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Penn Book Center
Category:
Books
130 S 34 St
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania
(215) 222-7600
Great for Textbooks, not so great for Casual Reading.
A lot of Penn professors (in the liberal and social sciences) avoid ordering their books from the...
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A lot of Penn professors (in the liberal and social sciences) avoid ordering their books from the Official Barnes and Nobles bookstore and order their books here at the Penn Book Center. Why? Because they believe they are getting students a discount. The prices found at this store, however, are not cheaper. Moreover, they only order a limited quantity, so if you are not first in line, its likely you will not get the books for your class in time for the first class's reading.
Aside from textbooks, this store also sells books to the public. Their selection is small and their prices are average. The best reason to go to Penn Book Center is for their sidewalk sales. Every so often, they'll put some tables outside with bins full of books and sell random gems for as low as $0.99. So, if you are on your way to the law school or about to grab a bubble tea, stop by Penn Book Center and check out their sales bin!
Also, beware, they are VERY strict on their return policies.
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Why go here in such a cultured city?
In a city as vibrant and full of culture as Philadelphia, why would you go to the big ol' chain...
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In a city as vibrant and full of culture as Philadelphia, why would you go to the big ol' chain bookstore? There's Robin's, the Wooden Shoe, Book trader, the Friends of the Free Library even run a book store! Put your money back into local folks and projects and don't shop here.
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Big Jar
Category:
Books
55 N 2nd St Apt H
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania
(215) 574-1650
Not a bad place
The staff is extremely knowledgeable. They have a great selection of 80's and 90's books. Their...
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The staff is extremely knowledgeable. They have a great selection of 80's and 90's books. Their Bronze Age selection has some holes, as does their Silver and Golden Age Collections, albeit to a much greater degree. The prices are fair, but you will not find any steals. They have a great pre-order service, and a spacious, nuerotically organized sales floor.
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House of Our Own
Category:
Books
3920 Spruce St
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania
(215) 222-1576
A Hidden Treasure Among Many Frat Houses...
Hidden within Frat Row (or one of many on Penn's campus) is this quaint little two story building...
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Hidden within Frat Row (or one of many on Penn's campus) is this quaint little two story building converted into a local bookstore. The store itself caters to many classes at Penn but is in itself a treat for anyone looking for a rare book find. The bookstore carries many hard to find books and the service is amazing. The people are very knowledgeable and the books are priced just right (and certainly cheaper than the giant mass-marketed Penn Bookstore).
Go there for your liberal art classes textbooks and, if for nothing else, to say hi to the owners who are always there ready with information, new book releases and, of course, a smile. Don't go there, however, expecting to find EVERY book published, a gigantic selection or anything else but books. The house can get crammed at the beginning of the semester (as the hallways are very tight) and the textbook selection can often overpower the "just to read for fun" selection. Still, visit this gem on campus while its still around and support the local mom-and-pop shops in the area.
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A nice place to escape the heat
I don't care much for the big name bookstores, but I do like to stop in and get a chai tea or a...
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I don't care much for the big name bookstores, but I do like to stop in and get a chai tea or a chai frappachino and get a book and get out of the summer heat. They have newspapers to look at and magazines to flip through. It's a nice place to waste time and relax. They do have a wide variety of books, if you're interested.
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Wooden Shoe Books
Category:
Books
508 S 5th St
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania
(215) 413-0999
Anarchist Bookstore
The anarchist books and everything store of Philadelphia is a favorite of tourists and locals...
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The anarchist books and everything store of Philadelphia is a favorite of tourists and locals alike. They have a wide selection of books of a political slant on topics from transportation to gender to music. They also have a wide selection of local zines and music, which you can sell as well as buy.
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Local Health Sciences Bookstore with Knowledgeable Staff
Matthew Dolbey's is a local health sciences bookstore located near UPenn's medical campus which...
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Matthew Dolbey's is a local health sciences bookstore located near UPenn's medical campus which offers all the necessary textbooks, review books, and study aids a nursing student, veternarian in training, medical student, or any other allied health professional could need. In addition to books, it also sells lab coats, instruments, medical clogs, and various other supplies. It also offers an internet based mail order service. The staff is also extremely helpful and knowledgeable about the best books for a given need. The major drawback is that you will pay list price for your books here and no used books are sold.
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Chinatown books and products
This place has a wide variety of items, from books, to cups, to vases, to chopsticks. It is...
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This place has a wide variety of items, from books, to cups, to vases, to chopsticks. It is extremely affordable. I’ve gotten several items here, including a great pair of chopsticks and a tea cup with a lid, that works great for the office. The lid keeps the tea warm longer. They also have a lot of clothing and art.
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Jack is Fat
Fat Jack's comic place is the one comic shop I avoid at all costs. I can't stand Jack or the guys...
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Fat Jack's comic place is the one comic shop I avoid at all costs. I can't stand Jack or the guys he employs. They're not just opinionated, they actively seek out things to fight with the customers about, and look down on your choices for purchase when you go to check out. A wholly unfriendly atmosphere, stay away from this place if at all possible.
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Giovanni's Room
Category:
Books
345 S 12th St
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania
(215) 923-2960
gay bookstore
Giovanni’s room is of course a gay bookstore. It has two stories and is located right in the...
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Giovanni’s room is of course a gay bookstore. It has two stories and is located right in the gayberhood. They also sell some stickers and postcards, but the focus is on books. It is fairly easy to navigate for a bookstore in a converted row house. The prices are average for a book boutique. They have everything gay and lesbian from fiction to non-fiction.
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