I will have to say, when I first moved to the neighborhood years ago, I was intimidated by this store, as I am not a builder. This store is much more than a design and build bookstore! As the only bookstore in this part of town, it is a great source of other books--they have a well-curated selection of new and notable literature, small inspirational or novelty books, an impressive selection of children's books, cookbooks, craft kits, magazines, cards, calendars, puzzles, glass ornaments, funny socks, and other shoppy shop things. If you have a gift to get or are looking for something to read on your next flight, you would be in good hands at Builders. It's compact but full of gems. No need to be intimidated. read more

Really cute, small local bookstore. I really enjoyed the wide selection of books - ranged from indigenous stories to Japanese garden photography to existential philosophical books. Spent about 30 minutes browsing and ended up buying a book. Service seemed nice and helpful when I went. I overheard them talking about how they had to downsize back in the day due to more sales going through Amazon now. Makes sense - I think because it's a local bookstore, they do charge a bit more. If you compare some book prices in the store to online, they do cost a bit more in store - but I felt supporting local biz was worth! read more

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Didn't know they specialized in "building type" stuff (architecture, remodelling, maps and arts and crafts), I was just walking by one day, saw they had cards and popped in. I like sending physical birthday cards and have bought many from here. I really like their selection of cards, which rang from humorous to more thoughtful sentiments. Honestly, I like them so much sometimes I have a hard time deciding and can spend a good hour looking through their stationary. There's also a chair in the back that I see people chilling and resting in all the time. Probably the only downside to this bookstore is it's fairly small. Despite it's small size, they have packed in a ton of enjoyable merchandise. read more

Wife and I visit when we have breakfast around the corner. Always a nice selection of cards and books. We have a couple of original paintings at home from here too and some prints, though sadly Ellie Fidler the artist who sold through the store has passed. If you're there do step in, the selection is well curated. read more

The honey and I love to drop into Builders Booksource. While we mainly shop the puzzle books (we loved the maze book and Mazey the dog), the tiny house and building/ renovation books are fun to peruse, as are the adorable ornaments they have up for the holidays. The service is always friendly, helpful, and masked and they also have sanitizer at the door for when you enter and leave. I do wish they had a bigger selection of puzzle books and logic problems, but overall, we love dropping by every few weeks to see what new books Builders Booksource has brought in! read more

I'll be honest. I like to come here and browse. They have a nice chair in the back, I'll get a book and read. My husband has actually bought stuff here. I wanted to, but was ignored, so I didn't. I did buy what I wanted online. They have some interesting books and the items at the front of the store are quite whimsical - and feature interesting cards, children's books, and magazines. But they remind me of an experience, where you go into a small shop, and no matter what, the person working the counter won't interact with the customer unless you go to the counter with something to buy. If the store was totally busy, that would be one thing, but that's never been the case. So, I come, browse, and lounge. read more

Builders Booksource - 3D cards. - Bookstores Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I love this bookstore! I came a bit early to my Apple Genius Bar appointment next door so came here to kill time. I was almost late to my appointment because I was so distracted here! As someone who is studying urban planning in grad school, you can only imagine how interested I was in every little book... Everything is clean and organized. The employees are very friendly, and during my visit, they even had a cute Norwich terrier leashed and well-behaved by the cashier counter! I ended up purchasing colored pencils and an adult coloring book that was sized well-- it fits perfectly inside my purse! The prices are a bit higher than Amazon (I checked) but I'm all for supporting local businesses, so it was worth it for me. I'm not from the area but if I were, I'd make this a regular stop! read more

Come on, everybody...clap your hands!...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LssoTizDld8 "I'm gonna build a mountain, from a little hill. I'm gonna build a mountain, least I hope I will. I'm gonna build a mountain, I'm gonna build it high. I don't know how I'm gonna do it, only know I'm gonna try." Did you know Bob the Builder comes here? So does the construction worker in the Village People. And Mike Brady visits when Carol is out of town. ...yes, anyone into design, architecture, landscaping or construction comes here if they know what's good for them. It's a browsing paradise if you want to study Gaudi's buildings, the history of the Airstream trailer or how to set up an irrigation system in your backyard. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. I must have spent a good hour in here after licking my little Sketch ice cream cup bone dry. I even bought a really cool book that presents all the subway maps around the world just because I thought it was really cool and I am a nerd about geography(http://www.amazon.com/review/R2LG6D7WG0Z14B/ref=cm_aya_cmt?%5Fencoding=UTF8&ASIN=0143112651#wasThisHelpful). It's a great indie bookstore and now the only one on the 4th Street strip since Cody's high-tailed it to Downtown Berkeley. read more

Builders Booksource - Bookstores Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I love book choices of this store! I was looking for some picture books for my daughter, and finally found one at the store. A clerk named David was very friendly even though I and my friend couldn't speak English well. I was really glad that I talked to him! Thank you so much! I'll be back here to find another book for my daughter! read more

Builders Booksource - cute picture book that I bought at this book store - Bookstores Near Me - Berkeley, California

An older man (white) behind the counter was loudly sharing his opinions about how no US president has ever done any wrong and sort of berating a young kid who was working with him (not white). I walked right out. I don't need to hear white men agreeing towards people of color about racist beliefs.... I wouldn't be supporting this store again in the future. And I hope that younger human is okay having to work with someone who's so aggressive. read more

For those with a passion for design, architecture, and creating beautiful spaces, Builders Booksource is a real inspiration. Located on the fun, walkable 4th Street in Berkeley (which is a fantastic shopping mecca, and worth a visit anytime) Builders Booksource is a wonderful resource for graphic designers, home decorators, architects, landscape architects, designers and those that love aesthetics. They even have great kids books. Helpful, knowledgable staff. Love this place! read more

One of the best things about being an adult is that you can pretty much buy yourself whatever you want, even if you don't need it. For example, if you stumble into a cute little bookstore and see 'The New World Champion Paper Airplane Book," it's yours. Flipping through this book brought back fond memories of folding paper airplanes and building Whitewings and flying them in the hallway of my dad's office and in the huge field across the street. This afternoon I made my first paper airplane in a very long time. Anyhow, this is a bookstore with a lot of really interesting books about making things and being creative; we stop by whenever we're wandering through the neighborhood. read more

Store is usually a five star but my experience in here today with my young son was not good. We were here Saturday and my younger one really wanted to go back and check out couple more books; store was packed on Saturday so after getting few things, I told him we'd come back. So today we came back... store was fairly empty other then three to four other customers in the front. We went to the back and saw the two books my son wanted to see and sat down to look through them. Now... the staff on Saturday had absolutely no issue navigating through a packed store but today, the old white clerk seemed to have an awful hard time walking through our particular aisle... he came over, I saw him from the corner of my eye, I got up and apologized so he can pass but that wasn't good enough for him. He had to tell me "you know, this IS a working bookstore." Hmm, thanks for letting me know. Would I come back? Maybe since the staff from Saturday were great; but I'd keep an eye out for this particular person. read more

I am addicted to Architecture books, so this is an EXTREMELY biased review. I am sick, I really am... it is not healthy, it is not normal, but I will drive all the way to Berkeley, I will spend over $100 on ONE book, and I will walk out of Builders Bookstore with that huge Renzo Piano book that I barely hardly lift... it's the agony of love. What can I say, they really do have more Architecture books than ANY other book store in the Bay Area - picture books, code books, arch theory, light theory, social implications of building, architecture of power, sex in architecture, green building, interior design, sustainable architecture... EVERYTHING! If you love buildings like I do, come here - it's orgasmically fun, but devastating for your credit card. read more

Builders Booksource - Bookstores Near Me - Berkeley, California

I am addicted to Architecture books, so this is an EXTREMELY biased review. I am sick, I really am it is not healthy, it is not normal, but I will drive all the way to Berkeley, I will spend over $100 on ONE book, and I will walk out of Builders Bookstore with that huge Renzo Piano book that I barely hardly lift it's the agony of love. What can I say, they really do have more Architecture books than ANY other book store in the Bay Area - picture books, code books, arch theory, light theory, social implications of building, architecture of power, sex in architecture, green building, interior design, sustainable architecture EVERYTHING! If you love buildings like I do, come here - it's orgasmically fun, but devastating for your credit card. read more

Builders Booksource - Bookstores Near Me - Berkeley, California

I'm kind of an oddball when it comes to reading books. I don't read fiction. In fact I'm kind of bothered by the whole storytelling aspect; it's something I've never enjoyed. I have a huge collection of hardcover books in my home library though, and if I were to take an educated guess I'd say over sixty percent of the books I own are on the subjects of architecture or graphic design. I first visited Builders Booksource during my college years. As an environmental design major I was always on the lookout for new sources of information in the architectural field and this book store had one of the most expansive collections. Whether I was looking for a book on a current architect, on architectural history, on commercial floor plans or just on current building codes chances are I found what I was looking for here. The fact that I worked throughout my college years gave me the flexibility to purchase many of the books I found helpful towards my studies. I've never forgotten about this bookstore, and many years after leaving college I still go in whenever I can, browse and make a book purchase. Books are a lot more expensive these days, but I often go in and find a title that I just can't put down. Even though I don't use the information at my job or in daily life I still enjoy reading about the technical side of architecture. Leave it to the Builders Booksource to excite my book reading pleasures. read more

I've been fascinated by buildings & architecture since I was a kid. I really appreciate architecture...but I don't plan on building anything (at least not any time soon). My interest was renewed when I got to tour the architect's (Mr. Swatt) home in Lafayette by Swatt Meirs a few months ago. I also currently live in a storybook style home. So, I had been in this bookstore a while back & had been meaning to come back & browse. I finally made it in today. I could've sworn that their store was larger before? Anyway, they carry 2 Swatt Meirs books that I saw, which I may have to return to buy. I wish I hadn't run out of time on my meter, or I would've returned after dessert to browse some more. I saw some Frank Lloyd Wright books, Gaudi book, & the Storybook Style book that I ordered from amazon recently. And that was just at the front of the store...if I remember correctly, they have books for building/contruction, interior design, design, landscaping, etc. too. I'll be back to drool over more books...hopefully sooner than later. Did I mention that I like books? Located on the east side of 4th St. between Virginia & Hearst (closer to Hearst) by the Apple store. read more

Last year, I finally found a guy whose eyes didn't glaze over when I uttered the words "land-use" and "sprawl." So, I took him for a test drive at the inspirational Builders Booksource, an amazing specialty bookstore I discovered while studying architecture at Cal. Awestruck by the diverse stock, he passed with flying colors - and six months and four Harvard Design Readers later, abruptly flew out of my life. (Girls, there are few unmatched pleasures in life, so never - under any circumstance - bring a boy here; some places, like Builders Booksource, should remain sacred.) read more

Certainly a fantastic bookstore, and some very nice layout and collection within. However the shelved items are getting everywhere, spilling out into the isles adding ruckus to the overall atmosphere making it look more and more disorganized. The carpet is getting well worn. Display cabinets need to be cleaned up. I think its time to revamp, rethink shelving, or grow the store. Even the bathroom is filled with folded tables eating up the 5' radius circle, that certainly all use of a Wheelchair Accessibility is impossible. Never the less, it is the best design product store I've seen in the Bay Area. read more

This is a rare bookstore indeed. 'Builders' is completely devoted to design, architecture, and city planning subjects. There ARE books on crafting but do not expect a large selection of Martha Stewart type books, rather, more professional and theoretical stuff with pretty pretty pictures. There is a graphic design aisle although I'd say it's less than 25% of the store. I found a lot of new stuff. There's tons to see even if you aren't accustomed to the design trades. Inspiration awaits... that is if you can afford these monstrously priced hardcovers. Be wary of the stuffy clientele. read more

Cute little book store with lots of fun and quirky finds. Great stuff for gifts for kids or even adults (found a cool geek art book here). I liked their huge selection of unique greeting cards too. Their magazines tended toward design/art and had a good collection of those. Not bad for a tiny local bookstore! read more

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A great place to spend a thousand dollars in five minutes and not be something you drive or wear or sit on. In addition to the numerous monographs and coffee table books, there are wonderful reference guides and code books that, after you make that scary decision to go into practice for yourself, will guide you through being a successful business person as well as an architect. I also love the little sketch books and sketch kits that are available throughout. these make great gifts for young impressionables. Tip: if you are one to get the A4 Architects diary, buy it in say September or October since they sell out quite fast. Also sign up for their events ranging from green design to kitchens to travel. read more

If you have any inclination toward the building trades, architecture, planning, environmental or urban design, or any satellite field, get in there! You can sit in a comfy chair and read up on craftsman bathrooms, do-it-yourself renovation, and New Urbanism. Or at least that's what I like to do. If you're not into construction or don't know who Jane Jacobs is, you might be a little less riveted. But you'll definitely find something interesting. At the very least, a guidebook. read more

I used to skip this store everytime I shop at Fourth Street in Berkeley where I visit each store. I thought there was nothing there for me-- I am not one who will get a saw and hammer to build something. I could barely build a sandcastle no matter how hard I tried. I have to thank my very demanding bladder for leading me to this wonderful place. I needed to pee and found a bathroom inside this bookstore. Right by the bathroom is the children's section. They have the most unique toys for kids like cardboard doll house kit that's ready to be built, stackable "city," wooden car sets, really cool interactive books, etc. This is a good alternative to finding educational, non-pop culture toys. They sell cool journals, cards, stationary, etc. Although they specialize in architectural and other building related books, they also carry modern-lit. This place is a treasure chest for unique presents. Definitely worth-visiting. read more

Wow!! What a great bookstore. I was told to go to this bookstore to get my ICC books. I had a chance to take my special little man, my 8 year old, we both had an awesome time in Berkeley. I found the four books that I needed and found a great book on Yosemite for him. The staff was very helpful. Even though it was an hour and a half drive, it was more than worth it. Check them out for yourself, I'm positive that you too will be delighted. read more

What a fine bookstore with an incredible staff and pleasant atmosphere. a wonderful little retreat from the insanity of holiday shopping on 4th street. The staff here have been amazingly helpful, directing me to books on: LEED certification, Bay Area travel guides, Readymade magazine, books on swimming pools, farmer's almanac. They have a great graphic design/typography section and carry some lovely home design idea books, as well as some thoughtfully chosen note cards, coin purses and small gifts, eco-coupon books, and a really fun-looking hydro-cell-powered car kit that someone should buy me. the books here aren't cheap, but they are beautiful, quality, and worth it. Ask to join the book club, where you get a $25 gift certificate for every 250 bucks you spend. read more

One of my favorite bookstores in the East Bay. I was just in there today and they have increased their graphic design section-- with a wide array of interesting and current titles. They also have sections on eco-housing, interior design, remodeling, planning. I like to check out the suburbia titles-- books on what's wrong with suburban sprawl and how to remedy it. Last Christmas I got my dad a really GREAT coffeetable book called A Field Guide to the Industrial Landscape and it was full of pictures of all these various towers and such-- things you drive by all the time but never thought to ask what they were. read more

Builders Booksource is great I have been in the construction trades for __years (yeah 2 old to tell) I love coming here the staff is very helpful and you can find books applicable to amy trade that you need info on You can also purchase code books so you can keep up to date or books on how to estimate your jobs etc...I love that you can get carbon copy contracts for cheap so... read more

Been coming here for years. They have a great selection of technical books that architects and engineers love.

Do you like building stuff? Do you watch home improvement shows? How about a passion for interior design? Builders Booksource is the place for you. Seriously, Bob the Builder would raise his stubby thumbs and give this place two thumbs up, if he could. One of the more interesting finds in the shop would be all of the books on color. Even if you are not a builder or an architect, this place offers up some fabulous resources that will help you in other areas of your life - color being one of them. All of the books in this section are some of the best books I've seen in how to work with color in your home and how to just look at color and learn what pairs well. Of course, if you are highly skilled at numbers, there are definitely the more math-science oriented sections, which I was way too intimidated to look at but, yes, they've got the smarty pants builder books there as well. I'm definitely coming back as they have some wonderful gift items too (no, not just for the builder/architect in your life but for anyone)! read more

A fun bookstore with lots of interesting books and such. Architecture and Design subjects are particularly well represented here. Great themes, many of which I had never considered nor am I particularly handy with. And yet I have found and purchased many a find. The staff is also very knowledgable and friendly. The store itself is comfortable to browse around in. read more

I'm not in construction and I don't even own my own home - so why is it that I am so attracted to browsing the books here at this shop? There are so many amazing books - gorgeous glossy photos of processes and projects for so many things, descriptions on how to do things and make things. It's really a unique treasure full of excellent inspiration. read more

I'm a big fan of all the DIY shows on TV, including the flip this/flip that house shows. This is the bookstore version of those shows. I always spend a few minutes devouring the books and have to really limit myself otherwise I'd go nuts on their great selection. Now, if only I could get some of those projects done! read more

The name threw me for a minute but I was drawn in by the beautiful selection of architecture coffee table books that faced the entrance. Perhaps I was feeling slightly nostalgic for home but a copy LA Modern pulled me in and compelled me to look at pictures of homes on Mulholland Dr. and up in the Hollywood Hills dreamed into creation by the likes of Richard Neutra, John Lautner and Frank Lloyd Wright, that I dare to someday live in. Or near. Or break into when times are tough but not so tough I can't still appreciate beautiful design or want to go out on a high. Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, Builders Booksource. I have become slightly obsessed with buying the perfect holiday cards this year and somehow my set came from this random little book shop in Berkeley. If I love you, you will be getting a car featuring gold owls sitting perched as perfect little ornaments all throughout a Christmas tree. If not, blame Builders for selling them for so much, limiting my purchase to one box. Either way, I appreciate perfect design. And places that appreciate perfect design too. read more

I love their children's books.

I love bookstores, and the name of this one caught my eye. It seemed like it might be something special. Of course, the name ended up being far more helpful than I anticipated: it is a source of books for people who build/create things. This include graphic design, construction, gardening, crafts, etc. There are both super practical books of code (and a neat one on wood identification with samples of wood!) and gorgeous photo books that belong on display. I'm fairly far from their target audience, but I wanted to buy half of the store. It seems very well curated - they don't have every book on a given topic, but their selection is complete. Your needs will be met if you need a book on building a brick oven, for instance. I managed to walk out without buying anything, but I will stop in and browse every time I am back in the area. read more

Yes, only 4 stars even though everyone else is giving 5. Don't get me wrong, I do like this place but I'm one of those who always sees room for improvement... That said, Builders is great for true architecture fans or buying a coffee table book as a gift (or to make yourself look cool). They have a pretty good selection of architecture, design and planning books. Also magazines if you are so inclined. One thing that impresses me is their willingness to carry foreign books. Granted the majority of people who buy these are just going to be looking at pictures, but still. If you need something to give you ideas for your remodeling project, this is the place. read more

I have been addicted to HGTV. I watch the design shows, the remodeling shows, renovations, buy and selling.. so many shows! Every time I watch something I really think I can do it on my own! Hey it doesn't look so hard. So when my boyfriend suggested he wanted to visit the Builders Booksource I thought it was going to be all manly and all about construction. It was a nice surprise to see such a nice bookstore! And amazingly it had a decorating and remodeling section! Such beautiful pictures and amazing books on how to do it yourself! Ahs, one day- when I have a home to decorate or better yet a house to renovate ahahaha. They do sell books at retail price and it is cheaper to buy on Amazon. But it's nice to be able to smell and look through the pages. read more

A weekend morning or afternoon spent on 4th Street must comprise a few essential stops, after which there is considerable leeway for creativity and exploration, but only after these must-sees. Builder's Booksource is the most essential of the essential. If you're chillin' around here in the first place, then you're definitely into art and design, at least a little bit, and Builder's has you absolutely covered in this respect, with an amazingly well-edited and vast selection of art, fashion, and design books. You're also probably interested in the latest news in pop-culture, in which case you can pick up one of the myriad quality magazines Builder's carries. Last time I was there, I grabbed a copy of Anthem, which definitely says more about me (UNCULTURED!) than it does about Builder's... but hey, it's not, like, the WORST magazine ever, and this issue had a sweet feature on Yohji Yamamoto's new line. Anyway. Finally, you're DEFINITELY into small, well-crafted notebooks and paper products, and Builder's has you covered once again with plenty of sizes of Rhodia pads and Moleskine journals. Honestly, who doesn't love Rhodia pads? Anyone? Word. read more

Summary based on many visits: --Good selection, though limited by size of the store --Helpful service --Ok prices --Try parking in the lot across the street behind Sur le Table read more