Love this little used book store in Lodi. I've been coming here for years to visit the cats and browse the bookshelves. This is my first time back since Tom retired and the new owners took over. The storefront is great and the place is warm and welcoming. I love this little used bookstore, and I really love supporting small women-owned businesses. I bought a couple of books, several cool stickers, and a couple of DVDs for my dad. Happy to be shopping here, and happy that Tom's Used Books and the cats are in such good hands. read more

Tom's Used Books - Used Bookstore Near Me - Lodi, California

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Bookstore had a great selection of old and new books plus some Knick knacks like pins & bookmarks. There was a lot of different types of books with a few different room and a small play area for kids while they wait/read! I would say this store had a smell similar to urine, which doesnt affect anything but if you are sensitive to smells just keep that in mind. They have some cute cats that roam around the store, and i thought that was super cute! but if you are allergic like I am the dandruff might activate your allergies. read more

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Thoughtful help, great variety of books, good prices. I enjoy spending time among the shelves looking at new ideas for reading.

Use to make a point of dropping in here when I worked in the area. Found a couple of books I wanted over time. However, in this last visit a few weeks ago, the cat pee smell was so overwhelming I almost had to dart outside for air. They appeared to be trying to clean up and air the place out, but it was not working. I like cats but whew! Best wishes for the future. read more

I use to frequent this place. I cannot compete with smell of cats and cat poop any longer. I walked in this morning and there were two giant poops by two cats. I will check back in here to see if it gets better. Probably not going back till the AQI improves. read more

Nice book store with cats lounging around. The kids loved it. I don't think I saw a lot of children books but they have a lot of old books but new as well. We were able to get the kids an activity book for the lunch we were going to have across the way. Parking seems busy because we had to park in the back. It's close to a lot of other shops, a movie theater and places to eat. read more

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Service was great , great awesome selection of books, lots of different selection of categories, the value of this book store is great too. read more

Tom's Used Books - Books - Used Bookstore Near Me - Lodi, California

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Friendliest and cutest cats(!) and an amazing selection of fair-priced books. 10/10 recommend

There's cats. In the book store. Cats. Also a fantastic selection of books and other media paired with knowledgeable staff. Sure that's cool - but CATS! read more

Um...don't get me wrong, I love cats but cats in a bookstore, maybe not. Immediately when you open the door the smell of cat, and urine hits you. But I still decided to go in. Lol. Very confusing layout. Couldn't even find the genre I needed. Tried to find someone to help me, maybe they were in the back with the cats? The store seemed old, dusty and dirty. I'm all down for a treasure hunt, in someone's attic, not here. Went in the summer, no ac, and the smell, I can't return. Not sure how this got started, maybe in the 70s with 1 cat, and it was cute, and then another 30 cats came to stay? Here is the one book I did purchase, it was 5 dollars. Alot of books I saw were 10 bucks. Tad high for me, at that price I'll order online. Try and support the local small businesses when I can. I tried read more

Tom's Used Books - Used Bookstore Near Me - Lodi, California

I wasn't even given the chance to peruse this store which I am really upset about. Upon arrival, my boyfriend and I had coffees to which we were told by the cashier to place the drinks at the front of the store in the designated area. Totally fair, I understand, as I have done that many times in other stores. As I proceeded to look at the books (mind you, I had barely entered the store), my boyfriend told me that the cashier was talking to me. I was so confused as to why he wanted to speak to me. He asked me to leave my bag with him. I was like, "what?!?!?". I looked at him puzzled, to which he then asked me to place it on the counter (right at the reach of other customers near the entrance). I looked around and immediately spotted three Caucasian women perusing the store with their purses still on them. Why am I the only person being asked to leave my purse at the counter? Why should I feel comfortable leaving my purse with my personal belongings at the counter within any customer's reach? If there is a bag policy, then enforce it on EVERYONE, not just the Hispanic woman while the Caucasian women peruse freely with their purses. Mind you, I am a licensed therapist who just wanted to find a new read. Instead, I felt racially profiled. Is this the kind of environment you want to create for new customers? Why would I want to spend my hard earned cash on an establishment who picks and chooses who must abide by their loosely followed policy? Needless to say, we walked out immediately which is such a shame because we are both avid readers and would've been returning customers had we not had such an aversive experience from the emo-looking Gen Z cashier. To say that I am disappointed is an understatement. read more

I came by Tom's Book Store for the first time today. I was checking out downtown Lodi and it was my favorite store. The selection is incredible and the condition of the books is very good. I like the fact Tom has cats wandering around the store, visiting with customers. It adds to the charm of the place. The young ladies who work there are very polite and helpful. I bought two books and thought it was really cool that Tom played a song for me on his computer connected to the topic of one of my books, Catalina Island. It made my experience there even sweeter and more memorable. If I return to Old Downtown Lodi, I will stop in again. read more

Don't get me wrong the cats are nice, but the book selection just wasn't it. We got there and the place reeked of cat pee and the place was stuck way back in time. The carpets were dirty. The owner told us there was no bathroom and there was a small one in the back. Also the owner made us wait until check out where he failed to mention his internet was down and he couldn't take credit cards. Also the cash register was something from the 70s (an old piece of junk). I left feeling rather disappointed. I hate writing a negative review, but this was necessary. Especially after driving 45 minutes to get there. At least clean the litter boxes or wash the cat pee smell. I volunteer at an animal shelter and even our shelter doesn't smell that bad. read more

Nice place but it smells awful due to the cats. If you have allergies, take a pill before you go in.

When I borrowed a book from the library that pained me to return, I knew I needed to buy my own copy. I looked for bookstores nearby and was shocked to find so very few. Sure, I could have a new copy delivered to my house in two days, but, then I'm just contributing to the decline of the local bookstore! Tom's is the closest to my house (and it's within walking distance of the library. Coincidence...?) and when I saw the excellent reviews with cat pictures, I knew I found my place. You will find ample shelves with used books and a fairly large selection of new books that includes trendy bestsellers and best-selling classics. If you're into treasure hunting, there are several shelves with $1.00 books. I found the new books along the front edge of the entry area nearest the cash register. As advertised, the cats roam freely, some sitting stoic in the non-fiction section with another tranquil tabby helping check people out at the front. As you may have anticipated from a man who appears to have been running a book store for the last several centuries, Tom is fairly quiet, but was more than happy to assist in helping me find the books I was looking for. In fact, when Tom saw my Coca-Cola shirt, he walked me to the back to a beautiful coffee table book with a history of Coca-Cola advertising that had, apparently, been waiting for me for some time. I happily added it to the other couple books I claimed and checked out. (The tabby waited patiently on the counter while we retrieved the Coca-Cola book and allowed me to pet it after I handed my credit card to Tom.) Signage throughout the store explains the trade-in store credit policy and asks you to bring in your extra plastic grocery bags to support the store and spare the environment. A gem of a store, an amazing experience, and an increasing rarity. When I come back, I will bring an armful of plastic shopping bags. Do not wait to come here. Go now, as there is probably a book waiting for you! read more

Friendly & helpful- great little business! I'm trying to downsize & streamline my home. After 50 years of buying books my bookcases are overflowing. I didn't want to throw away my books, they are in wonderful condition- this spot is the perfect solution for the books to entertain new minds. So grateful for the help of hauling them into the store. read more

The smell was unbearable. Couldn't look round due to the stench of cat pee. Disgusting

The store is great but the place smells sooooo bad. If you're desperate to come here, bring a mask! I've been to other used bookstores with multiple cats roaming around and they don't smell this bad! read more

Absolutely loved going here. It was calm and peaceful. The cats were friendly, and it was so fun to be able to play with them while exploring the book selection. read more

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Phenomenal store, incredible atmosphere and even better selection of books. There are vinyls and CDs in the back so make sure not to miss them! And the kitties! So wonderful and always a great time in this store. A gem of Lodi, and at a great price :) read more

OMG OMG!! This book store was absolutely amazing!! Not going to lie, at first i mainly went there for the cats (which are so adorable) but when i walked around and looked at the books their selection was so cool, i feel like they had like everything you could think of. all the books that i checked out were in good condition, and the prices!! so good, i'll definitely be doing my book shopping here instead. read more

Tom's Used Books - Here's one of the cats :) - Used Bookstore Near Me - Lodi, California

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My dad recently had the same unbelievably degrading experience quite a few others have. My Dads been buying books here for years, as he lives nearby. Recently, one day as he's browsing for something new to read, this idiot launches into a tirade about, "Put the book down. If you open it I can't sell it as new!" As my old man is trying to process this insanity and even figure out if this guy is serious, this clown tells him get out and threatens to call the cops! By this einsteinian logic, ya can't test drive that new car down at the lot either. After all, if ya open the door or sit in it, HOW THE HELL ARE THEY SELL IT AS NEW!?" Hey moron, a couple of the reasons readers still even visit your shitty hole in the wall of a B&M instead of just going to Amazon is, (pay attention Tommy, this is the important part) 1: great customer service and maybe chatting with a knowledgeable friendly shop keep (apparently that ship sailed) and 2: to be able to... (pass the bullhorn please) BROWSE THE BOOKS BEFORE WE BUY, YOU DUMMY! I wasn't surprised to read here that he made an 8 year old kid cry. We'll be sure to tell everyone we know about this guy's horrific business practices. What a joke. Don't give your money to this jerk-off. 0 stars read more

This is simply the most wonderful little store ever! And there's cats!!! Cats and books and awesome customer service. I never thought I'd stumble on a place like this in the SJ Valley but here it is. read more

The store is great because of the cats. The book selection is ok, the prices are hit or miss. The owner, Tom, is very rude. I asked if they had a particular book in stock and he gave me attitude about it. I'm not sure why he gets so rude for no reason. The cats and the girls that work there are usually pretty nice. read more

I love coming to this little used book store. The smell of the old books take me back to child hood memories. Tom has great customer service and was kind enough to give us a small tour of his Magnificent little shop. Has a great selection of used books and offers tons of books for only $1. Also look for the smiley face stamp on the side of whatever book you're interested and if it has it, well today is your lucky day it'll cost just $1 I've found 4 of Robert Jordan Wheel of time series which consists of 16 books!! Long ass series! At Barnes it would have cost me a lot more, but why pay full price for an old series when second hand books are as good as new. Tom assured me that he hand picks all the books and makes sure they are in mint condition if they can be repaired then he's the one to show the book some care before hitting the shelves. Roaming The shop you'll encounter a few felines that dwell here. Almost as if this book kingdom was their lair. They are friendly and if you treat them with love they might follow you around for a bit. So if you're allergic to cats avoid shopping here. Aside from the felines you'll find very inspiring notes attached to the walls and some curious figuring holding up books. So stop by pick a book and say hello to Tom for me read more

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This place is cool. It's got a ton of old books for more than reasonable prices which I'm all for. Lots of cats, which I myself am not a big cat guy but I don't mind giving them a few pets when they're lounging around. It's a cool spot. I'd say if you don't like the place, you're kind of a prude. Toms really easy going with a dry sense of humor which I can appreciate, and the girls that work there are sweethearts. I always leave happy knowing I bought something from a place like this over amazon or a Barnes and noble. Would recommend. read more

I might have looked at the sections wrong with my prior review. I've been going to Toms for years now and I know where the new sections are and the used books are located. I highly recommend Tom's. I scored just the other day with "The Silent Patient" for only $5 which still retails for $20! Super happy that I didn't give up coming here. read more

To the two or three bad reviewers,you guys must be "stick up the butts" type of people..Seriously this place is awesome and the owner is basically as kind and helpful as you can ask for when it comes to customer service..My girlfriend and I recently visited this book shop for the first time yesterday and we were impressed with both the customer service and the selection (and prices) of books..Tom gave us a quick 5 minute tour that broke down the sections of the store for us and even asked us what we're interested in book wise..Super professional and made you feel welcome..The people that came to this shop and had a bad experience were probably in shitty attitudes to begin with. read more

Tom is a great guy. Dry humor and very knowledgeable. Know what I really liked? Two families with kids in there enjoying talking about the older books. read more

The reek of cat pee is now at gagging level, even with a mask. Was inside store for 10 min, had to shampoo and shower when I got home. Will not return. read more

We are new to Lodi as of November of last year Came across Tom's just wandering downtown. Now my favorite store in town. Incredible inventory. Tom has made crazy SIP.bearable Love browsing, petting the cats, and going home with 4-5 books from his $1 book room each week read more

Me and my wife went to Lodi on Sunday and she saw the store and had to go in. Upon entering this store I was told I was not allowed to have my service dog inside due to his cats. I told him multiple times that it is a service dog but he did not care he was rude and will not be going back there. read more

I seriously LOVE this place! I usually only visit Lodi a few times throughout the year since I now live in San Diego. I'm slowly finding places that I love to visit when I come home. Usually I would buy used books from Book Off in San Diego, but sometimes it's hard finding the books I want. My first visit here, I was welcomed by the cats that lounge around, they are so sweet. The music that plays is mellow, giving the perfect vibe to walk through the store and discover their collection of books. There 2 huge rooms with shelves full of books, some books may even be in piles because their collection is huge. The whole time, there were many people who came in to buy books, which gives this place a great sense of community. Though it could be overwhelming at first, definitely talk to the staff at the counter, they will help you out, the young lady that helped me pointed out the bargain section and I was hooked! Their bargain section has $1.00 used books, from romance to many brilliant novels. There are also used books that are about half off depending on market price (but definitely from $1-$6). The section closest to the front door holds their new books which usually has the most recent books that have been turned into movies. Overall, I seriously could spend a good hour or two just looking at the books and finding good reads. The books are separated by genre and in alphabetical order of the author so it was easy to navigate through. I found great #1 best sellers and came out with a pile of books I can't wait to read, at very reasonable prices, all books were in really great condition. I would definitely come back again whenever I am in Lodi, spending here is a nice way to support local business :) besides cheap books and cats, what could be better! Here's what I got: All in great condition btw $1.00 - Monk Mystery novel (used) $1.00 - Dan Brown Deception Point (used) $1.00 - Dan Brown The Da Vinci Code (Like new) $3.00 - Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Like new) $3.00 - Nicholas Sparks The Guardian(used) $3.00 - Nicholas Sparks The Lucky One (like new) $7.00 - Percy Jackson book 1 (new) $4.00 - Children's book (new) read more

Tom's Used Books - So many books! - Used Bookstore Near Me - Lodi, California

I DO NOT recommend coming here. Owner is rude, and his little girl employee is his crazy puppet entertained by his rudeness. My daughter loves used book stores, thought I found a gem when I saw this place while visiting Lodi. Sad to say, this place was a joke and I will probably get better service at a large retail bookstore! read more

I absolutely love this bookstore been shopping here for years Tom the owner is such a sweetheart and so helpful and so are his employees. I can always find the perfect book for my daughter who loves to read. read more

went in to visit the cats and buy a few books but the smell of cat urine is so overpowering i was only able to stand inside for about 2 mins before my eyes started watering. read more

I love the smell of old books. There is something about a used book store and the idea that you're getting to share stories and memories with strangers you've never met. Arranged by various categories, you can easily navigate through the books and their titles. The staff are relaxed and helpful, eager to point you in the right direction. Don't hesitate to ask for assistance, there may be hidden gems that you didn't know existed. read more

I've come to this book store a few times and I never leave without a few gems. Tom is so kind and helpful and great to talk to on slower days. His assistant store clerks are also very nice and the books are VERY reasonably priced and in amazing condition...not to mention the adorable cats (Petunia melted our hearts). read more

One of my favorite book stores. Tom's tends to have everything I'm looking for and a whole lot more. Being a literature student, I'm frequently in need of expensive texts. I could blow my wallet wide open and buy them all on campus, or I can drive down to Lodi and get affordable copies of everything I need. The general set up of the shop is attractive and invites a person to explore the shelves. All materials are arranged by genre within the three room shop, with a mixture of VHS, DVD, comic books and the odd video game occasionally. Not to mention that the shop is guarded by a small group of store-raised cats, who religiously greet patrons and patrol the shelves. In particular, I like that Tom's stocks outdated text books, which can be a boon for students gathering information. Worth a look, especially for the avid reader on a budget. read more

Went to the movies across the street and saw this shop, checked the yelp reviews and had to check it out for myself! After the movie me and my husband stopped in. We walked in and were kindly greeted by an older gentleman and was nicely asked if we needed help. *Dont ignore the sign about the cat-I didn't really think there was an actual cat in the store and it scared me to pieces! LOL! (very friendly and social kitty) After walking around and admiring the plentiful collection in every room (there are 4) I snagged a Charles Dickens book equipped with 5 novels! YAY for me! Chatted with the gentleman at the front and it was Tom the owner! :) such a sweet man! We browsered yelp together and before I left I grabbed a business card. I live in Stockton but I have no problem driving the distance!!! See you soon Tom!! :) read more