Squeezebox Books &amp; Music

It was a nice surprise that the bookstore was still open after our post-dinner treat. It's always…read morefun to browse, and the store is very attractively laid out, with book covers gleaming and beckoning like inviting gems. I found a new book from my to-read list, coveted a cute display of Studio Ghibli merch, smiled at the witty cards, and soon my companions and I amassed a stockpile of items to purchase and so they gave us a nice tote. Maybe next time we'll skip dessert and head straight here (must check hours to see when the bar is open).

This bookstore does not support local authors. A local bookstore should. They are very rude and…read morepompous as well. We don't need that behavior in Evanston.

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Amaranth Books

4.7(30 reviews)

0.9 mi

What listings and notices fail to mention is that Amaranth's selection of rare/used books is…read moreinexpensive, in some cases surprisingly so. Thumbing through some mid-19th century curiosity it comes as a shock to discover such a seeming rarity priced at under $5!

I love this little gem! Very clean, organized and amazing prices on books! I had somw great finds!!read more

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From http://suchabooknerd.wordpress.com

Booked

5.0(18 reviews)

0.2 mi

Whimsical bookstore with a curated collection. I happened upon this bookstore when I was on my way…read moreto the nearby coffee shop. They have many children's books for all ages and a brief adult section. It took me a while to choose from all the options but the associate was very helpful and offered suggestions. I love the selection they offer and am happy I stumbled upon this place

Well-curated indie bookstore with knowledgeable and friendly staff. Great to have them in the…read moreneighborhood!

Interior of "Booked"

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Books Down Under

4.9(8 reviews)

3.1 mi

Awesome place to get great reads - for travel, anytime reading, and up-cycled gifts. Love to bring…read morethe kids and have them make a cash transaction with the helpful volunteers. A hidden gem in downtown Wilmette!

I love this place. Anytime I'm in the Chicago area, I have to go here, I find so many treasures. I…read moreeven had to get an extra suitcase on my flight back to Houston just to take back all the amazing finds. Books are so amazingly priced, that if you love books, you must visit. Cash is preferred, but you can pay by card upstairs at the front desk.

Armadillo's Pillow

4.4(116 reviews)

2.3 mi•Rogers Park

This cozy and cluttered bookstore is a bibliophiles funhouse. With patience, and a desire to dig…read morethru book piles and inadequately labeled shelves, you'll find a treasure or two. Mind where you walk and sit, many books are haphazardly piled in aisles and against shelves so you will have to move items, lamps etc in sections of the shop. Something to note: if you are sensitive to dust or mold or respiratory challenged, you may want to limit your visit. Old books, too many piles to clean around and strong incense equals poor air quality.

great folks with a major wad-o-books!...fair prices for books going in or out...made for rainy,…read moresnowy afternoons...

Found a guitar laying around in a hipster little used book store. Doesn't get more real than this.

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The Book Stall

4.0(39 reviews)

5.7 mi

I'm not sure if I'd heard of The Book Stall before. I learned that the children's author Sherri…read moreDuskey Rinker, who happens to live in the suburbs, is doing story time events at several suburban bookstores to celebrate the release of her newest book. My daughter is a big fan of her Construction Site and Steam Train Dream Train series, so I was excited to bring her here for the event. We got here a little too early--about five minutes before they opened, and 35 minutes before story time--but I wanted to make sure we got a spot! The area where they hold story time was really large for an independent bookstore. After the story was over, the author personalized her signed books for the kids. I'm glad we went to this event because in addition to it being fun, we picked up several books and one of them has so quickly become a new favorite of my daughter's that she already can recite pages from it three days later. The bookstore is nice, and larger than I was expecting to be honest. It was fun to wander, even whilst trying to keep an eye on a toddler. They have various events, story time, fundraisers, and so on. I think it has the potential to be kind of a madhouse for some of their bigger events... it seemed a little unorganized getting folks in line for this signing and they don't really have a lot of space for folks to queue up so some people were cutting in front of folks so it might be kind of messy when there's a big event happening. But still, worth a stop if you like bookstores! There's lots of parking around on the street and even a municipal lot.

The Book Stall is a treasure. You can always find a great book from just browsing the shelves. If…read moreyou check their inventory on-line for a special book and it shows as being available, it will be! The author events are more than readings; they are intimate conversations. The Book Stall takes its role as an independent bookseller seriously and it does its job well. Writing this makes me want to visit again soon!

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Barnes & Noble

4.4(15 reviews)

4.0 mi

For the amount of times I've shopped at the various Barnes and noble location in this mall I'm…read moreshocked I have yet to write a review. Throughout high school, I spent SO much time at the location on the other side of the mall by Nordstrom's and was heartbroken when I was told they were closing only for them to reopen across from Cheesecake Factory. Then I was told they were relocating again and I'm actually loving this new location. I do wish they had a cafe in the bookstore but there are so many nearby coffee shops in the mall that it doesn't make much sense. But they didn't have very many spaces for folks to sit and read and enjoy like they used to but in return, I think the layout is set up with more intention and more eye appealing. The staff has always been incredibly friendly in locating books and making suggestions. Pro tip is to get the membership because it basically pays for itself if you buy even 5 books during the year.

I love the fact that they retained Barnes & Noble at Old Orchard. It used to be the staple store…read morewhen it was located front and center facing Skokie Blvd. It was a frequent place to visit as it was a massive two floor venue. It closed down for a bit but was revived in a location right across Cheesecake factory. It is now located next to Anthropology. The store is so inviting and the service is amazing! The workers cater to your needs and are so friendly. They really have a passion for books. The selection of books is not as large as it once was but it is supplemented by their online catalog. From the value perspective, you can find online outlets with a more price competitive offering BUT there is no replacement for browsing the aisles and loojo g through the books and selection of titles for an intriguing options to read. I'm so happy that my daughter can continue to enjoy the benefits of Barnes!

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Heirloom Books

4.7(27 reviews)

2.7 mi•Edgewater

A very cute and cozy bookstore with a very nice owner. He instantly greeted us when we entered the…read morestore and made sure to point us to the section we were looking for. Wonderful and very kind owner that went out of his way to make sure we found what we were looking for.

My husband and I happened to find this bookstore randomly while out shopping. I will say this is…read morenot the store for you if you need a Barnes and Noble type experience. Some sections are alphabetized, some not (there is a color-coded guide to which are which). Books also are not priced; the owner uses Abebooks.com to look up the price online (but this led to the surprise of one trade paperback book I brought up being $50! I let that one go...) But if you want to spend hours browsing for new treasures, this is the kind of shop for you. Go in with an adventurous spirit and you will surely find something! Accessibility is rather challenging: aisles are narrow, and a good portion of the store is downstairs, where I had to shuffle sideways with my cane while also trying not to hit my head on the low ceiling. Even on the ground level, shelves stretch very high and books go to the floor. So you may need assistance reaching something.

3.6 mi•Andersonville, Edgewater

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The Understudy Coffee And Books

4.3(90 reviews)

Love this space! Half of it is a work from home space where a lot of people have laptops out and…read moreare working. The other half of the space is a book store with some great books and little trinkets. I opted to get a Ube Matcha and it was VERY good! Love that the ube was well balanced with the matcha. The baristas were kind and helpful to answer questions about the matcha/coffee.

Really great vibes inside: the coffeeshop and bookstore combo is the ultimate cozy pairing!…read more Didn't have too much time to browse at the bookstore, but I ordered a seasonal strawberry matcha latte and an americano from the cafe. The americano was nothing special but refreshing on a summer day. The seasonal strawberry matcha was a bit disappointing, due to the lack of matcha flavor (the color was not very vibrant, and the matcha powder itself was likely not super high quality or oxidized) and sweetness. However, I tried the strawberry corn cookie, and it was one of the most delicious cookies I've had. Corn in dessert has been one of my favorites, and the texture of the corn with the strawberry icing to make a sweet and slightly tart summer treat was incredible! Everyone working there was super kind, and if I had more time to hang around, I would definitely bring a laptop and work here.

Interior

Iced vanilla latte, chocolate croissant

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Ube matcha

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Rahm E.

1

8

0

13 years ago

Great little store, & Tim's an awesome dude. Now that we no longer have Bookman's Alley, or 2nd Hand Tunes, or Borders, and so on, and so on... go there and buy some stuff & help support this type of business already! read more

Dimitrius S.

0

14

0

3 years ago

Today I learned books featuring the characters Superman and Supergirl are "Not popular enough" to be sold in this establishment... You'd think they'd have a sign or something read more

Daniel P.

0

4

0

6 years ago

One of my favorite places in Evanston to stop in and browse. There's always really neat vintage stuff and I've gotten some great classic records here. read more

Squeezebox Books & Music - bookstores - Updated September 2026

People who viewed Squeezebox Books & Music also viewed

Armadillo's Pillow

4.4

(116 reviews)

This cozy and cluttered bookstore is a bibliophiles funhouse. With patience, and a desire to dig…read morethru book piles and inadequately labeled shelves, you'll find a treasure or two. Mind where you walk and sit, many books are haphazardly piled in aisles and against shelves so you will have to move items, lamps etc in sections of the shop. Something to note: if you are sensitive to dust or mold or respiratory challenged, you may want to limit your visit. Old books, too many piles to clean around and strong incense equals poor air quality.

great folks with a major wad-o-books!...fair prices for books going in or out...made for rainy,…read moresnowy afternoons...

Heirloom Books

4.7

(27 reviews)

A very cute and cozy bookstore with a very nice owner. He instantly greeted us when we entered the…read morestore and made sure to point us to the section we were looking for. Wonderful and very kind owner that went out of his way to make sure we found what we were looking for.

My husband and I happened to find this bookstore randomly while out shopping. I will say this is…read morenot the store for you if you need a Barnes and Noble type experience. Some sections are alphabetized, some not (there is a color-coded guide to which are which). Books also are not priced; the owner uses Abebooks.com to look up the price online (but this led to the surprise of one trade paperback book I brought up being $50! I let that one go...) But if you want to spend hours browsing for new treasures, this is the kind of shop for you. Go in with an adventurous spirit and you will surely find something! Accessibility is rather challenging: aisles are narrow, and a good portion of the store is downstairs, where I had to shuffle sideways with my cane while also trying not to hit my head on the low ceiling. Even on the ground level, shelves stretch very high and books go to the floor. So you may need assistance reaching something.

Ravenswood Used Books

4.2

(56 reviews)

What's not to like about a store selling used books? Ink and paper is not exactly a dying breed,…read morebut 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.

I went by the store and saw the lights on and people moving around inside so I thought it was open…read more 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.

Aw Yeah Comics

4.7

(42 reviews)

Great service. Really good selection with lots of $1 books and $5 trades. Well layed outread more

I was in the search of a new comic book store after we moved. Buying digital comic books is…read moreconvenient and all, but it's soul sapping as well. There is something about giving your hard-earned money to Amazon that is cold. Comic books are anything but cold. I walked into this shop and immediately knew I would be setting up my pull list here. Joe was super helpful and kind. The subscription service gives you a 20% off for all trades which is a great value, better than Amazon. I can't wait for Wednesday.

MetalEdge Records and Tapes

5.0

(3 reviews)

New record store in the Edison Park neighborhood. Nice selection of 60s, 70s and 80s music with…read moregreat pricing. Vinyl, CDs, Books, videos and more. Friendly, knowledgeable staff and a good amount of street parking.

Buddy of mine recommended me this new shop that's near his house…read more Went about a month ago and their used metal cd collection is legit! Wide variety of metal throughout the store(and classic rock). The dude working (assuming the owner) was super nice and blasting and singing along to mercyful fate - come to the sabbath. At that moment I knew this was my store. Picked up few items and I'm definitely heading back soon!

Rolling Stones

3.3

(106 reviews)

Legendary record store that I finally went to last week. They have a ton of DVDs, CDs, records and…read moreother merch throughout the store. Their record selection is pretty decent - all newer releases with classic throughout. Prices are about what you'd expect and not marked up. I'd be back!

The greatest place on earth if you still like buying records and cds. If you can't find what you…read morewant anywhere else, this is the place you have to go. I have been coming to this place since I was 14 and I just turned 60. I love this place. Enough said..

Uncharted Books

4.3

(64 reviews)