While taking a stroll through Andersonville, I stumbled upon Rattleback Records. I had only…read moreintended on going in to check for one album but ended up exploring the store and combing through their records for nearly an hour! There were so many incredible gems to be found, spanning every single genre. I ended up purchasing a couple of James Taylor records, a Bad Bunny record, Hilary Duff and an obscure country music record. They also had a very thick guide to the town of Andersonville available for free which I found just totally awesome. It was jam packed with info about a ton of local restaurants, activities and local events. The staff here were super knowledgeable, happy to help and downright great. I felt very happy to have found this gem of a place and will def be back the next time I'm in town.

Cool record store!!! Organized well, easy to maneuver around, spacious aisles, and fun vibes. They…read moresell record players too. Very nice collection. I wanted to buy so many things but I behaved and only bought two records. I'll definitely be back for more. They have some seating too, which was nice because I needed a moment to deliberate. Fun find!!

Spent a lifetime in the world of vinyl and I can definitively say Squeezebox knows what they are…read moredoing. From variety to quality to customer service, they tick all the boxes above and beyond.

This place is a gem. I came in with some CD's to shed and they were so helpful. I wandered through…read morethe store for a few minutes as they went through my box. They have a lot of albums and CD's. It's well organized and the staff are everywhere but not intrusive or nosy. There if you want to ask a question. Not to try to get you to buy something. After a few minutes they paid me and I took the remaining CD's to Goodwill. They also buy used books. Super great to have in the neighborhood.

Really cool people here who will find what you're looking for if they don't have it for a fair…read moreprice. Movie buffs also!

Round trip is a great record store. The owners are super friendly and knowledgeable. They're the…read moretype of guys who will sit and talk about music for hours. They have a great selection, with everything from pop hits to weirdo free jazz. There's really something for everyone. The prices are good too! Go check it out and support local business!

I had a great experience shopping at Animal Records recently while visiting Evanston. I stopped by…read moreshortly after closing, and the owner Greg said "come in, as long as I'm here you can come in" even though it was after six. He was working on the window display. He found a Leon Russell "Hank Wilson's Back" vinyl album I had been looking for that was somehow in the country section! He knows his music, and turned me on to a CD collection that they bought with all kinds of great discs for reasonable prices. If you want to listen to a record or CD they can play them for you. The doggie Pogo is super friendly and they have treats to give him. I will be back for sure next time I am in town, so glad Evanston has a great record store again, it was sad after 2nd Hand Tunes closed. I also met Mary, Niko and Neil and they are all great folks!

It's funny to say, but this is a "new" records store. They were playing some 60s jazz when I came…read morein so I was immediately feeling welcome. Unlike most stores with retro content, the workers were young and friendly. Maybe it's an overgeneralization but I usually expect any antique technology store to employ anti-social experts which is usually just fine with me. I would rather someone know their stock and the answer to by esoteric questions rather than someone with a fun personality. However, these two were very nice, and did seem to know pertinent stuff, and tolerated me singing along (badly) with the LP they were playing.. I got four old CDs, one which I just almost bought for $20 on Amazon for $2.00 TOTAL.

I was in the area and wanted to spend sum money on vinyl records. Whoops! I had to pump my…read morebrakes. They sold off their inventory. I missed the sale the had...a box of albums for $10 then gave the rest out for free. I did find a rare pressing of Dee Lite's classic World Clique for $45. The guy that runs it always cool, informative. Tho I will miss the prior setup I will drop by from time to time. Good luck guys on your new direction.

I have purchased stereo equipment and cd/ LP formats. I have also returned equipment shortly after…read morearrival when it did nit fit as expected. Grat service and professional help. No qualms about dealing with them in the future,

Great vibes and a nice selection of furniture, miscellaneous things like Golden Girls tiki glasses…read moreand dishes, great books and organized electronics. I got some wall art. Knocked a star off because they organize clothes by color and not size, so if there's anything in my size in that store I never found it. - Mrs. Dan

Am I into resale shops No - But this space is cool. It used to be the former Calo Theater, a…read moreSpanish Baroque Revival Theater built in 1915. When you see the theater area - you'll feel how cavernous it is. There are still see some of the architectural details left from its original form. I do like the CD selection and the couch lounge is just so inviting. Plus it's hot and humid outside this midsummer fest in Andersonville and this place has AC. Also the people watching isn't bad they really have all kinds here.

Great staff, obviously guitar fans. Small establishment, but a nice selection of instruments, LPs,…read moreand even CDs. The guy who did some work on my guitars, Dan, was very professional and extremely polite. Check out this place--they deserve your business.

Actually called Elmhurst Records now. Small place but great selection and friendly staff. Go visit…read moreOzzy!

I've been to Amaranth a few times now, and each time I have been pleasantly surprised. I always see…read morean old book and a new book I want within ten minutes of walking in the door, but to avoid blowing all my money on books and forcing myself onto a diet of instant ramen and kool-aid, that's my limit per trip--one old book, and one new book. By "old," I mean one of many, many genuinely old books Amaranth has, in good conditions and for scandalous prices. I purchased a book of poetry published in 1920 for...drumroll...ten dollars. Not a torn page, not a dent in the cover, not a food spill to be found. I wouldn't call it mint condition, but it was in really great shape. On another visit, I found a book that was a little older, even, about the lyrebird. It just so happens that books about the lyrebird are not easy to come by, and I happen to love them. This book had photographs (black and white, but still), only one loose page, an embossed cover with no damage or flaking in the design, at a low, low price of $8. Regarding new books, I picked up a Sherman Alexie novel for $8 and a mid-90's edition of Anais Nin's "Little Birds" for $4. Again, there are no tears or stains in these books. I have my eye on a Diane Arbus biography that was published a couple of years ago for my next visit, and maybe an old-style illuminated prayer book that looks very pre-Renaissance but is actually from the early '70's and comes in its own slide-out box. You can't beat Amaranth for variety. They have books in several languages, a healthy little section of local history, books on travel, psychology, film, history, biography, and all manner of things, and mixed in with the old books are sometimes really unusual finds (like my book on the lyrebird). I was recently in with somebody who excitedly pulled something off a shelf, held it aloft, and exclaimed, "Ooh, Star Wars!" On another visit, I was all alone in the shop until a mother came in and found her favorite childhood book so that her little girl could enjoy it too. They might not have as many literary journals or last month's best-sellers like Myopic, but here's something that makes up that difference for me: as far as I can tell, if a book is damaged, it goes on the $1 shelf. I don't mean damaged as in, the binding is coming undone and ten pages are missing, because Amaranth doesn't sell books like that. I mean damaged as in, this is a somewhat new book that already looks a little old because of a scuffed cover or something like that. Other book stores will sell multiple copies of the same book, in varying conditions, at the same price. You won't be charged $18 for something that's in bad shape here. Instead, anything that's not in pretty good shape costs one measly dollar. Nice! Of course, this policy means the owner has to be a little discriminating. He can't pay you top dollar for everything you bring in; the store would close if it became one big dollar shelf. Some people can't understand that and get irritated because they want to fund production of a motion picture from the sale of some old Steven King novels or something nutty like that. Don't worry about those people. If you're a customer and actually need help finding something, the owner is wonderful. For example, I asked him if he knew what Sherman Alexie books were in the store, because Alexie writes novels, short stories, drama, poetry, autobiography, and probably something else besides that I haven't discovered yet. If the man also wrote travelogues and horticultural guides, I wouldn't be surprised to find out about it. Anyhow, rather than letting me comb the whole store, the owner said, "I know for a fact we have one of his novels, right...HERE." He pulled it off the shelf for me and the way I was smiling, you could probably see every tooth in my mouth. In addition to being helpful, the owner has also been nothing but friendly to me. I'd like to see a few more newer books, as in, from the past five years, but I'm happy going to Myopic for those, for now. I know I can always come to Amaranth and find a wonderful antique book, possibly on an esoteric subject, in great shape for a great price. Since I can go to Border's and pay only $2-$5 more for a new book than Myopic charges, the premium is really on good old books for me. I'm not trying to put Myopic down; I only want to distinguish between the various qualities and features of the different options available to book buyers. Also, if there's a heaven and I go to it when I die, I hope it smells like Amaranth.

What listings and notices fail to mention is that Amaranth's selection of rare/used books is…read moreinexpensive, in some cases surprisingly so. Thumbing through some mid-19th century curiosity it comes as a shock to discover such a seeming rarity priced at under $5!

What a cozy bookstore in lincoln square! I decided to lurk here for a few hours while waiting to…read morego to the airport. They serve drinks but no food, due to losing their food distribution license during COVID. Jerry's is right across the street though and they allow outside food into the bookstore. There is a few nice tables in front of the cafe, and then a cozy nook with armchairs to read at. The bookstore itself is well stocked with all types of books. There isn't a huge diversity of books in my opinion, but a lot of YA fiction, more popular/recent books, and a good sized chunk for romance (heated rivalry, Ali Hazelwood books, etc.) There is a small comic books section, yoga/cookbooks section, puzzlebooks section, etc. The selection is a little more curated than you would find at a Barnes and nobles for instance, and I think it's skewed more toward fiction. John Green wrote Looking for Alaska in this bookstore! I really liked the little placards placed by many of the books, so you can really feel like you're getting personal recs from bookstore workers. The employees were chill and super kind. There are also two single stall bathrooms available. We chilled for many hours in the nook with no problems. I loved the books I found and ended up purchasing two, in addition to a few cute souvenirs. Lincoln square is also a great area to wander around!

Grabbed coffee and browsed books on a pleasant winter Sunday. Lots of options for all the…read moredifferent types of readers. Vibe was community -oriented and family friendly. Good coffee!! Purchased a few post cards here too. Loved the art!