Books: Rare, Medium, Well Done

1. Ali S.
   November 18th, 2008 at 12:11 am

   This is the type of bookstore I would love to visit and spend time in. Very cool pictures!

2. Brim
   November 18th, 2008 at 12:19 am

   Lovely! One could spend a happy day digging for treasures and rarities, have a cuppatee or five, and then continue treasure hunting... oh yeah!

3. dimestore
   November 18th, 2008 at 12:52 am

   I've been going there for years, and have found some great stuff. Just make sure you have some time. The art book section is the most infuriating. The books are just stacked on the floor in a series of 3'-4' towers.

4. Adventurous Wench women tours
   November 18th, 2008 at 1:24 am

   Good thing I live faraway from these bookstores! Else I might have bought tons of rare books that my small house can barely fill.

   Adventurous Wench women tours

5. interstellaroverdrive
   November 18th, 2008 at 2:53 am

   Does anyone know the address to this place?

   I'm in Chicago but I'm new to the city and have to google maps everything before i venture out.

6. qwhacker
   November 18th, 2008 at 3:08 am

   I love stores that are willing to be unique like this. Some of my best purchases were made at yard sales/flea markets, and having a store set up (or, not set up I should say) makes me more interested in finding the hidden gems

7. field
   November 18th, 2008 at 3:41 am

   welcome?

8. SenorMysterioso
   November 18th, 2008 at 4:08 am

   There is a book store like this in my neighbourhood. It is an unorganized mess of books to everyone except for the owner who, if you ask him for a book, knows if he has it and its location in store.

9. Polx
   November 18th, 2008 at 4:33 am

   Good Gravy!

   It's Voltaire and Rousseau book shop, Otago St, Glasgow.

   I love the name "rare medium well done"

10. Woogie
    November 18th, 2008 at 5:17 am

    Person who runs it isn't called Bernard by any chance are they?

11. ted
    November 18th, 2008 at 7:55 am

    Reminds me of the old people who have stacks and stacks of newspapers in the house.

12. RubenCovex
    November 18th, 2008 at 8:12 am

    Ahhh...I'm sure with a little patience & perservance, anyone could find a book in there that they never knew that they wanted.

13. Rocky Rook
    November 18th, 2008 at 9:05 am

    I love these type of bookstores ... so cool.

14. dimestore
    November 18th, 2008 at 9:30 am

    Interstellar,
    It's at Clark and Wellington.

15. MENLOHEAVYWEIGHT
    November 18th, 2008 at 10:31 am

    what a mess, i would never shop there

16. noahstrickland
    November 18th, 2008 at 10:38 am

    I love stuff like this, it is such a rarity to find a good used book store like this these days.

17. Frau
    November 18th, 2008 at 12:14 pm

    Looks like my Russian friends apartment. While I am not a neat freak, I used to be a librarian and it drives me up the wall to see books like that.

18. Mo
    November 18th, 2008 at 1:20 pm

    Looks exactly like the isles in the dollar bookstore here in Edmond OK

19. Ceda
    November 18th, 2008 at 2:03 pm

    I think that this bookstore is on Webster and Clark. My favorite memories in here were finding a huge stack of books about schooners and then sitting on a pile of Voltaire.

20. Lenka
    November 18th, 2008 at 4:04 pm

    I've been there numerous times, and can vouch that you'll need several hours at a time to fully enjoy this bookstore. As an earlier commenter said, it's not a very well-organized shop but it's filled with unusual title - that just adds to the pleasure of finding a rare book! The name of the shop is "Bookman's Corner" - googlemaps link here: http://tinyurl.com/65u59k

21. garbonzo
    November 18th, 2008 at 4:24 pm

    What an awesome place to spend a rainy afternoon!!!

22. renderanything
    November 18th, 2008 at 5:59 pm

    Now added to my list of places to visit if/when I make it to Chicago. My luggage would be a bit heavy for the return flight though.
    One of my favorite local used book stores is a four bedroom house furnished only with books and bookcases.

23. Leylairoyale
    November 18th, 2008 at 6:17 pm

    I live a few blocks from there. I passed by the store today.

    I love to see Chicago things on Neato!

24. Lenny Nero
    November 18th, 2008 at 6:36 pm

    Shouldn't the title of this blog post be "Rare medium, well done" not "Rare, Medium, Well done?" The commas change the whole meaning of the store's name.

25. noran
    November 18th, 2008 at 6:40 pm

    It is one of my favorites! I have mentioned it on my goodreads profile several times. It is closed on wednesday, and he does not sell you books, if you plan to cut them up for art projects! He told me last month, he is looking to sell the place, due to age--he is a WWII vet. He is chatty, if you sow some respect, and smile. No, he does not know his stock, for it is free flowing --in and out all the time. Prices are good to great. Dusty and no A/C! Ladder usage at your own risk sign is here and there. Prices are good--I love hunting. Last itme i forgot my hubby at the car for 3 hours! Metered parking along Clark--2 hours at a time. Duke of Perth --Scottish pub and eatry down the street ablock or so--Great fish and chips!! Salad with poppy seed dressing from scratch. Soups are wonderful too.
    I live in NW IN, but dated my hubby up there. Bookleggers is on Broadway-nice clean shop-little higher prices, but I find things there all the time too. You just walk wellington or is it webster to Broadway, and you should see them across the street. Both shops buy/sell.
    Thanks for posting this-It gave me a huge smile today!

26. noran
    November 18th, 2008 at 6:45 pm

    interstellaroverdrive --try Powell books-Near univ of chicago. They also have another location. Also Myoptic books. Yelp.com--pick chicago, and it will help you find most anything you want in the city. Aslo if you like strange new books and magazines-Quimby's is cool and shocking too. Not for the delicate person. They have a website too, so you can google them. They carry the largest selection Zines in the city.

27. Maureen
    November 18th, 2008 at 11:08 pm

    I talked to the owner about a year ago and he said he was trying to get out of his lease. He has been giving away books lately and I think he wants to get out of the business. So if you want to go, go soon!

    Personally, I love used book stores and I have bought books there, the prices are great. However, don't try it if you're clautrophobic. I've had to step out a couple times because I had a sudden fear of death in there.

28. stormie24
    November 18th, 2008 at 11:48 pm

    I love this kind of book store! it's so cool and you never know what you'll find!

29. smallerdemon
    November 19th, 2008 at 8:29 am

    I think I recognize Rumo as one of the books in one of the pile on the floor.

30. Dignam
    November 19th, 2008 at 8:39 am

    I lived down the block from that place a few years ago. The owner is amusing and a bit mad and sometimes smells like he hasn't showered in a week. It's on Clark St., a few blocks north of Fullerton, near (as others have said) the Duke of Perth, La Creperie, and the Century 10 Movies. Not reeeeally Lincoln Park -- more like on the border between Lincoln Park, the Belmont/Clark district (which really is its own world) and Wrigleyville. The history, art and poetry sections are absolutely brilliant. Fiction is a little spotty. There are two other excellent used bookstores in the neighborhood -- one on Belmont between Clark and Sheffield (tremendous classics, science fiction and literary criticism sections); and another on Clark further north, near on the western side of the street, about halfway between Belmont and Wrigley Field. It has an excellent collection of art books and antiquarian editions.

31. Scooter
    November 19th, 2008 at 10:28 am

    I work in a Special collections at a College. If I want to see rows and rows of rare books I'd just walk in the closed stacks for a while. There is a book store near my house that is similar inside. Over flowing stacks and stacks of books.

32. aristos
    October 5th, 2009 at 9:45 am

    the original shot of the window has no comma between the words "rare" & "medium". I take this to mean that the shop owner(s) are calling attention to the "rare medium" of books which are "well done"

33. aristos
    October 5th, 2009 at 9:49 am

    Lenny Nero (#24) On re-reading the posts I find you had got there before me.

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