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    The Dusty Bookshelf

    4.3 (32 reviews)
    InexpensiveBookstores
    Closed 8:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

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    Shelves
    Bobby C.

    I love stopping in for a browse whenever I'm visiting Manhattan. It's always a pleasant atmosphere. Folks browsing, working on laptops, enjoying a coffee. I wish each individual genre's section was perhaps just a little larger, as I would like to spend more time here. Selection overall seems slightly limited. Friendly staff and a great spot overall.

    J. J.

    tl;dr - Do not sell books here. Having grown up in this area, I always enjoyed when travels would take me through Manhattan as I could stop at the Dusty Bookshelf, where I could find a classic in good condition for a fair price. I maintain a residence in the Czech Republic and having lugged my boxes of books one too many times to and from storage, I decided to liquidate a large amount of my library. And what better place than my favorite bookstore? Now, I have sold books to used bookstores from Kansas to New York, and I have found that for paperback classics in fair to good condition during the age of Amazon I could expect $1-$2 per book, either in store credit or cash value (which has generally been 70%-80% of what is offered in store credit). I brought in a tub of books which included no fewer than 20 hardback classics in mint condition solidly bound in a lovely green. So imagine my surprise when I was offered $32 for the entire batch. $32 for a box of books that would have fetched me at the least $50 at any other place I have let literature go. But, I was offered $69 in store credit. Welp, I went home, and the cash payment wasnt fair, but at least the store credit was. Buy some coffee during my week in town - use the credit on some merch as Christmas presents - let some young lad in the area discover a love for learning by way of what he discovers in the store -- Sure! I'll sell them for store credit. So, I bring in the remainder of my books. When I discover that there is no electronic system for storing store credit. It is written on scraps of paper. And it is only valid on book purchases. (Maybe I am an old soul at 28, but I'm used to STORE credit being valid for anything in the STORE.) Welp, I went home, and the store credit system is stupid, but hey I like books -- I can get books for Christmas presents -- they say they securely store and never lose a store credit slip -- I can stop by when I come back for holidays and pick up a book or two to take with me on my travels over the years. Sure. I'll do this stupid store credit. So I go in after my second batch of books has been appraised. And one tub is full of the books they want and other of those they dont. And the books they dont want have been absolutely maltreated - there is no other word for it. I am uploading pictures if Yelp will allow me. Bent covers, bent pages. A blatant disregard for learning and a blatant disregard for my property. At this point I am livid. But I've come this far. So I am offered $60 in cash or $130 in store credit for the second batch. Store credit please. So that's ~$95 in cash or ~$200 in store credit for ~150 titles total, most in fair to good condition, some in excellent and mint and some hardback. I ask for my total credit after this batch. And the lady at the counter pulls out what looks like a library card catalog drawer from a horror movie set in the 1930s. And they cannot find my slip. And they dont back up the information in any other way. And this is what I was trusting to use over my next several years of book purchasing. Luckily it was only a few days since the first batch of books, and they were able to find the appraiser's notes from that batch. Frustrated and angry, I said, Give me the cash for both batches instead. Welp, I went home, and the instant I parked my car I realized how fleeced I had been. I wished I had never brought my books by Manhattan's Dusty Bookshelf. I could have taken them to Wichita. I could have them taken them to Lawrence. I could have taken them to Kansas City. I could have burned them - used them as toilet paper - lined the inside of my coat for warmth. Anything rather than that book-hating greedy Mickey Mouse Racket they're running at the Dusty Bookshelf. Lord knows, if there were any way I could return the money I was given and have my books back, I would do it this moment. At the very least, I will make out with my mother before I ever so much as step foot inside the Dusty Bookshelf again. And I'm not one of those dudes who likes making out with his mother.

    First floor, post-fire.
    Madeline H.

    I will always miss this place the way it was before the fire... there really isn't anywhere else you can go to feel like you are at The old original Dusty Bookshelf. It's still a fun place to go and I will still support them. I am glad they were able to make a comeback. I miss the cats...

    Teresa P.

    Cute used book store that has a decent selection, but I feel that it's higher priced than many used book places I've been. Plus, this place is in Kansas, so shouldn't it be priced even lower for living costs here? Regardless, I grabbed myself a nice used paperback Dean Koontz book for just over 3 bucks to read on my plane ride back to San Diego. Not bad.

    Inside layout
    Sara S.

    Before the fire I went to this bookshop many times for the atmosphere, friendly service and of course amazing prices on variety of books. After there fire and finishing there renovations it took awhile but they are back to there normal self. With now two floors I had forgotten how good there prices where. They even said they are adding a food place up front. Which means no dog friendly after food which totally understandable. Can't wait to visit again next time I'm in town.

    I love Mondays.
    Michael W.

    Relaxed, pacific vibe inside this Aggieville establishment. Comfy chairs for leafing through pages & pages. Rather than dusty I'd say this is couchy with an expansive inventory. Really impressed with the children's books selection. I found books here MIA @ Borders and Barnes & Noble in larger cities. Very helpful staff willing to seek out what you're looking for whether it's graphic or biographic. I'd definitely check out this shop again.

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    8 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Cozy, new and used bookstore to spend my alone time or hang out with my friends and family

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Very chill vibes, great selection, good coffee, a nice place to hang out on a cold day.

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    5 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    15 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    17 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    4 years ago

    I love their selection of used books, properly organized as well! Their drinks and food were good as well.

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    13 years ago

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    15 years ago

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    16 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    12 years ago

    There's nothing better than browsing a used bookstore and finding a cat napping on one of the chairs. Adorable!

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    16 years ago

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    16 years ago

    I love this book store but it does have a cat so anyone with allergies needs to be alert.

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    12 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    15 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    11 years ago

    Wonderful bookstore-found plenty of kid's books I wanted and my husband found several books from his reading list.

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    10 years ago

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    Review Highlights - The Dusty Bookshelf

    The staff is superb: warm, knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

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    The Dusty Bookshelf - bookstores - Updated May 2026

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