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    The Book Cellar

    4.8 (49 reviews)
    InexpensiveUsed Bookstore
    Closed 12:00 pm - 5:00 PM

    The Book Cellar Photos

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    Gen C.

    This place was really cool to visit. It's located inside the New York public library on York Ave. it's located underground. Place is small but they do have a variety of books at good prices. If you go, be patient and look through the sections because you might find cool books. They also have all price ranges, they even had books for $1. Definitely visit!

    Books I found and all for $19 total!
    Alicia M.

    Wow. Wow is all I have to say about this place. Since moving to the city, I've been searching for reasonably priced books. Well, folks- I found it. This secondhand bookstore is located beneath the NYPL Webster Branch. If you walk in the library, there are signs that help you find it. This place is run by volunteers and all proceeds go to supporting the public libraries. Everything is EXTREMELY reasonably priced. I found new release books there for around $6 which blew my mind. I had a hard time leaving without the whole store! The workers are friendly and extremely helpful! Only thing to keep in mind - it is cash only! I absolutely will be going back because it has stolen my heart!

    This used bookstore was pretty good - it has a wide selection of fiction, classics, mysteries, children's books, etc at some fantastic prices - most books I browsed were $3, with multiple sections of $1 fiction books. I was ultimately able to pick up 3 books all for around $16. Keep in mind that this store is "cash only", and also no bags for your books are available. I did feel that a clearer organization of the books would be helpful - there were a few boxes marked as $1 fiction I browsed through that I was later told were apparently not for sale yet because they still needed to be gone through. That is perfectly fine of course, but a clearer indication of this would be helpful for customers. Overall, a great selection of books at good prices, but the staff could be a bit friendlier and the organization of their books could be improved.

    Go down the stairs at Webster Library.

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    2 months ago

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    Diane L.

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    5 months ago

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    Diane L.

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    2 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    Diane L.

    Thanks for your review, we hope you come back again.

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    3 years ago

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    Diane L.

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    1 year ago

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    Diane L.

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    1 year ago

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    Diane L.

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    2 years ago

    Great variety of books at very good prices. The staff is extremely helpful, knowledgeable and friendly. Recommended!

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    Diane L.

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    7 years ago

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    Diane L.

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    4 years ago

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    Diane L.

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    4 years ago

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    Diane L.

    Thanks for your kind words and for shopping at the Book Cellar.

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    7 years ago

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    Diane L.

    Thanks for your kind words, we hope to see you soon!

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    6 years ago

    When I went today (11/5/2020) it was closed and I was so disappointed! Such a great place hope they are able to open daily again soon.

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    Diane L.

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    8 years ago

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    Diane L.

    Thanks for your kind words and for stopping by.

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    7 years ago

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    Diane L.

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    15 years ago

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    17 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    16 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    Diane L.

    Thanks for your kind words and for stopping by.

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    8 years ago

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    Diane L.

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    8 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    Diane L.

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    13 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Best bookstore of all time. Fantastic selection and even better prices! Their "classic" book section is particularly well stocked.

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    Diane L.

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    11 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    Diane L.

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    10 years ago

    They have a pretty solid literary fiction section (I went on a Vonnegut books tear). These prices are unbeatable!

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    12 years ago

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    Page 1 of 2

    The Book Cellar Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - The Book Cellar

    What kinds of books do you accept and how many can be donated at one time?

    Terry please call us at 212-930-9256 to discuss donations. Ask to speak with the manager.

    Is this a legit shop or is it just random crap not wanted at the library?

    Everything is donated by community members we do not sell library books. Follow us on Instagram bookcellarnyc to see what items we have. We get hundreds of donated items everyday.

    Do you have a book club operating out of your store?

    We do not have a book club operating out of the Book Cellar.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - The Book Cellar

    And proceeds benefit the library It's about as far from a soulless Barnes and Noble chain shop as you can get.

    Mentioned in 12 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Choices Book & Gift Store - AA BLING Medallions at Choices

    Choices Book & Gift Store

    3.8(33 reviews)
    0.3 miUpper East Side, Yorkville
    $$

    Over the past year, the quality of their customer service has declined significantly. Phone…read moreinteractions are abrupt and unprofessional, and on multiple occasions calls were disconnected before my questions were addressed. The most recent interaction the women who answered the phone had a very nasty unprofessional attitude. This can be extremely dishearten if you are in crisis. It creates the impression that customers are an inconvenience rather than a priority. In addition, their selection of 12-step program literature has become extremely limited. Materials that were once consistently available are now difficult to find, which is particularly disappointing for those who depend on these resources. Overall, the level of service and support no longer reflects the standards they once maintained. Based on my recent experiences, I cannot recommend this business and would suggest looking elsewhere for more reliable assistance and access to materials.

    Please do not go here. I was walking around the Upper East Side a few days ago when I passed by…read morethis store. It was 5:40pm, they closed at 6. I just wanted to browse for 5 minutes to kill time before a dinner reservation. I walk in, and immediately the girl working the register says "Just letting you know, I'm closing up now." I said "Oh, I thought you were open until 6?" And she gives me the most condescending smirk and says "You've never worked in retail before, have you?" I immediately left. For a crystal and metaphysical shop, the vibes were so terrible. What a weird thing to say to someone, let alone a customer (and for the record, I have worked multiple jobs in retail).

    Photos
    Choices Book & Gift Store - Jewelry, ceramics and more!

    Jewelry, ceramics and more!

    Choices Book & Gift Store - We are DOG Friendly, all sizes!

    We are DOG Friendly, all sizes!

    Choices Book & Gift Store - Fox News Feature Story on Choices, airing Feb 15th, 2016.

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    Fox News Feature Story on Choices, airing Feb 15th, 2016.

    Bookoff - New York

    Bookoff - New York

    3.9(460 reviews)
    1.9 miMidtown West
    $

    Really cool bookstore to hang out around. Tons of figurines, video games, toys, pokemon cards, and…read moreof course books. Great $1 book section. Tons of big name authors there!

    Buying and Selling at Book Off What a cool store. So much to…read moresee. Unfortunately, it is lousy to sell at and expensive to buy at. First, Selling. I brought in three statue items unopened in the original packaging. I checked on ebay for what the items sold for (not asking price but sold price) and it added up to about $600, I lugged the items over there and had to leave them there because they wouldn't get to them right away. The people/kids working there were very nice. I went to have lunch and got the text to return, and they are offering $150. So I picked up the items and turned down the offer. Again, they were very nice, it's just I wasn't willing to accept 25% of the value. I figured at worst it would be 50%. But I am better off getting closer to the actual price on ebay. Now, Buying. Lots of very expensive and exiting things to get, and I didn't have time to price check things so much, but my son is into the Nintendo switch and i spotted a used Marvel VS Capcom game he might like. It was $34.95. But just in case, I pulled up Amazon and looked the game up. A brand new one costs $21.79. So it would have been a terrible idea for me to buy it there. I guess if you are leaving work and need a quick gift, you might stop in and pay too much for an item. If you are in real trouble and don't have time to wait for an Ebay sale, you might consider selling your collectables for 25% the value, this place might come in handy.

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    Bookoff - New York - Books

    Books

    Bookoff - New York
    Bookoff - New York - Section by section of pure organization

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    Section by section of pure organization

    Strand Bookstore

    Strand Bookstore

    4.4(1.8k reviews)
    3.3 miUnion Square, Greenwich Village, East Village
    $$

    I can't believe I've never reviewed the Strand. I guess I haven't visited in years?! Well, I…read morecorrected that oversight last Sunday, and I still love it as much as I did when I was in college. I love bookstores, and NYC has lots of great ones. But the Strand Bookstore might be the best? It's a classic. It's the largest independent bookstore in the city, carrying 2.5 million used, new, and rare books (their tag line - "18 Miles of Books" refers to the fact that the shelf space in the store supposedly stretches over 18 miles)! Plenty of people just shop front their discount racks outside the sidewalk (where all books are $3-7) and then pop in just to pay. But the inside is incredible. More books than almost any bookstore I've ever been to. Still family-owned, over 100 years old, and with an emphasis on bookseller recommendations, it's just an excellent bookstore. When I stopped by on Sunday, I made it past about four tables and end displays - new fiction, signed books, and employee recommendations - about 50 feet into the store. I already had six books in my hands and decided I better leave quickly before I had a problem! Despite the size of the store and the number of shoppers, the line to check out was short and quick. With friendly customer service to boot. It's simply one of the best bookstores in the city. Maybe in the country, too?! Definitely check it out.

    I was so surprised to see I have not written a review for Strand even though I have visited several…read moretimes. Strand Book Store is a landmark family owned bookstore famous for its "18 miles of books" and a massive inventory of over 2.5 million new, used, and rare titles. There are four floors - the first floor which is usually very busy and chaotic features a vast collection of new releases and best-sellers, and a wide variety of Strand themed merchandise The lower level is mainly non-fiction and music and travel section. The second floor has art, photography, architecture and children's books. The third floor is rare books. The store is packed with books and if you cannot find a book here it may not exist. It is easy to spend hours browsing through the aisles.

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    Strand Bookstore
    Strand Bookstore
    Strand Bookstore - Dollar book carts are the best for treasure hunts.

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    Dollar book carts are the best for treasure hunts.

    The Book Cellar - usedbooks - Updated May 2026

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