Came here for some badgers gear. There were boundless options, yet very few things stuck with me unfortunately. Ended up with a long sleeve shirt and pajama pants. But it was cool to check this spot out as the gf of a Wisconsin Alum read more

University Book Store - Bookstores Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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They have a whole pack of badgers stuff on the main floor and over-priced text books for students downstairs. They also have a giant bobble head of Ron Dayne. At least I presume it is a bobblehead. He looked normal on tv but I've never seen him in person - maybe he just has a freakishly large head. read more

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This is the official bookstore and shop for the University of Wisconsin at Madison. They have everything you can think of in terms of Wisconsin University apparel and souvenirs. It's definitely worth a look at if you are in the area. read more

University Book Store - Bookstores Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

So, I'm going to talk about UBS in terms of being an ordinary bookstore. I'm not talking about its function as a seller of textbooks for coursework. If you're a student at UW, you already know about that, and probably have feelings one way or another. Rather, I'm just talking about the University Book Store in terms of being the kind of place you go when you just want something to read. A few years ago, it used to be downright fantastic. They had a fairly large section of new books upstairs, and browsing was generally pretty fun. They had a great selection that spanned genres. If you wanted to find some good sci-fi to read, for example, you could definitely find something. Downstairs they had a similarly excellent selection of used books. Browsing was an absolute joy. You never knew when you'd stumble across a real gem. I wound up on that end of state street the other day, and was dismayed to see how the store has changed. Their upstairs selection of new books was reduced to a single half-height shelf hidden between school supplies and clothing. I'm not joking when I say you can find a better selection at Target. It's shockingly small. Even more heartbreaking, the downstairs selection of used books appears to be massively downsized. There are a few shelves of used books irregularly spaced out and organized in a puzzling fashion. If you want to buy a non-textbook book, there's absolutely nothing done here that isn't done a thousand times better by Paul's or A Room of One's Own. Honestly, I've not been this disappointed with a change in a store in a long time. For a store that a.) has "bookstore" in its name and b.) benefits from association with an institution of higher education, it's jaw-droppingly abysmal on both regards. There's something incredibly depressing about a university bookstore that barely acknowledges the possibility that people might want to read for pleasure. To the degree that the store performs that sort of bookselling, it's approached with the utmost indifference. If you want your standard tchotchkes and clothing with university branding, you can find them here. Whatever. You can get better prices elsewhere. Their school supply selection is pretty solid, so good job there. The notebook selection is just okay, though; there doesn't seem to be too much between low-end Meade notebooks and some comparatively expensive Rhodia stuff. Again, you can probably do better checking out art supply stores on State Street in that regard. Honestly, the current state of the store just bums me out. They've done so, so, so much better in the past. The part that really makes me sad is that the staff is really quite friendly and helpful. None of this reflects on them at all. It's just a problem of managerial priorities. read more

I really like this bookstore. I really like that it is so much more than a bookstore. It has all the college gear that a student (or future student/parent/alum/grandparent/baby badger) would ever want. It has a great variety of books (make sure to leave about an hour to scour the basement's selection). Grab a coffee at the coffee stand near the front doors. Super cheap lattes on Thursdays! If you have a badger fan that you need an extra special gift for- THIS IS YOUR PLACE. The prices are not super cheap; but I have seen more expensive gear at other places. Their selection of art supplies is pretty cool too. I never leave empty handed... read more

University Book Store - Bucky badger cow - Bookstores Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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I was a student once (and no, not a long time ago you jerks), and I worked in customer service once for over five years. Yes, it sucks sometimes, and sometimes there are days where you're just completely over it. But it's ridiculous here. Every single person who works here gives absolutely no shits about their jobs. A friend and I came in here to pick up some souvenir stuff, and we had a few questions about some merchandise. The kids here act like they're doing you a favor by working there, even though a majority of them were just chatting away about their weekend plans or sitting at the register while on their phones. We wanted to know the price of a duffel bag they had on display, and if it was available for sale since it had no tags. We literally had to ask three different people before we got a straight answer. Each one of them didn't know. No one bothered to try to find out, but instead just directed us to another worker. Also, I guess in this establishment it's absolutely unheard of to greet a person before speaking to them. The kid at the customer service desk actually gave me the most disgusted-weirded out look as I said hello to him before I asked a question. I actually felt like I offended him by speaking to him! It wasn't like he was busy, all he was doing at the time was folding a pile of shirts! Whatever. It's a shame, because they have a huge selection of pretty cool badger merchandise to choose from, but I'd rather give less jerky establishments on State Street my business. You don't wanna bother these guys. They've got shirts to fold. read more

A great variety of Badger-ware/wear and gear for visiting alumni. This is always a must stop when in town to refresh my wardrobe. The selection is huge and prices competitive. Not sure students even buy books here anymore like in the old days! read more

Tremendous variety of WI gear. Some stuff is pricey but they have had sales every time I have been there.

Yes people complain that it's too pricey, but I'm cool with it. The higher cost is expected so when I need to stock up on badger wear, this is the place. It's convenient and they've got it all: books, clothes, school supplies, outdoor gear, all in one place. Their 'secret sales' are crazy. $50 sweatshirts on sale for $15 at a certain time. Good deal for sure, but plan on getting there way early and even still expect to be trampled and clawed at by crazy college girls all crowded around the boxes on boxes of cheap merch. You may not be able to snag a sweatshirt in the madness, but it's always a good time. read more

I'm not going to talk about the books here. I remember the days (long ago) when I barely got a few bucks back for a $250+ textbook while I completely cashed in on others. What I am going to talk about the insane variety of Badger gear. And, thus, the insane amount of coin you may drop ensuring that you and every single one of your family members is outfitted in red and white. The University Book Store is a mecca of everything Bucky. Things that you couldn't even fathom to rep UW are present here. The selection is choice, the quality is high and so are the prices. Do not be shocked to see many a $65+ hoodie. It's the norm. The kiddo and baby section is especially impressive, so definitely stop by and give a look-see for any budding Badger. *Pro tip - Bathroom is in the basement (where all those glorious textbooks lie). read more

Buckminsterfullerene, a naturally occurring fullerene molecule found in small quantities in soot. As any chemistry undergrad should be able to tell you, Croto, Kurl and Smalley at Rice University won the Nobel Price in Chemistry, 1996 for the discovery of this spherical (actually a truncated icosahedron), but like anyone else with a bachelor's degree in chemistry who didn't pursue chemistry I have no idea why this is important. The molecule resembles a soccer ball in configuration, hence the common nickname, "Buckyballs," and because of name of the mascot at UW Madison, the neodymium magnet toys, "Bucky balls" are sold here. Why am I giving you this trivial information? Because the idiot salesperson didn't know what the toy "bucky balls" was named after and didn't want to hear my explanation (no it wasn't busy), so it's been pent up inside of me since I was in the store and it had to come out somewhere. Good selection of books, University of Wisconsin souvenirs, alumni clothing, and pretty good coffee. But somewhat uneducated cashiers. read more

The bookstore is, without a doubt, the most corporate bookstore in all of Madison. I'd even go so far as to label it a "big brother" entity. The benefits of their return policy end within the first month of the semester. I had the ink for my printer cartridge refilled, only to experience problems with it the very next day. Sometimes a student is left with no other choice, but I'd recommend any other route available, as far as buying books are concerned. Buying books online is not only cheaper, it's also worth the wait. read more

UBS is key to college survival; they pretty much have everything you would need in the way of textbooks, school/office supplies, badger gear, and probably stuff you didn't know you needed but upon sight, know that it should be yours. Some textbooks can be found for cheaper at other local places, and of course online shopping is always cheaper, but UBS typically has course lists of materials which you can have sent to you, put on reserve in store, or simply show up and grab what you need. I've always found the staff to be really helpful during the rush at the start of the semester, which makes everyone's lives a lot easier. Located in Library Mall, UBS is definitely convenient, and is great to shop for gifts for anyone really. The prices aren't as low as they could be, but that is to be expected by a local store who pretty much owns the college population. read more

The only pluses I have for the University Bookstore are (1) it's location is basically on campus and (2) it has an extensive supply of Badger gear. However, it's a bit pricey. You can easily find Badger gear (especially tshirts) elsewhere on State Street for cheaper. As an art student, I buy a lot of art supplies, and the bookstore's selection is decent, but pricier than other stores. You can find textbooks for cheaper in other places, too. Also, I've had a couple bad customer service experiences with a few of the full-time employees. Basically, unless you're really just looking for the most convenient option, you can find what you need somewhere else for cheaper. read more

Great selection of all the UWM stuff you didn't know you needed. Helpful people willing to call around for another size when your uncle from out of town is desperate for a shirt he can wear to the office. Things are a little pricey but they have a great selection. read more

I could spend all day in the UW bookstore (and have come close before!). In addition to textbooks and everything-you-ever-wanted-with-Bucky-the-Badger-on-it, they have a great selection of art supplies, pens, and random cool gift things. I love trying out all of the pens. It used to be one of my favorite things to do when a new semester would start. I would reward myself with new pens for surviving the hell that is textbook purchasing. The bookstore also has a great selection of used books for cheap. So now I can buy back all those books I wished I hadn't sold back to the bookstore to buy ramen. read more

Came here as a tourist to purchase a few logo items to bring back home. Like most university bookstores, this one also seemed to be employed by students as the majority. The features that seemed to really stand out to me were the extensive selection of Badger gear and unfortunately - the horrible customer service. The items were priced from mid to high, though there were a few items on sale. And of course, stationary equipment and school supplies seemed affordable as well (for a student budget). I made a few purchases here, and believe that with the business I provided.. the customer service should be reciprocated similarly. Most employees often gave me "I don't know" responses or directed me to ask another employee regarding my inquiries. One employee in particular, I think the person's name may have been Felicia or something similar... was extremely standoffish when approached. Felicia seemed to be more interested in folding merchandise than attending to our questions. Felicia pretty much did not greet us and when greeted, Felicia gave us that look as if we were mistakenly at the wrong place at the wrong time. Anyhow.... other than customer service and the moderate to high priced items, there are many other alternative logo stores along state street that are equivalent and possibly better to this bookstore. read more

Prices are high. Staff was busy talking to one another. I accidentally pulled the wrong coupon out of my purse for 20% off (which we got from the tour of the university), and instead of saying something like "this coupon isn't applicable," or "this is for a different store," the clerk left it on the counter without a word, and charged me full price on the expensive "clearance" shirt I was trying to buy. When I took out my money, I realized my mistake and handed her the correct coupon. Perhaps communication isn't her strength, but it's not that difficult. She said "Oh!" That was it. Aside from that, the store had a large selection of U of WI apparel. It was a large space, so I didn't see the other stuff they were selling. read more

I actually want to review the one in the Hilldale mall -- i've never been to the one on state street. Fantastic art supplies; great UW apparel. Decent book selection. Does a great job of highlighting books by local authors or about local topics. Staff willing to find/track down and order anything you want. read more

what a bloody place. I got a used English text book there. In the beginning of the next semester, I tried to sell it back. The first staff there told me I could get 4 buck s if I could erase all the marks written inside. Well, all the marks were there when I bought it here. If they require every costumer to erase stuff they wrote before they sell the book, how come I got the book with marks in it. Now they require me to do this. f* ck that erase the whole book for only 4 dollars! so I left at once because I had other business to do. When I came back to the book store again some hours later to see if I could argue with them, it was another staff there. He told me I could get 2 dollars at most since it was an old edition. F*ck that as well! Is it a private business run by individual staff there? I don't think they have the same standard to evaluate the used books. I had other unpleasant encounters with the staff there. It was evident that this bookstore did not emphasize on staff training as much as it did on getting all kinds of fancy university products. It did have lovable clothes and souvenirs every now and then. But the service was lacking for sure. read more

Everyone's least favorite place to drop $300+ twice a year on text books. Nonetheless, I dig this place, because they consistently have way cheaper office/school supplies than Walgreens. Additionally they carry a stellar selection of date books and art supplies. (not sure how reasonably priced the art supplies are) Also, the upstairs book store is extremely convenient when you need to get that last minute travel guide for your last minute vacation. (or gifts) On the reverse side, all of their UW gear (sweatshirts, water bottles, etc etc) might as well be purchased at Steve & Barry's for half the price. read more

Good stuff in here but expensive. Go up State Street and find t shirts, hats, etc on sale.

Typical of any college town book store: it had books, it had clothing, it even had stationary...all the essentials for any college student, alumni, or out of town visitor read more

The Bookstore has arguably the best selection of Badger attire/memorabilia in the State Street neighborhood. There's a mix of higher-end athletic brands (think Under Armour, Adidas, etc) with really affordable, collectible clothes. The sales can be pretty good, too. Check their website for coupons before heading down there, there's often a coupon for clothing items that you can print and use for a small discount. As for textbooks - in my experience, the Bookstore has never been a particular bargain destination. They're not particularly well-known for great buy-back offers, either. Part of the textbook business, I suppose. It's very easy to find cheaper textbooks from online sellers or even other bookstores on State Street. Look elsewhere before you buy if you're interested in saving money. read more

I visited a friend in Madison and didn't have a lot of time to shop for apparel. Angie, Melanie, Steven, Ross and Talia all helped me obtain exactly what I was looking for in no time. Additionally, even after a friend bought me an oversized sweatshirt, they made the exchange for me without any questions. If you come to the bookstore, I highly suggest one of these five workers to help you shop. read more

With conflicting information on the web site about return policies, the book area manager told me I should have lied and indicated there was a family medical emergency rather than telling him the truth and saying that we didn't realize the return deadline date. What an arrogant individual - I would suggest that students shop on-line where the customer service and treatment is better than that of the bookstore. One location on the webpage says 30 days returns not listing exclusions for textbooks and then you find where text books have to be returned by Sept. 11 - which is one day prior to the deadline to drop a class......a nice way to treat the captive customer they have in the students. read more