I almost don't want to review this place because I'm afraid of having to share the third floor with anyone else. You'll need at least half a day to even understand the layout of these books, and another couple days to attempt to sort through them all. The store is incredibly peaceful, which is important because you'll need to not be preoccupied with any external sounds in order to understand how the books are arranged. (Good luck!) There may not be a rhyme to it at all, and for all I can presume, maybe there's even a house elf buried amongst the shelves. Doesn't matter. Go check it out, if only for the $1.00/book tables scattered around. This was a totally unexpected find in downtown and I am so excited to stop in regularly. Thanks, Ohio! read more

Ohio Book Store - third floor fiction - Bookstores Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Pretty much any book lover can appreciate the Ohio Book Store downtown, and here's why: at first glance from the outside the bookstore doesn't look all that big, but then you go in there are books literally from the ceiling to the floor...and then there is a basement and couple other floors as well. What may look like a simple bookstore from the outside is actually a very big store with a ton of used and vintage books. Ohio Book Store has a lot of Cincinnati and Ohio History books, as well as those on Kentucky and the Ohio River. The bookstore also has a ton of genres on the different floors including Science, Mystery, Science Fiction, Natural History, Biography, World War One and World War 2, American History, Foreign Languages, Foreign History, Juvenile, Fiction, Literature, Religion, Philosophy, and Psychology. Even though the books are used and/or vintage, there are definitely some great reads in the Ohio Book Store. For those less into the traditional books, there are also cook books, old comic books, and an extensive collection of vintage magazines. There were a ton of old Life magazines, most priced around $5, and even a selection of old Playboys for the customer who doesn't find it awkward bringing those to the register (I bet they don't sell too many of those!). They have other magazines as well including archived Sports Illustrateds, while the Ohio Book Store also sells some postcards and offers book binding services on the basement floor. Overall I think the Ohio Book Store is a neat store and I love the old-fashioned look: shelf on top of shelf covered in books with several ladders propped up against them in order to reach the really high books. If you are looking for Buckeye State history it is a great store, but if you are a big fan or collector of old magazines and other books then it is also a really neat place. read more

Ohio Book Store - Bookstores Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

See all

This is what an book store is supposed to look and feel like. Endless shelves of mostly well organized books stacked to the ceiling. Currently my favorite old book store in the city as many of the others are struggling or have recently closed. They have a great art book selection of antique and more recent books. There is a nice collection of old magazines which I occasionally peruse for items to add to my still life paintings. I needed some old Hot Rod magazines for a painting idea and they had boxes from the 50s to now for reasonable prices. There is a basement and two upper floors filled with books and periodicals. If youve never been, fill the parking meter and set aside some time. They often have cheap deals out on the street with books and catalogs for sale for a huge discount. The staff is friendly and will help you if they can. Obviously they have so much, its tough to ask for something specific, but they can point you in the right direction. read more

Ohio Book Store - Second floor filled with old books. - Bookstores Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Don't take a trip to the Ohio Bookstore unless you've got a good deal of time on your hands. Their book collection is so extensive and amazing that you may find yourself getting lost. The first floor is filled with the newer and more exciting selections. Lots of local books about the city are located here too. I personally find myself getting lost upstairs much more easily than downstairs. The foreign language floor has a special draw for me. I used to come here after school some days with friends and we would waste our afternoon looking at books that were published in the mid to late 1800's. It's a wonder that some of these books haven't been placed in a museum! This bookstore is a little known treasure in this fine city! read more

Growing up addicted to books you would think I would have found this place sooner. Even now my experience is limited to one frantic lunch hour browsing the occult section for a rare, out of print book by Aliester Crowley at a ridiculously low price. A friend saw it and suggested I make the purchase. Inside the luxurious scent of old paper and ink fills your head and before you know it you've taken over a hour and a half for lunch. The first floor alone would take me months to peruse completely, touching every cover, pulling out interesting titles and rescanning shelves for the not so uncommon diamond in the rough. With five floors to cover you may want to use up some vacation days. The man behind the counter was somewhat slow to help, maybe my cheap business attire and slightly sweaty brow didn't impress but he did try to help me. He also tried to convince me that the title I sought was not on the shelf but after 45 minutes I spotted it myself. I also picked up an old, hard-bound collection of Algernon Blackwood's ghost tales. Hopefully someday soon I will find the time to immerse myself in the second floor. Keep your eyes peeled for the green awning with white letters across the front. The store, which sits next to a small local grocer is easily missed. Insider note: If you are a collector of rare books and are interested in restoring any damaged title ask about their book binding services. This is a rare and antiquated business, you can read more here: http://citybeat.com/2005-01-12/news2.shtml read more

I love this place! I could spend hours walking and discovering all sorts of interesting books. Their selection of leather-bound books is impressive. You never know what you'll find. read more

Even though I don't think I could ever actually SHOP for a book here outside of the small sci-fi/literary paperback section in the basement (where do you even start looking?), browsing the many floors of books was fun. I love the the building, the architectural touches, the stacks and stacks of crazy-old books, the wall of Nat Geo's going back to something like 1919. It was pretty romantic to be looking out the windows with my husband--windows so old that they're wavy--alone in a dim room behind long rows of books. (We were appropriate, don't worry.) I would love to spend a day digging for hidden gems here. Some of the books on the upper floors--many of them--look old and forgotten. Who knows what you could find there? read more

Really interesting place, the staff were kind and engaging and the place was PACKED with books. Very reasonable prices, hours of books to look through and browse. Such a cool hidden gem in Cincinnati. Be sure to visit if you like vintage and used books. read more

The first time I went to Powell's in Portland, I was sure bookstores were the closest thing you could find to a religious experience. So when I passed by Ohio Book Store and saw the "five floors of books" sign, I thought I'd found my very own hometown holy ground. But-- I hate to say it-- the place was a total disappointment. To begin with, I have an obsession with floor to ceiling bookshelves, so I have to admit that visually the place is a major turn on. And I can appreciate the appeal of vintage books, so there's that. But my problem was the lack of variation. Every book was ancient, which only does so much for me. I mean, everything in the poetry section was written pre-Great Depression. I can dig that, but it doesn't pique my curiosity enough for me to want to come back. read more

It's a paradise for readers. Best book store in Cincinatti. I could just spend hours and hours there, fascinated by so many books.

This bookstore specializes in rare and vintage publications. Very dense inside, vet helpful and knowledged staff. If you can't find it, ask. They know where everything is in there and it would take days to sift though everything on one's own. read more

I could not believe the number of books in the place - out of print, first editions, and just some very unique ones. I spent about 30 minutes walking around and I could have spent an entire day in here. I walked away with a couple of reprints on the old Cincinnati Streetcars (my great grandfather was a conductor and I wanted to learn more) and a reprint of an illustrated book on Cincinnati from 1898. I will definitely be back because there is definitely a lot to explore! read more

Everything a book store should be - treasure trove and oasis. A place to lose yourself awhile. Great selection and some fine, rare historical artifacts. read more

A Cincinnati must see. Very few books stores of this magnitude still exist. This place is a must visit for the book lover or anyone who loves unique experiences. I love taking people from out of town, or even locals to this rare gem. read more

This is truck loads of treasure. From the basement to the 3rd floor, it covers all genres and offer great prices on all the good books. The love the guy at the counter shares for books is amazing. It is a great place to buy books. read more

The prospect of going beyond the first floor was too daunting for me! Nothing I encountered on the ground level made me confident that it was worth climbing a deserted, partially exterior and crumbling stairway to reach the upper levels. And I'm a bibliophile of full proportions!!! Furthermore, the bookseller seemed uninterested in assisting me. I'm sorry to say that I won't return. read more

Website says they buy old books and to call. Person who answered phone was completely unwilling to talk about what they would buy. I have at least 50 old books that I'm looking to sell. read more

So many floors! I easily spent 2 hours here. The prices are great and there is a huge variety!

My family, Paternal and Maternal resided at 831 west 5th street from late 1920`s until death or the mid 1960`s. I left the area at age 4. I am interested in photos etc. of the area. JOHN read more

One of my favorite places in Cincinnati. The proprietors are knowledgeable and helpful. The place has a good selection of used books.

As an old soul and someone who is enthralled with history, the Ohio Book Store is a dreamboat of a place. Four floors (including the basement) of vintage books on top of books on top of books and then depending on which way you turn, more books. The place itself overwhelms you with that old book smell and a bit of dust. It's in some ways like a record store for books, in the sense that, the books are passed down from person to the bookstore. On the main floor, there was an abundance of Cincinnati/Ohio historical books/records, mixed with old vintage magazines from Time magazine to other outdated publications. The second floor consisted of books by country as well as books about U.S. Presidents, world languages, and world religions. The third floor was dedicated to poetry, playwrights, and historical fiction with almost an entire wall of nothing but old National Geographics dating back to the 1930's. The basement had anywhere from re-issues of old classics, historical crime, sheet music, how-to for instruments, and old vintage Sports Illustrated's dating back to the early 1950's. If you're a book lover, history nerd, or just looking for a cool place to hang for a few hours while downtown, I highly recommend the Ohio Book Store, the fuzzy feeling alone while in there is worth your time. read more

This is an amazing store. There is a selection of books you can not find anyplace else. It is a little known treasure of the city. They stock a wide variety of old books and Cincinnati based books but has so much more if you are a book lover. They also can do restoration of old books and rebind books. I inherited a set of old books which was the complete works of Edgar Allen Poe (old meaning 150 years old), they had never been taken care of and I wanted to see about preventing them from deteriorating more. I took them there, since they are not first additions I was told it was not worthwhile having them try to fix them since the starting price was $40.00 a book for repairing (this set was 5 books), but they did make recommendations on what I could do to repair them myself and prevent further damage. This ending up only ended up costing me $5.00 there, but that was just because I bought some cream they had that will condition the leather, I asked them what they had to do this and I figured they probably had they best stuff for books. I may have actually spent the money for them to repair the books, it if they had not told me it was not worth me paying them to fix them. It is so nice to deal with people that are honest and really love books. read more

One of the most disappointing used bookstores I've encountered. It is a huge, five floor collection, but shockingly bad selection in terms of titles and book condition. It appears that the majority of the literature collection comes from libraries, complete with library bindings and call numbers. Even ignoring the condition of the books, you won't find much real literature, mostly popular and recent authors. It's a beautiful, historic building, and I had high hopes for the place, but it was deeply disappointing. I've never encountered such a low wheat-to-chaff ratio. Those looking for history, non-fiction, and particularly regional books may find it very satisfying. However, if you're looking for literature, go to Duttenhoffer's bookstore. read more

Quality bookbinding! My husband had a 1954 Russian cookbook rebound here, and the cookbook came back in beautiful, high-quality shape--section-sewn with a gold-stamped cover and spine. They took the time to talk to my husband in order to accurately translate the title of the cookbook into English, and they collected the miscellaneous scraps of paper added to the cookbook over the years and tucked them inside the front of the book after it was rebound. I've never been here (the cookbook was a Christmas present), but the workmanship of their bookbinding is fabulous. read more

Many reviewers mention Ohio Books Store as a place to "kill time." I consider this a destination book store. If you want best sellers, you can always go to one of the typical book stores. This one is a place to go and enjoy yourself. The Cincinnati historical information is priceless. And there are many photos and posters. read more

I have been a patron of the Ohio Bookstore since 1963. It is a marvelous experience. A good deal of my education came from that place. When I first came into the store in 1963, there was an old man who ran it, and it was choatic but lots of fun. Today it is more scientific in its filing system but still a job to be in it. Make sure that you have plenty of time to spare when you go there because it is totally consuming. read more

I was pretty pumped about checking this place out, but it ended up being a let-down. The place smells like someone's grandmother's musty attic. And that's the feeling I got while in the store. I felt almost somewhat closed in by all the piles of books and floors that were not organized enough for me to find anything. I have to admit that I am not a collector of old texts or magazines. I read classics and contemporary fiction, but the history of the actual papers in front of me does not compel me to spend excessive amounts of cash. If a more recent edition is out and considerably cheaper, that's where my money will go. However, I brought my mom, and she is all about collecting older books and even she was underwhelmed by the place. She was able to buy a couple editions of Life magazine from back in the day to give to family members for Christmas presents. I'm not saying this is a bad place to go, it's just not the book store for me. read more