I thought this store was a gem in the crown of the great used bookstores I've been to in my life. This medium-sized store was packed to the gills, but not overflowing with boxes on the floor and triple rows of books on shelves. The books were in very good condition, I happened to buy 4 of them, and they were all in mylar coverings and very reasonably priced. I was super impressed with the selection, not the size, perhaps, but the quality. There were a lot of things that made me pull them off the shelf and Other people mentioned the guy behind the counter. We greeted each other when I entered, and he was listening to the radio and talking to himself ("the French resistance saving Paris is the biggest myth in history", or something like that) but other than seeming a little strange, he wasn't unfriendly or unprofessional to me. I'm sorry others have had bad experiences here, but I will hop, skip, and jump back here on my next visit to Detroit for some quality used books for my collection. This is a place where you could find a great gift for somebody you really like. read more

The guy was super rude to me because my books were dusty. Next time I'll donate them to a library instead of collecting a piddly 5 dollars. It would have been one thing to just ask me to dust them or maybe just sarcastically ribbed me about it a little, but he was genuinely bitter about it! "Why clean them when you can just dump them on me?" he said. Like okay, I'm not perfect and didn't realize quite how dusty these old books are, but at the same time, maintaining the physical condition of books is part of YOUR job, my guy. I didn't need that crappy attitude. Hopefully one of the books I gave him has termites in them or something. Go somewhere else! read more

The only reason this place has such low ratings is because the owner is targeted for not adhering to particular political ideologies. If that doesn't deter you then coming here, as a book lover, researcher, or anyone involved in intellectual or literate pursuits, is one of the best decisions you could possibly make. This is a real bookshop. It's a relic from what you would have had easy access to in the 20th century and prior and that (sadly for our species) barely exists any longer. You're more likely to walk out with a first edition of some esoteric and forgotten knowledge than whatever you planned on finding when you walked in. You could spend hours just glancing through one row of shelves and still not even catch half of it. The books here are high quality, ranging from contemporary titles to 19th century (and probably beyond) originals. There's a bit of everything, from history and archaeology, to religion and spirituality, to music and cars, to novels and poetry, to travel and hobbies, to social matters and Jewish interests. If you like books, knowledge, or anything that could be found in a written text, you'll find it here. Apparently people dislike the owner. I have no idea why. He's brief, witty, and competent. Are people so accustomed to the fake smiles and creepy stalking you'd get at a Barnes & Noble that they've actually convinced themselves that this is real life? Or even desirable in any way? You won't find a retail worker pretending to like you in hopes of keeping a job or getting a tip here. Just a real man with a real mission and amenity. Location: 4* Convenience: 4* Service: 5* Product/quality: 5* Aesthetics: 5* read more

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So rude. I went in and spoke with David on three separate occasions about selling him books. He was OK. But then when I brought the books in and was talking to him about them, he turned from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde. Couldn't understand it. Just rude and snotty and short. I guess there's other bookstores open. I'll go to those. Incredibly disappointed. A real tool. read more

The owner is very charming! He was so helpful and very knowledgeable. A great place for that hard to find item.

This is a great bookstore. If you're looking for older, out of print books on history, mysteries, even some classic literature, you'll find it here at very reasonable prices. The owner can come off as a tad grumpy at times, but he clearly knows books. Also, in an earlier negative review, someone posted that he wouldn't buy books that were mildewed. Why would he? Anything I've purchased here was not damaged or mildewed. Great selection, very reasonably priced. I found everything I needed for a literature class, and it cost waaaay less than buying new. read more

The owner of this store is one of the worst people I've ever met. I went in with my wife and 2 year old toddler to sell some books. He made it very clear that it wasn't a kids store, so my wife took special care to make sure our toddler didn't touch anything while I went over the books with him. When he was getting ready to pay me, he mentioned that he'd appreciate if my kid stopped touching all of his books (which he was clearly not doing). I kindly told him that I changed my mind and would take the books with me. He then proceeds to lose it, yelling at me, my 8 month pregnant wife, and toddler. All for something that my kid wasn't even doing. I will never do business at this store, and many other reviews show similar experiences. The amount of people making off-hand comments about those of us leaving poor reviews is pretty wild. This man does not deserve anyone's business. read more

Located on busy Woodward with limited free parking in front. Inside is a medium sized storefront with tall bookcases crammed with used books. The subjects are clearly marked for each area. The books all appear to be in great shape. Large Sherlock Holmes section. Decent local area book section. The more rare/expensive books are near the front. The clerk was polite, if not friendly. Prices are okay. read more

Honestly, this bookstore should be rated higher than it is. The main point of discontent with reviewers is that the guy behind the counter comes off as aloof and cantankerous, but I guarantee he makes up for the lack of helpfulness with his knowledge of books. I have found him to be friendly and sometimes a bit snarky, which probably turns some customers away. This store has a lot of older titles, with a good mix of first editions and BCE. Everything is clean and well-priced. Although a small storefront, it is about average sized for independent bookstores, and there is a lot of variety with a little bit of everything for everyone in the family. There is no new book area, and the store is all used books. There is some turnover in the inventory to keep me coming by every few months. If you're in the area to look for used books, this place is worth a visit. read more

They have soooooo many books! The person working, who I assume is the owner, was also very helpful in showing me where some books I was looking for would be located. Very kind. I also had a nice conversation with him about the books I bought, two James Bond books. I will for sure be going back. Supporting local brick and mortar book shops makes me happy. read more

I've been coming here for at least the last 20 or 25 years. Great selection, well organized, good prices. I can always find something. I highly recommend this store. It's a gem, and I'm glad this used book store is still around. read more

This is probably the coolest book store I've ever been to. I'm not much of a reader, but my girlfriend is. We stopped by here on a whim and I had a great time. The store is well lit and the guy working there (I'm assuming the owner) seemed to be really interested in what he does. He even had a heated discussion on writers using present tense in history books with another patron while I was there. While other used book stores seem to focus on classics and being stuffy, this one embraces the kitschy and pulpy side of literature. There is indeed quite a bit of classic books, even a display case full of first runs which are very impressive, but also tons of pulp books from the sixties and seventies. The cover art is pretty awesome and reminds me of those dumb postcards hipsters send each other, only without the ret-con factor. The selection is really cool. There seems to be more sci-fi than anything. There's so many little subcategories. There's even a section on Free Masonry. Free Masonry! If you're looking for a kitschy gift, or even a used classic, definitely check this place out. Probably my favorite book store in the area. read more

Classic Book Shop - Bookstores Near Me - Royal Oak, Michigan

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This book store is amazing! All of the comments about the owner could not be farther from the truth. He was very kind and helpful when I walked in. He even discussed politics and the books I chose with me when I got to the counter. He seems very intelligent and incredibly dedicated. I bought two books and I plan on returning frequently. The books were a great price. Overall, such a great experience. Nice to be in a classic book shop and not Amazon or Barnes and Noble. It seems like the people who commented that he is rude clearly don't like his opinions which has nothing to do with his great business and his hospitality to customers. He really knows his stuff! Can't wait to go back read more

The man up front was INCREDIBLY RUDE. I have no interest in purchasing from a business that doesn't care about the way they interact with their customers. read more

The only reason I did not give a 5-Star rating to this place is because I like this store so well that I rarely visit other used book stores. That might seem counter intuitive; what I mean is that I might be missing out on a place that serves a scotch egg and a beer with every visit - I just haven't found that place yet. Classic Books is very well organized, with genres so specific that finding what you are looking for takes mere seconds. Even if you don't know what you're looking for until you find it. The prices are very fair. I saw in another review that they find the owner to be brusque, and I'm not sure if I would go that far. I find him to be blunt and opinionated yes, but knowledgeable enough to be confidant in sharing those opinions. He is a character - used book store owners should be at least a bit eccentric if they are in the right business! read more

Just got off the phone with this business and was literally dismissed and hung up on after trying to make conversation; asked about whether they took new books and was told "depends on the kind"... ok, I understand that, but when I mentioned it was a book-case worth of books, and I'd already been able to sell about half (the books I'm selling are brand new), He literally HUNG UP ON ME. I called back, trying to ask if they knew of any other place and got the classic "There's a lot of static, can't understand you, sorry try other stores" line. I had a perfectly clear connection. I will never go to this store, not if I'm going to be treated like that just trying to ask a question. read more

Probably the best used bookstore in the immediate area. Clean, organized, and well lit, and a good variety of books. The guy who runs it is on the leaner side of eccentric compared to other booksellers, but he is helpful and honest if you need help finding books. He is also very picky about buying books, which is good because it means he has better inventory, but is bad because customers get less for trade in. That said, when he gives trade in credit, he gives it generously: $1.50 for an old copy of Life of Pi and $5.50 for two old theology books. The books he has in stock are all well priced anyway, too, and he makes them even cheaper if they have issues like water damage or underlining. Most of the store is nonfiction: stuff on cars, history, philosophy, mythology and folklore, animals, and much more. His fiction is primarily sci-fi and horror, plus a lot of pulp stuff in bags (example: Sherlock Holmes vs. Dracula), and he has a decent amount of literature, not as much as I would like, but what he has covers all the usual bases, time periods, authors, regions, and the like. Overall, an awesome bookstore. read more

One of the best used book stores in the area. Unbelievable military history selection. I've almost never left empty handed. The owner is a bit of a misanthrope but that seems to go with the territory. He really knows his books but does not suffer fools gladly. read more

Terrible, rude person. I will never do business with him ever! I simply called to tell him that I had some quality literature to donate and he cut me off repeatedly, and barked at me as if I were being interrogated. read more

I'd passed by this bookstore hundreds of times over the years, always curious of what lay inside. Well, today I checked it out. The layout reminded me of the Dawn Treader shop in Ann Arbor, and in fact, the two shops seem to be under the same ownership. For what I was buying - paperback lit - the prices were really good, and the selection seemed to be especially geared to my tastes, which was pretty surprising. Anyhow, I found lots of good books, and would definitely recommend this place. read more

An interesting selection of books at fairly high prices. Reasonably well organized, reasonably clean, and managed by a guy who tends to go off unpredictably. Don't ask too many questions and you'll probably be okay. Probably. read more

Great used book store. If I'm looking for a particular book I call the store first to see if it's in stock. Then, when I get there, the owner quickly helps me find it. There are also plenty of books to browse through if you have more time. The owner can seem unwelcoming at first, but he is helpful and seems to truly respect the books and their condition. Take the place for what it is - I like it. read more

I've seen this store when I traverse Woodward and today went in because I'm moving and have a ton of books to sell. Dave Oyerly is the owner and he is a true book lover. His collection is nicely edited and he buys books. Feel free to bring in non-textbooks, no programming or condensed books, and no romance novels. Dave has a good eye and will buy them on the spot if he needs them and are in good condition. He has an extensive collection of Sci-Fi, literature, non-fiction and some erotica. He has 1st editions of literary giants such as Willa Cather. I found him very personable and his hours are good for being open 7 days a week. He loves books and has an interesting collection. I got a copy of Kingsley Amos' book Girl, 20 for $2.50 (in paperback.) Dave is not a 'book-snob' and has some comic books. He is a book lover who will repair books (for a fee) or give you an on-the-spot appraisal. OK, thought I would let you know about this little gem across the street from Art Van on 13M and Woodward. read more

Great bookshop. Always walk out with something. Just make sure to tiptoe around the fellow with the sideburns. He bites if you ask to many stupid questions, and don't play nice! read more

Yesterday I went into sell some old tennis books for cash. They had been sitting in my basement and were dusty and some were mildewed. The manager gave me a "dressing down on their condition." I had others that were in fairly good condition in the car but he said if they looked like that don't bother to bring them in. Those books represented a very important part of my life. He said the library won't even take them. I dropped them off at SOCCRA. This man should NEVER BE IN FRONT OF THE PUBLIC. read more

The man who runs this store is extreamly rude. I went in on two seperate occasions and each time he was horrible to deal with. Simply asking him a question about the price of a book when it was not clearly marked was enough to set him off. read more

Yeah, the guy who works there is a bit of a curmudgeon, but that's part of the place's charm. Moreover, he knows books. The store has a great selection, from rare literature to dog-eared mass print sci-fi to obscure subjects in non-fiction. They carry a lot of philosophy and religion. They have a few large shelves dedicated to Christianity and Jewish subjects, but their Islamic selection is limited to just copies of the Quran, which I found to be disappointing. Otherwise, pretty good book store. read more

The man who works here is so rude I would NEVER purchase/sell my books here ever again. I've never felt more disrespected by someone. I am honestly shocked he is still in business. I was told to "just WAIT for me would you??!!" in a rude and loud tone when I started unpacking my books that I brought to sell. And then he got upset that my light-as-a-feather lid to my tote container was leaning on these old books and shelves. First of all, it wasn't, it was leaning on my container, and second of all, seriously?! He also was wondering why I was selling my books and why I wanted cash instead of store credit. I told him why but he kept trying to get me to buy books. I understand he is trying to sell his inventory but I told him "I don't really read anymore and am trying to get rid of all my books." He was WAY too pushy about it and I felt so uncomfortable I left immediately. If you really need some old books this is the place but I could not stand the way I was treated. read more

I've been to Classic Book Shop many times, because it has an excellent selection and decent prices. I ding it one star, however, because the guy who runs the place can come off a bit brusque and unwelcoming. read more

Walked in the store with a few old books I had to sell. When I asked the man at the counter what they were worth he told me to wait a second when there was no one else in the store and he was playing with something. Then he looks at the books at says they are worth nothing. I then asked him what kind of books he was looking for then and he responds 'anything I don't have' when he said this I was shocked by the rudeness but I said 'Ok... does it depend on genre or like condition of the book' and he goes 'I'll say it again anything I don't have' when he said this I lost it, the audacity to treat a customer like this! I give his customer service a complete 0 and will never come back. read more