde Park folks which runs more into the Humanities and theoretical sciences. read more

it's Powell's in Hyde Paark- books only found near a campus like U of C. Quit complaining and enjoy the serendipity of stumbling onto what is perhaps one of the most consistently electic book store offerings (new or used) in the country. I do every visit to Chicago, and have to limit what my purchases to what i can carry and/or pack. read more

Where can I go to feel like I don't waste afternoons with reruns of Law & Order SVU? And to pretend I care about Foucault. Aha! Sometimes I find awesome books, sometimes I don't. The prices can be great though it's a luck of the draw. Not a bad art section and children's books, the meat is "more academic" in fiction and poetry and all that. It has that used bookstore atmosphere you want to soak up. By far one of the best bookstores in Chicago that has the great atmosphere and literature that a bookstore should have. read more