What a nice independent bookstore! I can't tell you the last time I held a book in my hands (I know! I kind of suck!), but I do love books and try to shop at them whenever I can. I love to give books or gift cards to bookstores to children. Bluestocking Books is the kind of bookstore I would specifically go out of my way to buy gifts for people, or to (gasp) buy a book for myself. There are little cozy nooks around the bookstore, as there should be in a bookstore. There's also a section for kids, with a little table and some reading material to peruse. Inexplicably, Bluestocking Books is closed on Wednesdays! What an interesting day to be closed, but I guess you have to be closed at least one day, right? Why not Wednesday? The people who work here are very friendly and helpful, and there's just a palpable welcoming vibe emanating from the store. It's a nice place to browse and find the perfect book. read more

Bluestocking Books is an awesome indie bookstore located in the Hillcrest area. There is no parking lot here, but a ton of street parking all around. Inside, they have a cozy and welcoming setup with both new and used books organized neatly by genres. The books are priced very fairly here and they have a good amount of books to dig through. All of the staff are friendly and welcoming. Definitely stop by and you will most likely not leave empty-handed! read more

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Great selection of books! The store is very organized as to where their books and genres are located. Had a great time browsing and finding new books to buy. The ladies were very nice and made sure we were finding everything okay. Great prices as well read more

Bluestocking Books - Inside - Bookstores Near Me - San Diego, California

Great eclectic selection of books! Great policies for booksellers too. They actually give you a generous credit toward the purchase of books in their store! You can use the credits to take 50% off your purchase of used books or 25% off of new books. Just picked up a fun new read in exchange for some novels collecting dust on my shelves! Mary is fantastic! read more

Awesome service! Definitely a cool downtown stop to search for a book. Luv these quaint stores that transport you. Almost like encountering the perfect wand to choose the wizard. The genres are well organized with new releases and children's reading area to keep them occupied. They accept trade ins such as sci-fi, adventure, fiction etc. street parking is limited on the one way street in front of the shop. Paid lots within walking distance. read more

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Book selection was nice, but the service was not. Receiving strange looks from employees and less than human decency. 4 people walked in behind me and were all greeted and serviced while I continued to get looks from the employees without a word. Will not be back. read more

I love a good, local bookstore! There's something romantic and mesmerizing about these places and when I see them it makes my heart smile a little. This one has a certain energy about it-I think it's partly because the staff are so welcoming and greet everyone who enters and partly how well curated and displayed the books are. They are in delightful categories and have a good selection of just about anything. I especially appreciated the display in the back where the books are stacked on top of each other rather than side by side. Something about that tickled me. I struggle to adequately know how to support places like this since I don't usually buy things. I am a hard care minimalist (or what I'm learning to be more popularly considered "underconsumption core") and I prefer to get books from libraries. So I feel bad not monetarily supporting the store, but I hope my review will encourage shoppers to stop by and spend some money. read more

Bluestocking Books - Bookstores Near Me - San Diego, California

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We love used bookstores and enjoy checking them out whenever possible! This one is wonderfully curated with both used and new selections available. The staff is friendly and super welcoming. It was really fun to browse and of course rewarding to find a whole stack of books and even bumper stickers to purchase. Prices appear very reasonable and the books are gently used. We'll be sure to stop by whenever we're in the area! This bookstore has been here in Hillcrest since the 60s!! That's really awesome. Glad people still appreciate reading books. It's a favorite pastime on our home! read more

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I loved this shop! The staff were very knowledgeable and I really enjoyed how the store was organized. Lots of books about lots of stuff. Interesting and popular finds easy to spot. read more

I am choosing Bluestocking Books as my local San Diego bookstore for Bookshop.org. Once we had Wahrenbrock's and Adams Avenue books and Fifth Avenue Books. We still have Warwick's in La Jolla, but it's too hard to get to by public transit. I don't visit Bluestocking often (it takes me three buses to get there), but I trust that they are still worthy! I'm glad they carry used books. read more

Clean and orderly shop. Very friendly and helpful staff. New and used books. It's possible they carry new of the most sought after titles. I found both titles I wanted. Parking half a block away. read more

Good used book store. Helpful staff and larger collection of nonfiction. The store keepers were friendly and willing to help. Just a good neighborhood shop. read more

I came here to sell books- their policy is they do not give cash (totally understandable). they price the books they want to keep, and then give a credit for purchasing books from them. however, it does not work like a gift card. you can only use 50% credit on purchases. for example, if you sell $100 of books to them, you get said $100 credit. however, you would essentially have to spend $200 total to use your credit ($100 of the gift card, and $100 cash) read more

What a friendly and hospitable staff! They welcome every customer who enters the store. They take the time to e to help customers. They thank you in the end. Love this store! #2024sandiegobookcrawl read more

I loved this bookstore!! It's got a classic, homey feel. You could get lost between the bookshelves for hours, with a million selections of both newer and used books. Staff are so friendly and you can tell that people frequent here for great reason. It's got good vibes! Also, so close to the classic Hillcrest sign. Have the best time here read more

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Very cute place with the best staff. We felt so comfortable and welcomed. No one in our group left empty handed! Book lover's paradise. read more

Bluestocking Books - Bookstores Near Me - San Diego, California

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If you value freedom go here and buy a book. Independent booksellers are the beating heart of our communities, and Bluestocking Books has a great selection of books you might not otherwise see. read more

I like the books for kids! They really have a good collection of picture books in different languages. read more

Bluestocking Books - Bookstores Near Me - San Diego, California

SAN DIEGO BOOKSHOP ROAD TRIP. Stop #05. SHOP NAME/LOCATION: Bluestocking Books / 3817 5th Ave INTRODUCTION: For this bookstore and probably others, I will do a review and then follow it up with a journal-like entry. This way, if my readers only want the short and sweet, they'll get it right out of the gate and the first paragraph, or so, should suffice. For those who want to gain a greater comprehension of what I have experienced, there is the full review that follows. Note: In planning my route for this bookstore road trip, I read some Yelp reviews for the first few shops that I visited and reviewed. Then, I stopped. The one thing I did not want to do was to memorize which review was for which store. This allowed for me to be more open-minded and less likely to pounce on discrepancies that others have exposed. It was my desire to go in with high hopes.. and not wish I was high, in order to have hopes. REVIEW: My only regret, due to being rather tired, dealt with a fast approaching closing time. This made it so that I was limited to just perusing the literature and cooking sections. Both were well organized and had plenty of interesting titles. The woman working that evening was quite pleasant and she even allowed me to get a bit of charge on my phone so that I could see what books I had already added to my on-line inventory as well as the photos of my bookshelves that are stored on my phone (this makes it so I do not accidentally purchase books I already own). PARKING: Street parking is available (for $) or in the pay lots behind the store. Not sure I could have desired anything more. Decent selection of well organized books at decent prices... a well-lit environment (don't ask... you'd be surprised) and pleasant staff. ROADTRIP JOURNAL: I didn't get any sleep the night before this trip, due to my rushing to enter all of my Shakespeare books into LibraryThing dot com. Needless to say I was pretty tired by the time we ended up at Bluestocking Books. For the record, this day included a 2 hour drive (I napped on and off from L.A. to Carlsbad), a stop at a grocery store (Ralph's) to pick up a sandwich and then visit five bookstores... Now after all that we still needed dinner and a place to sleep. Once near the shop we looked for on street parking but, settled on the lot behind the store. All signs advertise the price of $3 an hour. Once you get parked and approach the machine, you will learn that you have been had. The pay machine tells you the price is actually $4 an hour. Nice false advertisement! The store itself has a nice older feel to it. The literature shelves are lined with volume after volume quality reads... and if you are like me and only get two experience what I will call a quick glance at the store's inventory, then you too will be living with a bit of regret. I like to say, "That's what next time it's for"... erasing the regret. and boosting the rating on Yelp. PRICES: I scored a Shakespeare book that I priced elsewhere for a bit steeper of a price. So that was a plus. Even the cookbooks I looked through and the couple I purchased were very fairly priced. I would recommend this place to others, just don't park in the described parking lot. Screw them and their bait and trap technique! I know it is only a buck but, what will they try and get away with next? PURCHASES: Two Williams-Sonoma Lifestyles series: 1. Cooking from the Farmer's Market 2. Asian Flavors Mary Arden's House, the Home of Shakespeare's Mother; booklet; 1977 Shakespeare Arranged for Modern Reading; A Premier Book, 1962 Shakespeare The Man Behind the name by Chas. and Dorothy Ogburn Jr., first edition, 1962 Cliff's Notes on Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part I; New edition, 1971 Qty: 2 "Read a Fucking Book" stickers FINAL GRADE BOOKSTORE : B PS: I'd go 5-star/B+ to A after my next visit, if all goes well. ROADTRIP NOTES: Previous Shop: BookOff Next Shop: Postmodern Books San Diego Bookstore Roadtrip, stop #05... "IN THE BOOKS" read more

Bluestocking Books - Facade - Bookstores Near Me - San Diego, California

This is a great place if you're buying a gift to friend. They really understand book categories and are totally resourceful when it comes to books for kids under 18. I've never been a fan of fiction until now. The Invention of Hugo Cabret was a great buy that I will eventually pass on to my niece after I read it. Their customer service is excellent. read more

Awhile back I went to Bluestocking Books looking for the graphic novel "Fun Home." I got a call this week saying that they had a copy. I picked it up, a reasonable price and was even given dog treats for my dogs. In this Amazon based world I would much rather give my business to Bluestocking Books! read more

Bluestocking Books - Bookstores Near Me - San Diego, California

Good general selection of used books and a few new titles. Very helpful employees. Nice sized independent bookstore.

Located on a busy street in hillcrest, this bookstore is open for people to pick up or even browse! They limit the amount of people in store, so you can browse safely. Service was super friendly and quick. I stood at the doorway while they picked up my book. I ordered it through them because I like supporting local businesses. I called in to order, paid over the phone, it took about a week or two to arrive, and then I picked it up! Super easy. Love this place! read more

Called and was looking for the book- A Journey Home. They didn't have it in store, however they offered to order it for me. I was able to pick it 4 days later. Great service. Please support your local book store. Thank you Bluestocking Books! read more

Lovely bookstore with a friendly staff and a good selection for browsing! Reasonably priced new and used books. read more

Bluestocking Books - Storefront - Bookstores Near Me - San Diego, California

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Went for a book crawl in Hillcrest/North Park neighborhoods. Bluestocking Books had the friendliest and most knowledgeable staff of the four stores I visited. Prices did seem to be a little higher than other used bookstores. It's also conveniently located near lots of food and activity options, and the bookstore remains easily accessible by bus. Worth a visit. read more

Great bookstore! Had some awesome indie comics! Can't wait want to go back and grab the stuff I now regret I passed on.

That Poppy is everything a bookstore should be. Mary, thank you so much for helping me with my spur of the moment project and letting me take some photos in your store. You made my night. read more

Bluestocking Books - Bookstores Near Me - San Diego, California

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Perfect little used bookshop. The lady in the store was the perfect amount of friendly and helpful but still left me to browse. Good assortment of valuable books of interest and normal bookstore fare. Worth popping in. read more

Stumbled across this bookstore in Hillcrest. So much history and good finds here. The coolest bookstore in SD! Staff is awesome. Highly recommend checking it out. read more

Charming little bookstore in Hillcrest. Interesting selection of books and topics. The bookstore clerks are attentive, knowledgeable and super friendly. Great place to peruse around for a couple of hours and support by buying from them instead of Amazon. read more

I love checking out local bookstores when I'm on vacation, so I was happy to run into Bluestocking while waiting for a table at Hash House a Go Go. The buzzer got mad at me for wandering out of range, but it was worth the quick visit. Bluestocking is a small bookstore that sells a mix of new and used books, from the looks of it heavy on the used. Most of the used books weren't in pristine condition, but some looked quite nice. I spotted a barely read copy of "The Surrendered" by Chang-Rae Lee, and a lot of Kerouac, if that's your thing. (I hate that guy.) Actually I found it strange that the store had such a wide selection of Kerouac and Bukowski when it's clearly a liberal, LGBT-friendly, and probably feminist leaning place. Sure, Kerouac might have approved of the sex scenes in the lesbian fiction section, but I doubt he'd have cared for any of the parts where women talked. (I hate that guy. Did I already say that?) I couldn't spend too much time browsing without losing my spot in the lunch line, but I liked Bluestocking. A friendly neighborhood bookstore is always a good thing, and I thought this one was charming. read more

I love coming here all the time this is my favorite place in Hillcrest. They have such a wonderful selection of books from folklore in Hungary, wars of Great Britain to Victorian photo albums. A great variety of the old and new! I got a copy of Joan Didions The Year of Magical Thinking in really good condition and brand new Pablo Neruda and Rupi Kaur for 20%!!!!!!!!! Staff is always so friendly to me even if I don't always buy something they let me and my friends sit and read books until closing time. I always have good conversations with them they are so smart and fun to talk to. It's so refreshing talking to such well read individuals. While the cashier was explaining to me about trade credit I was telling her I'd be bringing back Shanghai girls because it was such a sad book and she took the words right out of my mouth by describing it as well written but tough subject matter to digest. This place is a treasure, books, employees and all the assorted knick knacks they have. read more

This is a real indie bookstore run by folx who know and love books. They have a wonderfully eclectic inventory and A+ customer service. When I'm in San Diego, I always visit. Recently, I ordered a hard-to-find volume from their Website. It arrived in record speed and was even better than advertised. I love Bluestocking Books. read more

It's a small store, and consequently their selection is rather thin. Also, they devote a large amount of space to vertical displays, reducing the number of books that can be shown at once. The staff are pleasant, and I did find a bargain $3 paperback of What's Eating Gilbert Grape?, but I can't say that I would make this a regular stop on my used-bookstore rounds. read more

I always wander in here after going to Buffalo Exchange and I can easily burn a few hours grabbing armfuls of books because the selection is always full of surprises. Books are reasonably priced and the browsing experience is top notch. read more

This place is great. The owner is really friendly. There are tons of books and it seems like people truly enjoy being there. Definitely go to this bookstore and skip out in going to the rude jerk in the bookstore across the street. .. He is a little better on prices.. if he acknowledges you at all. .. but the difference is not much and I love being able to give her local store a boost. His store could close down and no one would notice. Anyhow, go to this store and go often! Teacher discounts! Lots of local events advertised... Just a good overall place. Any book can be ordered if it's not already there. I love all the signs and stickers and quotes, especially that door behind the register :) read more

Bluestocking Books - Supports local events - Bookstores Near Me - San Diego, California

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No matter how long one of my old books sits on the shelf untouched, I can't seem to come up with the strength to get rid of it. For those who can, head over to Bluestocking and trade in all your old reads for new ones. There are two other used book stores within spitting distance of Bluestocking. I can't say that any one store is better than the other, but I think Bluestocking has one up on the others as far as organization goes. read more

Bluestocking Books - Where old books go for new lives. - Bookstores Near Me - San Diego, California

I'm kind of biased because I love used bookstores and I haven't found many of them in the area. This is not Barnes and Noble or Amazon. It's a store that takes old books from people and finds new homes for them. As a result, it's not a place I would go looking for a specific title. The woman at the front desk is willing to order new books to be picked up in a few days, but if you're just coming in looking for something I wouldn't expect to find it. There's a ton of books, but the AAA titles or the ones that are really in-demand sell out fast. There's an online search feature on the website, but it's not up-to-date with the store's inventory. But part of the fun of these types of stores is the joy of finding something new. Because a lot of the books are discounted and used, there's less of a barrier to trying something new. Sometimes you'll find a book that you wanted to read but forgot about, and that's a great feeling. The lady at the desk was really helpful, and helped me browse for my to-read list until I found something I was looking for. Ultimately, used bookstores are a dying breed, and I like supporting them whenever I can. I think this shop gets the feel of a bookstore just right. This is a store where I feel like I can just wander and find something new. That counts for a lot. read more

A gem in Hillcrest. Blue stocking has a wide range of used and some new books across all genres! Staff is helpful and they can order books that are not in the shop and let you know when they are ready for pick up. You can also bring in your old books for credit towards new or used book purchases. A great local bookshop! read more