I visit this shop when I'm home visiting family. It's my favorite gem in Rochester. The selection: unique, lovely, and interesting books! The prices are reasonable. I also enjoy chatting with the owner and seeing the cat, whose name, I think, is Rex. read more

book selection was limited, and when you walk in door you get hit be the stench of canned cat food which is ironically right by your feet. the place itself was dirty too. read more

This is one of those "can't believe I haven't been here yet" places. Book lovers, this is a must visit. There are shelves upon shelves of books, loosely organized into sections (through the lovely worker helped me find exactly what I was looking for). There are multiple floors and sections to Small World, so if you are coming to browse, give yourself a lot of time. I came on a lunch break so I didn't explore every room, but was able to purchase two local history books as gifts. There are other fun things to buy, like quirky art and vintage postcards. According to their Facebook page, they sometimes have live bands or meditation events. Possibly the best part is the super sweet shop kitty who enjoys pets. Skip the big box booksellers and #shoplocal! read more

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This place is wild, with all of the charms you would expect in a used bookstore. Packed to the brim with mildly unorganized books, hidden gems everywhere, insane prices, and CATS. I saw the cutest black/grey cat snuggling in a chair taking a nap and just stared and smiled for a few minutes. In the non-COVID times, this would be an amazing spot to spend a while in and leave with a very well-priced haul. You enter from the side and they DO have a parking lot. I missed that as this was my first visit, but you can park to the left of the storefront and enter right from the parking lot. You can't miss the building coming from downtown, as it has the most gorgeous mural on the side with the Small World Books logo incorporated. I can't wait until the next time I can come back and enjoy this bookshop experience. It's open during COVID times and leaves plenty of room to stretch out away from fellow book searchers, though sadly there was no one else there when I arrived last Saturday. Please consider shopping at Small World Books this holiday season as opposed to a B&N or a big box chain or A*azon. Small shops like this are the heart of our ROC neighborhoods! read more

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I love this bookstore! But it's a bookstore, and I love almost all bookstores. But the experience in this bookstore is a little bit like someone threw up books all over a book store. Lol. I like that for browsing and noticing things. But if I were looking for some thing, this would be a little bit overwhelming. There are two different rooms and I didn't get a chance to spend as much time in here as I would like to. But I am definitely going back. read more

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I'm a really big fan of Small World Books. Pros: Ample Parking A Feline walking around Chairs to sit in Rocco is a nice guy Lots of great rare books Interesting bric a brac Cons: Can't think of any read more

This is your go-to used bookstore if you are looking for OLD books, rare editions, etc. read more

Small World Books - Inside - Bookstores Near Me - Rochester, New York

I stepped into Rocco Pellegrino's little corner of Marketview Heights for the first time today, and couldn't stop marveling at his sprawling, all-embracing, perfectly-priced collection of books. At first, it feels like you're in a little storefront shop, but the rooms keep going... and going... stretching all the way to the back of the converted house--and then there's an equally sized upstairs and some odds and ends in the unfinished basement! A book store can be made or broken by its owner, and Rocco is about as good as it gets: friendly (he made me a cup of tea), active (when I arrived, he was unloading four boxes of art theory, criticism, and philosophy books he had bought just the day before at the VSW Summer Sale), and hands-on (he gave me a great tour of the store but knew just when to stop and let me explore by myself). Small World's "official" fiction section is only moderately sized, but the house is densely packed with dozens of decently organized bookcases that take a little bit of extra work to sift through. Fiction titles range from dime store mysteries to Nobel-winning classics, and the non-fiction collection is especially strong in world history, religion, and art. I left with only two books--a collection of Lorrie Moore stories, and Truman Capote's "Music for Chameleons," both just $2.00 each--but could have spent hours combing through Rocco's impressive reserve of antique books, rare books, art prints, antiques, or kooky record collection. The store has a perfect ambiance. Just rickety and dusty enough to give you that cozy mom-and-pop used bookstore feel, but every room is airy, well-lit, and well-maintained. No weird smells or cobwebs to pick through, though if you're allergic to cats, be warned: Rocco has an adorable grey kitty named Sinbad who roams the store and likes to perch on stacks of Life Magazine by the window. Small World is in an odd part of town without a lot of foot traffic, but it's an easy bike ride or drive from anywhere downtown or in the Park Ave/NOTA/South Wedge area. Give Rocco a visit! He just may become your favorite bookseller in Rochester. read more

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Small World books is a small used book store with lots of little gems. My writer-friend was curious to see what our local book store scene was like, and I honestly didn't know what was out there beyond the big box Barnes & Nobles around town. So I was really happy to be able to see what was here!! Being a teacher, I was immediately drawn to their section of children's books. There was a very large selection of hard cover children's books, and I was tempted to buy some save for the fact that I'm moving out of town soon. This place is off the beaten path, but you should really take a moment to explore the shelves. read more

What a beautiful packaging job! Besides the padded mailer and waterproof cover, they mailed me the book I ordered gift wrapped in a lovely old poster --even centering the best part! Books are all gifts, and it feels good to spend money at a place that respects 'em. Their fast shipping, bargain pricing that beat the big retailers, and 'looked new' quality book made the purchase even sweeter! read more

What a charming store! It is much bigger than I anticipated. The owner is so sweet and helpful. I found a delightful old copy of God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater by Kurt Vonnegut for 40 cents! Almost everything was between 50 and 75% off. I could just spend hours in this shop. I love there are reading chairs and that they are arranged in a circle--I feel like most bookstores these days either do not have chairs or have them scattered about in a cold, disengaged fashion. Love that this store has a more community feel to it, and even holds events including concerts with local bands. read more

This quirky used bookstore, which also sells art and knick knacks, is spread over probably 4-5 different spaces on 2 stories. The books are very organized and the gentleman who runs the shop was very helpful. We found exactly the book we were looking for - and enjoyed browsing around the unusual space. read more

Today was my second time in the UR College Town location. After a good meal at the diner across the street, book buying seemed appropriate. I just love this store. It has all the charm of a quaint used bookstore but on a small scale. This doesn't hinder the selection. I gravitate toward religion, art and comedy. My SO loves sociology and local history. All these sections and more are located in the store. I walked out with five books, all varied in subject matter. The owner and I had a lengthy conversation about small books (tiny), printing (I am a letterpress printer) and our favorite mystery authors. A congenial place to be sure. Prices are nice, in some cases, less than Amazon used. Recommended for lovers of any printed genera. read more