Rick's Recycled Books is the best book store in the city of Rochester. Yes, I know, there's Barnes & Noble in Pittsford, and if you're looking for a Starbucks latte or kid's toys that's a nice place to go too. But if you're looking for an incredible selection of books stacked floor to ceiling. amazing science fiction paperbacks or mysteries, walls of fiction classic or modern, books on history, self-help, the occult, you name it, this has always been my go-to spot. It's wonderful, it's affordable, you can lose yourself for hours there. A real ornament to the city of Rochester. There is one sad thing about it, however. Recently Rick, the founder and owner, passed away from pancreatic cancer. His son Richard has taken it over, but Richard also is facing spinal surgery and will have to close the shop for at least two months if he can't find a replacement to watch the bookstore while he's recovering, or cover the bills. A friend of the shop created a Gofundme page for Richard and Rick's Recycled Books at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-with-medical-bills-and-money-to-keep-my-store The loss of the bookstore would leave a vast, vast hole in the intellectual life of this city, and any reader of this review who can help, should. If only to celebrate the memory of Rick Senior himself, a great guy, and the creator of the best bookstore this town has. read more

Great place ! Books , Books and more books ! Everything you can imagine . Definitely needs lots of time to browse. Great value , and Rick is great . I live in Buffalo and i will take a trip there again . read more

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An overwhelming variety of books. Everything is organized fairly well and there's a map on the wall indicating where certain genres are. Plenty of books to sift through both on the shelves and on the floor. I was looking for one book in particular which unfortunately they didn't have, I assume as it a newer book, but I'm sure if I spent the afternoon browsing I could have found plenty of books on my TBR. read more

A readers paradise! Great gently used books everywhere separated by genres. Religion, mystery, self help, cook books, fantasy, romance, children's books, all separated in sections. Even found some tiktok suggested books. read more

Rick's Recycled Books - My book haul. Even highly suggested TikTok books found! - Books, Mags, Music & Video Near Me - Rochester, New York

I happened to pass by on my way to the RMSC and I found a treasure trove. I will be back as there are so many older, and even newer, books here. They also have DVD's of various genres... IN ALPHABETICAL order. The book sections are "generally" placed around the place. I really liked the variety. The man who checked us out was helpful and kind. I happened to run into a woman there who also happened upon the store and had a nice chat with her. I will absolutely come back to spend more time there. Old books need love too! read more

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If you are a book worm (in Rochester and nearby areas) then stop your search and go to Rick's Bookstore. It is by far one of the best in terms of the collection of fiction-based novels. Make sure to take an umbrella as books may fall over your head (j/k). Rick knows where each author's books are placed as the store is like a maze of books where you can easily get lost. As far as service: he is polite and courteous. The pricing on his used books are very reasonable too. So if you are planning on taking a vacation and would like to read during your journey, then look no further: go to Rick's Recycled Books. I know where I will be stocking up my reading pile for the winter ... as I've heard that the winters will be cold and dark this year. Why 4 starts: because I don't like the store's dark green carpet, as it reminded me of my middle school. LOL read more

Rick's Recycled Books - Contains huge collection of mystery, thriller, sci-fi, fantasy, crime, and horror novels...and many more :-) - Books, Mags, Music & Video Near Me - Rochester, New York

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Wish it was organized a bit better and without books strewn every which way on the ground, but this was a neat little place to dig around in for a bit. Found one book I was interested in, so I always consider that a win. I'd go back. read more

Whew! If you're looking for a used book store for a large selection of newer and more popular books, this is it! There's even a kids section. read more

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Great selection, very reasonable prices. I only read Fantasy and that section was stuffed with great selections. I found almost 20 books to buy and probably could have added more to my pile, but I can always go back. When I asked if he had any Doctor Who who knew right where to look and we found several that I had somehow overlooked. read more

Wandered in once and have been a regular ever since. Anytime I find myself driving or walking past I find myself stopping in and buying a book or a movie to add to my collection. The place is stacked floor to ceiling with books, and you can spend hours sifting through hundreds of both well worn and brand new books, all toting a low price of $4 (have not seen anything more expensive than $4). If you don't have the time to browse though, the owner is great and very helpful, and somehow knows exactly where whatever you may be looking for is hidden away. Do yourself a favor and support Rick's whenever you need a quick read, a movie night, or want to grow a collection! read more

This place is a book worm's HEAVEN. Books line the walls and floors, and there's also a large selection of DVD's. (They have a good selection of old school porn too if that's what you're into.) I found the entire Harry Potter series in hard cover for under $20, that's an insane deal! In some book stores you'll find only one of those books for $20, plus they were like new in condition. I love stopping here on a rainy day, when I need a new read, or I want to show off one of Rochester's hidden treasures to a friend. I recommend parking in the church lot across the street, the lot is empty unless you're there on a Sunday morning. read more

Rick's Recycled Books - Books, Mags, Music & Video Near Me - Rochester, New York

I came here intrested in their book selection. They had a huge selection of books. Decent prices.

I LOVVVEE this place. What an amazing hole in the wall Rochester treasure. You'll be able to find books here you can't really find anywhere else. I've been looking for copies of specific Stephen King books for my Dad for AGES and was finally able to snag them here for under $6. Fantastic. I love that when you walk in it smells like old books and happiness; I feel like I'm in a Harry Potter movie when I'm in there. It's pretty hot, though, because they have no AC and it's a cramped little space, so be aware of that. It's literally just books on top of books on top of more books, and some books on the floor where they ran out of room. I love it. The guy I always see there is super friendly and willing to help with anything at all, so don't be afraid to ask if you can't find your way around. Great prices, great selection, and a great find! If you're looking for some books, go here before going anywhere else - chances are you'll find in it good condition and for way cheap! read more

Rick's Recycled Books - Books, Mags, Music & Video Near Me - Rochester, New York

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I was directed to this store to search for a physical copy of the out-of-print novel, Fast Times at Ridgemont High by the owner of Utter Clutter. She warned me to expect seeing books go from the floor to the ceiling. Boy, was she not kidding... There were literally hundreds of books, some of them spilling onto the floor in stacks in front of the respective shelves. Each row is organized by subject then each shelf is arranged by author's last name. While I did not find the book I wanted, the store was quite an experience to visit and see at least once. The store mostly carries contemporary and classic titles under one roof. If you're in the area, visit it at least once. read more

This establishment enforces masks which is nice to see in a small business like this. I love books obviously, and if you have time on your hands and are willing to go for a deep dive this is heaven. I came in here with time to spare looking for a few books to add to my shelf and after about 45 minutes I ended up with 3 great books for $12. The prices are amazing for someone that not only likes to read but goes through books quickly. The only drawback I had was the lack of organization, there was a general idea of "sections" of certain genres but there was a little bit of everything sprinkled along every shelf. I feel like I missed so many hidden gems in there just due to lack of organization but there was so many books in a small space that I'm not even upset about it. You just need to go there when you have lots of time to spend roaming through the massive shelves read more

I just learned of this book store today; I had time to kill and forgot my book and stumbled across this place. It's two rooms filled with books and dvds. The books are cheap and they've got a great selection of all genres. I was pleased to see find their section containing plays, I ended purchasing a small collection of French plays for $3, a Shakespeare play and the East End Plays. Around the corner I found books written by and about actors and performers. I picked up Julie Andrew's memoir, as well as Carol Burnett's and Margaret Cho's...I now also own my second copy of Tina Fey's Bossypants(it's my favorite!) This store was great and Rick is friendly and helpful if you need him, but he's also with letting you explore have your own adventures in the store. They accept cash, MasterCard and Visa read more

I can't find any rhyme or reason to how this place is organized. There are just books everywhere! Sometimes you can find a pattern, but not always. Though the store keeper always knows exactly where things are, so if you are looking for a specific book you are sure to find it. If you are just browsing however this will take some work. But I like that! I like having to spend a long time surrounded by books. They have a great selection of new literature and classics! I would highly reccommend checking it out. It's a good experience! read more

When I am out and about near Monroe Ave I go into Ricks's and have a look around. The store is pretty cluttered but he has a method to the madness. It is kinda-sorta alphabetized. Lots of modern bestsellers can be found there but I go for the classics. If you are taking a literature class in college in Rochester don't buy the books from your university bookstore or off of amazon until you have stopped into Rick's because you will probably find it here and it would be way cheaper than paying for shipping (and waiting). Books are normally under 4 bucks. I leave with one about 75 percent of the time.When they are used I am more prone to marking them up and not feel bad about writing notes in the margins of a spanking new book. Rick's also sells DVDs, TV series and I have seen people discreetly go to the back to buy adult vids. read more

If you love books, Rick's is a kind of run-down paradise. The place is packed with used books, all incredibly cheap. At most used book stores, paperbacks run $6-8, but here they're just $3-4. Even better, the owner will buy back any book he sells you for 25% of the price--so everything in the store is potentially 1/4 off. The fiction section is especially strong, with a wide range of the classics and recent literary fiction. The only downsides are that it's semi-gross inside, and that the place is not highly organized. I'm happy to overlook these flaws for the sake of the amazingly cheap prices and great selection. read more

I stumbled in here by accident after eating at SEA next door. The five stars isn't necessarily for the selection, which is a strange jumbled mix of the generic and individual obscurities---this is no well-curated used bookstore like Powell's of Chicago. Rather, the 5 stars is for its embodiment of chaos; there's a semblance of organization but individual books are unpredictable, everything's horizontal on the shelves, and the prices are very low. It's what one thinks of when one imagines a classic cheap used bookstore. read more

This place is amazing, I came here looking for some philosophical texts and also some specific books. I asked the owner about the books and he went and found them for me within minutes. Then he showed me the philosophy section and I dove in. I went with the intention of buying one book and left with four. The total came up to be 12 dollars. Needless to say but I will definitely be making trips back here soon. read more

This store is the best. I wanted to grab a few reads for a long plane ride. When I went in the didn't have the titles I was looking for but I left my number and the lady called me back when they got a copy. I ended up spending five bucks on two books, which was way cheaper than amazon, but the service is what makes them great. read more

I have been going to Rick's for books for a long time. Always friendly and helpful and the selection is amazing. Have found many hidden treasures. read more

A tumble-down hole-in-the-wall indie bookstore of the type you didn't think existed anymore. The sort of place where a fictional protagonist might uncover a special tome during a rainy afternoon. Yeah, it's a mess but I love this place. read more

Fabulous! This place was literally LOADED with books and DVDs, the owner was quite helpful. He knew where every single book was located. The prices were also fantastic ($3 for a like new condition hardcover? yes please!) I will definitely go again read more