What's not to like about a store selling used books? Ink and paper is not exactly a dying breed, but it has taken on a smaller presence in the last decade or two with all the digital offerings. That's why an outlet like this is such a treasure. This store had a very nice selection of books ... nonfiction, fiction, and most of the subgenres within that. They even had some foreign language offerings. Besides the broad selection, we liked the prices and the ambiance. The shelves were packed but orderly, and the aisles were tight but negotiable. I'd rather have more books and less room, as long as the shelves are organized ... which these were. All in all this was a great find in an unassuming little storefront. While Ravenswood Used is not as big and eclectic as Myopic Books, it is a winner. read more

I went by the store and saw the lights on and people moving around inside so I thought it was open. The door was locked so I rang the buzzer just in case they might be open. The womam behind the counter came around and rolled her eyes at me and then pointed to the sign before stomping away and not saying a word to me. I have spent a lot of money in that store in the past, and I was going to spend money today. I do not plan to go back after being treated this way. It doesn't take much to say hi and appreciate someone for coming by. I am very disappointed. read more

Ravenswood Used Books is such a cozy bookstore that you can spend the entire day in if you're not careful! There are so many books in such a small space it can really be overwhelming to start looking in all the sections. It's easy to access on Montrose and there are several great food places near that you can go to before/after your book hunt. The prices for the books I looked at were more than fair and the books were in good shape. There are even a few spots around that you can sit and read if you so choose! This place is also dog friendly, although with how tight the space is I'm not sure any dog above 20 pounds would do well. It's not a place that folks who have physical limitations or need physical assistance may enjoy, there are piles of books on the floor and the aisles are really narrow. One small thing that could bother some, is that the prices for the books were written in the cover pages. Not a huge deal but sometimes the prices were a bit fainter to read since they were written in pencil. I also get that it's a way to save money and keep the store running when you don't have to worry about labels, etc. Overall, I've found a place to frequent when I want to add more to my "to be read" list. read more

I love the labyrinthine space with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. Fairly organized with a reading nook at the back. read more

Ravenswood Used Books - Used Bookstore Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I called to ask if we could schedule an appointment to sell our used books to them (as advertised on their door), but I was treated very poorly by the owner. She was extremely impatient over the phone, and made me feel like I shouldn't have called her at all. I was trying to give her the types of books (all in like-new condition) but I was either talking too fast for her or not giving her the information fast enough. She ultimately declined our appointment saying she was too saturated anyway and to try by in a week or two. I told her we'd just be going somewhere else. I'm so disappointed because we live right down the street and have been excited about shopping at this local used book store. We are huge supporters of local instead of chain but I don't appreciate the blatant disregard and being treated like I am a complete inconvenience to her. I hope she reads this and takes action to be nicer to her customers / sellers so she doesn't lose more business. I'm scoring two stars because we have shopped there before with no issues. Granted, we didn't have much/if any interaction with the owner then. Also, I called earlier in the week and spoke to a man that was staffed there and he was very kind and helpful, but told me to call back to speak with the owner. It pains me to leave a store like this a bad review, but I'm hoping the owner reads it and takes it to heart. read more

I am a big reader, and I was pleasantly surprised with the selection of books. They even have books in other languages too like French, German, and Spanish! I have been wanting more books in German, so I was extremely happy I could find some!!! All the genres are labeled, some of it with some funny remarks but the aisles are definitely tiny. I would not recommend bringing any big bags in there. I had a small backpack and I felt like that was the max you could bring without worrying about hitting books on either side. The plus is, there are so many books crammed in there and sometimes you need to do a little digging (pull out the books in front) to find what you want/need. I would definitely give yourself a fair amount of time in here (at least 15 min) if you're not sure what you want and like to casually look through the shelves. If you're a sci-fi/fantasy fan, they have both an adult section for it (towards the back, on the left most side) and a YA/children's one (by the front, right most side). I will definitely be back! read more

I walked in today and found it crammed with great books and helmed by a very helpful gent who can find what you need if they have it. Great value -- why buy new books for high school English when you can find many classics right here? read more

Just left this store in search of four used books after having been treated with disrespect and impatience by the woman at the front desk. I took no more than two minutes of her time, and yet she dismissed each inquiry with exasperation and impatience as though she had better things to do than help a polite, earnest customer. Totally uncalled for. You just lost a customer, Ravenswood Used Books! read more

My wife took one look inside this unassuming used book store and sighed "uh oh - this has Brian written all over it". She knows me well - I love a great bookstore, with a maze of packed, but orderly, books. Prices were good and appropriate. Selection in the music, film, art and mystery books was fine. As is often the case, I was almost overwhelmed by sheer volume of books I wanted ... almost being the key! I couldn't tell you for certain if I spent 15 minutes, a half hour, or more in the store ... but next time I'll allow even more time ... and bring a list Chicago is very lucky to have this bookstore. Nothing like it at home in St Louis!! read more

Ravenswood Used Books - Exterior of this great used bookstore! - Used Bookstore Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Cute place, good selection, great prices! Customer service is always great. They have something for everyone! read more

Ravenswood Used Books - Huge selection! - Used Bookstore Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Cute little bookstore to get lost in for a few minutes. Received a friendly greeting as we entered the bookstore and received a friendly "thanks for coming" as we left. Based on how adventurous some of the shelves are stacked, I wouldn't say the space is child friendly. This is the perfect place to feast your eyes on endless titles. We spent about 15 minutes perusing the shelves to see if anything jumped out, like "omg I've always wanted to read this!" Could have easily spent much longer if we had a shelf to fill at home. Every last inch is covered with a book. It can be difficult to bend down because the shelves are so close together. There are step ladders throughout to help you reach the higher shelves. read more

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Really don't know why I've never reviewed this place before, but this store has always been great to browse, whenever I've revisited over the years. And to me while this store does have slightly tight aisles, I don't think this store is overly disorganized. And at least the employees/owner try to keep it organized. If you want one that is disorganized, go to Bookman's Corner at Wellington/Clark! I'm still trying to get a sense for how their used book pricing tends to go, but so far it seems better than Myopic. If I notice this continues satisfactorily the more I browse this store, I'll probably up this review to 5 stars. read more

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Found an awesome selection of books here! They even have some collectibles. I highly recommend visiting Ravenswood Used Books if you're in the area read more

I ran into this lovely store when I was waiting for my friend and was thinking this is what my ideal library looks like! A lot of nice collections, great decor. I wish I had more time to explore read more

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The selection is alright! I thought the book would have more hidden gems, but in almost every book I saw, there was something I didn't recognize or care about. That's a very subjective opinion! I wished more books were popular, but it is primarily a used bookstore! I know some used bookstores have newer books in the mix as well. - Goosie read more

I tried to a small local neighborhood business, but was kicked out because my baby who was in a stroller didn't have a mask, even though the law is kids under 2 do not have to wear masks, because of potential breathing issues. No apologizes or nothing. The owner (lady) looked at my and then my stroller and open the canopy to see if he had a mask on (which is contaminating--touching a stranger's personal property) and said no. You have to leave. So, I will never go here EVER. Just thought I would share. Do with this what you wish read more

Apparently Yelp created a new listing and closed the old one, instead of just marking it as moved. Here is the link, because I think that many of those reviews are still relevant. http://www.yelp.com/biz/ravenswood-used-books-chicago In the new location at 2005 W Montrose, Jim has more space than the shop in Lincoln Square, and I think that it will be a real boon for his business. I spent about thirty minutes there today and I didn't even peruse half the shelves. More room = more books = more browsing pleasure. It is still a great browsing bookstore with a perfect balance between organization and lack thereof. The shelves are labelled by genre, but there is no alphabetization or other apparent book-by-book ordering withing the sections, except that some major authors are grouped together. So you can spend a lot of time digging for those gems, of which there are many. Of course, if you're looking for something specific, just let Jim know and he can tell you exactly where it is. I can see spending a lot more time (and money) at the new incarnation of Ravenswood Used Books--now actually located in Ravenswood! read more

I greatly enjoyed visiting this charming book store. The owner was helpful and I found a perfect book for a friend's birthday at a reasonable price. I will definately be back soon! read more

A few weeks ago I went to the book store and tried to sell my brand new/like new books and was very dissatisfied by the prices that were offered- $1 per book (despite their original price/quality). The owner (lady) is noticeably nicer to costumers that are buying books than those looking to sell their own. I left with half the books I brought, most of which fitting for the genres they are looking for (according to their Facebook page). Prior to selling my books, I walked around the store and saw multiple copies of the same books, but the owner refused to buy books of mine when there were ONLY one other copy in the store. She also commented that my books "weren't up their ally" despite exact titles on their shelves. She was very rude and I didn't appreciate her tone, I'm proud to say that I will not be returning in the near future and will stick to borrowing books from the public library. read more

Always a treasure hunt in this packed little shop. Imagine floor to ceiling books of all genre, well sorted and reasonably priced. Always makes me think I'm in a magical shop - unbelievable finds and the stacks just going and going. Expect to browse for at least an hour and easily more. An important stop for any book lover, local or visitor read more

The owner of this establishment, despite having a store in one of the most diverse north neighborhoods of the city, does not treat all of her customers with the same respect or dignity. My partner and several of my friends have been followed through the store, accused of theft, and harassed all when simply trying to make purchases or sell books to the owner. Previous bad reviews mentioning the owner's behavior have been removed from Yelp and Google Reviews but Chicago needs to know that this is unacceptable behavior. Please take your used book needs anywhere else in the city (Myopic Books, Uncharted Books, and the Book Cellar are all much better options). read more

this bookstore looks like it's out of movie , there are stacks on stacks of books everywhere . While walking around it's easy knock them off the shelves . But it reminds me of a movie where on a cold , cloudy day a girl goes to a bookstore and suddenly a book falls from the sky into her lap , and that's the book she has been looking for all her life . Lol that didn't happen but I thought it would lol Ok dramatic but we just got some Harry Potter books . The books are overpriced for being used books but supporting a local business made the purchase seem good ? Still debating on this . They did have some books that are signed by the authors in the window display . Overall a cool place to look around . read more

I needed a copy of Heartburn and the woman who answered immediately said I was in luck and she just got in a clean copy and would put it aside. Somehow I'd never been there but I loved it. It is small but very well organized, with interesting books. I'll be back! read more

Love this place. The lady who works here is chill as hell and was cool about us complaining about James Franco's terrible poetry for like five straight minutes. read more

They are a great business where you can find almost any book you or your kids may need. I call first to see if they have it before going to Amazon or big box book store. Love walking in there. Its like being on a movie set of a library in some old mansion. Love the 2 owners. They are helpful and quirky, in the best way :) read more

I've been fortunate that the bookstores I've visited in 2021 have had everything I look for in a bookstore. Cozy, intimate, friendly staff, and tons of books to browse and check off of your list. Ravenswood Used books was a joy to visit a few weeks back. Books and I mean books. Whether it's Sci-Fi, Fiction, Non-Fiction, Self Help, Religion, Language, out of print, etc. There's a good chance you'll find it here. Like the attic filled with books in Fahrenheit 451 that Guy Montague finds finding a hard-to-find book here can be a joy. The Lady working here is friendly and cheerful and will help you find something. Just ask. 2020 was a challenging year. Some binge-watched TV. Others made Jeff Bezos and Amazon more billions by ordering online. Others though found the joy of reading a book. In physical form. Not on a device. In their backyard. Or a park. Sadly there are some who still live in fear of possible health hazards. If your afraid of dying you've already died. Grab a book and head to your local park. While you can. In the spring. Or summer. But make it a point to visit this bookstore or some of the other bookstores I've reviewed. I bought a good amount of books my first time here and I look forward to returning. read more

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Great shop, fun maze setup to explore! Decent street parking in the vicinity. It's a great spot if you like to dig around and track down a hidden gem! read more

This used book store is MAGICAL! The inside of the store is what you would imagine a rich book lover's library would look like. Books are in stacks everywhere and yet the clerk knows where everything is and we found everything that we were looking for. We plan to come back here many times. read more

Ravenswood Used Books - Used Bookstore Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

As used bookstores go, this place is incredible. It is a small space that can only hold so many books and the owner does an amazing job of keeping a diverse collection without many 'repeats' taking up shelf space. I've bought 20+ books (biographies, music, history, Tolstoy) over the last few years and rarely leave without at last 1 or 2 books that I simply must have. This is a wonderful place to browse, unless you hate tight spaces, but if you are looking for something in particular, ask the owner - she knows her store well and will point you in the right direction. read more

Ok- this is one for the small independent explore-and-see-what-you-might-find bookstore lover. Books are stacked at times in odd ways, and a section may be continued 'over there' or 'near history'. But we love this sort of place and came out with an armload of "finds" for each of the 4 of us. And the owner and staff were most helpful. read more

I love this place. Its very cool set up, with piles and piles and stacks and stacks and shelves on shelves of books. As you go further and further back in the store, you end up in your own little hidey hole, surrounded by books. I am not claustrophobic-but could imagine it being a problem for anyone that has problems in tight spaces. I am not an expert on books- so I can't speak for their selection. It seemed like most of your typical paperbacks were in the $5-$7 range (original price $15-$20). I don't know what they buy or not, but thought $6 was a good price for the books I got. read more

This is my most favorite used book store. Its a wonderland of hidden tresures and secret nooks. I could spend an entire day here. I walked out with a fairly priced used 1st edition Kurt Vonnegut copy of Jailbird... fun find! read more

The owners are very friendly and knowledgeable of their stock. The store is filled to the ceiling with books of a vast selection. The prices are appropriate and the store as well organized read more

I order used books all the time online from many different book sellers. I orders an expensive book (for me) from this seller and after several days received an email stating the book had been delivered to my condo. I was home all day and the book never arrived. I did not find it around my neighbors doors. I texted the seller and they texted back and said the book was delivered to my home and that was that. I have a good track record with Amazon and have received countless articles to my condo. I would not lie to get a book and 18 dollars back. I contacted Amazon and they asked me a lot of questions and then got back to me and said they would reimburse me the money for the book. I will never order from this seller again. read more

Super great place. Large selection of plays, love to wind my way through the shelves here :)

I haunt used bookstores and have been a fan of Ravenswood Bookstore since it was on Lincoln. I love being able to find surprise books from my childhood and purchase newer books at half the price to save money. The staff has always been friendly towards me but I can always find something and if what I need isn't there, I let them know and they will let me know if it does come in. I also like that they host special events such as a book club for preschoolers and weekend booksclubs for elementary kids. They interact with their community and I like that very much. read more

DON'T go there to donate any books! After carting 3 boxes of a variety of books to their door---and I'm a retired professor of music-- nice books of all types, she turned me away. Try to give your books to a place that treats people with dignity. Not this place. read more

Such a great used bookstore in Ravenswood. This store embodies everything that you would expect from a used bookstore - nooks and crannies to get lost in, books piled up to the ceiling, and books that you would not be able to find anywhere else. You can easily forget how much time you spend in here, scouring the shelves. I am excited to come back to this store time and time again. read more

My favorite place! Loads of awesome books pouring off the walls. Quite a world to get lost in. Staff is friendly and extremely knowledgeable. Can help you find anything and give you endless recommendations and books to consider. A true delight for book fans of all stripes!! read more

This is such a cozy, charming, well stocked book store with lots of character and a great selection. I stopped in just to take a look and could have spent my whole afternoon there. Just be careful where you step -- lots of tight corners and stacks of books. read more