Incredible amount of used books, cozy ambiance, and great people! Could have spent multiple hours in Phoenix Books.

Cheap good Sure, the books are all over the place, but like this is a true bookstore got a lot of different variety. I found the language books near. I think the stairwell area or maybe it was near the door that had just a cloth over it in the room to the right I think it was just really cool to find some Egyptian books and geological section was just pretty big and when it's overfilled, it just has piles on the floor and it's its own thing which is just really cool I brought my friend with me and she felt like weird vibes from whoever was at the front desk, but I wasn't upfront there too long so I didn't feel or see that Some of the space gave like Fnaf feeling like the children's section with the LED light that's kind of faded. I think in like the slanted roof and just like the doorway with only a cloth over it and kind of a dark corner. Nothing really against that. Just kind of a creepy silly feeling. It definitely had like all of the young adult and just teen books that anyone could want I think it's a really great place read more

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The store has a lot to offer - so many used books. However, I found the signage hard to read to be a to find genres on my own. Also, the staff really keeps to themselves in conversation making it harder to ask for help. The books were priced well and I left with a 1948 copy of This Side of Paradise and 8 Nancy Drew Books. read more

Phoenix Books - Books - Bookstores Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

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Awesome store with a vast and well-organized selection of used books at great prices. Leaving a review because when I let the owner know a book on display was written by a YouTuber known for blackface and sexualizing children, she ripped it in half and threw it away without a second's hesitation. Absolutely iconic. This place deserves your business. read more

This is a cute little bookstore in a fun street of SLO! I can't believe it's the only one around that sells used books! I was looking for one particular book and luckily they had it and for cheap too! The guy that was there was super helpful in finding it! read more

Phoenix Books - Bookstores Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

Phoenix Books is located in downtown San Luis Obispo. I visited this store twice, trying to give it a chance but found this store to be overly cluttered and a bit overwhelming to shop and browse at this bookstore. I love bookstores, as I love to read. I especially love used bookstores because you can often times fine the best deals. But this bookstore was messy and a bit confusing to navigate through. There are books on the floor, in boxes and just all over. If you don't feel like browsing, then this is not the store to visit (and both times I came here, I just gave up browsing because there is just too much to look through). Employees were not friendly when I came to visit twice and some of the prices for books did seem a bit overly priced. But am glad that others find this bookstore to be great. read more

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Easily best used book store been to in years. Was here over an hour and got two bags worth of great books wanted to get for a while. read more

Phoenix Books - Bookstores Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

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We always find good books on every visit. The staff are happy and positive with book knowledge. There is something for everyone here, fiction and nonfiction. read more

Phoenix Books - Vintage building - Bookstores Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

If used bookstores were actors this place would be straight out of central casting. It's the epitome of what you imagine a used bookstore to be. Yes, it does have a bit of that used bookstore smell but not overly so. It is a large store with several rooms, somewhat organized into categories which are randomly placed here and there so it's a bit of a treasure hunt if you are after books of a specific type. At least the categories are labeled on stickers so you have a fair chance of being successful on your hunt. Most of the books are on the shelves but there are more books than shelf space so you'll find stacks of books on the floor here and there. Prices are excellent. I found a couple books in "like new" condition that I'd easily pay double for anywhere else. This is a really fun place to browse. I visit here every time I come to SLO. read more

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A fun spot in downtown SLO for user books -- they have a large selection that's fun to peruse, but you definitely just need a lot of patience. There are so many titles and they're not organized in any particularly helpful way, but it's also a gargantuan undertaking so I don't blame the staff. I didn't see any newer titles (aka anything from the last ~3 years), but the prices here are pretty hard to beat. I wish I could've stayed longer, but I left empty-handed. read more

Hands down a must visit for me every time I visit SLO. I always find something I "need" and at a good price. My latest score was an old copy of The Wizard of Oz, not in the best condition but at $3 I was stoked! For the size of this store and as jam packed as it is with books they are fairly organized. The always have a rack of .25¢ and $1 books out front or right as you walk in, a separate place for new arrivals, and a great children's and young adult section. I'm lucky to have a daughter that loves to read and loves to look for new stories right along with me. Be sure to bring your own bag as the area is very eco-friendly and most places charge a bag fee. If you like books this is the place to find that hidden gem you never knew you needed! read more

Phoenix Books - Great find on my last trip! - Bookstores Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

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Good prices and broad selection. Going back to buy a few more books to complete the series.

As an avid reader, I'm always looking for ways to save on buying books (other than the library). While you won't always find the latest and greatest reads, I always leave with something unique or hidden gems if you will. This past week, I visited Phoenix Books to sell back a stack of books taking up space in my home. As expected, the selling price was fairly low. You have two options: 1) receive store credit 2) get cash. But the cash value is about 50% less. I sold about 10 books for $22 store credit. However, I feel it's fair in support of a small business and one of the only indie bookstores in the area! I highly recommend taking the books you don't sell to the little libraries around town as well. All in all, a visit to Phoenix Books is a treat! The store is surrounded by shelves of different genres and covered in stacks of books. It feels homey and is a great way to spend an afternoon. read more

Phoenix Books - New Arrivals Section - Bookstores Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

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Wide array of books. The best part is how low priced most of their books are. They lose a star for sometimes having some very unfriendly and unprofessional staff working there. I'm not sure if that's the vibe they are going for but they could be nicer. read more

Great store. Great selection, really well organized, and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable. If you like used books, you will be happy here read more

What a fun and funky store! Bruce Miller and now his son run a great bookstore full of gems to be discovered. Enjoy the hunt!

This bookstore has been around forever and is my "go to place" for used books. The assortment is large so i usually find what I'm looking for -- more recently a book about Georgia O'Keefe's artwork. The staff is extremely helpful and a quick phone call will save you the trouble of parking downtown even though it's fun to browse their shelves. read more

Phoenix Books on Monterey St in SLO is nothing short of an awesome rainy Saturday hanging in Phoenix's thousands of books, meandering around the isles. The store is two stories of anything and every book imaginable. And, usually, they have a sale shelf. I think for me an obsessive book person and reader- Phoenix is my happy place. Another big perk is...they buy back many books! read more

My husband and I came here while visiting and I am impressed. I'm sure I could spend hours here just browsing their selection. Books are fairly priced, I bought two books in excellent condition for $15. Staff was very kind when I went to pay. I'll definitely come back on my next trip here. read more

Crowded. LOTS of used books at okay prices. If you want it, they might have it, but they won't know. There's no records of which books they have, so you need to search through the loosely categorized books. I do recommend this used book store; just know what you're signing up for when you go. read more

So many books! Great place to wander and discover! A wonderland of well loved books! Great central location too.

Please come by fellow readers! This establishment is honest in its appearance; it is a treasure trove of hidden knowledge. The pricing is fair, the books are plenty, and the staff are friendly. Pls support local business. It provides diversity in a quickly urbanizing downtown SLO. read more

Love these guys. Knowledgeable, friendly crew. Always an adventure digging through their stacks. Support your local book store!!

This shop fluctuates in their selection of antique and collectibles. Sometimes I find gems and other times come out empty handed. It can be difficult to navigate the store, it's pretty confusing and disorganized. But the selection of collectibles can be incredible on a good week! read more

Phoenix Books - Bookstores Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

This is my favorite used bookstore. I visit the San Luis Obispo area several times a year, and this is one place I have to visit when I am in town. The store is huge so there are books in every corner and all along the way. There is variety, volumes and varying quality. I can get lost here in a very good way. Only other bookworms can understand. The prices are a real value. Service is like visiting a library. You get help if you need it and ask. read more

Great spot. Tremendous selection, fair pricing and friendly staff. Also a convenient location.

I like to see independent used book stores continuing. Phoenix is one of these. The pricing is reasonable for good conditioned books and the selection is abundant, but a bit high on the older or more damaged copies. The reason I can't give it a better review is that it is horribly organized. Piles of books stuff ever square inch of floor space and cover the bottoms of most rows so unless you're determined to remove and then place them back, it's a real chore to view their entire selection. This is the hoarder's version of a book store where a thorough clean up would be advised. Nevertheless, it's a fun place to browse! read more

LOVE IT! They have a great selection of books, it almost feels like you are in a museum. Do yourself a favor, treat yourself to a few books and buy some as gifts for your friends and family. Wish they were better organized though. read more

Massive selection of books at extremely reasonable prices. This store is one of the only places I have allowed myself to buy books from as an avid reader due to a tight budget, yet I don't feel like I'm missing out in anything. The atmosphere is amazing as well, quiet and bright, books wherever you look. read more

I just looked to see if this store was still open in San Luis Obispo and it is. my heart is overjoyed and I can't wait to make a trip there. As a little young 11 year old (41 for context now) I remember going in there and getting my first books on the punk rock subculture there. My very first anarchist cookbook and some of the paladin press stuff. This single place had more to do with influencing the direction of my life than any other store on earth. I still own all of the books I bought there as a kid - that's how integral they were to my life and it's amazing to see a book store with so much heart and soul still alive! read more

I LOVE independent, used book stores. This one was not my favorite. It was very disorganized with books piled up everywhere. Too much inventory. The woman at the counter was speaking loudly with another lady the entire time. The kids section is really limited. It was not what I was hoping for. read more

This bookstore is amazing. So quaint and full of variety, genres all located in downtown SLO. The books are amazingly well priced, bought two books for $3- really enjoyed the sale racks. Hidden gems through each aisle. Will be back next time I'm in SLO. The staff was super accommodating with also practicing Social distance guidelines and masks. read more

Phoenix Books - Sci-fi Aisle - Bookstores Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

Lots of books! Found exactly what I was looking for. Customer service was very helpful. Price was just right.

Amazing selection of books. They carry used books only, no new books. Store hours on yelp are not accurate so double-check by calling the store. read more

Phoenix Books - Store hours as of Dec 29, 2019 - Bookstores Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

This is by far my favorite book store in California. It has remained an excellent source of many different genres both common and uncommon. Particularly excellent nonfiction sections of varying types. Dedicate an hour or two to dig through the stacks. You won't be disappointed. read more

It seems that overflowing inventory isn't every cat's meow, but it's mine. And so is the selection. The shelves are packed and well organized. The stacked-up corners and brimming boxes make for great searching fun (if that's your thing.) And the prices mean you always leave with something. read more

Phoenix is a great little bookstore. The complaints are all true, though. The service is glum, the place is horribly disorganized, and the prices on lots of the books are on the high end. Nevertheless, the selection is excellent - probably because this is a college town. As far as literature goes, there are tons of titles you won't find in an average small town bookstore. The prices, if you really hunt around, were quite reasonable. Although the layout can be overwhelming at first glance, if you take a breath, there is a kind of method to the madness. And the mayhem gives it a sort of treasure hunting effect. Highly recommended if you're in SLO! read more

Eclectic boutique bookstore gives off "Diamond in the Rough" vibes. I took off a star because the organization is haphazard, the aisles can be cluttered and it is not clear where to find certain genres. That being said it's easy to get sucked into a literary vortex and spend an hour here just perusing. Some books are overpriced and I'm sure you can find the same book on Amazon for less but I believe in keeping small local businesses alive and thriving and this bookstore definitely has some rare and interesting books that you can't find online. :) read more

Phoenix Books - Interesting wall art haha - Bookstores Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

~Feeling Smart and Reminiscing~ My girlfriend needed a book on parenting or childcare for class to discuss. Decided to check out Phoenix and see what gems they had on this topic. The place was a true used book store, which I've never been to. I'm not much of a reader, but it was fascinating to me to see so much books on so many topics. It was disorganized, but I don't mind. I came in expecting that anyways. What's great is that I saw so many books from my high school AP English days and all those novels that we had to read. I haven't been reading since coming to college, so this visit kinda sparked my desire to get back into the mind of great thinkers of the past and reminisce on all those nerve racking high school discussion circles. Picked up Albert Camus novel for 3 bucks. Boom! And my girlfriend got a directional behavior book for parenting children for 5 bucks. Definitely love the discount prices! read more

Walking through downtown SLO on our way to get some coffee, I noticed this magical rabbit hole of a bookstore tucked into the building. I darted in so quickly my husband almost walked right past. I was immediately lost in the piles of art books near the front door, and we had a great time wandering the stacks, just absorbing the vast variety of content available on the shelves (and piled on the floor, and tucked between stairs, and--) Just when I thought we were done, I found the upstairs loft, and found myself mesmerized by heaps of old history books, geopolitical analysis, and biographies. If you're on the hunt for a specific book, you probably want to check Amazon. If you love the smell and feel of old books and feel like getting lost in the Narnia of bookstores, definitely carve out an hour or two to wander through Phoenix. And when you're done, head right next door to Ascendo to sip some delicious coffee and dig into your new finds! read more