If you are a book lover and looking to get lost in browsing for a few hours this may be the spot to check out. While my wife and I did not find anything to buy it was worth checking out. They definitely seem to lean more towards history/war/military and older books. If you are a fan of those types of books you could find a lot of hidden gems I am sure. There is a little bit of a musty smell due to a combination of the old books and lack of airflow in the older building. Also beware space is limited so be ready for for changing directions or getting out of the way if other patrons are nearby. Shelves upon shelves of books with some taped to papers letting you know the section you are in. While it does have some order in this sense at the same time it's chaotic mainly due to crammed space. Can't really speak to value all that much as I did not see the prices for many books and honestly I would not have a good sense of the actual value of the books either. As I said a must visit for book lovers in or visiting Portland to lose yourself while browsing. You can tell a lot of time and effort went into building this collection of books! The one star deduction is solely due to the largest portions of their books are just genres I generally don't have any interest in. I do appreciate it for what it is though and would recommend it. read more

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Yes Books- I stumbled in here one day, and spent an hour looking around. Honestly, it felt more like five minutes. Everything was so wonderful, I was sad I had to leave. I've been back quite a few times since then and I must say that Yes Books always gets a Yes from me! read more

Ordered a book on February 28 for $129 through AbeBooks. Have not gotten the book despite 2 promised delivery dates. No tracking numbers, no one responds. About to contact the Attorney general and Better Business Bureau. read more

The most chaotic bookstore of all time. Find books here that you would never dream or dare to find anywhere else, but be prepared to spend some time looking (and some time bumping into people or awkwardly waiting for other customers to move out of your way). Inhale a dust bunny or two before you leave and you've had the true experience. read more

I recommend paying Yes Books a visit. Enjoy getting lost in its narrow walls and old books. It is truly a treat being in there. read more

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Welcome to the most mysterious bookstore on Diagon Alley . . . or so you might think, walking into Yes Books for the first time. The owner of this store LOVES books. Can't say no the most curious, interesting, creative, weird, revered and cherished. Books are stacked in the aisles and crammed on top of other books on the shelves for lack of space and time to shelve them all. This store is a treasure hunt you'll not soon forget. read more

I like this book store. Yes it's packed and messy. And yes it's very warm. (Oh my god it's so warm in here.) but the selection of books is incredible and I could get lost in here for hours. Service is friendly and both times we've been here we've ended up purchasing something. read more

Yes Books - Bookstores Near Me - Portland, Maine

classic old bookstore, the absolute best. good prices and many many books. the owner is a gem too

This is a great used bookstore for those who enjoy just walking in and browsing, never quite knowing what you're going to find. It's almost intimidating when you walk in as it's just shelves upon shelves of books with even more books overflowing onto the floor. It's dark in here and sometimes difficult to read the titles of half the books in the aisle because it's too dark. They have books on every possible subject. They're sort of organized in some way, but it's easier just to ask the owner and have him lead you to the area since it's hard to figure out how everything is set up. If you enjoy spending an afternoon just looking through shelves of books and being delighted when you find something old and interesting for a good price, this is your place. I deducted a star because it's actually a bit TOO. There are books everywhere. The books on the floor obscure the bottom row of books on the shelves. There are books laying horizontally above the other books. And it is so dark in some areas that it becomes a chore to try to see what's there. And all the nicer stuff is behind an area that only the owner can get to so you'd never find it by browsing on your own. read more

Yes Books - Bookstores Near Me - Portland, Maine

Excellent used bookstore and prices are reasonable. I always spend several hours here when I visit Portland. It has an absolutely huge selection of literary biographies and literary criticism. Psychology section is also nice, as well as history, religion, and fiction. It is true that lighting in some places is a bit spare, and there are books on the floor. But I love looking for treasures and finding a good book I knew nothing about. Russ, the owner, always helps you find something if you ask. read more

Great used bookstore if you're looking for general or niche reference and non-fiction books on almost any topic, thoroughly categorized and delineated. Some paperbacks of fictional works too, and a cool selection of old engraved and handpainted prints. Atmosphere inside is quite stale, but I didn't mind this. Owner/manager was a stony guy who let me browse to my heart's content, but he was so helpful when asked! (I was struggling on deciding between botanical flower prints, and he gave me a considerate opinion when I asked him what he thought.) read more

This is what a used bookstore is supposed to be. It's a bit of a hot mess but it's incredibly full of magical things. I found gifts for two loved ones and a delightful memoir to occupy myself with, as well as a tiny edition of some poetry from Neruda including both Spanish and English. Staff were kind and very patient. Make an expedition of it, allow plenty of time. Eat lunch at Empire right up the block. Caveat: not sure this place is possible if you're in a wheelchair. Very narrow aisles. You'll probably be okay on crutches, though. read more

Love this book store! It's messy and dark and dusty and filled with real treasures! You can usually ask the woman working and she'll get you started in the right direction (she usually digs with me), but then the hunt is on. This isn't a store for someone looking to be in and out with the new twighlight in a matter of minutes. This is for book enthusiasts who don't mind spending time digging and searching for the perfect book. I go in when I don't have a book to read, with no idea what I want to read, and usually come out with something great! read more

Yes Books - Bookstores Near Me - Portland, Maine

I like cluttered vintage bookstores that smell like old books, but I also like them to be organized, clean, and easy to browse. Yes meets the first two criteria, but falls short on the others. When I asked where the graphic novels were, the man working unenthusiastically pointed towards my feet. There I saw a bunch of used, but not particularly good, graphic novels, mixed in with books about drawing and other related topics. No separation between them. They were carelessly stacked horizontally on top of each other, so I had to pull them out of the stack carefully to check them out in order not to tip the pile over. I did a lap of the rest of the place, but was already pretty turned off. There is an abundance of books in this store. I'm sure there's some wonderful finds in there, but the lack of order and cluttered feeling I got from there didn't inspire me to explore. For some Yes Books may be the perfect place to hunker down and do some treasure hunting, but not for me. read more

Yes Books - Bookstores Near Me - Portland, Maine

This is the kind of bookstore you either love or hate. I love it. I'm going to list a few negative things but I love every bit of it. You will not be able to easily find exactly the book you might be searching for. The aisles are narrow, there are books piled on the floor and on top of the shelves, there are books literally everywhere. You could spend hours here. Days. Prices seem reasonable (look inside the front cover for the penciled price). You will find some amazing gems. Happy reading! read more

Loved the smell walking in! I didn't think it was at all disorganized, plus if you want a certain book or certain author, staff was more than willing to help you look, or look it up for you. Lots if interesting books as well as other assortments of treasures. Vintage sheet music, really old headphones, cool bookends, neat photos etc etc... If you're in the area and you have at least an hour check it out! read more

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This is THE BEST used book store [to get lost in] in Portland, Maine, a must-see! Extensive collections and a wide variety - you could spend HOURS here. Whether you're a new reader or an experienced collector, this place is absolutely worth a visit. A bonus: Yes Books has a respectable selection of rare books as well, if you're in the market. Go check it out! You won't be sorry. read more

Yes Books - Yes Books - Bookstores Near Me - Portland, Maine

Yes books is an amazing store.I live in Pennsylvania and every time I can get to Yes Books I go and get lost in there for awhile..

This one is for you Harry Potter fans - not the store necessarily, but this review. Imagine you're going into Ollivander's wand shop. The first thing you need to know is that the wand chooses you, you do not choose the wand. The same principle applies here. Do not go in with the intention of finding a certain book. Once I went in looking for Cormac McCarthy's The Road, I came out with Edgar Allen Poe's Complete Works. I went for The Moviegoer, I got Being There. I went in for Lolita three months later, I got The Road. For those of you who have a reading list, which is insurmountable, forget the list and let Yes Books choose for you. Prices can't be beat. Don't be surprised if you stumble upon a first edition print for three dollars. Back to Harry Potter, this shop belongs in Diagon Alley. If you miss the magic of reading from a book with a particular smell, a broken spine, and a cover that doesn't have Zac Efron's mug on it from some movie bastardization, this is your place. read more

How can you not love this bookstore? You can find a hidden gem in just about every section. Especially books on Literary Criticism, Exploration, Poetry, Literature - just don't be afraid to come out of the store looking a bit like a mop. Yes Books should be browsed with plenty of time on your hands, time disappears in the hidden alcoves, labyrinthine aisles, and tall shelves. To do it like a bibliophile, grab a ladder when you walk in and climb, climb much like a child apple picking in the fall. If you are in a rush, you may want to call in and have the books pulled ahead of your arrival as it takes time to find the book yourself. The owner is as fantastic as he is helpful. He's knowledgeable on authors and their bibliographies. Highly recommend - wish more book buying was done like this - these places are slowly disappearing. read more

This is another one of those frustrating used bookstores for me. So so many books, so little space. The books are found on shelves, on top of other books on the shelves, on stacks in front of shelves, in rows on the floor that you desperately try to avoid tripping over, in front of the register, on the counter, etc. They're organized, which is nice, but maneuvering through the store presents other challenges to finding a book you want. The aisles are narrow so there's no chance you can browse one shelf while someone browses the shelf behind you. No chance at all lest you run the risk of a "Moon Landing." And the bookshelves reach the floor, so you're going to have to squat or bend over to browse the bottom shelves, which is fine, but when that happens, no one will be able to pass you by in the aisle. No one wants to be the guy holding up traffic in the fiction section, so you're always feeling under pressure to move it along even if you haven't yet had the chance to bend over to read the spines of the books stacked behind the other stacks of books. Now, about reading the spines of the books ... there is hardly any overhead lighting and if there is, the store obviously likes to save electricity so you'll find yourself relying on daylight through the windows to read what's on the shelf. That's fine, too, except after the sunset or if you find yourself in a nook not near a window. I almost recommend bringing a flashlight. The book selection is decent. Tons of quality stuff, though all of it is overpriced. I guess that's what bookstores need to do to stay in business these days (especially ones with prime real estate), which is a shame. Finally, the customer service. Hmm. It's been the same guy working the place (owner?) the six or seven times I've been in the store. I've had two interactions with him: 1. the one time I actually found a book I was willing to pay the high price for, he rang me up and said the total amount due. No more words, no less. Just the total amount due. 2. Another time, I needed to leave the store to run to a bathroom (no public bathroom in Yes Books) and asked him when he closed because I wanted to make sure I had enough time to come back and browse some more. His answer: "We'll close when we close." I have experienced better and promise that you will, too. read more

Oh, what a bookstore! Being one of those horrible people contributing to the disappearance of printed books, I hadn't expected to buy anything. We had time on our hands and I was looking for some obscure SF collections. They didn't have the collections (no one does). Yet I walked out with a few poetry books that can't be found anywhere, a German copy of Rainer Maria Rilke's poems and a few other random things. Agonized over not buying another 4 poetry books plus the Marsupilami comics (surprising selection of French comics). It's been years since a used bookstore got my pulse up. You know, clutching the books to my chest and worrying that someone will come take them away. Respect to the selection. read more

Customer service is really important. In 11/21 I came to Portland and was excited to check out used book stores. I stopped at Yes Books and another shop close by. At Yes Books, the shop keeper treated me like an intrusion and very curt when I asked questions. Conversely, the shopkeeper at the other shop was very helpful, knowledgeable and friendly. Heading back to quench my book addiction and know where I'm not going. I will solely be going to the other shop. read more

This is a really great bookstore. It's shockingly large, with rows upon rows of stacks full of books. Even besides that, though, it has an amazing selection of antique prints and documents for very reasonable prices. Old prints and sketches, early-20th century stock certificates, Maine school ledgers from the 1800s, etc. Definitely worth a visit if you're in downtown Portland. read more

Quirky and chaotic. A great assortment of curio for the bibliophile. They do not even keep an inventory of what is in store. You just need to explore and see what you discover. read more

Extremely fitting for the area, this bookstore is stuffed to the gills with used books. Every possible nook and cranny has books, even the book shelves with typical vertical books have books horizontally laid. More books are better than less books right? I ended up getting two Don Delillo books for about $20 or so. The owners were friendly but stars off for very poor lighting, a wall 3 large bookshelves of nonfiction paperback that goes A to Z completely across so it's difficult to browse with more than one person looking, and third to answer my own questions, no -- more books doesn't mean it's better than less books. There have been a lot of crappy books written over the past century, this is Yelp so it's my opinion but I would much prefer a curated book selection than just anything and everything. Also $22 + tax is a bit much for two used books in Portland Maine right? Worth a browse though if you're in the area. read more

Feel kind of bad giving this three stars because it's a great sized bookstore with a lot of books and books are great. However, the organization and heat and flies were too much for me. It was uncomfortable to want to be in there for that long to really browse because it was hot as hell (MAYBE mid-80's outside the summer day I went), flies were literally buzzing all up in my shit, and it was just a bit much. Perhaps if I didn't sweat like a wildebeest, I could have tolerated the heat better. I didn't find the prices all that great, albeit less than face value, but nothing seemed like a great deal considering this is a used bookstore and a decent hunt is required for a great book. The hunt doesn't bother me, and I sort of love crazy bookstores, but something about Yes Books just wasn't more than average. Their selection is immense, I will give them that, but you have to devote some time. I went to Green Hand the day after, which is much smaller, but found their books more nicely organized and better priced, so that was really more my speed than this place. Too bad! read more

Well I finally made it in to Yes Books...the owner seems to keep weird hours and the place really is a disaster....alot of really cool stuff....but unfortunately not enough turn over due to high prices....of 40 books taken for trade...only 6 were accepted for $15 credit. I found multiple copies of various books....all marked the same in various categories. Basically whatever the price is new...is cut by %50 thats it, final. Some stuff is equal to Amazon...without the shipping and handling...but other items are on the very pricey side. The location is very poor for parking...the store relies primarily on walk by traffic...and the cluttered shelves and aisles actually made me a bit nervous. Having had a long standing relationship with the owner of the now defunct Cunninghams Books at Longfellow square I am a bit biased and jaded when it comes to book stores.... will I go back...not likely....will I buy? more likely go to Amazon...I'd like to stay local....but a budget is a budget. read more

This is a bookstore for people who enjoy browsing shelves of used books for hours (or an entire day) without necessarily looking for anything in particular. There are books on floor-to-ceiling shelves that are arranged almost like a maze, as well as books on the long front counter and the floors. There is such a large variety of genres, authors, and subjects here that you are bound to leave with a couple of books (I did). I will definitely be returning. read more

Somewhere along the way, used book stores became more expensive than new books online...making it hard for a perpetual bargain hunter to buy too many things at a used store, even if just Goethe sake of nostalgia. I give this place extra stars, cos it had the old days book store vibe with books scattered everywhere, with very slight organization to the chaos (I think only fiction was arranged in alphabetic order). But that just reminded me of odd bookstores in india that I would spend hours blissfully looking at sleves and building up a tolerance for my dust alergy. read more

I am a huge fan of used bookstores. I love digging through stacks and stacks of books to find some hidden treasure that I didn't even know I wanted. If you do, too, then Yes Books is the place for you. There are tons of books (seriously, the store is deceptively large), so it might be a good idea to show up with a list. Then again, the books aren't particularly well-organized, so good luck finding what you want. Better to browse and be pleasantly surprised. Don't miss the erotica section next to the register! read more

Just visited store and clerk insulted me right out! Asked to see poetry books in front and when I picked up volume of Anne Sexton complete poems he said "you don't want that!" I asked why, and he said "too expensive! A hundred bucks!" I left the $130.00 with of books I spent 30 minutes searching for, and the 'too expensive' volume and left store. Before I left I was treated to the most banal conversation with another customer about how you don't want to own books, just extract information. As a collector I was appalled and realized I was in the wrong place. read more

This is a great store for serious collectors. I say this not to scare away casual browsers, but because the store has its quirks, and some scrounging is required to find the real treasures. Admittedly, this isn't the kind of cute or inviting store one might expect-- try Longfellow for that. But if you are in the market for well-priced first editions, rare poetry, art monographs, fiction, literary criticism, philosophy, or just interesting old books with character, this is one of the very best in Portland. Highly recommended. read more

I recently went on a yelp guided tour of New England / Canada used bookstores whilst on a cruise. My first stop was in Portland where I found this gem. I can safely say after visiting tons of stores up the coast this was my most favorite. It is such a quaint and perfect little used book store - all other used books stores should take note! This is perfection. read more

Wow, books everywhere, literally everywhere. Makes it hard to walk by if several people are in the bookstore since such a tight space. I don't like clutter at all so if you have any OCD issues do not walk into this bookstore. It was nice to be able to browse & eventually find something to buy. read more

This is a nice place to kill some time. Its pluses are that it has a lot of books and many of them are not books that one has seen before at every other used bookstore in town. If you go to a lot of used bookstores, you know which old "bestsellers", perennially assigned school "classics", and teen novels I mean. It has particularly large and interesting sections of history and new age/ spirituality type books. There are also many boxes of antique prints if you wish to dig through those. You can definitely hang out in here browsing for a while and many people do. Cons: As someone else said, this place is disorganized - looks kind of like a library after a big disaster, where stacks and stacks of books were moved from other parts of the building and just heaped on floors. The heaps of books seem to be in no particular order and are everywhere, impeding progress down the already narrow aisles. People do regularly bump the stacks of books and overturn them and have to pick them up. The aisles are so cramped that only one person can get in and out of them at a time. The categories of books are also kind of random. The new age hippie spirituality etc. is right in the front, biography is off at the end of a stack somewhere, the history is kind of in the middle, you have to go way to the back to find philosophy and a few other things, and I never did find sociology/ true crime if indeed they have any of that. Despite the disorganized atmosphere, the prices in this shop tend towards high. Most of the large-format used paperbacks are priced 10 and 15 bucks a pop when you can often find them for 2 to 7 dollars less on Amazon's or ABEbooks used book sections, even factoring in the cost of shipping. It's prices like these that make me get books through the mail rather than plow around in disorganized bookshops, but because I was bored and in need of reading material, I did pick up a couple books and found one funny gem by happenstance (it was right next to the counter when I went to check out). I'd have gotten a couple more books if they had been cheaper. read more

Lots of selection but completely unorganized, no rhyme or reason to the flow of the sections and newer stock is simply stacked at the front. If you've an entire day then it might be worth your while. read more

If you're looking for a fun time sifting through books, this is the place to go! One of the best book stores I've been to. It's full of every subject and obscure book you could want and expands out much further then the store front would lead you to believe. The organization is perfect for subjects and then gets a little funky within each category. For me, that just helps to create the most enjoyable experience when coming upon a gem. read more

This is a pretty sick used bookstore in downtown Portland. Kinda high priced for a used book nook, but they gotta lot of really cool books there, and yes you kind of have to look around quite a bit to find stuph (but that's why you're here, and not at Barnes n Noble or messing wif yer Kindle). In fact the prints they have are wicked expensive, don't know why. Wuz gonna buy a book by Hunter S Thompson, but then I realized it was just about chasing pussy and getting drunk, how mundane. Nice little 'beat' section, some good poetry sections (I'm not into Auden anymore or Ashbery, but then who is?) But I suppose if you're a mossback who sits around reading old books this is the place for you. read more

Super cute little bookstore. Unlike some quirky bookstores, this one is actually organized pretty well. We couldn't find something but asked the owner and he was really helpful. Will definitely be back. read more