After all these years, Walden Pond Books is still a place I like to go into to see if I can find a…read morebook to purchase and read on BART. I always find a good book to read. Good reason to take BART and walk over is the Grand Lake is a great place to sit around as if we are tourists from a planet named Saturn.

Adore this bookstore that makes its beliefs known real loudly. Great selection of books to choose…read morefrom for adults and kids. Decent prices on all the books. Always quick to assist you and very friendly.

I did not know when I first arrived that this was the Friends of the Oakland Library system…read morebookstore, so the stock would consist of extras, castoffs, etc. It took me a while to go inside l, because the dollar books on the racks outside are of excellent quality, and buy two get one free! That's 66¢ each. Inside, the organization is pretty good, separating mysteries and thrillers from general fiction, for instance. I didn't see a film section though. A "vintage" section, without much of interest. Still, I spent $6 and walked out with four books, so I'm grateful.

Decided to drag myself from my desk and get some much needed fresh air for lunch. While walking I…read morecame across this gem of a bookstore and decided to stop in. Great selection of books and the woman at the register was really kind. I didn't bring my wallet, as I had no intentions on spending money, but after seeing a few titles that were worth bringing home to my book collection, I asked if they accepted Apple Pay - they do! FYI, Apple Pay requires at least a 2.00 minimum purchase. Checking out was a breeze, and I now have three new books. I will definitely return the next time I'm in the area!

Date: 7/20/2025 Time: 3:20 PM 63° Cloudy…read more After Fentons, my sister and I decided to browse in Black Swan Books. This store reminds of Holmes Bookstore that used to be on 14th Street near the downtown Oakland area and Wilmot's Books at 478 Central Avenue in Alameda. Both these stores have been closed for several years. Black Swan Books reminds me of a nostalgic time of the 60's - a library of used books, antiques, record albums, 45's, collectibles, etc. Based on my observation, the owners were helpful with other customers. I wouldn't mind returning to look through their collection of record albums and 45's. Another thing I want to ask is whether or not they accept donation of cookbooks. Return visit? Yes.

A very good, very local bookstore located on Piedmont Avenue in Oakland!!!…read more Along with books, there are all kinds of collectibles in here, so although this store is small, you should spend some time really looking around in here, there's no telling what you might find! There was also a pretty good selection of vinyl records in here!! They greet you coming and going in this store, very friendly!!

I often went to the Fox Theatre but somehow always missed the bookstore across the street! So often…read moreolder books (those published 20+ years ago) are often super pricey. But many of these books are very reasonably priced, like $7.50-$25! Almost all of the stock is older, even obscure books. But it's a book lover's treasure hunt. I picked up a really interesting book about San Francisco's history from 1948 for only $10! Definitely recommend this place and it's a very quick walk from the Broadway BART station. The only thing I'd "change" is recommending that the owner put more of their stock on ThriftBooks.com to enhance their profits. But that would be at the peril of Bay Area bookworms! :)

I ordered a book from them in Aug 2024. It never arrived, and after multiple attempts at contacting…read morethem, they finally said they had moved and couldn't find the book at the moment. (Luckily they hadn't run the charge through on my credit card yet). Every couple of months or so I'd follow-up--sometimes they'd respond, sometimes they wouldn't. Still couldn't find the book, and kept asking me to be patient. I was patient for a long time. Now it's July 2025, about 3 weeks shy of ONE YEAR since I ordered the book. Wrote to them again, no response. But they still have it listed for sale on their website, so I took a shot and ordered it again. Then they wrote me a snotty note and told me to quit ordering it, they haven't found it yet. I wrote back and asked how they can possibly still be looking for a book after one year? Then they wrote back and said they were canceling my order! Very crappy customer service. Zero stars.

I stumbled upon this bookstore while I was making a quick trip to CVS. Of course, I find it when…read moreit's in the process of closing down, and the owner is retiring. After seeing the recent news story, it's clear this has been a special place for the community. I've been back twice now since finding it, and I can see why it will be missed! Such a great little gem of a store with a great selection of books.... even in the midst of closing. I'm sad I didn't know about it before, as it seems like they had lots of great author events, and it's not that far from home. The employees were super friendly. I didn't get a chance to meet the owner, but I wish her a very happy next chapter!

Super tiny and cramped bookstore. I used to work down the street from A Great Good Place For Books,…read moreand enjoyed coming here to browse. Staff is really nice. Most recently, I came for the book launch for Steph Lau's debut picture book "The Abominable Snow Dancer." It was super crowded in there, but it was a great event and I'm ridiculously lucky I got parking in front of the store.

Book/shop is now currently available online :) I will miss their location in old Oakland, which…read moreinjected culture, art, and rare lit finds. I always loved their print outs and have 2 hanging up in my apartment, particularly the one that compared an unread library to a wine cellar. The tea, that had leaves that smelled like book pages, was such a nice gift to give to friends. Please come back to Oakland.

This is the type of small business we need to ensure survives in Oakland. They are currently open…read moreand taking all covid related precautions. I hope they get the fan base they deserve. There are three parts to this space. Outside in front there is a good sized seating area with cacti and umbrellas for shade. The perfect place to read the new book you just bought. The majority of the inside of the brick building houses a gallery. Off to the left is a small shop selling books, art and some book accessories. The selection isn't large but it is carefully collected and well organized. Vintage bikes that have been restored for sale are sprinkled throughout. The whole place has a calm and inviting feel. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. If I lived closer this would be my hang out spot.

This is another good bookstore to spend time in browsing. I like their selection of books. I spend…read moreat least one hour browsing each time I show up and I usually purchase at least 1 book. I am on a budget when I arrive and I bring cash with me to keep me from purchasing too many books. The books are heavy to carry home. One book isn't every too heavy to carry down to BART and onto BART and then start ready on my way home.

The staff here is a bunch of clowns. When they're told that a published author with a major…read morepublisher (me) is shopping in their store, they quickly kill the conversation. This is a book store with a mediocre selection and a staff that exhibits a certain type of aloof rudeness that customers really don't like. The book I bought used was overpriced, but still a little bit better deal than buying it on Amazon. Moe's Books is only a few blocks away and much better.