I am so grateful they had a sign pointing the direction of Whitlocks Book Barn on the main road - I wasn't 100% expecting it to be in a residential area. But it is, and the store itself is lovely with the books split between two barns. The upper barn (as was explained to me) is where the majority of their fiction is and the best prices on used books. The lower, or main, barn with the cash register has their newer and rarer inventory. The floor is a bit warped so just be careful with your step. They do accept credit cards despite the initial appearance of a vintage register. read more

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Neat place. Two barns off the main track. Good prices on used books and a cool atmosphere. It's been here since 1948, a very hidden gem. read more

A wonderfully run-down pair of barns hiding within a tremendous wealth of books, from the most quotidian to the quite rare. An excellent collection of very old volumes about Connecticut and its towns, as you might expect. read more

I hope they never close. So remote, so full of an amazing array of interesting tomes!

This place is so cute and unique. I loved getting to browse. So many of the books were really affordable, with everything in the top barn being only $5 or less, and the more unique books being in the lower barn. It wasn't too difficult to find and definitely was a great place to spend some time! read more

I love me a used bookstore. Whitlock's is a great place to spend an afternoon, with many shelves of unique books to browse through. In the main store, the floors are a bit topsy-turvy, so wear good shoes (leave the heels at home, lol). A beautiful spot, gorgeous scenery around the barn. A must visit for bibliophiles! read more

My sister and I had a great time browsing the shelves and each took home a few books. My favorite find was a 1926 Winnie the Pooh for only $3! Prices are very reasonable and generally low except for some antique books I looked at. read more

Amazing place with the most interesting collection of books and treasures. I make sure to stop by every time I visit family in Bethany

So, you want some books, but you miss the old school bookstore. You know, the one you used to go in as a kid, where it was clumsily organized, half lit, and you never knew exactly what you were going to find. Some call that annoying, the rest of us find that kind of character charming. Besides, what I find bothersome is going to a bookstore and having to sort through all the stupid games, coffee shops, and annoying people. Thankfully, the "book barn" is still in existence in good ol' Bethany. This is the type of place where you walk in and go "ooooh..." Even if you're not a reader. I mean, this place rocks. The peace and tranquility offered here is fantastic. There's something special about a creeky barn, with crooked bookcases and uneven floors, playing classical music on an afternoon day. I never go here expecting to find anything in particular, I just go to look around until something catches my eye. What you won't find here is the latest new release with a huge sticker on the front of the book which screams "40% off!!" But you will find that special joy you forgot a book was capable of bringing you when you discover an old gem, and then realize that it's 95 cents. Seriously, come here and look at some books. Take a ride on the tire swing. I don't care. Just go here and be happy. I promise you will be. read more

Whitlock's is a used book store out in a couple of barns in a completely random location in Bethany. I mean, I'm surprised they got the zoning to open a store here. Anyway, it's not the largest selection of books, but there's two things I like: first, they have a decent sized collection of what I'd call "moderately valuable" books, meaning books 50-100 years old. And it seemed to me that many of them cost less than $10. Secondly, the whole collection is reasonably well-organized, so if you're interested in a particular topic, you can be in and out pretty quick. That's not always the case in used book stores. I would contrast Whitlock's with The Book Barn Niantic (what is it about books and barns?), out on the shoreline. That place is far better known and larger than here, but I actually like Whitlock's better. There are more interesting finds here, whereas Niantic seems to just be a dumping ground for bestsellers and trade paperbacks. Niantic also has moved much of their store to a soulless and malodorous space in a downtown strip mall, thereby negating the charm the barn setting offers. Anyway, if you like visiting used bookstores or are ever looking for a way to kill an hour or two a short drive outside New Haven, I highly recommend visiting Whitlock's. One heads up, I believe the store is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, and I believe it closes at 5 on the other days. read more

This is definitely not your average used bookstore. Whitlock carries all sorts of books...you will not find one new bestseller nor will you find that many paperbacks. What you will find is a bunch of first additions, all those old kids books you remember reading twenty years ago, and a few more unexpected gems. Everything seemed to be moderately to cheap. For fans of Roadfood, Splendid Table, Gourmet magazine...there is also a Jan and Michael Stern collection. Kind of funny and odd. This trip to Whitlock's my husband and I bought a book about Elvis and his interest in UFOS!!!, the 1976 Gourmet magazine collection, some paperback about Samurai's and baseball, and a few more weird books. Shop here with an open mind! read more

Overall, it's what I expected. Fair prices on used books...bought two paperbacks for $3.50 each. The upper barn has a variety of fiction and nonfiction as well as sheet music. It definitely didnt look like anyone had "cleaned" up or organized in awhile. The lower barn, I have no idea how it stays open. I was shocked at how bad the floors are just covered in rugs like that makes it safer. I get that it can have charm, but just beware to watch your step!!! read more

This is such a cool place to visit. It reminds me of a similar bookstore near my parents' house in upstate NY, so I felt right at home. Whitlocks Book Barn is an adventure. You never know what you might find and the real treat is that you HAVE to keep coming back. I would look around corners the first time I went and find a whole new stack of books to peruse. I'm sure new stuff is put out regularly. There's a great selection of extremely reasonably priced art books. In fact, all of their prices are very reasonable. If you're a bookworm that needs an escape from New Haven, this place is, as one other reviewer put it, "a hidden gem." read more

This is the place for people who want both interesting, diverse, sometimes truly antiquarian finds and an escape from retail plasticity. Whitlock's, in business since 1948, has that old book smell, and since it's literally in an old barn, has an unmatched "organic" quality right down to rocks and leaves peeking through uneven, creaking floorboards. If you're into recent paperbacks, they're around, but perhaps more special is the diversity of volumes from much farther back - my personal record is a 1706 Episcopal Book of Common Prayer. And that's on my budget - imagine what you could do with more! The whole upper barn is less than $5, the lower barn is $5 and up and has some more of the higher-end collection, but lots of steals, too. Friendly but unintrusive staff. Really the ideal experience. read more

Not only do they have a wonderful selection of special and rare books, maps and more, they are the most honest dealers we have ever met. They offer fair value when purchasing and their honesty goes beyond this as we were contacted by them months later, when an item sold for more than expected. They increased the purchase price by sharing the profit. read more

This place is pretty damn sweet. There are a lot of books, and I think they're all pretty fairly priced. There are always good finds to be had here! Also, if you're like me and aren't looking for rare items but just for a little reading, there are shelves of battered paperbacks in relatively good condition selling for a dollar or less (I'm thinking particularly of the classics section here). If you're like me and like a quiet, crowd-less book buying experience, the two barns are never filled with squabbling children and are the epitome of peace and calm. If you're like me and like the charm of old books and inefficient organization, by topic rather than alphabetically, then, well, you're definitely in luck! Another thing I love about Whitlock's - the classical music is usually good. I once heard the most amazing viola quartet (a small group, anyway) in the smaller of the two barns, but unfortunately I didn't think fast enough to ask for the name and conductor. One more reason why Whitlock's rocks, and then I'll stop - it used to be owned by the brother of my typewriter repairman, who is truly excellent as well. read more

this place is AWESOME. set back amongst farms & horses on a windy back road, it is a quiet little paradise to spend hours looking through books & old postcards. there are two barns to scour, & i always find something interesting. i usually bike there, as a manner of limiting myself on how many books i can fit into my bag home. it's a significant uphill on the way from new haven, but it makes for a sweet downhill home! read more

Amazing find- used bookstore, with an excellent selection on antique and collectible. I got the impression that they were connected to the Yale literary circles and had first shot at many estate libraries. Two barns- older one has the antique books and the upper barn has more novels and "newer" stock. Exceptional experience to visit. read more

I've been going here for decades and my visit today was pretty much the nadir (so far.) Like most open shops struggling to make a go, Whitlock's has had its share of problems, changes in management, ownership, etc. But, regardless of the bumps and hitches of business, its stock of good books has always dazzled. Well, no more. The upper barn was dirty, neglected, and many older titles were simply moldering in the dank, humid summer air. The lower barn, a good deal cleaner but hardly immaculate, had stock that I have watched grow progressively staler from its start as a new arrival--in some cases, years ago. Whole sections were wiped out. Philosophy, once strong, had fewer than twenty titles. The shelves for literary items were half-empty and the selection was weak tea, indeed. While I still feel it's worth a visit, since open shops are rare enough in their own right, I would suggest curbing your hopes for great finds. But, the books are inexpensive, the staff remains friendly and kind, and the pastoral setting makes a beautiful drive. Lower your expectations and hope for a pleasant surprise. read more

A little taste of heaven for fellow book lovers, couldn't recommend it enough! Widespread selection, character and nostalgia, set back in between beautiful horse farms, perfect place to spend a nice afternoon. read more

Mixed feeling about this place. This is a totally eccentric used bookstore where you can find some great stuff. They buy out many estates so some cool things pop up. The reality is they know what they have and price slowly and carefully. Their prices are kinda high so before you go nuts in there -check on Ebay and around -chances are you can get it way cheaper. There is no sense of urgency about selling anything in here-I've hightailed it to Whitlocks having gotten one of their newsletters only to find the mention books were not on display or priced yet and it's not like you are in the neighborhood here to come back that often. Unless you are at Yale and stalk them. read more

this is one of those hidden gems in the greater New Haven area. if you love books, definitely should check this place out. the categories are quite broad and the prices are unbeatable, especially those in the "higher building". the lady in the main (lower) building will say that most of books in the higher building are fictions, but it is not quite the case, there are plenty of history, literature and other genres there. I cannot tell how they differ in terms of quality and rarity from those in the main building. the store is in a place where one normally wont expect to see a bookstore, there is no business of any other kind in the vacinity. But on nice days, in can be very pleasant to walk around before or after book browsing. the place is probably rarely got crowded, so likely you are one of the few souls on the permise and can enjoy fully a quient, uninterrupted browsing. I got 8 books are spending about 90' there, which really made my day. also check out the history of Whitlock family in the book selling business-very few used bookshops can beat that. read more