Strand Bookstore

Although any customer experience is by definition anecdotal, I have had several Strand experiences in the last month (July, 2011) and all have been positive. Prices are also really cheap, especially for NYC. --Robert Webb more

I took 2 new books here to sell 1 of them I didn't even open because I had ended up with 2 copies. I was paid less than $15.00 for these books however when I checked the strand website I discovered that they are selling them for $18.00 and $27.00. I was in shock at the price that I had received when I asked the sales rep how they arrived at the price that I was paid he gave me a story that they use all types of things to come up with the price. I was totally disgusted and I wish that I had sold my books on eBay or amazon I would probably have received a better price for my books. The sales person did give me a chocolate egg to make me feel better oh wow! I'll never sell books here again because you don't receive an explanation of how they arrive at the pricing for the books. more

The Strand definitely stands out of as one of the best book stores in the whole wide world - just for it's size. I agree it's way too crowded, which sometimes make the whole book browsing experience not nearly as fun and relaxed as it should be. having said that - still, it's a fun place. I collect 19th century prose, and love the rare books floor - where the staff is simply great. helpful, nice and knowledgeable - however from a collector point of view - it's not the place to grab "deals" as the rare book are priced accurately and above. you can definitely find great deals though, in all the rest of the floors, and many times I go out with 5-10 different books. Bottom line terrific book store, wish there were many more like it. more

My experience at Strand was mixed. Good things are: they have a good collection of different books and price was inexpensive. Bad points are: customer service was not so good. I faced a problem finding what I needed. I advice them to improve their customer service and they will definitely go up. Overall, aside bad aspects, it is a nice place for book lovers. more

Customer service is horrible, especially if you try to sell your books. They have no manners whatsoever. I left the store furious. Sell your books to some nice little bookstore, don't bother with them. I would give them zero stars if possible :) more

But that's kinda the fun of it. They have lots of random books here and some very inexpensive new hardcovers, but sometimes the used fiction section is stuffed with second rate 80s thrillers. more

I like browsing this store and finding bargains. I also like taking in books for sale. I have always had 'pleasant' interactions there. Today, I brought in a lot of books for sell and Neil, was the rudest to me a store employee--in ANY store--has ever been to me. NEIL had a huge pile of my books he wouldn't even scan in and I inquired how he was making his decisions. They were hard covers, good conditions and the paperbacks were of good quality as well. The normal procedure is to scan the book and see if they need it. NEIL snapped at me that this was his job and he knew how to do it. Whoa, I was only asking how you made that determination! He continued to rant about how he didn't have to take my books if he didn't want to and that I had no idea how to do his job. Well, no, I don't. That's why I was inquiring. I let him know that I thought he was being quite rude to me for no reason when all I had done was ask a honest question. Every time I've sold books here, it's never been like this. I told NEIL I would let all of my friends know how poor the customer service is here. NEIL replied that he can say whatever he wants and he doesn't care what I think and that I probably didn't have any friends. WOW. Even a co-worker, a large black woman reprimanded him for that and said sharply, "NEIL!" I WILL NEVER GO BACK TO THE STRAND and I have hundreds of friends. more

Since Strand's renovation they have definitely become a more cleaner and a bit more organized than they were in years before. The prices are still some of the best around the no matter what you are looking for it is almost impossible to leave the store without one or two new books. Piece of advice: Avoid the elevator. It takes too long. more

I've been going to the strand since I was a little kid. My father has alwasy loved that store. We would go from Barnes and Noble (they used to have a section of books for 29 cents, 49 cents or 69 cents) and from there we'd go to strand. Often when any of us were looking for an out of print book Strand would have it. The only problem with them is that while they have a cheap paperback and hardcover section outside of the store, the prices on the books inside are not always the best bargains you can find. more

Strand's has such a good collection of art and photography books, it's amazing. There's a good mixture of both used and new books. And the prices are unbeatable. I've gotten a lot of biographies here on Monet, van Gogh, Raphael, Manet, etc. And I've saved a lot. I love their calendar sales as well. New calendars for more than half off sometimes. They have really huge calendars too (black and white photography of major cities). more

The Strand is such a hipster cool hangout for the intellectuals of all ages. All types of books of all walks of life. Whenever I pass by I have to walk in just to see what catches my eye. It truly is the best used bookstore with the best discounts. Don't forget the shelves of books outside surrounding the store that sells for only $1. Its so worth to pick a $1 book up when you realize you have an hour before you meet someone or you need a book for the train ride home. Since some of these books are from way back when...you'd be surprised at the selection and the great find of an interesting read. more

When I mentioned the Strand's famed 18 miles of books to my godfather, he, in his usual fashion, began calculating the possibility of exactly how many 'floor miles' adverse to 'shelf miles' this actually contained. On my part, never mind exactly how many floor tiles my feet and traveled that day. The wonderful thing about the Strand is the pure random nature of their books: the mixing of the old and the new, the rediscovery of forgotten treasures and chances to discover new books. The price levels, are, to say the least, remarkable. Even staying out of the aisles proper and working among the sales book tables, there is much available in all subjects. And, unlike even my beloved 'bargain book section's at the local Borders and Barnes and Nobles, the books here are top notch, often works of literature, resigned here due to overstock, rather than lack of readers. Don't miss are their outside $1 shelves, where even a cold day can reveal treasures. For those of you in search of a new bag, their iconoclastic totes are only a small selection of what they have available. And, lastly, they have a wonderful selection of hard cover books from the Modern Library, for those of you looking to build a classic selection. more

Strand's has become such a deep part of new york city culture...you just can't deny it's magnificentness. New books for cheap. Ridiculous selections of art, film, and photography books. AND amusing titles from the $1 racks. So laid back, so utterly cool, Strand's is what a bookstore is meant to be. Strand accessories (pencils, tote bag, shirt, etc.) are neat. more

Newly renovated with an elevator, more floors and a bathroom that's not too scary Strands is the best used book store in the city. Even with the new renovations the books are still a little disorganized so if you are on a search for a specific book you will be doing some digging a la Indiana Jones style. Don't bother getting any books about New York. They are usually out of date. Stick with the fiction books or any hard to find books from decades ago. That's where you'll find the real gold. more

The price is right but the organization is dubious. The Strand is at its best when you're looking for something in a section that just isn't that big to being with -- less clutter and less competition for the good stuff -- I've found some amazing finds in their pagan and witchcraft stuff. Browsing their fiction is a much larger chore -- and honestly, you should just go downstairs where they sell review copies of new hardbacks for half-off -- things here are easy to find and in good condition, which can't always be said for the rest of the place. more

I love the Strand. I just hate having to commit time to come here. I get so caught up in the many many titles, that I never spend less than 30 minutes in here even if I have only come in for one specific books. The deals are unbeatable unless you find someone who will give you books for free. The staff knows what is what and where to find the exact book you need (do they have microchip inventories in their heads?). This is the only store I have found where I can get a score of a show for $2. That is less than the photocopies would cost. Amazing. more

You should ALWAYS check the Strand before hitting Barnes and Noble. It might take you a bit longer to find the book, but that's only because there are so many interesting and distracting things to check out. The Strand definitely boasts the largest selection of every type of book in the world. I was very pleased to find that they carried Italian books (as opposed to B&N, which only stocks Italian dictionaries and lesson books). more

I love to shop at the Strand because they have miles and miles of books and they have everything from biblical texts to trashy romance novels. Many of their current books are discounted and they have lots and lots of old books that are secondhand. Shopping in the back is kind of like shopping at a really old library. The people working there are very helpful and are very good at finding what you're looking for, though it may be in an obscure location. more

this is my favorite book store. i can go there and browse for hours. they have a great selection from fiction books, classics, to film books. i love their classics section. they have great selections from different publishers. and their prices are really great. my friend recently bought an unabridged version of the count of monte cristo for four dollars. they also have a great art book section, which are very well priced. i found a very big book of monet's art for 15 dollars. they have have very cheap calendars, which sold in other stores for 12 dollars, but were 5 dollars at strands. if you love browsing this is the place for you as you will find many surprises. more

Although not as tidy as your local B&N, this is one of New York's most well known bookstore. Many of the books are 30% or half off. You can find new or used books. And you can find some rare editions. The bargain carts that are sometimes littered outside the store are great to sift through. You never know what you might find for a few bucks. They usually have a sale every year which I try to catch. Fit as many books into a bag and pay only $15, if I remember correctly. more