Bookmans Mesa is the best. At least once a quarter we clean out our bookshelves, board games, and puzzles, pile everything into the car, and bring it in for trade. I always feel like they give a really fair amount in trade credit, and somehow we always find new treasures to bring home. I especially love the board game section. It's packed with great options, though I do wish it was organized a bit more because there's so much to dig through. The kids area is wonderful too. On our last visit my daughter spent a ton of time browsing the young adult aisles and discovering new books. I only wish there was a location a little closer to us because we'd probably go even more often. Also throwing this out there... if they ever started a kids or teen book club, we would be all over that! read more

Bookmans Entertainment Exchange - Books, Mags, Music & Video Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

Service was great! Employees helped cart the stuff from my car into the store and gave an approximate time it would take to price my offerings. All employers were helpful and professional. I like that they offer to donate anything left over, so we don't have to shlep the stuff they don't want to pay for, back home. Even though I did leave a bunch of stuff there, I did take back a box of record albums and took them to Zia Records who promptly offered $140 for them. Okay, not so promptly, but for $140 I didn't mind the wait and was happy I chose to get a second opinion. read more

This is nerd heaven for every version of nerd out there. Book nerd, video game nerd, board game nerd, classic toy nerd, music nerd, musicAL nerd. All the nerd come here to gather and rejoice! Check out their kids book club for your kiddo. Come here for discounted games. Looking for classic entertainment? You'll probably find it here. Ok so as long as I've been coming to this place no one ever really clarified to me that the day you bring in your stuff to exchange is the same day that you have to buy something. For along time I brought stuff in and thought giving my phone number was like... for buildings credits or points. No employee ever explained that to me for years and I literally lost out on probably..... $75 worth of credits over the years. I feel pretty ripped off but try not to let it bug me anymore because I've understood how it actually works now for a few years read more

I just went to Bookmens to sell some items and it wasn't the dudes working at the selling counter but the women who looked at the stuff I was selling....she looked at everything and threw my not broken items she wasn't going to take back into my storage box I brought them in...it was so rude. Making the items scratched and ruined. I'm super mad about how she treated the items she saw as trash. It's disappointing because I was hoping it wouldn't be that way. I will NOT be selling there anymore. I organized that box so nicely for them and she just threw my stuff back in there like garbage! The disrespect she has makes me not ever want to shop there again. You lost a long term customer due to disrespectful behavior of a worker. I wish you would retrain her to respect other people's items, than to throw them. read more

I love Bookman's. The employees are awesome. They give great customer service. Eye contact and smiles are always appreciated. They have a great book and music selection. They buy and sell musical equipment and every other good thing for a good price. The atmosphere is clean, safe and fun. The music for the shoppers is good and feeds my soul. The jewelry for sale is beautiful and afford. They buy our clean used items and give in-store credit. Even the other customers were delightful. read more

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Me and my husband went into the Bookmans store in Mesa on Country Club. My husband was looking in the music section and he was happy when he came across a cigar box guitar. I never saw one before and didnt know what all the fuss was about but when the employee there opened the box it came in and started playing it, I immediately understood why my husband was thrilled to see it. He was so excited and he insisted on getting it. I agreed, thinking about all the wonderful music he would make with his new toy. I looked at a red tag hanging on the end of the box that read Repair $14. I assumed that was the price and was more than willing to pay that price for it but when my husband asked how much it was the employee gave us an ugly disgusted look and said $30! I thought we'll I will ask them at the register about the tag but the old man employee insisted on taking it to the front and he would not let us touch it at all even though we were going to purchase it. When we got to the front of the line, we saw that the red tag was gone and the man had put a brand new tag on it for $35! How rude! I dont know why he did that to us. He looked irritated and mad. I wasn't going to pay that much when he obviously gave us a different price and tried to rip us off. I wish people like that didn't work at places that they really dont want to be at. I dont understand what we did to make him treat us so disrespectful. May his boss see this post and fire him from his job where he is so miserable. read more

I live in central Phoenix. I dropped by this location for the first time in ages. It certainly is the nicest Bookmans I've seen. Well laid with an excellent inventory, I walked out with $41 dollars of books, all used. The staff in three sections were more than helpful directly to what I needed and obviously more, lol. That was on a busy Saturday night. Also, a really nice crowd shops there. People were really pleasant. Of course you can never be assured of what they will have in stock. You can always call in advance. I personally find it very relaxing to just find what I do. They don't charge you for a bag for your merchandise. They want your business enough to provide you one if you ask for one. As to selling them books and etc. it's like when you're selling a house. You are emotionally and financially attached to what you bring in. I don't think anyone ever gets what they expect. They may be young, but the people buying the books know what they need to buy and what they can sell it the company to stay in business. Funny story. Years ago I went in to sell books at a Bookmans. The guy was so rude. He bought a magazine and said what I brought in no one would buy. I went in later and asked for the manager and explained what had happened. I asked him to look at what was there, including three books that were on the best seller list. The manager said he'd buy 75 % of what I brought in. I walked out. I called the corporate office as well. I never saw Mr Nasty again. Morale of the story is used or not sellers deserve respect. Nothing like this has ever happened again, Tucson, Phx., Flagstaff, or Mesa. Plenty of parking , yes! It's near the 60 freeway. read more

The last few times I tried to trade in my books that I had bought at this store, they have rejected them. They claimed the books were not in good condition. I have seen books on the shelves in a lot worse shape. Once again I brought some books to trade in and, no surprise, they rejected them. "Not good enough condition." I know they were in the same condition when I bought them. You want to know why? BECAUSE I NEVER READ THEM! So the joke is on them. I would recommend finding another source online that would buy, sell, or trade. read more

Wow!!! What an amazing store!! I wanted to sell some books so I called them and they were very friendly over the phone and told me to bring the books. I think I had about 50 books and they accepted 19 of them which I thought was fair. They gave me the option to take $25 cash on the spot or $80 in store credit. It was an obvious choice to take the store credit. This store has so many cool stuff!! It is such a fun place to look around. Everything looked new so I asked them and was told 90 percent of their merchandise is used! Saw the cutest purse in the shape of a phone saying call me. Would've totally bought it if I was 40 years younger haha. Tons of cutest guitars, all kinds of Pokémon merchandise, cutest unique socks, jewelry, and lots of beautiful decors and glassware. I actually ended up spending $14 of the store credit for a beautiful tall mosaic candle holder! Still have $66 left to spend so I'm gonna have to go back:) Staff are very nice and friendly too! I'm so glad I found this cool place. Can't wait to go back! read more

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We were pleasantly surprised upon entering the store. It is quite unassuming from the outside but upon entering you realize you have found a treasure! So much merchandise. It's impossible to see everything! We took our time and saw a lot and were thrilled with a few unique finds, including a beer stein honoring the US Armed Forces. What??? We will be back for sure. read more

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I called looking for a considerable amount of game accessories the lady asked me for a list and then at the same time I want to be rude and ask me am I shopping. With all the reasons and hypocrisy I just went to Zia records Mesa location. They do superb customer service and they don't give you rude remarks. read more

I wish there were more locations! I have a 12 yr. Old that goes thru books every 2-3 days! Bookmans is a great place to bring her. They have a great selection of books (and more). It is clean, spacious and we get excellent customer service each time we visit - we bring books to trade in each time so all the store credit goes toward new books! Prices are reasonable. Books are in great condition. I have saved so much money by shopping for books here. I do go to thrift stores but books are never really organized so I much prefer to pay a few dollars more per book because it saves us so much time. Plus the place has a great vibe! I don read more

Bookmans Entertainment Exchange - Books from today's purchase! - Books, Mags, Music & Video Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

Since I was a kiddo, my mom would take me to this location. I've grown up with Bookmans, and loved to see each section as I grew my knowledge and reading preferences. Through the years there has been some amazing entertainment, collectibles, and so much more! The prices are always pretty reasonable, and the service is phenomenal every visit no matter the time of day. This place is not just for readers, so be sure to stop in if you game, play music, listen to music, watch dvds, etc. There truly is something for everyone! read more

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It's the kind of place where you feel like staying longer just because it's so clean and quiet. Staff move around lightly, keeping everything in place while respecting customers' space. Beautiful energy all around. read more

Lots of square footage, lots of books to browse, you can definitely get lost in here for a while. They have a fun comic book section too. Very nice staff. read more

Brought in 3 books and 1 video and waited 25 min, finally gave my phone # and they said they would call me because they were busy, went to my dr appointment and 5 min after I left I get a text, drove back and got my value but I had texted them prior to ask them and they tell me they don't text that, what BS!!! plus they were rude, how long does it take to assess 3 books and 1 video, they should have done that in 5 min!! will never go back to this dump!!! read more

Let me start this review with the fact that I have been visiting this location of Bookmans send some of my earliest visits to Phoenix back in the early 90s. Certainly things have changed over the years, while other things remain the same. What has changed is the increase in variety, including musical instruments and a few collectors items. What hasn't changed is the amazing selection of books, CDs, records, games, and movies. The store is large and well organized, although somewhat difficult to navigate. One of the things that threw me off was that there is a large selection of DVDs towards the front of the store, but children's DVDs are located in a separate children's section at the back of the store. Recently went shopping for a classic movie that we did not see on the shelf. One of the stores associates volunteered to go looking for it and lo and behold, there was a copy of it that she had remembered seeing a couple of days ago behind the counter. There is certainly a lot of competition in this type of product but aside from going to the library I don't think you will find a better value anywhere. We have compared prices with the nationwide franchise stores such as Half-price Books and found Bookmans to be 10 to 25% less expensive for the same exact item. read more

Do Not Go Here If You Are Selling Anything Electronic. The individual at the electronics desk does not know what she is talking about. I went to have an Apple Watch appraised so I could sell it. She claimed that the watch didn't hold a charge, when she only gave it two seconds on the block. She then proceeded to state that there was damage and chips that simply were not there. They don't get a watch, and I don't get paid. Absolutely a waste of my time, which they seem not to value at all. Will not ever be back here, and will be telling all friends and family about this experience. 1/5 stars, 0 if possible. Edit: I was able to bring it to another pawn shop, who gave me a very good price. If you know what you have, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. read more

Had a wonderful date day at the bookstore with my husband. The staff we spoke to back in games and at the counter at check out, were very friendly. Nice atmosphere, something here for everyone. Lots of fun stuff! Games, comics, movies, musicial instruments, lots of decor items and room accents. Amazing gift items. Awesome displays all around the store. Very cool of them to have chairs to sit in here and there and the store is very very well stocked. Can't wait to visit again! read more

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They low ball like a mf I brought an oculus in there these people offered me 25 dollars in cash and 50 in store credit. -/10

In my opinion don't take anything to this place to sell. I took books and DVD s to this location and they offer you credit or cash which is below Pennie's on the dollar. They pick a choose the books they want which is okay but the offer they give me on a not even a third of the books and DVDs I brought was not even worth my time or gas I will never go back to Bookmans to buy anything. Sell your items online or at a garage sale or donate them This place will never get a dime from Me. read more

Warm and friendly staff, which are always kind and willing to help you with your selections. Loved this store when I lived in California. Now I can visit frequently since I've moved to Arizona. There is are wonderful selections of books, music, games, household gems and so much more. Pets are welcome so enjoy your afternoon browsing the new and used items. read more

I LOVE Bookman's! I visit both Valley locations quite often. This Bookman's has a fantastic selection of gently-used rubber stamps in their Craft Department. It's hard to find unique discontinued wood mounted rubber stamps, since there are no more little mom and pop stores that sell them. The big box chain store's selection are boring and forever the same. This location also has a very nice selection of Pop Culture collectibles, like action figures (loose and in the box), Funko Pops, Legos, Barbie Dolls, Happy Meal toys, etc. It's a nice fix in-between shopping at a Collectible Toy Convention or shopping online. It's easy to spend hours looking at everything if you are on the hunt for unique books or media. It's a BIG store! Merchandise changes based on what people are bringing in to the Trade Counter. Clean restrooms (locked, but ask an employee to unlock). Plentiful parking. Friendly staff. There are also THREE locations in Tucson (check out my reviews on those locations!) There is one in Flagstaff too. read more

Just updating my review here since I have had more experience. The last one with 2 stars may've been a bit harsher than necessary. I have been buying, selling and trading with Bookman's since 1991. This has been at the original location and the other two in Tucson as a Tucsonan, the Flagstaff Location when I was going to NAU up there and the Phoenix & Mesa locations since I moved to the valley in 06. Unlike Zia Records they do their trading based on the judgement of those at the buying counters. This offers more flexability and can be either a blessing or a curse to the customers. The nice thing is that persistance can pay off as one person may decide they're overstocked in your item but someone else may make an offer a few weeks later. Sometimes it's a hassle but overall I'd say it's an asset. Their cash / trade ratio is based on the needs of the business and can sometimes be better while other times worse. Same with the competition so while it can be disappointing at times it's understandable and, well, my wife and I shop at Bookman's we'll eventually use the trade when that is the better option. I can say that the staff is almost always pretty damned awesome so that is always a bonus. The pricing is overall very decent with some things being overpriced with others being killer deals. My biggest gruff these days is the fact that they STILL have not reimplemented the inter-store transfers. This was an amazing option since Bookman's stock generally depends on what the customers bring in which varies on location....Different locations, different clientel base, different shiznit. I honestly am not alone in feeling this way and others have commented that Zia Records still has inter-store transfers still so why not Bookman's? At this point if a Tucson store or the Flagstaff store has something you want and you're in the Valley it boils down to either taking a road trip or you miss out. If that last part gets fixed I think it may go back to 4 stars. Otherwise still overall a good place to go. read more

The windows let in natural light, and everything inside sparkled. The staff welcomed me, offered a recommendation, and stayed available but not intrusive. You could tell they valued both hygiene and customer experience. read more

experience at Bookmans is definitely a mixed bag. On one hand, the store boasts a diverse selection of books, puzzles, and games, making it a potentially enjoyable place to browse and pass the time. However, the overall vibe of the store leaves much to be desired. While the eclectic atmosphere can be charming in its own right, I can't shake the feeling that the store could benefit from a makeover. The dated decor and occasional lack of cleanliness detract from the potential enjoyment of the browsing experience. That being said, if you're willing to overlook the quirks and focus on the treasure trove of books and entertainment options, Bookmans still has plenty to offer. With a little sprucing up and a thorough cleaning, it could truly shine as a haven for bookworms and gamers alike. read more

Not sure how I never knew about this place! Nostalgia overload! I can seriously be in here for hours. My son collects old gaming consoles and games and this place has a great selection. We will definitely be coming back! read more

I don't typically write reviews unless they are positive because I find that negative reviews are so relative to each person's experience that they have to be taken with a grain of salt. I debated many times wether to write this or not. Ultimately I decided that if my one little review does nothing to change the way the company prices items, at least other shoppers can be made aware. I have shopped at this location for over 20 years. I have mostly always enjoyed my experience and could spend hours here finding things I was looking for and thing I didn't even know I wanted. Not until recently did I start trading here for store credit. So I have mostly only ever been a shopper. As of late, it has been more and more noticeable that the pricing is out of touch and incredibly marked up. An example I recently witnessed were some Incredibles toys that are sold at Dollar Tree for $1.25 each, marked at $4 each at Bookman's. It could be that the employee pricing the toys is unaware of where the toys came from and what they cost, but isn't that a problem in itself. I'm fully aware of the inflation occurring all around us, in all kinds of markets. But in the same manner that Goodwill is out of touch with who their audience is and is ludicrously charging prices on donated used items for full retail prices, Bookman's has also crossed that line. That's not to say there are not some deals and treasures to be found. But if I can't trust them to price a simple toy at a reasonable price, than how can I trust them with my trades, or anything else. People still need places like Bookman's to exists. We need places to escape to and get lost in, and if a used book store wants to take a new direction and become a local secondary market charging EBay prices then they should make that statement so people know this is not the Bookman's of old. read more

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The trade in and gallery managers here will find a way to not return something or take your trade in after they don't text you when to come in read more

Fast at getting appraisal over all easy transaction. Fast friendly and completed on time

Dangerous to go here alone as a woman. A large man three times my size swore at me and threatened me for absolutely no reason. I went to the cashier and requested she call the police, she didn't. He followed me over asking if I was snitching on him. Kept swearing at me calling me a liberal for taking his parking spot. I'm not a liberal and did not take anyone's parking spot. I was told they only have security cameras by electronics, so I could not press charges. Two stars for the manager who finally asked the aggressive man to leave after he came after me for a third time. Will never support this location again. read more

Bookmans really has it all...my inner geek just cries out with joy when I shop here. Trade is fair and sometimes top dollar! Don't miss the electronics department...they have all the good stuff! Thanks for being a part of our lives Bookmans. The world wouldn't be the same without you. read more

Always worth checking out and the vibes are great!! If they don't take your trade or you get a bad deal one day, try again the next :] read more

Bookmans was a staple of my childhood. I love that it is still open and continues to have a wide variety of items to browse and select from. I do feel the value/cost of items is reasonable. I picked up 2 very unique items and puzzle. I have spent many years looking at rubber ducks and located a chocolate dipped strawberry duck which I found absolutely adorable and have never come across before ($6)! Then there is the very unique handmade gnome (this was a little pricey at $30, but for the unique item it was and being handmade I couldn't leave without him). The last item I found was a Dowdle brand puzzle (they are such neat puzzles, look them up if you don't know!) for $6 when they are typically $20+. I almost splurged on this exact puzzle at full price just a month before finding this so I am glad I waited! We did not have a ton of interaction with the staff while in the store, but the gentleman helping us at checkout was very nice and helpful. read more

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What a waste of time here today! I brought them 2 board games to appraise, one of which is rare, out of print and definitely in demand, and I heard the manager behind the desk tell the girl checking it, "Go low on that one, maybe $12-14," when I came by to check on their offer for it (after more than a 40-minute wait for just 2 things and no one else really ahead of me). In actuality and ironically, that game easily sells for $100 or more (used) online. When she called me a few minutes later and didn't realize I was the seller and heard everything from just a few feet away, she instead said that they, "aren't taking games right now." Really? Not even during the Holiday season? You've got to be kidding me! Furthermore, they had placed the cover back on the valuable game very carelessly, and several of the pieces inside the game were just strewn about and not banded or bagged up as nicely as I had them when I first brought them in. Total carelessness on their part! And, for the lengthy time I had to browse around the store while waiting for the "appraisal," it was amazing to see that yellowed and clearly marked-up copies of old paperbacks which nobody wants anymore are now selling for at least $8 each, when in reality, you'd be doing them a favor by taking any of these off their hands. This place has become a total Scrooge market, then, and that will kill them in the end, since more people shop, appreciate, and sell online these days, and places like this, with this kind of indifference, are clearly doomed to fail in the coming year. Nice knowing you, Bookmans. You were almost a good idea several years ago but are barely recognizable anymore as anything other than a place of overpriced garbage and incredibly insulting buybacks. read more

Ok let's talk for a moment shall we! This store has everything! Wow What it does have is an amazing manager named Christian F. He took the time to help me and was 100 percent honest! This is hard to find in the world honesty! He had great customer service and goes beyond to make you feel comfortable! Love my Nintendo 3ds and because of him I still have it!This was a memorable experience for me! He must have great management skills because his staff, Mariana will great you with a big HELLO!! As well as Lauren who will assist with what your looking for. If your in the area please stop by even if it is to browse! I personally guarantee the best shopping experience of a life time! Thx again Christian! You ROCK! read more

Fantastic used bookstore that also has gobs of magazines, video games, board and role-playing games, and other gift items! It's very busy on a Saturday, complete with people playing D&D. It really has a strong vibe of a community hang-out. I usually go to the Phoenix location, so I was delighted to find many books here in Mesa that I'd been hoping would show up at the other store. I also found some stationery bags, cards, a signed hockey puck, a gift, and even a necklace. There's a fun treasure hunt feel to the whole experience. read more

Been coming here since 2003 when my uncle introduced to this place. Still shop here and recently exchanged my N64 because the one in Northern & 19th ave sold me a defective one. I appreciate this store and hope it stays til 2080, probably my expiration date. Also I thank the two ladies who helped me with the exchange! read more

I have been going to the 2 big stores in Phoenix & Mesa plus the giant Tuscon store periodically for years. The selection is amazing but many books, magazines, videos, electronics, games/puzzles, music (CDs, records, tapes), collectables, etc. are really over priced. They are also very picky about what they will buy from customers, let alone pay for the items. As an example (in my case), they bought CDs for $0.50 each, then are selling them days later for $5.00 each. I'm all for them making a profit, but 10 times what they paid? It's a bit sad as their selling prices used to be much more reasonable. In total, not a great value. read more

So much fun to explore. Everything from records to books to instruments to CDs to games, they've got it. I picked up a book I have been searching for in the history section, and got a few cute vases in the decor section. They have a wide range of books, including history, gardening, cooking, mystery, fiction, and southwest-specific literature. Books are 50% off the original price. If you're a teacher, they offer a 25% discount. read more