Am a little partial to local bookstores and my star rating reflects so compared to this establishment's avg star. So, to sum it up - the place is cozy cramped, but organized chaotically, and am here for it. They have popular books from contemporary authors although limited in titles. They have plenty of classic novels and a wide range of specialty topics. Books are both new and used. Price is retail but you can have that instant gratification vs waiting for package ordered from online. When searching for a specific author or title, don't be afraid to look through the stacked books on the floor. Two level bookstore but most of popular interest are on the main level. Parking in rear. read more

The Book House - Main level - Bookstores Near Me - Maplewood, Missouri

Just browsing the block I decided to walk in here and it was so many books. It's a reader's haven. Two levels to browse, cute chairs to sit in and relax while you read. Plenty of variety and sections. Restroom area clean. Staff was friendly. read more

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I always enjoy used bookstores and this one has a lot going for it. Towering stacks, a resident cat, sagging but comfortable chairs, a dusty basement. My granddaughter loves an afternoon here and who am I to say no? The clerk has always been helpful when I've wanted something specific, but just wandering around I've discovered some wonderful surprises. read more

Kinda chaotic, but I actually liked that. Warm book lover feel to the place. I was able to find some hard to find older editions to add to my library. And it's always a plus when the book shop has a cat Definitely recommend for those Bibliomaniacs out there read more

A small bookstore with so many books. Books are stored in every nook and cranny. They are stacked in the aisles, down the stairs and everywhere in between. There is so much it is hard to find books. It is a good place to wonder around , and find a book if you are looking for something specific. read more

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20% off Yelp coupon had us buying 2 books because the used books was under the $10 minimum. Sure the books are already a bargain. The selection was stacked across 2 floors... and covered the stairs between floors. The man gave us the 20% off with no attitude. This was an enjoyable bookstore to browse and purchase at. read more

I think the Book House is perfect if you want to wander around and spend a good amount of time poking around. It is pretty cluttered inside with stacks of books everywhere. I didn't mind this because I wasn't looking for anything in particular. I can see how if you were looking for a specific book the stacks of books randomly throughout the store in front of shelves would be frustrating. They have an enormous selection of books including lots of old and rare books. I could spend hours upon hours looking through all they have to offer (and smelling the amazing old book smell!) read more

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This is a great resource! I wandered around for a bit over the two floors of used books but, unfortunately, didn't find anything but my kid did. The prices were good and the place was fairly well organized, if a little messy. The worker at the front desk was helpful. read more

The Book House - Bookstores Near Me - Maplewood, Missouri

A nice little place to stop in for any kind of book you are looking for, they had new, used, old, and rare! Staff didn't seem very friendly, and having a coffee station in the bathroom was a little odd, but we had a great time looking around and buying a book to take home for a keepsake of our time. Walking thru here definitely made me itch to read books more often. Would come again! read more

The Book House - Bookstores Near Me - Maplewood, Missouri

The book house is the perfect place for a book to discover you. Unless you are ordering a book, it's best to not seek a specific book out and just let the wandering happen. Love the atmosphere. read more

The Book House gives you multiple reasons to shop local. First, you receive a 20% discount on a purchase over $10 when you check in on Yelp. Second, you can buy a Yelp Deal - $12 for $25. Both are a super savings. As other reviewers here on Yelp have stated, the new and used books are all mixed together. This is very disorganized and confusing for even the most experienced book shopper. However, I did like how they separated cookbooks with a special section for "vintage". I found a couple that caught my eye, but had to go home and double check my collection before buying. Looking at several of the used book prices, I found them to be slightly over-priced for the condition of the book. The ones I viewed, they had multiple copies and had them priced only a few dollars less then the original publishers price printed on the book. I understand that they are not a BARGAIN bookstore, but let's get real about the pricing. A used book is USED book. I also found the customer service to be lacking and unfriendly. No thank-you for shopping at the check-out, or did you find everything that you were looking for? I know a couple of true bookworms and they are introverts, so I guess I need to cut them some slack on the poor, limited service. If you love books, don't mind waiting on yourself and can muddle your way through their disorganized bookshelves, The Book House is a good find in Maplewood. When: March 15, 2016 Why: Shopping Manchester on a Spring Day read more

The Book House - Cook Books - Vintage & Popular - Bookstores Near Me - Maplewood, Missouri

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I love it here. Granted, it's not as awesome as the actual house full of books they used to have (with a kitty )... but it's still awesome!

Apparently, the unpleasant bookstore owner decided not to have a $5 cover charge to enter. The bookstore is still junky looking and in disarray. The books are overpriced as always. It's no longer a bookstore that I frequent very often because I don't like buying book at this store that I can get for considerably less off of the internet. It's a convenient location, but that's about the only good thing about it now. read more

Three or so years ago I stopped in The Book House and was surprised to find it well organized, eclectic and reasonably priced. I found a title that I'd put on my reading list years ago and was pumped to find it on a floor stack for just a few bucks. I guess I was expecting a similar experience this time, but not so much. We headed to the basement to check out some particular sections and I couldn't believe the level of clutter and stacks. In front of most every shelf was a stack of books on the floor rising at least 1.5 feet. This made navigating quite a challenge and really kept me from looking closely. One of the staffers (or customers) was walking thru the store coughing out germs without even attempting to cover his mouth. As some have mentioned the prices are pretty steep for books that are difficult to discern if they are new or used. One of the joys of visiting the local bookstore is actually being able to browse thru the books-not possible here due to the clutter. We left disappointed and applied copious amounts of hand sanitizer to ward of the plague. read more

I'm not one to give bad reviews often, but since this is a place I find myself specifically not wanting to shop at, I think it's deserving. The problems - books stacked everywhere that you can't really see what's on some of the shelves and general disorganization, staff not really too friendly, not open during posted hours (at least a couple times was over 30 minutes late opening), doesn't often have newer releases I'm looking for, older books are really overpriced compared to other sellers. Generally every other bookstore in the area is more inviting and browseable. They do have a nice space and location. read more

I accidentally stumbled upon the new location of The Book House while doing some holiday shopping last year in Maplewood. Only the very small front area had books, and it appears that now, 8 months later, The Book House isn't yet settled. However, it's now all big and shop-able, so I can write a review. Yes to new books. Not as many as Left Bank, but quite a few. Yes to used books, including some relatively rare ones. Some of these are pricey. The local history section is of a good size. They have a copy of the CWE book "Westmoreland and Portland Places" by Julius K. Hunter that cost some $125 (or around there). I'm not sure if they have a store loyalty/rewards program. The facility itself is pretty nice. When I was there, someone was painting a beautiful house - the old, now-demolished location?-- high on the large wall. The restroom is clean, well-lit, spacious, and not at all industrial, which is unlike many bookstore restrooms. However, there was no bookstore cat in sight. I'm not sure they have one. :( -1 star for the lack of a trade in policy. They accept donations of books, many of which they donate to other charities. But they keep others, and the donator doesn't receive any kind of store credit or discount on future purchases. I'm not keen on this. I know it's a tough market for brick and mortar bookstores these days, but I like getting $1 or $2 for a book I bought new that I can put towards another book at the few remaining bookstores. For me, it's a huge advantage that Dunaway Books and Left Bank Books have. Rose's Bookhouse in O'Fallon, MO does it, and I believe even Well Read Books in Fulton, MO does it. Maybe it hasn't worked for The Book House in the past. I get that they need to do what they need to do, but the lack of a trade-in policy makes me much less likely to shop there. I highly doubt I'll make a special trip. -1 star because I wasn't "wow-ed." No books screamed, "buy me!" upon my first visit. I looked at a good deal but bought nothing. My friend purchased two books, though, so perhaps I will on my next visit, which will be the next time I'm shopping in Maplewood. The Book House is well worth a visit. read more

We were greeted the minute we walked in the door. I recognized the owner from an article I had recently read in the St Louis Business Journal. I asked her about the article and she wouldn't comment. At that point I just looked around. They have a wonderful children section. The St Louis section was very impressive. They had a book singing going on and my friend bought the book from the author. Nice shop unfriendly owner. Should have given it a three star but I love books. read more

The Book House - Bookstores Near Me - Maplewood, Missouri

The Book House is my local book store so I try to support them when I can. Generally to buy children's books for my daughter. I came in on Small Business Saturday and they had a sign in at the door for contact tracing and a tag system to make sure they control how many people come in the door. I appreciated the efforts they were putting forth to maintain safe during a pandemic. I chose two kids Christmas books and got into line to pay. I only had one person in front of me but it took a long time to check out because the lady kept demanding the young boy working with her do tasks and yelling out to each person who came in to make sure they followed the procedure outside. It was pretty hard to miss since he was right there at the front door. I paid for my books and she explained how to order books to pickup on other days when they weren't open due to COVID. My two children's books were $40 which was pricey for books they aren't interested in for long but I'm happy to support local business. read more

I love browsing in old, used book stores because you never know what you're going to find. This shop is located in an old house right on Manchester, but it's tucked back a little ways and easy to miss if you're not looking for it. They have the usual, hodge podge selection of most used book stores. I collect old Nancy Drew Mysteries and they always have a selection, but they are pretty pricey. At least I can find them cheaper online, but I guess half the fun's in browsing, right? But the price is the main reason for my 3-stars. And I totally agree with Amanda Z. about the uber-creepy basement. Very scary. read more

Not so sure about its past and changes over the years that many reviewers mentioned here. I went there last month and liked it. Bought a few used books at fair prices. One of them, A History of Florence 1200-1575, was less than half of the market price. Well, I have to say that they might not be good at pricing every book fairly. For example, most of their collections in Asian arts were slightly overpriced. Regardless of prices, they do have a good collection or rare finds. Some of them I hadn't seen in years. read more

What a fun store! A book lovers dream. Books are everywhere! We just stopped in for a minute but left spending $70. I didn't even look to see if the books I picked out were new or old. Next time I will to save a few $. And of course I didn't see these Yelp specials, I Will definitely take advantage of those next time. Friendly staff. Most likely they will have a book you haven't read. read more

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I went into this old, old house yesterday after figuring out where to park and jerking myself around off Manchester Road and getting to the parking lot through the back way. I don't even know that I parked in a parking spot. It's pretty willy-nilly. WHEW!! The Book House is set way back on Manchester Road. And that makes it easily missable, considering all the "stuff" on Manchester Road. There is a sign with an arrow, but you've got to be looking for it. I was not greeted upon entering. This place would not do for someone with claustrophobia. The rooms are very small, the books are on shelves from floor to ceiling. It's close. The smell is divine, if you love books. It took me a few minutes to get the schema of how the books are displayed. There is a system, you just got to get it. And no one was helping me get it. And no one offered to help me, even after I said I'd never been there before. I thought they bought old books. I took 7 really, really old books I thought they would be interested in. I was told they don't buy books. All books are donated. I can get an appraisal of my books with an appointment and for a price. And I certainly would not have taken my books out in the humidity if I knew this was how they operate. I was given a business card for the person who performs the appraisals, which says "Buy-Sell-Trade" -- which is not what I heard at the front desk. So, I'm confused. That aside, I explored the fiction paperbacks on the first floor, and found 10 from authors I follow. I stopped there. I could have done more. But at that, I spent $60. There are two other floors here. I couldn't make myself go up those narrow steps to explore further. There was just something about this place that made me feel like I was the odd-man-out in high school at the library, and I didn't know the language. Just not welcoming. There were plenty of people there, talking amongst themselves, but they didn't seem to engage the customers. And I was an encumbrance. p.s. Thank you, Michelle, for your response. I'm just saying what I was told when I was in the store. read more

Very cool store FILLED with awesome books. Spending some time in this quirky hangout with such interesting titles--especially of local interest--reminds me how important it is to support your local business! read more

In a world of one-click shopping, The Book House is an incredible reminder that books still exist. That imaginations still exist. The Book House has been a beautiful addition to the Maplewood strip. Its doors always open, I've always felt welcome to take my time browsing through stacks and stacks of books, new and old. The children's section alone is worth the visit. The selection has been carefully curated, with plenty of affordable options that make great gifts for a birthday or shower -- or for the young at heart who can't possibly own enough copies of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in their lifetime. I love the rare books in the glass cases. There's something romantic about them, and instead of just mindlessly shopping for something, you're wondering about it. You're curious how old it is, where it came from, who owned it, and what its story might be. You don't get that from one-click shopping. So I would urge you, dear reader, to drop by some day very soon and actually purchase a book or two. The Book House needs and deserves your business, and without consumer support, it's poised to close and become yet another vape shop. read more

This place hands down gets the creepiest basement award for any establishment I have EVER been in. That said, it's really an awesome used book store. They have, well, pretty much anything, but get ready to dig. The woman working is the owner and she will talk your ear off if you get her going. She's incredibly nice and has run the shop forever. And like I said, if you are really looking for an experience, head down to the basement. Words can't describe it, it's an experience you have to have on your own. I just couldn't do it justice here. Suffice it to say I took my friend Amy there 4 years ago and she still talks about the basement. Bonus stars for having a cat...just like all good used book stores should. read more

In a world where the bookstore (independent and corporate) is dying, there is hope that one can read and buy a great book. The Book House in Maplewood is proof! All you have to do is just take a peek inside and you'll know they have plenty to offer. They even have a basement full of books, so don't miss out! One can spend many hours chilling here. Many local goodies and rare, out-of-print releases are to be found as well. The owners and the workers are great, friendly people who always appreciate the business. read more

I have always enjoyed the book house in Maplewood and we were definitely happy to hear that they were moving from their Rock Hill location to downtown Maplewood. They have a fun store with a wide variety of books all reasonably priced and covering all genres. They have always had numerous interesting Advanced bringing music culture and art into Maplewood. Michelle the owner has always been friendly as well as her staff, and they frequently support area Charities and promote other area businesses. If you haven't been to the bookhouse since they moved or ever I strongly suggest that you check it out. read more

I absolutely love the book house. They have everything from new titles to classics and their selection is massive. The staff are friendly and helpful. I am a teacher and their children's and young adult sections are awesome. I go there all the time to get new books for my classroom! Thank you, Book House! read more

Tons of books from ceiling to floor. Lots of charm. Cats prowl the place. It's simply a book-lover's paridise and my favorite used book store in St. Louis. A place I like to go not when I'm necessarily looking for a particular book but when I want to browse until I find something that strikes my eye. This ain't no mall store. And then when you're done, head down the road to Carl's Drive-In for a burger and root beer. read more

Reeked of cat piss. Didn't buy anything because in certain sections you could tell that the books had been absolutely saturated with urine. I appreciate that they have a cat and certain smells are unavoidable but this was at nauseating levels. read more

The Book House is an excellent bookstore, although not entirely what I expect out of a used bookstore. There are a lot of new books mixed in with the old ones and their priced at the "new" prices, making them quite expensive. The "new" copies of books (although they often have scuffs, scratches, and marks) are often over $20, which is more than I expect to pay for most books at a used bookstore. If they want to carry brand new books, they should store them in a separate section. I come to the used bookstore because I want to find a cheaper alternative to going to Barnes & Noble, not to just get a smaller selection of the same thing. Furthermore, the used books that they do have tend to be overpriced. Older copies of books, even though they aren't first edition of printing and have no special qualities, can be over forty dollars. I would say that the average price of used books (hardbacks) is between ten and fifteen dollars, even when they're not in especially great shape. The good thing about The Book House is that they have an excellent selection. It spans many genres and if you're looking for a book, you're likely to find it here. Go here if you're willing to pay the price (or while the 12 for 25 promo is still going!). read more

Very charming old vibe, especially the basement area. They are having a used book sale as well so I got a book worth ~$15 for $1!!! read more

The Book House - The book house basement - Bookstores Near Me - Maplewood, Missouri

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I went there today to buy a book. Found a Joyce Carol Oates for $1. Just when I went upstairs to pay the woman at the front desk who as I pulled my purse, told me the copy was actually $4.50, that she did not know "who marked it as 1". I did not want it for that money, since the book was in bad condition and so I told her that exactly and left. Then I thought twice about what she had just said and done and went back. I told her that I hoped she was not insinuating it had been me who had marked it down for I had found it in one of the "SALE" boxes downstairs ( I would buy nothing that was not in that section at that bookstore because everything else is a rip off. The other Joyce Carol Oats book I found upstairs, second hand was down-priced from 14 to $13). She said that she did not know "if it had been me or somebody else" but that she recognizes her own hand-writing and that it was not hers... I thought to myself I should not keep to myself what I was thinking, the same way I don't do in other situations so I also told her I found it a very smart tactic to prize books lower and tell customers a different higher prize once they are settled for it and ready to pay. She immediately went crazy and told me that she did not want me back there, that she knew who I was, she had seen me the previous week there, that she knew what I had been doing--strange as I live in St Paul and had just arrived to the city (as I informed her)--and that she was going to call the police. And indeed, she did. I, being a foreigner in the present political environment, did want nothing to do with the police in this city and, contrary to what I would have done being the situation different (me being in Spain, for example), stopped complaining and told her that she did not need to call the police, that I was going to leave. And left. I will never be back. Not because she told me to but because I don't want to give a cent to abusive racist liars. read more

If you do go here be prepared for an adventure. The walls are lined from floor to ceiling with books of all types. Make sure to check the prices, as the new books are mixed in with the used books. The used books are priced pretty high, though there is a huge selection. If you ask me, they need to separate the new from the used from the collectible. And do some major purging of bad books that won't sell. I absolutely love used bookstores, but you can pass on this one. The place has kind of a weird smell and feels grungy. After all this, I will say the owners do a lot of good things for the community- they give free books to kids in foster care and do a variety of sales to benefit different organizations. So that gives them two stars instead of one read more

Many books, good places to lounge & dive into a good read. Old and new books, a nice selection for children as well. Absolutely endearing. Right next to good coffee, grab a cuppa & a classic. read more

The Book House - The perfect place to escape the summer heat. Books beyond books, old books, new books, and especially, children's books. - Bookstores Near Me - Maplewood, Missouri

The Book House has an OK selection, but I think they may be the most overpriced used book store I've ever been in. They literally sell used books at list price in some instances. "Like new" is not the same thing as "new." Or, if a used book is marked down from list price, it's usually by one or two dollars. read more

I have to disagree with the reviewer that found the staff unfriendly. My daughter and I stopped in on day in June 2016 after loading up on spices at Penzey's. We loved the shop, bought a bag full of new and used books and had a lovely chat with the gentleman that was working that day. True, he didn't bother us by following us around the store asking what we were looking for. He let us roam around find things we didn't even know we wanted until we saw them. My husband pointed out that many dedicated bibliophiles like bookstore staff to be like librarians--as long as you are behaving yourself, they let you browse to your heart's content and they trust you to know your own taste. They are ready with an answer if you have a question, but they don't intrude on your quest. Some folks have said that it's disorganized to have new and used books jumbled all together, but I LIKED IT A LOT! Maybe you're looking for a specific book, planning to buy a nice new copy, but then you spy a vintage copy of that beloved book that someone loved before you--one that has a beautiful cover, or frontispeice, or maybe an inscription to a loved one--pure magic. And that's what books are, really. Magic that connects people across time, space and cultures. Now that I've waxed poetic let me just say that old and new are mixed charmingly, but are organized clearly by subject matter. Don't miss the basement, tons of good stuff down there. And the cookbooks! Ah, the cookbooks! Don't get me started. The only teensy little complaint I have is that the knitting books seem a little sparse. But maybe it just seems that way because I have so damn many already. Okay, I'm done. It's obvious, I really enjoyed this store. If you like shiny, new books and perky staff there's always Barnes and Noble. But if the journey is as important to you as the final purchase, then this place is for you. read more

Stopped in real quick before a yoga class & didn't want to leave. If someone could go down the street and bring me a cat from the Cat Cafe I'd be content to live here. Did anyone else have the urge to grab hold of a ladder, run across the room then jump on it? No, just me? This place rocks! Much better than Dunaway (smelly & boring selection that reminds me of a garage sale) & Left Bank. (overpriced & you have to sell a kidney to secure a parking spot) Can't wait to come here after yoga and read. Hopefully I won't get excommunicated. Wish me luck! P.S could someone explain why Marie Antoinette is prepping for an OBGYN appointment in front of the store? So confused. So disturbed. read more

The reviews below by: "A S from St. Paul, MN", "Bob B", and "Jeff H" all have negative components I also experienced with this business. Customer service is awful, Michelle (owner?) was very verbally critical and offensive to customers with other customers around. This not only happened to me personally but i witnessed her start arguments with 2 other customers, one ended with a customer calling her crazy for not adhering to her posted prices and leaving. I guess that should've been a "red flag". There isn't anything here that is worth the trouble. For a specific example: I took part in an estate sale which was "internet inventory/storage for the store", the sale was 80% off whatever price marked inside book cover (if marked $35 or higher). I found a book that was marked $995 which would be $199, spoke with the Owner and agreed on $150 and she swiped my card and I went on my way. Upon visiting the sale again and ready to check out I was denied purchase and was verbally insulted in front of numerous other customers that I "Ripped her off the other day!" when in fact, the prices were agreed upon and she personally handled all my transactions. If this is the general attitude of the owner, I would not have high expectations of its employees although to be fair, I do not have any personal experiences with employees. The sale that I use in my example above seemed (in my opinion) like a way for the store to use customers' time spent digging through numerous boxes (in complete disarray) while unwittingly helping the store incidentally rediscover the items they feel have higher value. I normally don't write reviews...ever, but rarely do I have my integrity questioned by someone who doesn't even know me. I'm sure the owner will write a response as it seems the pattern for reviews this low and I welcome it. I did not attempt to take advantage of or act in any devious way (Actually, I assisted with placing items of higher value that had no interest to me into the designated area as I discovered them). There was lots of mention of "bulk buyers" coming with trucks and whatnot. If she feels like I "ripped her off", then I wonder how she'll feel with bulk buyers paying $2 a box and not caring about what is marked inside. read more

The Book House is for people who love books. Like, really LOVE physically being around books. Which I do, so it's one of my favorite places to browse. I can always find something . Some of the other reviews have mentioned the vast amounts of books in the store. And it's true. Books literally (and that's a word I usually hate to use because it's overused, but in this case it fits) cover the walls floor to ceiling. And I, for one, love it. Sure it can be a bit overwhelming, but Michelle, who runs the place, has always been really helpful. The only drawback is that they don't carry a lot of new releases. But I think they just can't compete with amazon. They will order stuff for you. Bonus for the cat! read more