This is more of a local tip how to approach this subterrane, book-nook to best take advantage of its unique attributes/offerings vs. a review of a visit experience. First, the long-time proprietor (Tom) is an absolute/hard-earned expert in everything in the store - its items, authors, history, even curious, connected idiosyncronies of stories galore, many personal connections. That includes books, old magazines, records/CD and their place in history. Sure, much might be opinion, but all quite well-informed. The recommendation here is not to wander aimlessly to quick overwhelming but isolate a certain subject matter or media type of interest and ask for recommendations to find your gem(s) and feel good about the hunt as you leave with them. Second, this is a very small, private-ownership establishment and not a large, corp chain like B&N, It is run a certain way (it appears disorganized but is really not), has some respecting rules (don't bring in drinks or be a clueless dufus and take a photo of a book you like and shop it cheaper elsewhere) and relies on genuine, curious, vintage-loving customers to support this old-fashioned but charming type of store. It is really for serious vintage-hunters, not so much (or room for) random museum lookers. Sooo, not the place to buy the latest releases for less. Just saying so you know the (sub-)terrain here. Last, even if you become even a one-time customer, the purchase and interaction will be sincerely and deeply appreciated by one of the most-engaging store owners you will ever meet and exchange stories with for way longer than you would think Tom can keep the stories and wisdom quippets coming. read more

Pricey, small, but quaint and cute! We seriously browsed for 2 minutes and did get a bit overwhelmed. Not the shops fault at all, it was on me lol. I wish I had more time to browse! read more

The man who owns this store is very passionate and knowledgeable about his collection. Some may not understand how his brain works but he obviously cares deeply about his inventory and though make come across as rude, he is simply defending something he cares deeply about. He knows every book in the store and why it's significant, he is fair with the pricing and I feel like this selection is severely underrated. I personally love this shop and love the way his brain works, I recognize some of my own neurodivergence in him. Maybe he isn't for everyone, but I promise if you give him a chance and talk with him, you'll understand much more about the way he is. I know my opinion changed immediately after speaking with him and I would absolutely recommend giving this place a try. You never know what kind of treasures you might find there. read more

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We were looking to check out a book shop, came to the door and got greeted by the owner saying we're open if you want to buy something but if not, we're closed, then going on to complain to us that all day people came in, looked, and didn't buy anything and that he didn't sell a single thing all day and that rent was too high and he couldn't afford to keep the bookstore open if people keep coming just to look at things and not buy. Guilt tripped us into buying something we didn't even want. Organization of books here is a mess, things are all over the place and there's barely any space to walk. Would not recommend, take your business elsewhere. read more

I have found it to be quite a gift to share time with and learn from Tom amongst his passions in Beat Book Shop. One of my most favorite places in Boulder, I hope that you will visit with an open mind and heart; the space is so much more than a bookshop. I perceive it as a portal back in time dedicated to the preservation of culture and history, adding so much value to the community. Thank you Tom for pursuing and sharing your passions with us, what a gift of a space you have created. I look forward to the next time we cross paths :) read more

Owner is a total jackass but damn does he have a great selection of books. I hope someone else inherits his store or something because it would be 5 stars with anyone else managing it. read more

Anyone with an awareness of neurodiversity would realize the owner is wired differently and though gruff in demeanor is as passionate as they come about old books. He isn't for everyone, and definitely isn't Amazon, but he knows his stuff. Local, used bookstores are more or less impossible to find these days so I say let's celebrate those that continue to survive against all odds. read more

This is one of the most unique bookshops run by a very amazing, sweet gentleman who is the owner. You will find very rare and interesting books or music memorabilia. I highly recommend visiting this rare shop. read more

Popped in real quick to check out the cds and records, I got 1 CD and the owner shared some cool concert stories he had. Super cool dude The store was cluttered but no more than a genuine vintage/antique shop. You can always check out the more mainstream music/book stores if you want a commercial experience but this place has a pretty unique selection!! read more

I don't know why there are so many bad reviews, I think people are misunderstanding the owner or expect a Barnes and nobles experience. I wanted to go there when visiting Boulder and was sad it was closed, we walked past later and he was open! We walked in and I personally love the messiness and all of the books, he just has a lot of amazing things! Once he saw we actually wanted to buy things and respected his space he was so kind and nice and we talked about the books I bought, Flannery o Connor, and more personal things. I really enjoyed my experience here and can't wait to go back! His Kerouac and beat gen collection was cool to see! Just be nice and so will he! Respect begets respect. (: read more

Beat Book Shop - Two books that I got from here and I love - Bookstores Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

You step into the alpha layer of toxic macho priggishness when you look in among Tom's bathroom BEAT collection. I have waited years to drop a yelp review. Here it is, and I find I have little to add to other's experiences. Ok, there is one story. I bought a 90 page, $2 Penguin paperback by Kleist (Mme O.). Before I paid, he hesitated to sell it to me on the premise that there was a collection of these similarly slim Penguin miniatures - all of them in the public domain - that would be unobtainable without THIS copy. I read the book, and what Tom didn't know was that it was the story of his life. So close where the humiliations which the protagonist suffered that I returned the book to him, gratis. His is a hard life, but to call him a bookseller would pay him too great a compliment. He should shut his doors, check his ego, and read the pathetic books he shills for. read more

I had a great experience at the beat bookshop, I walked in and was pleasantly surprised to see every wall lined with books with piles of books in every corner. Excited and slightly overwhelmed, I met the owner and he seems like a pretty cool guy. I found his quirkiness and ability to open up about his love for literature welcome. Whether it is autism or some other aberration, I have pretty high tolerance for people in general. I then prefaced him with a single question. "Out of this plethora of books which one do you recommend to me." He then handed me a book by Henry Miller, and told me quite frankly "That he never met anyone who doesn't like this book" After paying a below market rate for a pristine 1980s paperback, I walked on my merry way. And after finishing the book, I too have to agree with him that it was an excellent choice. read more

by far one of the coolest shops in the pearl street area. I found my way into this store because it had a hole in the wall vibe. i walked around and explored this little gem to see what i could find. There was so many trinkets, records, old books, comics, magzines. The collection inside this store is the most unique collections of items i've ever seen. I then began to speak with Tom, the owner, he explained hes been in this location for 35 years! and hes been collecting, and making the store grow, he sells books and items from his shop on amazon and ebay, on top of having the books in his store. Tom was explaining how hes read thousands of books over his time, and i began to ask some questions about his favorite books, he has many lol. Tom is by far one of the most knowledge men ive ever met, especially when it comes to knowledge on books, and history facts. This was such a cool shop to explore, and Tom was an awesome host / owner. anyone who has a fascination with old trinkits and books should check out this amazing little shop, and see what goodies or Tibet's of knowledge tom can behold. 10/10 would recommend anyone and everyone coming here read more

The guy who was working was a condescending jerk. I took a (unmarked) book up to ask the price. I said that's more than I want to spend and put it down, to which he said, snobbily, "here we put the books back where we found them." He had actually found the book for me and handed it to me, so I didn't know where it went. He berated me a bit more and I just left. read more

Zero negative starts the guy was losing it when I grabbed a book claiming I was breaking the back of the books when I clearly did not. I'm the biggest book worm out there I know what I'm doing and I grabbed a book that was poorly put on a shelf. I opened it because weelll you want to know what you're reading. Everybody who reads books opens them and likes to touch the pages. Told me to put every book back where I saw it. I had intended to buy the books I had in my hands. So weird I will never go back again!! The place was so weird and it smelled! If you wanna go to a nicer book store go to the Boulder book store! Best bookstore in town!! read more

I don't often write negative reviews, certainly not for local bookstores but feel like a call out here is needed: The owner here is quite aggressive and rude. He was kind enough to my friend and I, but on two separate occasions I saw him bullying customers and the lovely worker in the gallery across the store over small things. I understand it's his business and he can run it the way he wants, but his tone and lack of hospitality would not kindle someone to share a passion for the music and books he sells. On a positive note, they do have some great selection of used books-- they hit a lot of classics as well as more obscure literature including a large selection of mystery and thriller. I picked up a book and the check out process was pretty seamless minus the owner's attitude. Just be kind, man read more

Many of the used books don't have prices written on them, which I thought was fine. I figured they were either a fixed percent off the price of a new book, or I'd be paying cover price for a new book for a lightly used one - happy to support a local business over an online megacorp. However, when I went to ring up the sale the display didn't show the price. This is when my gut instinct SHOULD have told me a scam was about to happen. I asked for a receipt and was told "We don't issue receipts". That's a red flag. If you shop here, insist on seeing what you're about to be charged. A few paperbacks were charged to my credit card for $20 each! If you're thinking they might have been 1st edition old books or something like that, no. These were books I could have bought on eBay for around 20% of the price. I went back in and was told they don't accept returns of used books. After some negotiation, and offering to refer this to the fraud department of my bank, I got a 50% refund. Never again. Stay away. This business is a scam. read more

This is an interesting place. It's been open for a VERY LONG TIME in boulder and that alone gives it more stars, as very few local bookstores exist these days. The inside is small and cluttered, full of books and other assorted items. Everything - including random things like a bike - is for sale. The highlight were copies of the Chicago Tribune from when Kennedy died - rare to see these. There was also a funny dart board of Ronald Reagan - but it's not to be played with, as I leaned :( All the books are used and decent deals. read more

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Dusty old crap that the owner thinks is treasure. Looks like a dead grandmothers basement that needs to be cleaned out. Owner was extremely rude and patronizing. Place sucks. read more

I was at their previous location when they were in the process of moving to their current basement store location on Pearl Street. I was looking at books and the owner told us he was leaving to move stuff to the new store so we left the store. Outside of the store I asked the owner why they were moving and he stated the rent was too high. He then made the comment "if people like you bought something instead of just look I wouldn't have to move". My wife and I looked at each other in amazement at his rudeness and just walked away. First of all you told us you were closing the store to move your old books and then you hassle us because we did not buy anything. We've never encountered such rudeness by a store owner. Ever since then I've avoided this establishment and it seems I'm not the only one who has had this negative experience with the owner. read more

We stopped in this bookstore on the way home from dinner. There were soooooooo many options of used books. Honestly, it was an overwhelming amount of books to even begin going through. The bookstore owner had a vast knowledge of authors and books in such a way that you can't always get from a chain bookstore. My husband and I bought a book by a Colorado author that came highly recommended. We left and agreed that we thoroughly enjoyed the conversation we had with the owner. We appreciated that he could talk about a variety of books and authors. This is our first time in Boulder, and if I'm being transparent, we have not been entirely welcomed and happily greeted- which is comical for what you hear. Anywho, we agree that this man made our night better, his book store made us happy, and we can try to put a little good into the reviews he has accumulated. The owner did not strike me as someone who would be invested in these reviews, but at least for the rest of the individuals planning a visit it could help be a deciding factor. My husband says this guy knows all of his books in his store intimately and is not trying to just push bestsellers and work hour to hour. He is invested in his business. I agree entirely! read more

I was there late last night, my friend took me inside to show me because I'd never been there before. It was really surprising that the store was open so late, and I quickly got lost in the selection and feel of the store. The pricing was a bit confusing, because one book had a price written in pencil that was .50 less than the original 40 year old price on the back of the book so thought it was from an old yard sale or something. Another book I was interested in had no price at all. Neither did the third. I went to check out, asking for prices and putting some back because I couldn't afford them but still wanted to give to a local store. I'm on a strict budget this month, but I am collecting used Chinese Medicine books to study. The first book with the pencil price was isn't in very good condition on the binding and so I asked if it was final price. He said yes, and that I wouldn't find it for less than $10 online. After checking out, I was curious and looked it up: $6.98. I told him, and he launched into attack mode about shipping. I responded that it was free. He said, "HERE, do you want my book for free??" I said no, I wasn't asking to get it for free. He only got more rude, and talked about how he was SO GLAD someone else was getting money and that he had been there for 11 hours that day and so on...I was stunned. I've never been treated that way by a store owner. I couldn't believe it, and I wanted to give him what money I *could* spare! Save yourself the negativity...go online, unfortunately. I understand the frustration of things "being cheaper online" but - he mentioned it first, so I looked. Pictured is the only book I ended up with. read more

Beat Book Shop - Bookstores Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

some dude with a tigers hat appeared to have knowledge but felt he needed to raise his voice when I wanted to take a picture of a cool album. just another reminder that people with "knowledge" in music are just massive snobs. go to paradise found record store just down the street. don't have to be afraid to pull out your phone there... read more

The owner is horrible and knows nothing of good customer service. I tried browsing the records, but it was impossible without him breathing down my neck. There is a quaint little bookstore across the street that'll treat you far better. Never trust a record store that doesn't play music. If I could give zero stars, I would. read more

One of our favorite things to do when vacationing is to look at vintage vinyl and books and buy those as souvenirs from the places we go. No cheap made in China things for our memories. When we walked into this store we were immediately verbally attacked for taking a photo. So much so, that it was uncomfortable to shop and browse the stacks like we usually do. So we left and got the stare of death for not buying. Really poor customer service. read more

Listen to every other review. The owner is a pretentious paranoid weirdo who treats customers like garbage. While looking at records he was staring at me the entire time and I watched him speak to another customer disrespectfully for "standing in front of a picture". I've never met someone so irrational that they'd leave out a picture then get mad when someone stands in front of it to ask him a question. Don't recommend for anyone who doesn't want to get berated for existing. read more

wow. all of what everyone else said. i am a bibliophile for sure and love vintage books. but this owner is so far gone there is no way to actually enjoy perusing the selections. i say selections because when i told him i have never seen such an amazing collection of books he corrected me saying something about how it wasn't a collection but a selection and i can't even remember his reasoning. nothing is marked with a price , if u pick up a book to look at it he hovers and makes snarky comments. dare you not put it back exactly where it was found. i get it and respect it, to a point. he definitely rips people off and makes up prices on the whim. not sure at all how he has been in business for 35 years. he really should just charge an admission fee at the door to listen to his banter he has all day with his customers. definitely an eccentric intellectual, but also out of touch with reality. read more

Half of the books in here aren't marked for price,When my wife went up to see how much some she found were he just grabbed them,Rung her up, And told her she could put here card in,She did,waiting to put her pin in thought she would get a total but instead he just handed her the books and said "okay there"When she asked for a receipt he very rudely said"We don't do receipts".(as if that was rude to even ask for)Turns out looking at her bank account on her phone he charged her $20 a book,Insane considering they go for 4-5 on ebay.I took them back in and as soon as he saw me said "we don't return used books" like he knew what I was going to say before I said it,I had to Argue with him just to return half our money.I love to support used book stores but this guy is a scam. read more

What a fantastic store. It is such a cute little shop with many unique items and collectibles. There is a great selection of literature and records, and I always stop by his store when I am in the area. It's a great local store here in Boulder. read more

Hidden little book store with all sorts of unusual books, prints and what not. Place seem interesting and caught our attention. However, within moments of walking in we got yelled at for taking a picture of a funny image on the shelves. This guy went on a rant questioning whether we were going to post this online and started rambling about about the author of the image, we tried to de-escalate the situation and leave. I'd much recommend the other far friendlier shops along the same street. This man needs to work on his customer service skills. read more

Honestly this is the best used poetry book store in the United States of America. Every single book is special; highly curated. Yes, the owner is somewhat eccentric and can be touchy about people touching stuff, but he knows what works for him and what keeps his doors open. One day at a time. read more

Beat Book Shop - View from the bottom of the staircase leading to Beat Book Shop from the Pearl Street Mall. - Bookstores Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Great selection of books and at a good price. Records not so much. There's a lot of them but they're pricey. The reason why I'm giving it such a bad review is because of its owner. We had to leave because he started berating my bf for getting out his phone and looking up a record's reviews before buying. I haven't had such an unpleasant and dreadful experience in my life. If you want to get abused go in there. read more

Owner was extremely rude. He was so nosy, repeatedly asked my friend what he was doing on his phone and when we told him we changed our mind on a book, he proceeded to kick us out of his shop. As we were leaving he had the nerve to check if we had stolen his $4 used book. Had second hand embarrassment for the guy. read more

The way the owner treats you is like how people haggle you at a flea market but worse. For a small book that had 30 pages and was thin paper, he wanted $13 when I knew at a used bookstore it would be worth much less. He changes his prices around and PRESSURES you into buying the book. When I told him I didn't have enough money, he was rudely asking "what do you mean" and looking IN my wallet. I've never had an employee look at my wallet before. Never again. read more

By far the worst bookstore in Boulder, there are so many better options. The owner is extremely rude and will attack you if you get too close to many objects in the store. He makes it impossible to be able to enjoy any of the books and records. Don't waste your time in this store full of overpriced items accompanied by awful customer service. read more

We were looking for a book but decided not to buy, so he interrogated us to find out why we wouldn't buy a "good priced" book, bad attitude, he thinks too highly of his little shop! read more

The rest of reviewers are right. Owner doesn't understand good and friendly customer service. Other stores in boulder are far better.

No Food Allowed in the VIntage Section. This is a cool book store in Boulder. The Owner is very friendly and has cool stories to tell. They have a great selection of Books and vinyl. read more

I love all types of bookstores and this was by far the worst experience I've ever had. Collections were mediocre but the owner was the worst. A paranoid, pretentious, and condescending diletantte; a Snake-oil bookseller who charges you full price for a used book; a bully who pressures you into buying. Collection is not worth the trouble with the owner. read more

Really like the new location of Beat Book Shop! Stone walls, lots more space, and even more book treasures to find in this Pearl and Broadway bohemian basement. And if you have the time, sit for a moment and talk with the owner, a walking wealth of memories about writers--those who are still walking around on earth and the disembodied ones as well. Seriously, Thom is an interesting person to talk to. When touching the books remember to be gentle with them. Some are collector's items and no book benefits from improper bending back of the binding. And please do take the time to check out the Poetry Reading sponsored by the Beat Book Shop every Monday night at the Laughing Goat which is just about 5 blocks east on Pearl St. 8pm. read more