Half Price Books

A wonderful used/remainder bookstore and the largest Half Price Books store in the country (so i"m told by someone who has been to the Houston, New York, LA, etc.stores). In any case, a HUGE improvement over the University District or Bellevue stores, especially the former, which is very cramped. Very roomy, high ceilings, well-lit, wood floors and paneling, large windows, chairs. The most comfortable, relaxing bookstore in the city. Wide selections in many categories. Great prices, occasional store-wide sales. Hours are very good, until 11 pm nightly! Usually have a recent shipment of Konemann, the German publisher of coffee-table art books at bargain prices. This in undoubtedly would be the most pleasant, relaxed bookstore--new or used--to just walk around, browse, etc. were it not for the sometimes obnoxious piped-in music and the occasional very raucous conversations behind the counter (I wish I could carry on my own mini-party at work, too). I don't sell my books (I donate them), so I can't comment on that aspect... One or two of the staff members could be a little less apathetic. Otherwise all the staff is upbeat and polite. more

Like any Seattle native, I read a lot. At least I try to read as often as I can. And when I need a new book to consume, I always go to Half Price Books. Great selection and hidden deals make the trip exciting. And my favorite part is falling prey to their impulse items that they have at the registers. ie- Devil Doll story book. YAY! more

I've never had Half Price turn a book down. It's a great place to take all of your previously read books when you need to reclaim a little shelf space. They also have great deals on used books and you can use a little of your earned money here. more

Half Price Books is great for people who don't need to have the absolutely newest books. There are many great books that don't cost as much simply because they were not published recently, and others that have had a previous owner. Their Capitol Hill venue has the coziest places to sit and read of any location I have seen so far, the widest aisles, the most natural light, and of course, the most books. Therefore I recommend commencing your search for cheap, interesting books here. more

the selection is huge. the prices are either outstanding or at least very good (half price). i can't walk into the store without buying at least one or two books i didn't know i wanted. there are new used books all the time, and they have even have a decent selection of newer books. you can find a specific book you want a surprisingly good portion of the time (if it's at least a couple years old). the above only applies to the capitol hill incarnation. for some reason, the other versions aren't nearly as good. maybe it's the size, maybe it's the tastes of the neighborhoods, but i'm always disappointed when i try out a different half price books. five stars to capitol hill version, two stars to all others. more

This place is a great resource for writers, you can go there and pick up a ton of research material very cheap and they usually have a little bit of everything available there. They also have a great selection of DVDs and videos (if you are WAY retro). However at the same time, when you decide that you no longer need that reference material for your latest novel, GOOD LUCK giving it back to them!! The hair lipped Jabba look alike that does the book buying was trained in psychological warfare by Hitler himself. She is a total hard ass and will screw you so hard you bleed for a week. She will give you about 20% (literally) of what anyone else in the area (Twice Sold or Everyday Music) will and then she will piss and moan about ID. We got into an argument one day about whether or not my PASSPORT was government issued, well it certainly wasn't issued by the Lollipop Guild!! So if you are looking for great books and DVDs cheap go here, when it comes time to sell them back, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. more

In my opinion, this is the best Half Price Books store in the area because they have the biggest selection. I rarely have a problem finding the books I want and usually end up buying at least half my book club books from this store or the Crossroads (Bellevue) location. I love coming here to browse for nothing in particular. They have a lot of super-cheap books. They also have a huge selection of journals/diaries lately. There are some great random finds in the CDs/records and magazines. They even have a rare/collectible books case, which I don't think I've seen at any other Half Price. Downstairs is where they keep most of the fiction, including the $1 book tables where they sell the books they have too many copies of. The other day, I picked up Cold Mountain and The Pilot's Wife for a buck apiece! more

When I moved here from Portland, I was sad to leave two things. One, my fabulous apartment, and two, Powells Books. I was lucky enough to move into an apartment in Seattle that's only two blocks from Half-Price Books. I had never heard of such a place. Brand new books for dirt cheap? It's heaven for a fast-reading nerd like me! The downside? Have hours to spend if you're going to go in, because it's impossible to leave this place! more

Half Price Books Records Magazines has a very large selection of gently used books - you can find just about any thing here! Great prices and the service friendly. I have always been pleased with the selection and variety that they offer. Very affordable prices on each and every single book. Very fair and honorable service. more

If you don't want to pay full price for books, this is your best bet. They have a great selection that is always well organized and easy to find what you need. Staff can be hard to pin down for help but once you do, they are very helpful. They have a wide selection of books to choose from. Can't beat the great deals! more