Books Inc. is a FANTASTIC! It is a beautiful book store in a great neighborhood, and it's such a fun place to browse and buy. They have an amazing selection of books. And the staff is wonderful, kind, and helpful. I highly recommend Books Inc. Let's continue to support local bookstores! read more

The shop is cute! My qualm is with the service. My boyfriend and I decided to pick out a book to read together as one of our long-distance activities. I prefer physical copies, so we stopped into Books Inc. This was my first and only time visiting, and we had the strangest interaction with the staff. We came in looking for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and couldn't find it. So, what does any normal person do? Ask an employee! "Do you happen to have...?" The woman at the register responds, "Is that the first one? Did you look in mystery?" before walking us over to the book and saying, "Yuuup, there it is, under L for Larsson." ...? We joke about this interaction quite a bit because it was just so awkward. We're not incompetent people; we simply couldn't find one book in a large selection. Hence, asking for help. To make matters worse, we then had to check out. I asked if they had another copy, and once again, she was rude and acted as though my request was unreasonable. I don't understand the attitude. I don't work at the bookstore. You do! Anywho, come in knowing exactly where your book of choice is located so you can minimize your interactions with the employees here. read more

Clean and organized store with lots of variety -- from books, souvenirs or Knick knacks, cards, games, or decorative items. I enjoyed perusing the selection of greeting cards, cookbooks, and a few clearance labeled tables read more

Books Inc - Books - Bookstores Near Me - San Francisco, California

Back on a Summer stroll in the Marina District in San Francisco where there is plenty places to go grab a drink or get something to eat and even buy Apples (digital devices )on Chestnut street. One place I like to go to and check out books and magazines is Book Inc. It's refreshing to see a bookstore which has been around here over a decade. The origins of Books Inc. dates back to 1851. This bookstore also host events where you can hear the Authors themselves speak about their book. You will find books here with a variety of subject matters with popular titles and others with more potent content. They also sell games here like desktop pickleball. Come here to check out books but remember the books here are for sale and it's not the Marina Library a few blocks away. The books in here are created and highly rated with words from all classes of voices from the third world to the sophisticated The words of some of the books are controversial and highly debated but all the books here are for sale at Books, Inc also known as Books Incorporated read more

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Busy, popular bookstore with a wide selection of books and very helpful staff! If they don't have something, they'll order it for you! They have lots of cute gifts, cards, and games too. I love their book displays--they always give me ideas of what to read and buy, and the staff also gives great recommendations. They host speaker series as well where authors come to talk! read more

Books Inc - Sci-fi and fantasy recommendations - Bookstores Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Was excited to browse around, picked up a mug and asked the staff for a new one since the display one had scuff marks on bottom. To which he whispered "doesn't prevent u from drinking from it." Sure, whatever, he still handed me a new one with sheets of foam wrap so register can help package it since it did not come with any other protection. However, as I checked out, the register staff seemed confused about the wrapping, saying "it's not the right wrap." As I explained and asked him to cushion the mug in the bag, he looked and sounded visibly annoyed. Felt like a weird/unnecessary reaction. read more

I've always loved supporting independent bookstores, and I've shopped at Books Inc. for years. Unfortunately, my visit tonight was one of the most exhausting and dismissive customer experiences ever. I came in just to quickly check if a new picture book was in stock. There were no other shoppers browsing, but the only staff member at the register, Mark, was struggling with the checkout system and chatting at length with a couple about the Barnes & Noble takeover while I waited for more than ten minutes. When I finally asked for help, he told me to "find a blonde, skinny guy in back." I searched the store--no one was there. When I returned, he seemed irritated, left the register, disappeared to find someone, and came back with another employee (not blonde), then went straight back to the register and started ringing up a new line of five people. The book I'd asked about was handed to me, but I was told to wait again. At that point, I had already spent far more time waiting than browsing, and I didn't even bother asking for my teacher discount because it was clear he had no time or interest in helping me. I left feeling exhausted instead of excited about buying a book. I genuinely hope this isn't the new direction for this location, because it used to feel warm and independent in spirit. Now it feels understaffed, stressed, and oddly uninterested in actually helping, Give Mark support. read more

I never give bad reviews! But I've never felt so unwelcome. I come in and greet the people who work there, but you don't answer. To top it off, my son feels you are angry that he's there, checking out books. We buy books all the time in Noe Valley or West Portal, and want to support local shops because my son loves books. My son asked me for one, and I refused to give money to a bookstore where the staff seems to make customers feel unwelcome. read more

I love bookstores, usually because of the knowledgeable staff. On my most recent visit I was curious about English translations of Japanese fiction. The all-knowing clerk had four for me to choose from in a jiffy. Staff here are the best! read more

Great location on Chestnut Street. However the service and experience has changed. Poor service and lack of welcoming environment. I ordered a book that just came out and on the NYTimes Best list. I happened to be down on Chestnut Street so I stopped in to check on it out of excitement to get it. The person that checked it on the system said "Oh it's not in yet and not something we would typically carry as it's not of local interest". Rude. Ruined my experience. It's a book on immigration and contributions to the US. I would say very relevant and of local interest. read more

Cozy book store on Chesnut. They have a really nice selection of all ranges of books. I especially appreciated the review cards they put out written by the staff to point out their recommended books. Great store to come into to browse without having a particular book in mind! I'm glad that physical book stores still exist and will continue supporting this one read more

Books Inc - Bookstores Near Me - San Francisco, California

Staff is always happy to assist at the location on Chestnut. I admit, I have not been to the other locations.

My favorite book store in SF. They are up to date and have lots of great books and other neat trinkets like toys and puzzles. Staff does an excellent job at keeping the books organized. The area it is in is also nice and convenient. I wish you could somehow see book availability on their site somewhere for their different stores-- that would be very convenient for me as a shopper. read more

My fourth stop in the Marina today was this Books Inc on Chestnut. I have been to the Books Inc on Van Ness before several times. This is a more classic bookstore, but they have a good selection of books that cater to classy adults. It's not a hipster bookstore, but it has enough credibility and selection. Today, I decided to ask someone about getting published and the guy gave me some advice. He said people who get published have an agent. The agent is free and takes a percentage. Or you can self-publish using tools like Amazon. It was a helpful conversation. I browsed Books Inc and here's a sample of books in the pics I attached. Books Inc is an SF bookstore. It also feels like an airport bookstore. read more

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Remarkable customer service! I needed a special children's book as a gift for a family friend who recently gave birth; I was searching for a book we read to our children when they were young. I called and asked if they had this book in stock; the clerk checked inventory and said they didn't carry it, but would be happy to order one for me. I asked how soon I could have it and he responded, within 2-days max, then added if I gave my cell # he would text when it arrived. Just as promised, and sooner than expected, I received a text the next day, alerting me that the book had arrived. I went to pick-up my book later that day and was surprised that they actually ordered 3-different sizes of the book so that I could select the best one to suit this special occasion. I was stunned and delighted! read more

Books Inc - Goodnight MOON, a family favorite! - Bookstores Near Me - San Francisco, California

Fun lil bookstore that's fairly busy most days; nice and knowledgeable staff, good selection and clean store.

As much as I love all things Literature related, I rarely purchase books, & instead prefer to borrow them from the library. I know I'm not winning any points with that admission, but I contribute to the bookstores I frequent by spending a fair amount on notebooks, stationary, pens (specifically Le Pens here), & gifts. During the past two years, I've purchased more books than I have in a decade due to the unsatisfactory nature of swiping "pages" on an e-book. My library has been closed since the pandemic started & I wanted to feel my fingers turning actual pages. My most recent purchase at this Books Inc location -- a handful of greeting cards & a Salinger novella. Helpful, unpretentious staff who lean towards stern, serious dispositions. Impressive inventory of both old & new titles including many at discounted prices. Books Inc reside in many Bay Area neighborhoods, but this Chestnut Street one is my fave. read more

Came in on a Friday afternoon for a quick browse. Very friendly staff that had treats behind the counter for our dog!

I really like this Books Inc. Staff are very knowledgeable and helpful. I also appreciate that they are open somewhat early. I can buy a magazine or a book before my work day starts and still have time to grab coffee. Thank you Books Inc, glad you're still around! read more

Call me old fashioned but .......... I know bookstores are quickly becoming a thing of the past, but I still enjoy walking through a bookstore and pick up physical books and page through them. I love the feeling of a brand new book, or the excitement of discovering a well preserved used copy of an older books that may no longer be in print. I like this store because it is well laid-out and the staff are very helpful. They have a very good selection of new books as well as best sellers. Very often I find older books I'd like to read on their sale table. Buy a cup of coffee and spend a few minutes in there. You won't be sorry! read more

This bookstore has an excellent selection of books. Each section has been carefully curated. The quality of the books they stock more than makes up for the small size of the store. read more

It was cold outside last night. Out of the cold, I entered the Books Inc shop on Chestnut street. Warm comforting place. Reminds me of my younger days when reading books at the bookstore was a thrill. A bookstore is like a treasure trove of goodies. I just had to feast my eyes on the magazine racks and pick out any type of periodical: fashion, food, sports, travel. All without having to swipe a screen! Having paper in hand was also nice. Feeling the texture of the paper of a book or magazine is tactile. Sure it's nice to have a tablet or reader when you are traveling and can't carry a lot of weight. But books convey a whole new sensory element to reading. It's both thrilling to turn the page of a book, fall asleep with it on your tummy while in bed or sharing a story with your child as you point out pictures and read the text aloud. Reading a real book is a special experience. One I hope everyone will still enjoy for many years to come. Thank God for bookstores like Books Inc. read more

Very nice book store. It has a huge variety of gifts and toys in addition to books. They also sell puzzles for all the housebound Covid people. The store clerk was very friendly and helpful.He quickly pointed me to the section I was looking for. If I'm in the area again I'll be happy to return. read more

BUY ELSEWHERE! I was super excited to organize a secret gift exchange with friends with the stipulation that everyone supports a local business. I received a gift card - it took me two weeks to reach anyone to figure out how to apply it to their online store. When I finally could order the books, I received an email May 10th stating books would be received in 7-10 business days and I would get an email with tracking information. Never happened. Waited 13 business days, called them today to find out they had shipped them to a post office? Super frustrated! I get that with COVID, there is a delay. Their website said they were shipping during the pandemic. When you call them, you get a voice mail saying they are checking VM and would call back - took me almost two weeks at the beginning and MULTIPLE phone calls to reach someone. Now - I plan on buying my books from Amazon - free shipping and I can have them next business day. I will ALWAYS support local - to those companies that offer any sort of customer service. read more

Covid review. Stopped by to browse in July and left with a bunch of books for my nephews. Staff was friendly and able to assist with special order of a book which they shipped to my bff. They had sanitized pens at checkout iirc. read more

Books Inc - Cute card selection - Bookstores Near Me - San Francisco, California

Cozy bookstore with an awesome selection of books. I found some great picks in their sale section and the staff are very helpful and nice.

Very friendly staff. Nice to browse new books and staff favorites, I also pick up weekend newspapers from here and or sometimes call them to hold for me. Great to support local book stores ! read more

On "My Now That I'm 30" list I've added more reading. I keep on meaning to read more, but I have found that with a subscription to Netflix, late-night-in-room-dance sessions, and with an increasing urge to cook more - I just have trouble getting around to the whole reading thing. A way of conquering this obstacle has been combining my interest in cooking with reading - by venturing into recipe books and fascinating literature about nutrition. Books Inc has a wealth of quality reads about cooking and nutrition. They even carry a wealth of local finds such as the Tartine Cookbook, and have a plethora of Vegan and Paleo books that not only provide detailed recipes within them, but which also educate readers about the importance of the various ingredients used in each recipe. I walked out of Books Inc with two genius reads - both of which, will not only help improve my cooking - but which will hopefully improve my dance moves as well. We all know that a good diet - can work wonders for agility and energy. And in turn - I'm hoping that the increased dancing - will make me feel far less guilty about watching Netflix. Trust. read more

My family absolutely loves this bookstore, especially this location. The recommended lists by the employees are always varied and interesting and definitely worth checking out. The employees are warm and friendly and very helpful. We love their suggestions, especially their recommendations for kids. Favorite bookstore in SF! read more

Books Inc. is a cute bookstore. It has an inviting atmosphere and knowledgable staff. I love browsing through their bargain section as well. You can find one of a kind books here and it's a perfect place to kill some time before you head on over to the theater or before heading out to dinner. They also have a nice Magazine section. Will definitely return to satisfy my reading needs. read more

Another amazing shop on Chestnut. I ALWAYS find books that I cannot leave the store without. Since I have two kids under the age of 3, I was especially interested in their children's section this last visit. I was blown away at the quality and size of their board book selection. My kids (okay..really I) have a few favorite board book authors. I was able to find several board books I've found nowhere else written by each of my ... I mean my kids' ... favorite authors. I think we left the store with six new books (two from each author)...and if I had more room in my bag, we would have left with more. Friendly staff, great selection, cozy store... and decent prices. I'm a fan! read more

A fantastic book store! Okay, I will usually say that about most bookstores because - BOOKS! However, Books Inc is a wonderful book shop! They have such a great collection of books organized very well. I like that they had a "featured" section when you first walk in - this month around the Tour de France. If you are looking for books centered around cycling this display is for you!! My other favorite are was a couple of tables full of great books for only $6.98! Not only is this a great place to find unique new reads (I did "Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom") it's also a great place to stock up on favorites that you might want to seed a Little Free Library (which I love to do!) I also managed to find a book that I recently recommended to a friend that Darwin and I visit through our Therapy Dog visits. She's an avid reader and just the day before I mentioned this book and saw it there for $6.98 such a great deal! The shopkeeper was friendly and the store was excellently lit and in a wonderful section of Cow Hollow. Stop for a Super Duper Burger or enjoy a coffee just a few doors away in either direction. read more

If you don't give Books Inc 5 stars what kind of person are you really? True, this does apply for "most" independent book stores, but Books Inc has some of the kindest, people-loving, book mavens in the world. Or are they people mavens who simply love books? It's a toss up, but either option shows you how much these employees connect with their shoppers. Each time u venture inside, I learn something new from or about one of the employees. Last month, a bookseller lamented with me over losing my rent-controlled apartment in the city. This week, it was a great Yosemite tip! I love this crew. To top it off, it's such a fun place with great books, super (and unique) San Francisco souvenirs, pretty cards and a great children's gift section. They also sell le pens (my favorite) and fun pins for every passion you have. They will order books for you and always take suggestions. Okay, I'm done raving about them (for now!). read more

I'm soooo happy that a Books Inc exists amongst the countless restaurants, boutiques and bars on Chestnut st.! I'm always drawn into the store by it's "New and Noteworthy" shelf just inside the entrance. The staff always refreshes those shelves with the HOT new books :) I found that my taste coincides well with the staff's recommendations. My most recent purchase from that shelf was "TED TALKS; The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking". I was so happy to see a mixture of self-improvement books such as the TED book, fiction and non-fiction in that shelf. Truly something for everyone! Also, Books Inc has a MASSIVE magazine stand. They probably carry every major magazine in their collection. In addition, the store carries some cute stationery items, greeting cards and tote bags. The only reason I don't give Books Inc five stars is due to the lack of seating. My main draw to local bookstores is the ability to grab a book, sit down and get acquainted with it before I buy. Other than that, the store is clean, great selection and staff members are incredibly helpful! Bottom Line: You can't leave Books Inc without bringing home a new companion (book) :) read more

Nice bookstore, mixed selection. My wife and I didn't find a purchase but they have some things that are cute, artsy, and interesting read more

Books Inc - Books - Bookstores Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I was excited to stop in Books Inc. today, as one of the first outings I have had in quite awhile, and was dismayed to find the older man at the counter peering at me and my two children strangely as we browsed a few items. Furthermore, after making my purchase he aggressively pushed the bag of books towards me causing my 15 year old to comment about it as we left the store. I hope this bookstore changes its vibe and becomes more inclusive of the surrounding community. read more

I am always stoping in here to pick up a new read. Last night my husband and I went in to check if they had a book by a specific author that I enjoy. The man at the desk said they didn't have it currently but could order it ASAP and then directed me to another book I inquired about. I headed to checkout with my selection and the man working pulled out a surprise! A new book by the author I was searching for that he has an early release copy of (doesn't come out till next year!). He gifted me the book and I was ECSTATIC. Completely made my day and I immediately started reading when I got home. Obviously, I recommend this bookstore! The staff is always helpful and recommending their favorites and I was totally blown away by the book they gifted me! THANK YOU!!! read more

Books Inc - Bookstores Near Me - San Francisco, California

I follow very closely all the book recommendations of Bill, one of the store's employees. He just has amazing taste in books. At least five so far that I LOVED but probably wouldn't have read except that I trust his recommendations. Thanks Bill! read more

There's nothing better than going into a bookstore and just being able to spend some time just looking around at what the store has in stock and discovering new books that you might not have known about otherwise. This store is great for that AND it's right in my neighborhood. I consider myself lucky! What I really like about this store is that they highlight staff favorites with mini "reviews" posted alongside the books. I can't tell you how many books that I've purchased and ended up enjoying just based on those reviews! They also have an extensive selection of magazines, so I usually can't escape without buying one of those, too. The store also has a generous Frequent Buyer Card. They record the purchase price of every book you that you buy on a card that you take with you. Once you've filled up the card with 10 purchases, they take an average and deduct that amount from your next purchase. Depending on what you buy, it could add up to a book for free! The staff is helpful and friendly and they can order anything that you want if they don't have it in stock. It's also convenient if you're in the area for a movie or to visit one of restaurants. If you're in the Marina, make sure to check it out! read more

I enjoy walking to this local bookstore with my grande vanilla latte on a Saturday morning. I can spend hours at the store. They have a great selection of books. I always check out their top 10 selections. Read their staffs' recommendations. They are always right on! If you purchase any books here, make sure you get a frequent buyer card. I love supporting local bookstores! read more