The way brick and mortar bookstores are dwindling these are becoming unicorns. I have to admit that the last few books I bought were all online - one because it was independently published and no bookstore carried it - but the other two I didn't even bother looking after that first hunt. We need to support these bookstores. Let them know what you want and they might hear you for next time. I liked the cards and other items they had in stock too. Its great to pick up before you make a decision. Right now I have a few books in my 'to read pile' and once those are finished I will come back here for some more. Great to have this in the neighborhood. read more

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A really good bookstore in Downtown Berkeley!! I came in here looking for a calendar, and ended up browsing through the books. It's a classic old school style bookstore, with very friendly people working here. I didn't spend as much time in here that I wanted to, definitely have to come here again!! read more

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This is a nice cute store with a nice cute selection. It's not as big or as extensive as others and the book categories have a lot fewer books, but just coming in and looking around is quite nice. I forget about them, because they are on the edge of the action, but I have bought stuff here and it's been good. The people who work there are nice and knowledgeable. That goes a long way. And while nothing beats their annual calendar shindig, they do have little gems. You just have to look hard for them. They are also much nicer when they are going though your books to buy them. Ahhh, to have someone turn you down without telling you how old your books are and insulting you in the process. Insulting, because I am a book nerd and they talk about my books as if I've messed all over them on my way to the sale. Not a chance. But these people are quite nice, and I'm sure that's why they will still be around when the other store is gone! read more

How many books can u read. How much sushi can u eat How many Sundays do u go to church How many houses can u buy read more

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It's always great to see bookstores in Berkeley, and Pegasus is one of the few left. I came here to support Ellie Yang Camp when she had an author event here to promote her book "Louder Than the Lies: Asian American Identity, Solidarity, and Self-Love." As the audiobook narrator of the book, it delighted me to see her host an event in the East Bay, and what better than a bookstore right by our mutual alma mater, UC Berkeley? The staff was really wonderful and were happy to engage in conversations about their bookstore and offerings. My friend who came with me even asked about potentially joining their book club. As we walked out the bookstore, a book on motorcycles caught my eye on their $1.00 cart outside, so I snatched that book, ran back inside, and purchased it. A gem of a bookstore! read more

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When I'm in Berkeley, this bookstore is pretty much the same. It's laid-back and always stocked with everything you might need. You might even find something you weren't specifically looking for. I like that. They're old-fashioned--still using paper, no apps to download for discounts. On this visit, I picked up a cookbook and a magazine. October is triple points month, so stop by and pick up a book. read more

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This is a fantastic little store. I stopped by here on a whim one day and was browsing their "metaphysical" section, when I noticed a number of old and rare books in their display counter. The employee at the counter (I believer her name was Hannah, but I could be wrong) was extremely helpful with my browsing, and the deal that they gave me for the books that I purchased was amazing. I also corresponded with Jack, who was very helpful in finding an item which was not on display. Everyone was really nice and helpful at the store, and the price I paid for what I purchased was extremely reasonable. They were even willing to give a little wiggle room for some of the more expensive books (which probably wouldn't have sold for years anyways), so that's always nice. Thanks y'all! read more

I love this bookstore! They have a great calendar sale, and it's perfectly located so you can pick up something to read before boarding the BART. read more

I could spend hours in Pegasus Books. When I worked in Berkeley, it was my favorite place to spend my lunch breaks. Amazing book selection and really friendly staff. Also super LGBTQ+ friendly! read more

Varied, well-organized, and reliable! Can always count on Pegasus to have a myriad of new books that actually pique my interest! The store is very clean and well-organized. Only wish they had more resale books to choose from! I especially like their critical/radical studies selection and their philosophy, spirituality, and personal development sections! I definitely spent a couple hours in the store deciding on what books to get because there were too many ones that sparked my curiosity!! Also, shout out the employees for helping me find the nearest public restroom; there are none in the store but one very nearby if you ask (: read more

When traveling I always Google "best bookstores" during my research/planning so naturally Pegasus Books popped up as a must visit in Berkeley. Oddly enough, I walked right past it on my last quick trip to the city without realizing! This time, I scored a parking spot right out front and stepped into the indie bookstore stocked with both new and used books. I was thrilled to find a used copy of Ocean Vuong's latest bestseller, The Emperor of Gladness. Prices were fair, staff were patient and warm, and the browsing experience was delightful. Nothing like the smell of a great bookstore. It's definitely the kind of shop that makes you want to sit and read - highly recommend! read more

Awesome blind book options! Stick to the one you feel called to, I guarantee it will surprise you.

The outside of this building is so cute and modern with all the large windows. I enjoyed seeing multiple of genres so it felt like a maze trying to see what was offered at this bookstore! The workers here were so nice too! read more

Pegasus Books Downtown - Bookstores Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I pre-ordered Mark Danielewski's "Tom's Crossing" from this bookstore and when I did so, I left a comment in the order to pack some art overlays that may come with the pre-order, and an employee, Kali, responded that they'll include the overlays as well as some blurbs written by another employee, Bee, which i really enjoyed reading, by the way! It's obvious the workers here love to read and appreciate their customers, and I love coming by another MZD fan as well! Come shipping day, and I get another email informing me they received signed copies, and they'd pack it for me!! I would give them 6 stars if I could, FOR SURE. I'm SO excited to read this book. It arrived a day after shipping but granted, I do live somewhat nearby. read more

Pegasus Books Downtown - Bookstores Near Me - Berkeley, California

This is one of those great bookstores you can immediately tell will be a hard-to-leave treat. It's got a pretty radical selection, new and used. Heavy on the social theory, which I'm always in search of, but I can tell there are plenty of other well-rounded genres available too. Some hard to find books, two of which we bought. This isn't a frilly place that's trying to give you an emotional experience. It's a solid, fantastic bookstore with very friendly employees, a broad and eclectic selection, and high value. read more

I come by here every once in a while, and I went here yesterday to browse before the board game night I run at Berkeley library West branch. I still love all of the different sections of books, some that you expect, and some that made me grin (like the direct action section!) The books are reasonably priced and well organized, and they have a little bit of a lot of different things which is fun if you aren't looking for something in particular. The staff were very friendly and helpful as well! read more

I have shopped here plenty of times and they have a good selection of books. The people there are also really nice and help you find the best read. read more

Excellent boos store in an easy location to get to. Not just latest books but good staff recommendations. Local bookstore that has an appropriate wide variety to give anyone what they are looking for in the area. Easy to go into Persia g mode and talk away with a number of good selections s each time. Love that the offerings are wide in scope. And the book bags have great patterns. You will find one you can't resist. read more

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Lovely staff that knows where every book is - love visiting here. We always leave intellectually enriched and pocket poorer

The cashier was extremely rude. Initially, I thought the store was lovely and was feeling happy after browsing and picking out a few things I liked. I brought my items to checkout and this was where it went downhill. When it was my turn at checkout, the energy from the cashier was immediately off. He was rough handling my items at checkout. When he finished ringing me up, he pushed my books toward me and left me standing there. Still not a word said. It took me a second to register that with that motion, the transaction and interaction was done, according to him. He didn't have to be overly chipper or bubbly. I used to work in customer service as well, and I understand that there are bad days and difficult customers. However, I didn't do a thing to offend him (unless he gets offended by smiles and greetings?). I was quietly browsing the books, didn't ask any questions, and took my items to checkout. I believe there should be a bare minimum level of politeness people should maintain toward each other. He had white hair, was elderly, and wore a gold band on his right hand. I left with such a sour taste in my mouth and felt disheartened leaving the store. I won't be back solely based off the service. It's a bummer because the store itself and the selection are great. read more

Great independent book store vibe with a decent collection of books, cards, and gifts.

Great service and great selection for being a smaller bookstore. You can find nicely priced stuff especially if you take the time to go through their discount books out front; I've gotten some decent books that way for 99 cents. Also, online ordering is easy. They keep you updated throughout your order process and choosing to pickup in-store saves you extra on that delivery fee. Staff is patient and helpful, shoutout to Kali for keeping me updated on my order :) read more

Love coming here to browse around for next-reads & gift ideas, which I can always find. There's also a section for local books/authors. read more

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Picked up a calendar here this year. Mostly bought books at this location over the years. They also sell cool magazines.

Such a cute book store!!! I love the carts outside with heavily discounted books. Found 2 completely new hard cover books for $5. There's also a sale section inside with half off books. Love the selection and prices here! read more

Pegasus Books Downtown - Bookstores Near Me - Berkeley, California

I love the book store . It's so much fun to read and learn and enjoy the books I suggest that you come to this place

Loved it here so happy I stopped in! They have a little of everything and the pricing is so good for used books. I bought 3 books, if I didnt need to leave for another event i would have been here hours honestly and would have def left with more books! I live in Palo Alto but next time I'm in Berkley I will def be making time to stop by! Staff/service was helpful and polite and it was just an overall nice vibe read more

Pegasus Books Downtown - Bookstores Near Me - Berkeley, California

The service was good, and the value was fair. I will definitely go back again. The parking was challenging but as long as you pay for enough time on your meter you will be fine to browse at Pegasus! read more

Sometimes you just have to pick up a book, flip the pages, and look at the price before you go to your Amazon app and order it at discount. Isn't that the typical bookstore experience these days? It's a pity for mini-indie chains like Pegasus who have survived in their consistent service and sheer grit. This is the sunniest of the three bookstores and the corner location makes it particularly inviting on a lazy Saturday when you still have elbow room to browse with conviction, even in the wide open section where all the leftover calendars are on display well into 2019. Bring your boxes of used boxes in if you want to make a last run at a few shekels for your past purchases. RELATED - Browsing for books? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2Hteupo read more

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You could spend half of my life here. The books are in good condition and they have an excellent selection of books of all different genres. The staff is very friendly. If you love books you will enjoy this place! read more

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I love any brick and mortar bookstore because there are so few left. I don't think we'll ever see those giant Barnes & Noble type stores anymore but stores like this are great. I'm so glad this is still around. Been coming here for years when I'm in the area. Keep supporting your local bookstore. read more

I have a special affinity for bookstores w/ cats as Pegasus Books in Downtown Berkeley has a resident cat so 5 stars for that alone. I have long been a cat person. There are a few bookstores in the Bay Area w/ resident cats such as Aardvark Books in San Francisco's Castro neighborhood. The first bookstore I saw w/ a resident cat was in the Pacific NW in Seattle where I was traveling back in 2003 coming across a bookstore there w/ a resident cat. In these Modern Times of Bobby Digital it is great to see bookstores still holding it down as Berkeley has quite a few stellar bookstores including here. Smart & well curated selection of books here from New books to Used ones. They even have a selection of signed & first edition collectibles for all you fan boys. One that caught my eye was a signed first edition of the late BKS Iyengar's memoir "Light on Life". Iyengar is probably one of the greatest yoga teachers in the 20th century. I met Iyengar at his Iyengar Institute in Pune, India a few years back as I was checking out his personal library where students there were studying & he was working on his 24th book. He said hi & later sneezed which I though was cool! I also saw Iyengar give a keynote address at the Yoga Journal Conference in Estes Park, CO back in 2005. I love the Eastern Religion & Eastern Philosophy books here as that genre is of particular interest to me. They also have a great selection of staff picks that adds a nice personal touch. The local books here are quite alright w/ walking tours of Berkeley & hikes etc. They have a Music section w/ Vinyl, cassette tapes, & a large smart selection of CDs that are organized in alphabetical order as Spotify doesn't offer liner notes or booklets! Besides the friendly staff, resident cat, awesome books, & music I especially like the vibe of the store as it features clippings from Oakland Sports teams such as the Warriors & Raiders along w/ cool collectibles on the wall including a stellar Gary Snyder signed by the nature poet Gary Snyder. Gary Snyder was immortalized as Japhy Ryder in Jack Kerouac's classic Dharma Bums. Be sure to pick up a smart black t-shirt w/ a white winged Pegasus Horse on it along w/ Established in Berkeley in 1969 while here. Long live the bookstore. If you are a bibliophile or a book lover in Berkeley ....go!!!!!! read more

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If you decide to close early. Take down the times you are open in the window as online. I drove across town to support an independent books store and now I'll be purchasing elsewhere. Also why not just ask if I could make it quick? I knew what I wanted- and you would have made some money. Poor customer service- read more

Had a great experience here today! I called before coming to see if they had a romance novel I was super excited for that was just released today, and they did. Upon entering, the cashier recognized that I was a student and also gave me a small student discount which was very sweet since I hadn't even asked. They also had the cutest dog at the counter, which I know isn't necessarily part of a bookstore, but totally adds to the charm of the place. read more

A total gem of a bookstore downtown that seems perpetually busy! They have a nice variety of books - every genre from most recent best-seller to total obscure. I appreciate the local Bay Area section and I recently popped in to pick up a bday present for a little boy and they had a ton of kid options including a whole sale section (score!). Speaking of presents, although they don't wrap, they do offer free DIY gift wrapping. They have some calendars, gift cards and the sorts, but I would strictly go for the books! read more

Great selection of new and used books. Nice best sellers, kids, young adult, zines, comics. If you have the time, great to peruse their new used books section and the carts where they have cheap markdowns. Found two books in the used book sections that were newer releases, granted they're not that much cheaper, the hardcover was about $10 than the cover price, and the other one was $5 less than cover. But did find other awesome deals for less than $5. read more

Pegasus Books Downtown - Bookstores Near Me - Berkeley, California

5 stars just for the two cute cats in here. Honestly, sometimes I just go in to pet the cats and ignore the books. However, I do like it as a used bookstore. I came in to get a book of poetry for my own pleasure rather than for school and I discovered two precious cats instead. They're probably thought I was weird human for gawking and petting them, but they're just so adorable. But back to the books. The layout is pretty simple, but everything is sort of cramped together. One section is devoted entirely to kids (1/3 of the store), so it was a little awkward navigating around kids. But the staff were pretty nice and they also have a decent selection of new titles too. The books are decently priced and they have a great selection of poetry. I can't really say their other sections like philosophy are abundant, but since it's a small bookstore, I can't really fault them. Definitely check out Pegasus books to get cheap used books or just to enjoy the company of two beautiful cats. read more

Pegasus Books Downtown - Bookstores Near Me - Berkeley, California

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TL;DR great local book store I was on a quest to sell my collection of used college books, collected over 4 years. They accept only the recent/popular books under good condition. If no one else is interested in buying your books, they'll give you a decent offer. There was no wait to sell the books, and if there happens to be one, you have a lot to peruse through. There were a lot of calendars on sale since in was February. If you're looking for a novel for class, you will probably find it since students tend to sell their old class books here. read more

You could spend hours in here. Heck, I even spent 15 minutes here just trying to decide which birthday card to get! Needless to say, they have a plethora of books, gifts, and cards. I live nearby and it's my -go-to if I need a last minute card give that there aren't a lot of other options in the area. They have a large selection of reads (including new releases), and a ton of books with local focus (such as books on California plants and animals). There are always highly discounted booked out front, which is nice is you're on a budget but looking for a new read! read more

I'm a sucker for books! The boyfriend and I was in the area and decided to drop in and see what Pegasus Books had to offer. The layout of the store is organized. They offer a good variety of different genres, along with greeting cards, games, and little trinkets here and there. A lot of the items were priced fairly. We spent a good 30 minutes or so in the store. I can't comment about customer service, because I didn't encounter any staff members and really didn't have the need to. All in all, a chill bookstore in Berkeley. My favorite was the children's section. I came across a lot of cool kids books, as well as old throwbacks I used to read when I was like 6 years old. Happy reading! read more