I would count your pages and add before checking out. If the total $ is off, ask the cashiers to verify page counts. I went to penny-a-page sale. You can't follow along with the cashier's page-count-price entering on a screen, so you have to take their word for it. Walking away I noticed she made a mistake. (See pic.) No big deal, people make mistakes. Song of Kali = 277pgs charged $5.54. I walked back in and showed the bearded greeter my receipt. He said "she made a mistake. You have to go to the back of the line." the line was about 15 customers long. The guy just shrugged. The store only had two registers open - out of four - on their big sale day. They had this guy greeting people instead of ringing up. He said he didn't have register access. read more

2nd & Charles - Penny a page sale not adding up! - Used Bookstore Near Me - Utica, Michigan

This is a huge and fantastic store. Mostly sells books but also musical instruments, comics, toys, etc. Love the blind date with a book section. Fair prices and love the buyback system. A nice quiet place to browse for as long as your heart desires. read more

I would put this at a 3.5 but since that isn't an option they get a 4. Great selection of books with pretty reasonable pricing. I have traded a few things in but even if you choose the store credit option you rarely get a fair trade in value. I will definitely purchase books there in the future but I will trade in elsewhere. read more

We have driven by this store several times and have asked eachother, What is that place?" Well we were killing some time today so we decided to check it out. We loved it. There were so many great finds. This would be a great spot for a gift for someone who has everything. He was excited for the vinyl collection and we had fun going through them and finding great classics. They sold record players as well. He was also excited for the extensive comic book collection they had. They had an extensive collection of books and I admitted that I now prefer to read on a tablet but if it is a book I love, I still buy the hard cover just to have it. Yes. I know. Waste of money. But I love books. They had a variety of novelty items. I'm a Gemini and relate to all things Gemini (including the bipolar psycho portion at times). So I picked up a fun read. I love all things super natural. I always have. Even before it became super popular. For example, I have owned The Encyclopedia of Vampires since the mid 90s. Vampires are sexy! Werewolves are misunderstood and cursed. But witches are my favorite. Cunning and feminine. Powerful. The Sanderson sisters are my heroes. If you know who they are, we can be friends. So when I saw this glass I snatched up quickly. Perfect for me! They have a ton of "Baby Yoda" (Grogu), Star Wars, Harry Potter, DC and Marvel stuff. They also have t shirts for everything from the annoyingly positive to the hilariously sarcastic. I'm sure you can guess which I am. But then again, I'm a Gemini so give me 5 min and that will change. Hahah They even have an area for you to pull out your lap top and do some work. We will definitely be back. We both had items in hand they we decided to leave behind and come back for. This was a great find. Check it out! read more

2nd & Charles - Used Bookstore Near Me - Utica, Michigan

This is my "go to store" for just about anything cds, dvds, books, records. Very reasonable prices. A lot second hand. I always in there for at least an hour or more. read more

I thought long and hard about this rating. I have a few reservations about how this place is organized. But once one gets past that you realize that this is an increasingly hard to find gem in bookstores. The prices are hard to beat and you are sure to find some precious haul for an unbeatable price All the books (some used) are in great shape. The vinyl record collection is better than most places and they also have board games and video games. Too good to pass up in this day and age! read more

If you are looking to sell back books,cds,dvds.etc. I would recommend somewhere else. Brought in over a huge bag of books(15-20). It took them an an hour and a half to get through them. They did not take 5 or 6, but offered me $4.40 trade versus $2.50 cash. I know, if I went back and checked on the books I sold, they would have marked them up about 80%.That is more insulting than getting haggled with at a garage sale. Also, their cd sections are a mess. Why even have slats if artists are everywhere. Next time, I am just donating my books to the library. read more

I took my kids here to shop around for children's books and to generally see what is available. My daughter asked what is a satanic bible? I told her we needed to go and that was that. This book was sitting in the middle of the walking path for kids to read. Net net I will not do business here. read more

2nd & Charles - Satanic bible is the best!!!!1 - Used Bookstore Near Me - Utica, Michigan

2nd & Charles has such great potential - but, this location is average at best. There's a great variety of cool and odd stuff that - tons of used books and geekdom galore. But, the vinyl record selection needs serious attention. There doesn't appear to be any attention/maintenance of this area -- there's been some very "unmetal" selections in the metal section for weeks now. This Utica location doesn't come close to the Auburn Hills location -- which has a greater variety, is better kept and just has some really cool stuff. Northern/mid Macomb county could really use a good record store. 2nd & Charles could help fill that void -- but, sadly, their lack of attention to, what could be an asset, their vinyl area is 'meh' at best. Still, it is better than nothing... so they get stars for that. read more

Store itself is cool and has a variety of items but the trade in process is absurd. Turned in an entire series of books (15 in total, at least 6 of which were unopened in original boxing) and was offered $2.20 in cash and $1.10 more for in-store credit. Had to make two trips for this as the day I dropped them off the person doing their inventory was on break which I only found out after having waited for half an hour. Absolutely not worth trading things in here. read more

I just want to start off by saying i absolutely love what this store has to offer. Such a unique place. However, i highly recommend that you do not sell here. I brought in about 13 books (most of them never read) and was offered a whopping $4.60. I was absolutely stunned because these books were all new and trending. I think my jaw fell to the floor when she told me their offer. I would rather donate them to my local library than get such a pathetic offer. Please be aware before you decide to sell here. read more

I loved this place, and super sad I may never visit because I am not originally from Michigan. There are so many cool books, toys, action figures, comics, and random small things at this establishment. It is a place where you can find unique items and POP figures as well. Easily some place where you can get lost in. The one downside, was that most books were a little old and it was hard to find certain genre's or book types I was looking for. I probably could have asked an associate but decided not to. Overall - if you have some time to kill and like looking for some cool stuff. I suggest coming here:) read more

Wow, this is now our new favorite store. I have only been in here once before a long time ago, and I remembered them having a lot of books, dvds, and games. We were at Sam's Club and decided to stop in to check it out. My mind was blown with how big this place actually is on the inside. Before you even get inside, there is a free book section outside, once you enter the first doors another really cheap book section awaits you. For book lovers like me, I was already excited to see more. They have a large section of movies and games, comics, music, toys, and more. If you are a big collector, they have some great items in glass. We saw a lot of other collector items such as Star Trek action figures, Star Wars, and Harry Potter items. They had mini stand sections for different genres like fantasy, anime, horror, fiction, staff picks, children's, seasonal, romance, etc. These are just tiny little sections with some other items displayed relating to the theme. When you start to walk towards the toy area, you see a large area for games with sales (buy one get one 50% off). They even have a few clothing items, like cute graphic tees, hats and fun socks. They don't just have books, dvds, and games, they also have mugs, stuffed animals (cute fluffy ones), posters, blankets, keychains, hair accessories, journals, backpacks, magnets, buttons, snow globes, mini pouches, candle holders, salt lamps, book ends, a "body, mind, and spirit area" (one of my favorites due to the rocks), beauty products (bath bombs/ lip balms/ makeup), and a whole lot more. They have something for everyone. The best part is they have a lot of different unique drinks and candy all by the register. I even found some Adventure Time playing cards that I really wanted. They encourage children to read with fun little sections set up for them. They even have comfy cozy sofa chairs for reading, and a coffee bar. The best part is the employees that seem to have a passion for what they do. We had so many of them asking if we needed assistance and talking to us about things we were interested in. The gentlemen at the checkout were super kind and funny. We enjoyed their personalties, and you can tell they love it here. I think we found a new home. read more

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We had some extra time one evening and decided to go in and see what this place was all about because the name intrigued us. We were pleasantly surprised to see the vast array of new and used books, CD's, DVD's, musical instruments, video games, a children's area, a small cafe and so much more... Lots to look at and explore. The store is laid out very nicely and allows you to meander through all it has to offer. The staff is friendly and helpful, the store is well maintained and neat and the prices are very reasonable. 2nd and Charles is a breath of fresh air in our area and has a perfect location in a very popular shopping center with many other bustling businesses. If you're looking for somewhere different to search for any of the above mentioned items, this is definitely a store to explore and hopefully find just what you're looking for. read more

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Finally a suiting replacement for the missing Borders Books store that was previously located in this building. It's been five long years since a book store occupied this building. In the past five years this store has mostly had a transitory presence with various Halloween stores plopping down for a few weeks at a time. As far as I am concerned 2nd & Charles is an improvement on the old Borders Books. The layout is almost identical to what Borders had. There's a children's section in the far North East corner. There is a little coffee and snack bar in the same area. I love the section of records, cd's and an option to purchase real instruments. PTL used cd's have made a comeback! The selection of books is vast. You can purchase both new and used books in every conceivable topic. Since I have been staffing I.T. and Engineering professionals for over 20 years I just had to buy a used copy of -The Fantastical Engineer; A Thrillseeker's Guide to Careers in Theme Park Engineering - what a treat! There is a section of the store where you can sell your old gently used books, cd's and who knows what else. I think I'm in love with Charles! read more

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My daughter is going to high school and the school has a required summer reading program. So of course we were looking for a used book instead of a brand new book that will get written in. We needed to find City of Bones, which we were able to and they had the rest of the books in the series. Even know the book store has used books you couldn't tell except for the price. The books were all in great shape. The store is broken up in away that is easy to understand. Since my daughter is avid reader we will be going back. Maybe next time we will stop in the coffee shop that is inside. One cool thing is the "free bin" outside. Definitely worth a check. read more

Prices went way up postpandemic, new staff isn't great, there's a bunch of them huddled at the front, i miss the old guy they had. This place used to rule. read more

There's so much here, if you can't find anything for yourself, there must be something wrong with you, lol. Books, music, stuffed items, Knick-knacks, games, and so much more! The staff is friendly and helpful. The prices are good. read more

DO NOT SELL THEM YOUR COLLECTIBLES!!!!! I went in there with a stack of 12 records collectively valued at $400 minimum and they tried to offer me $30 of in store credit or $16 in cash. absolute con artists read more

Don't pay full price for a book again!!! Not a huge reader but came here for a few pregnancy books and was blown away by the prices! Some books are gently used, some are brand new....very reasonable. The coffee bar needs a little help as my coffee wasn't the best but I'd give them another shot. Free book bin out front! read more

If you love book and all other nerdy anything this place is a MUST! Only time I would tell someone to not go here is if they aren't ready to empty their pockets buying everything in sight! read more

2nd & Charles - Used Bookstore Near Me - Utica, Michigan

What more can be added to the discussion, as this place has so many reviews? As a person who loves used books, I am glad they carry a large inventory to browse through. However, quantity considerably overwhelms quality in this place. They have endless aisles of titles that aren't that great, with hardly any good ones. They have new books, comic books, graphic novels, records, and endless amounts of nerd paraphernalia in their inventory. I found the highlight going for the children's books as my kids don't often care specifically which books they read and can usually find something interesting. The overall shopping experience is diminished when I am harassed at the checkout by the cashier who is just doing their job and tries to get me to sign up for some magazine subscription that I don't want or need or probably can't cancel if I wanted to. I wish this place were a quarter of the size, and they gave all the garbage to goodwill. Once I discovered the other smaller used bookstores in the area, I drifted away from coming here as I enjoy the little independent boutique experience much more. read more

Independent bookstores, especially ones that do buybacks are a dying breed, so to see this at what I'm told is an old Borders is great. I did not trade in any books, but enjoyed a nice coffee at the coffee bar, along with Avalon treats. The lounge area has ample seating and water and glasses out, which is a nice touch. There are shelves upon shelves of books, all labeled helpfully. They don't trade back every single book though. I was with a friend who tried trading in some of the more popular books, and they wouldn't accept it because their inventory for that book was already high. I really hope this place picks up! I visited for more than an hour and it was quite empty. read more

I love organizing and recently became a fan of the Kon Mari method. I'm obsessed with getting rid of unused items (clutter). I went through my vast collection of books and had four boxes which I took to this location. I gave a salesperson the books and was given a claim ticket. I browsed the store while they assessed the value. The store is huge. There's even a cafe to relax and enjoy a beverage and snack. They give a cash value for your items and a store credit value. The store credit is almost double the cash value. That's great because they have some great items here. I took the cash because I'm here because I'm decluttering. I need absolutely nothing else. read more

No lie, I love this place. I come in all the time to exchange books, movies, and games for store credit (I believe Brandon is the employee I see every time I go to the exchange counter and he is super chill and helpful). I'm an avid reader and I love secondhand book stores. I like the atmosphere and I always find something I want. I'm a huge Star Trek TOS fan who collects the old pocket novels and I usually come in with a digital copy of what I already own and paw through 2nd & Charles' selection. Most days, I end up leaving with 5 more books than I need. They always have something I want without fail. I had an amazing experience today. Pretty much every employee is super personable and relaxed. BUT I gotta give mad props to Drew, the employee who served my friends and I three times at the Chuck Stop. I was hanging out with two of my friends at a table at the coffee area from 10 AM to 5 PM. The entire time Drew was on shift, he made us feel welcome, joked with us, and made amazing coffees and chai lattes. He checked on us regularly between his floor work and the Chuck Stop to make sure we were still all set despite how long we were hanging out. I really appreciated how much he brightened up our day. Everyone at 2nd & Charles makes me enjoy visiting but Drew definitely went above and beyond today. Thanks, Drew! read more

I love this place! The Hubs and I stop in almost every weekend. They have everything! Funko Pops, vinyl, movies, games (video and board), cd's, and BOOKS! Great selections, and their prices are really good. read more

Hidden gem of Detroit! Love how clean and fun this place is. Warning though...they won't let you leave unless you spend your life savings!

I had no idea what to expect when I walked into 2nd and Charles. I was blown away at the size of the store. It used to be a Borders book store. I haven't been in there in years. I was surprised at how much bigger it looked. I spent about an hour just at the front of the store. I was looking through all of the pop culture stuff near the entrance. This section had everything from Funko Pop figures to old video games and consoles. I was really impressed with the eclectic selection of goodness. As I moved on, I couldn't believe how many comic books this place had in stock. 2nd and Charles carries new and used comic books. It wasn't incredibly organized, but I guess it was organized in a manner that comic book enthusiats would be familiar with. I'm not necessarily one of those people, but I was able to find a couple of titles that I was interested in. Right next to the comic books was a large selection of vinyl records. I guess CDs are not the thing any more. I did notice that vinyl is pretty pricey. Be prepared for that. I thumbed through a few sections in the records and saw that they had a pretty decent selection of popular titles. They also carry used vinyl. I'm sure a vinyl enthusiast or someone who is just starting a collection could find something here. After the vinyl section I finally made it to the books. Holy sh!t the books. I was really impressed with the vast selection of titles and authors. I'm not an avid book reader, but I do like a good book now and then. I really hate spending full price on a book though. I'm cheap. The thing I liked about 2nd and Charles was that they had the new books with the used books. I didn't have to thumb through the used and new sections separately. It was nice. All of the books seemed to be well organized as if someone really cared about them, Our last shopping trip to this store consisted of picking out some books for my son. The kids book section is pretty massive. They were also running a summer promotion where you could buy 3 used kids books and get the 4th free. We walked amongst the little-person literature for quite some time and chose 3 used books. I also wanted my son to read The Indian in the Cupboard, but they only had a new copy of it. I asked a very nice woman who worked at this establishment about the difference between the new and used books (e.g. how they were marked), and she said she thought they had a used copy of The Indian in the Cupboard. After she took the time to look through the books on the shelf, she said she'd be right back. She spoke with her manager and they decided that the new book we picked out was a popular title and they would count it as used so we could qualify for the promotion. I wanted to tell that story because the customer service at 2nd and Charles is beyond fantastic. Everyone here seemed to be really attentive and knowledgable. I really like the atmosphere of this store as well as the selection of awesome stuff. Come here. Give them money. Sell them old stuff. Take home cool things. You won't regret it. deuces - Brian read more

I went to 2nd & Charles in Shelby Twp, Michigan to check out their books. I always have a hard time finding the art and photography books, since it is not well marked, nor do they put it on the "find it sign". Had someone help and mentioned that... all he sad was.." too bad, I can't do anything about that". Then he said... it is job security that you have to ask them.... Then add to that, when using the restroom, while washing my hands, the sink water was really HOT. Next, went out to the drinking fountain...... one did not work, and the other shot water up about 12 inches and right on the floor. I for sure will not return there again. Oh.. and their used books are pretty expensive for how old they are. read more

We'll just like any person I love watching movies so this place is great. I can find forgotten movies and browse news ones. Ever since discovering these stores I have found myself unable to leave without purchasing one of their mystery dvd boxes. There is something about 50 surprise movies that fills a void I didn't know I had. read more

I am reading all the glowing reviews here. They seem to be buyers, not sellers. Seller beware. Do your research first. I took a load of stuff in on Tuesday, April 23rd. I have never liked the system of not knowing what I was getting paid for each item, that's only part of my complaint. Brought in the minimum three crates. I left with one crate, so they had bought a bit. I was offered $23.30 in cash, can't remember the trade in. I came back the next day with three more crates. While standing there waiting I was looking in the display case where they put the pricey stuff, and low and behold there's my copy of Dune, going for $80. Eighty bucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The crazy thing was I hadn't realized it was mine. I was talking to my boyfriend and I believe the guy working may have heard me mention it, I told him I have a copy of that at home, well no I don't anymore. I had that sinking feeling as I was driving home and sure enough, the book was off my shelf. I remember it was the last one I had put in the box. It was definitely mine. I know because I had a mark on it. Employee knew what it was worth, do they have these people trained to only give a minuscule fraction of what something is worth? I am not going to take my business or give it to a place that takes advantage of my lack of knowledge. Ordinarily, I would have done my research but I am in the middle of a move and was lax. I wonder how many of you that read this have taken stuff up there and been paid pennies on the dollar. Total scam. Do your research before giving these people your stuff. They are a national chain too. I would expect that from some small place, but I guess chains are greedy. I still would like to know what I got for that copy. I mean $23.30 for two boxes. I should have got $23.00 for the one book. They would still make a profit. I really don't know how they stay in business, there are not very many people in there. How would you feel if you had turned something of yours in one day, go back the next to see it displayed with that price on it? read more

I came in because a friend said he got a good deal trading stuff in. I wanted a few of their variant covers that they exclusively carry. I brought in about 10 graphic novels. Some of which are Preacher which is in demand right now because of the TV show and some were sealed Marvel jard covers. They offered me $14 trade or $8 cash. I decided to say no thank you. If I sold them for $1 each at a garage sale id make at least $10 cash and I know these people ain't going to turn around and quadruple their money on my items. I feel like I was low balled. The young lady who rung me up was very nice and polite and that's why I have this place 3 stars for this visit. Hopefully my next visit will be more pleasant. I'm not bringing any more books to waste me time though. read more

Favorite store! Have books, movies, funkos, video games, records, musical instruments, etc. kids section too

Fun place! Really good items for really good price! Must see. I found really good Records and CD! Will come back for sure! read more

2nd & Charles - Fun place! Really good deals! You can find a lot of good item for a really good price! Will be back for sure! - Used Bookstore Near Me - Utica, Michigan

I have died and gone to nerd heaven. If being a nerd means a well supplied book store of new and used books, and used comic books, and dvds, and games, and a cafe, and even a place to sit and work on your laptop, then sign me up. And chach-kas..lots of nerdy chachkas. A genre lover's dream. Seriously, this place is wonderful. read more

2nd & Charles - Used Bookstore Near Me - Utica, Michigan

This might be one of the coolest stores I've been to! I'm an avid reader and collector of random things and this place satisfies in those departments. The selection of new and used books is gigantic. You could get lost in here in a good way! They also have a huge selection of collectibles, comics, movies, and music. If you haven't been to 2nd & Charles you should definitely check it out! I really love how the place is setup in a way that you can just fully immerse in whatever it is you're looking at. Awesome for a rainy day destination or if you have a couple of hours to burn just finding your next piece of reading material or little thing for your collection! read more

DO NOT GO HERE THEY SCAM BY OFFERING FREE MAGAZINES EVEN IF YOU DENY- they guarantee by continuously stating you don't need to give card info. I reluctantly agreed and now have over $60 in charges. Even former employees admit to scamming customers. Had to cancel my card and still working on getting my money back. DONT DO IT! Do NOT shop here. Go to a local, honest book store or trade shop. read more

Good store, good buys. Make sure you have time to browse. Grab a basket on the way in because however well intentioned you are to buy just one book, you'll end up with more. read more

Love love love this place. It's a big bigger than the Auburn Hills location in the great lakes mall parking lot, and I have found, has a bit better of a selection. They also have a better sale/clearance selection here than the AH location; and the set up is just plain better, there are more designated theme tables and I always find way more to buy here. The AH store should take notes about how to arrange things from this location. I live about 4 miles from the auburn Hills location but regularly make then 49 minute drive to this Utica location instead because it's more enjoyable and there is a much better selection here. read more

Wow. This is by far the most impressive used book store I've ever seen! Great deals and so many book options it's amazing. Highly recommend this location they're very organized, staff is ready and available to help and books are priced reasonably. I have already been to this location twice in a week span because it is so wonderful. read more