Stopped by yesterday morning--found a linguistic hardback book about the evolution of language and why colloquialisms are significant for generational communication; and a fiction book that looked intriguing. Hardcovers are now $6 and paperbacks $4, which is more than at a general thrift store but then again this nonprofit has a good cause (sending free books to prisons) and a better selection. What used to be the $1 shelf outside the front entrance is the donation shelf where you pay what you can. Hopefully that'll actually make people more generous. In any case, I'm just so glad there are people who still read!!! ;) read more

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It's great to spread love and cheer and so on Valentine's Day, I decided to donate books to the Prison Library Project. Check out their website! They accept only paperback books (dictionaries, Spanish language, fiction, non fiction) and you can easily drop them off during their business hours. It was great to see that the bookstore had high foot traffic. Parking was quite limited, perhaps due to being Valentine's Day and it was definitely busy in the Packing house area. read more

this place is very cute and the service is so nice! wish they had more used book variety but I appreciate what they had and their purpose

This is such a cute small bookstore. I believe they sell new and used books. They used book are just right outside the front door. Last time when I was there, I spent over an hour just looking for books. I collect books! But I can't read as fast as I buy haha read more

I love to read books, magazines, articles, anything really. While perusing the Claremont Packing House, Claremont Forum was looking straight at me. Books saw me and I saw them. It was calling my name so I said, present LOL. Walked on over. Started looking at the shelves of books placed near the front of the door on the outside. They were all used books. They were on sale for $1.00 each. I spent a good 15+ mins just standing there looking at each book by their title only. A few books caught my eyes so I got them. I soon walked inside and there is a whole different world of books. So don't decide too quickly until you've seen the good stash LOL. They have each section categorized. Great selection of books for just a few more dollars. Some of the books look new. I guess it depends on the donors and usage of the books. I ended up picking up a few more books from the inside. I literally spent a good hour here. I loved my time looking at books... it was very well spent. Fantastic and friendly staff. Books are sold at huge discounts like 3 books for $5 and it's for a good cause. They take book and monetary donations. If you're a book reader or not, come check them out... you may find some great reads. I know I did... Men Are Clams Women Are Crowbars! LOL If you feel like giving some books and/or funds to support the cause, please donate. You may donate back the book you bought from them after you're done with it. Btw, for those who don't know, "Claremont Forum is a non-profit community organization that promotes wellness, education, and the arts. They sponsor the Prison Library Project, which sends free books to incarcerated adults nationwide. They also sponsor the weekly Farmers & Artisans." This is so cool! It speaks volumes. Thank you so much Claremont Forum for supporting your local communities in this humbling way!!! read more

Love this book shop. Good books at good prices and they champion a very worthy cause.

A must visit when in Claremont, they have good deals on used books and plenty to choose from from every category and even signed or higher value options. Very nice vibe and great staff that are willing to help you find what you need read more

I absolutely love coming here! There's a great selection of both older and newer books, and the inside is very cute. I also love that they offer different postcards and art as well! read more

The vibe is vibing. The smell of books is intoxicating. Books are arranged by genre and sorted by name. There's board games and decorative items for sale as well. Prices are decent but book variety is even greater. Recommend for true book lovers. read more

Super cute book store! Bought two kid books for my nephew. Lovely service and space! Highly recommend! read more

Claremont Forum - So cute - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me - Claremont, California

Bookstores, let alone used bookstores, are so rare these days, so going to the Claremont Forum was a real treat! There are $1 books outside on the shelves and racks as well as $1 tables inside the shop. Great that there's an honesty system for these books when the actual shop isn't open. Just drop off a $1 in the collection box outside. Many of these books are pretty dated, ranging anywhere from being published in the 79-80's-ish until now, so it's like taking a glimpse into the past. Lots of book genres to choose from, ranging from guides, self help, fiction, romance, history books, etc. There's also a small art display inside from a local artist, I believe. This shop also supports the Prison Library Project where books and educational materials are sent to prison inmates. Great to support this cause! Worth taking a look at and browsing around. read more

Cute and well organized used bookstore. I appreciate that the proceeds go to a good cause and that it is well kept and organized. They had a variety of books and we even found a baby book we were already planning to get. read more

It's about time I started supporting the local businesses and this spot is quite unique with its diverse assortments of knowledge and fictional stories; I'll definitely be spending more time here. read more

Took me a few minutes to figure out where this hidden gem was located. You'll see eureka burger and Gus BBQ. Enter and hang a right. read more

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If I lived closer, I'd definitely visit so often ;___; Such a cute and cool bookshop with an even cooler cause! If you are into books, you know they can add up to a pretty penny :'-) So this place is great if you want to buy books at a cheaper price and give back to the community! A little dusty (but in a vintagey way) so if you have allergies like me, bring a tissue haha read more

Since I don't live in Claremont, the Claremont Forum used bookshop was a bit hard to find. It's located inside the Claremont Packing House, it has 2 entrances, one through the complex, another one from the street, between Eureka and The Host Bar. Opened daily from Noon to 7 pm every day except Fridays and Saturdays when they keep it opened till 9 pm. They do send books to prisons from here, they are part of "Prison Library Project" and they do hold events. So, if you live in the area, check out their site and Facebook page for the event calendar. Their book selection is pretty good, nicely organized, reasonably priced, starting at $3 - paperback. They have a few shelves with $1 books outside, on the complex entrance side. Nice resource, if you're a book worm and try to get bargains, check out the Claremont Forum. It's a nice resource! read more

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For the most part they're really good, but they do not open on time. I had called to ask whether or not they were actually going to open or if we should leave and the girl with short blonde hair was very rude saying "well I mean we were in a meeting" as if I'm supposed to know, to which I replied " oh I'm sorry I just wanted to know whether we should continue to wait, or if we should just leave, she then replied " well like I said we're in a meeting and we'll open in a few minutes ". I'm sorry but if you guys are closed Monday-Wednesday why not have the meeting then. Secondly, you open at 10 which already late. Have the meeting before. Or come out and say hey sorry we're running late. We'll be open shortly. Something. Honestly I'm all about service and respect and i will absolutely go pay more for a book that I saw there cheaper going to a good cause because if the poor service and lack of common courtesy. read more

I love hidden little bookstores. I can honestly say I will spend hours or even a whole day at one. And I love the fact that they have racks of books outside with a little box to drop in $1 for each book (all outdoor books are only $1). And they have some cool finds! read more

Claremont Forum - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me - Claremont, California

I was there only for an after-hours Yelp Elite! event but the bookstore is one I would come visit one day. There's the weekly magic show that's recommendable. There is a decent sales rack out in the hallway. I like the store supports literacy in jails. I like that the store is laid out spaciously and my dog likes it too! read more

Claremont Forum - My dog getting down and literary at a recent Yelp Elite event - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me - Claremont, California

Claremont is one of my favorite places in California so far, and the Claremont Forum bookstore is solace I cannot help visiting. Most of my favorite books now are from that place. Although I am a slow reader, keeping in mind English is not my first language, I simply love books and reading. Yesterday I bought 2 new treasures, starting tonight! They have absolutely great staff, and so beautiful projects. Support this store! read more

I really love this book shop. I've been able to find quality older cook books that I really love. And some psychology books too. The only reason I am giving 4 stars is because I showed up one day at 12 to walk in when they open and I was waiting 25 Minutes till their employee came in and opened the shop. I thought that was super unprofessional. I can see a few minutes later but a whole 25 minutes... that's not acceptable. This was last week. read more

The Thoreau[1] Bookstore sits in a corner of the Claremont Packing House. It's funded by the Claremont Forum, a non-profit whose mission is to enrich lives through education, arts, and wellness programs. All proceeds benefit the Prison Library Project, a program that provides books to inmates nationwide, free of charge. The shop is comfy, and their prices eminently reasonable: $2 for paperbacks; $4 for hardcovers. Their collection is well-organized and almost entirely donated by the community, including publishers and other bookstores. There's vintage and contemporary stuff here. Surprisingly, I impulse-bought Douglas Adams's "The More Than Complete Hitchhiker's Guide" - he's one of my favorite writers, and it included a short story of his that I hadn't yet read. Want to score some good reads? Have books to donate? Stop in. [1] named after American author Henry David Thoreau I presume read more

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One of my favorite used bookstores! Why? Because they are the home of the Prison Library Project, providing free reading material to inmates worldwide, free of charge, to any inmate who requests them. Aside from a wonderful cause -- they also have a very well organized selection of books ranging from classics, nonfiction, hobby, nature, sci-fi, poetry, mystery, children's books, and more. The store itself may not be as large or have as many books as other used bookstores, but they have a good range of options and I still walked away with about 8 books, which was more than usual. When I went there was a dollar rack, paperbacks for $3 each or 2 for $5, and hard bounds priced at a very fair $5 each or 2 for $8. read more

A used bookstore that supports a good cause. Books are only $1 and in good condition. I only looked in the children's section and found some gems. I would definitely come back. read more

First of all I love this bookstore but am giving only 3 stars because I have come here countless times and they are closed! The posted hours say they are open but when I drive over there I am sadly disappointed seeing that they are closed for the day. Come on! read more

Selection of books is slim and the music section can't even be reached without a ladder. Staff informed us only 4 customers at a time yet a fifth walked in and it seemed as if they knew him. Just not my favorite place it's fine if your searching for love novels. read more

I'm always in the hunt for good used bookstores when we travel. We were in town from Seattle for my kid's baseball tournament and I found this wonderful place. It's the kind of bookstore that is imperfectly organized so it makes thumbing through the titles fun. Not pretentious at all, and very generous pricing. Before I arrived I had no idea there were so many volunteers working there and that it was part of the Prison Book Project. Love it. read more

The Prison Book Project has a wide variety of classics, modern hits, and obscure books. The prices are low enough that even if you're not familiar with a book you'll be tempted to buy. read more

Don't miss out on this lovely bookstore. Great selection of a wide variety of books--something for everyone! Prices are incredibly low! Browsing through it is a really nice way to spend a morning or afternoon. read more

So don't get me wrong. I LOVE the idea these people are working with. But their selection is next to none, the pickings were slim. And when I asked the guy for help at the front, he A. Treated me like a burden. B. Told me they used no inventory system. So how are they supposed to help us at the chance of looking for a book they might have. But now that I think of it, it wasn't like they have a lot there to begin with. read more

My boyfriend found a book he has been looking for here. Cute little place and good prices. The shop itself is indoor, and there is a parking structure by near the building. read more

Thoreau Bookstore is like no other (that I have visited). Considering that all of their book selection has been donated to them, it's remarkable that they have so many titles including classics, cooking, romance, mystery, thriller, biography, history, and more! The bookstore itself is affordable and the aesthetics of the store are hip enough for the Claremont Village. The staff (comprised mostly of volunteers) are fun, helpful, and always delicate with concerns. Besides this store being a wonderful place to hang-out, all donations (monetary, textual, or anything else. e.g. furniture), as well as purchases are donated to maintain the Prison Library Project: a program dedicated to providing nationwide inmates with reading material, educating them and providing them with opportunity to not only better themselves, but prepare them for a positive readjustment into civilization upon their (possible) return. There aren't many bookstores that can say that about their reputation. read more

This place is a good mine! It's cheaper thrift stores. They have many books to choose from and they're all very organized! Brenda is also amazing, she's so sweet. She saw me holding books and offered to bring them to the table so I won't have to carry them while I kept looking. And then she noticed I had allergies, so she gave me a water bottle. I was so touched. Thank you for the amazing customer service. It just makes me love this place even more! read more

awesome used book store! organized selection with new offerings coming in all the time, super friendly volunteers, amazing prices, goes to a good cause. donate here, buy here - a great place to swing by. read more

This is a wonderful organization! PLP sends FREE books to prison inmates to help improve literacy (most prisoners read at a 3rd grade level) which reduces recidivism and improves public safety. PLP's used bookstore is a treasure, and the store's proceeds pay for mailing expenses and for buying selected new books (like dictionaries) which are in high demand. Everybody wins! read more

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Great little bookstore nestled in the Claremont packing house. They have adopted the "prison library project" which involves sending books to prison inmates. You can drop off books here if you want to donate. They also sell used books - hard cover and paperback for pretty cheap. Their availability of books is limited - they don't have everything a regular bookstore would have. But you can come across some awesome find which are cheap. read more

Very comfy, spacious, well-stocked used bookstore. Can't believe I didn't know about this before; can't wait to come back and spend more time! Right around the corner from Eureka Burger in the packing house; everyone complains that Eureka is always a long wait... now I know where I can wile away the hours. Glad I came here with friends who are more well-read than I am (worst English major ever). They snagged me two paperbacks from the Fiction shelf that I am now very excited to dig into (Everything Matters, and Special Topics in Calamity Physics)! read more

Just discovered this place and love it! Great selection of books and great prices! I will definitely be back again and again! Two thumbs up

Extremely terrible customer service all over. Worst bookstore ever! Do NOT waste your time and money here. Oh & skip their Writers' Workshop: I've been a member for almost a year and half the time, Honestly, I was Bored out of my mind. It's a joke that Only a few of them are published Writers. They know what they are saying but they don't even do what they are saying. I call them wussy Writers. All of them write crap I do NOT even want to read! I'll say That much. If I have to write this: then, I was just doing what I had to do to get by my first complete Novella with another member's help who i never asked for help from since the beginning of the year. They claim they've been around for eight years yet not many of them have a signed contract w/an agent. Mark my words. Went for my first complete project, that's all that mattered. read more

Love this place so much! They have great great prices on their books, you cannot beat it! They are having their $1 sale going on right now on the WHOLE store. I went Thursday and Friday because I could not pass it up. I also love that I am supporting their prison project. I love just digging for treasure here, keep it up guys! read more