Return-Path: Received: from creaky.speech.cs.cmu.edu by K.GP.CS.CMU.EDU id aa03866; 9 Feb 91 14:56:18 EST Received: from creaky.speech.cs.cmu.edu by CREAKY.SPEECH.CS.CMU.EDU id aa02453; 9 Feb 91 14:54:45 EST To: Harry.Bovik@K.GP.CS.CMU.EDU Subject: Bookstore reviews Keywords: bookstore Date: Sat, 09 Feb 91 14:54:44 EST Message-ID: <2451.666129284@CREAKY.SPEECH.CS.CMU.EDU> From: Dean.Benjamin@CREAKY.SPEECH.CS.CMU.EDU Dear Harry, This week, I asked the community for their favorite funky bookstores (ie, B.Dalton non-clones) in Pittsburgh, and learned that I should visit Sklederer's, downtown. I know you'll want to be ready to enlighten the enquiring masses. Here are the responses: From: Mark Hahn Borders, definitely. I don't know of any other interesting ones. If gather some interesting ones it might be nice to post the list. From: Erik.Altmann@NATASHA.MACH.CS.CMU.EDU I've heard that Skleder's is a remarkable place. I think it's mainly used books. 240 Forbes Ave, 261-1890, open 11am-2pm M-F. My ex-roommate's father put it on his itinerary when he came to Pittsburgh to visit, having read about it somewhere. There's also St. Elmo's, on the Southside, where choosers are always getting neat pins and things. If they're ever in Edmonton, they can try The Radical Bookseller... From: Nina.B.Zumel@GS27.SP.CS.CMU.EDU Borders, out near the Galleria (i don't the exact address, but i'm sure some other book-lovers know exactly where it is). I used to go to UC Berkeley, and i'm pretty picky about my bookstores (some people say snobbish), and Borders is the closest thing to a "Berkeley -style" bookstore i've found outside of California. 2 floors, huge (i haven't even seen the whole thing yet....), cute little technical section,("cute" was my fiancee's term....), big magazine rack, good-sized foreign language section, HUGE fiction section...and I haven't even seen the downstairs yet. They seem to have any kind of category of book you might want, and I really was impressed by the staff the night i visited: they actually seem to have read the books and have intelligent opinions about them. It's really too bad it's out in the Boondocks.... From: Harry.Printz@IUS1.CS.CMU.EDU Here are some recommendations. In Pittsburgh and vicinity Borders, in the South Hills Bookworm/Heads Together in Squirrel Hill Stonewall, in Shadyside In Denver, Colorado The Tattered Cover, Cherry Creek Mall From: Mike.Blackwell@ROVER.RI.CMU.EDU Definitely the mystery bookstore in Oakmont (forget its name, but it's right there on the main drag). The woman who owns and runs it is quite a character, and fun to talk to. Although it's a chain, Borders is the best all around bookstore in the area. Too bad Travel Bound went out of business... From: David Anderson I would suggest St. Elmo's (Carson St., South Side), the Bookworm (but it has lost much of its ambience in its new location), and the Gertrude Stein Memorial bookstore (Carson St. again, if it's still open). From: Alfred.B.Bortz@GLOBE.EDRC.CMU.EDU I like children's books (and even write them, one published to date). One of my favorite places is Pinocchio Book Store in the Shadyside Village ion Aiken Avenue at Walnut. The store is at the left end as you face the shopping center. You go down a flight of steps to reach it in the basement. It's a neat book nook, and it sells SUPERSTUFF! MATERIALS THAT HAVE CHANGED OUR LIVES by Fred Bortz, so I especially like it! (But I loved it before I was published. It's the equivalent of Jay's for the younger set and their parents.) From: Nicole.Vecchi@INFOS.RI.CMU.EDU Two that I like are Stonewall (in Shadyside) and St. Elmo's (South Side) St. Elmo's is somewhat on the more progressive, new age side. Stonewall has a peaceful, nonhurried atmosphere of old fashioned book sellers. From: Tom.Lane@G.GP.CS.CMU.EDU Borders, down near South Hills Village, is certainly worth seeing; it's become my favorite bookstore just on size of selection. (But I believe Borders is a chain based in Minnesota somewhere, so they may already be familiar with it. I have no way of knowing if this one is just like the parent store.) If they want to see *small* bookstores, then I guess Jay's Bookstall and the Bookworm are the best nearby places. I like the Bookworks (in Fox Chapel Plaza) also; it's not quite as funky as either of the above, though. From: Eric.Gardner@ISL1.RI.CMU.EDU Stonewall Books in Shadyside: best collection of modern lit. that I have found in Pgh. fairly good poetry section decent "art" books (big and expensive) other misc. sections. St. Elmos on the Southside: some eclectic (but good) modern lit. lots of gay and lesbian titles good martial arts section large new age section From: Kathryn.Porsche@CADMUS.RESDOC.CS.CMU.EDU Definately include St. Elmos in South Side (across from the Brady St.-- or is that Birminghan St. -- Bridge) and Acquarius in ShadySide (I think it's several doors down on a sidestreet just off of the business section of Walnut). From: Gerry Roston best in pgh is borders. nothing in pgh even comes close to b&n or the strand in nyc. also, harvard square is an amazing mecca of book stores. From: Cam Miller City Books on E. Carson St. on the Southside is WONDERFUL! Not only is the atmosphere magnificant, but the inventory is good to excellent (any used bookstore is going to fluctuate a little). It's one of these stores where the minute you walk in the door you are immediately immersed in books -- and as you walk further back into the store, you begin to feel like you are in a bookstore that could only have existed in London 30 years ago. There are comfy old chairs strategically placed ffor those of us who could spend an entire afternoon in a bookstore. Many of their books are leather or clothbound copies -- there are paperbacks, but they are in a minority. Be sure to check their hours -- since it's privately owned, it's not open as much as some stores. From: Kevin William Ryan Try the Sign of Aquarius in Shadyside - just off Walnut down from Hilaries Ice Cream. They carry New Age books, quite a weird selection. Witchcraft, crystals, astrology, odd martial arts, et cetera. The StoneWall Bookstore (down the street a little, residents and passerby on Walnut will know where it is) carries an eclectic selection, much like Jays, although they seem to have a much smaller stock. Also, the Bryn Mawr bookstore in Oakland (off South Craig, between Fifth and Forbes, going away from Oakland) is fun - they are one of the better used book stores in town. The Pitt bookstore, which is not a chain, is perhaps the best standard bookstore in town according to my book-buyer friend. He also recommends Eides bookstore downtown, which carries odd stuff, along with their records, tapes, and comic books. Hope this helps! From: Paul Christopher Workman Offhand... Schoyer's on Negley in Sq. Hill. They have a pretty good selection, good prices, and they're really well versed in the book trade. I think they specialize in local (ie Pittsburgh) history, among other things. My favorite. Tucker's on Murray in Sq. Hill. they seem to have most humanities titles...fiction, history, some other stuff. I haven't bought much stuff there; their prices aren't as good as Schoyer's, IMHO. Smaller stock too, but they're a regular antiquarian bookseller -- member of the assoc. I think -- and can do searches, etc. Bryn Mawr-Vassar Bookstore. Off of S. Craig near Carnegie Inst. and all those expensive restaurants. I get the impression (with no proof) that this operation is run by two or three retired ladies who do not make an income off it -- I seem to recall reading a flyer that stated that they're non-profit and get donations or something. I don't know if they'd be willing to barter with another bookseller. They seem to get a lot of their stock from the nearby Pitt/CMU/etc academic communities. Prices are OK. Worth a look quite often when you're in the neighborhood. Skedler's (sp) bookstore, downtown, near Market Square. Strange place: dark, musty, omninous. I think that during a freak accident, they appeared out of an H.P. Lovecraft novel. (the name fits). They have a lot of paperback SF and fantasy, I've noticed, plus a lot of other subjects. (but not much of the hard-to-find Lovedcraft) I recall they don't have any particular specialty, just a little of everything. When I've looked around there, I've seen several things that looked interesting, but I never found any specific titles I had been looking for. I think their prices may be a little steep (I can't recall). Also, I think they frequently take breaks in the middle of the day, so the shop hours are erratic. The Bookworm is sort of interesting. They've since melded into Heads Together, somehow, like amoebas or something. They still have a small stock of used books, but they appear to be putting more and more emphasis on slightly unusual new books -- Dover reprints, paperbacks editions of semi-obscure classics, etc. I was tried to sell some used hardcovers there and was told that they don't buy used hardcover books anymore (only paperbacks???). There's the Gertrude Stein bookstore on the South side. I can't recall if they deal in used books at all. As you might have guessed, their specialty is feminism and (I think) gay/lesbian/bisexual studies. I think they have a room in the back for poetry readings, but I'm not sure. There's also City Books on the South Side. Not a bad place. Fair amount of stock it seemed; prices were average. I've only been there once, but I got a few interesting books. I think it was mostly history/sociology/biography, but there were a few science titles too. Actually, their stock might have been more varied. I really don't recall. They might be a really good source -- the place was big enough. There are also "The Book People": the couple (I think) who periodically have massive sales in Pitt and CMU auditoriums. They have a lot of stuff each time and for (usually) pretty good prices; but, a LOT of their stuff is ex-library copies, which isn't necessarily bad, but you might not want that. The conditions of the books range from great to lousy -- it's really hard to characterize these people. They appear to basically just buy books in Pittsburgh then sell them in Cleveland and vice-versa; I think their purpose in the Universe is to maintain a bibliographic equilibrium between those two cities. I make a point to going to all of their sales -- sometimes I get a lot of great stuff, sometimes I get nothing. I once got a hardcover R. Bucky Fuller in great condition! that's a rare find! It didn't cost too much, either. well, that's all I can think of right now. Hope this helps, From: Robert.Frederking@ISL1.RI.CMU.EDU Sklederer's, downtown, is a funky favorite of many. The place is in total disarray, but the guy knows where everything is, and who he sold other copies of it to and when, and his wife knows all this too. From: Barbara Carlson There's St. Elmo's in South Side. It has a lot of "alternate lifestyle" stuff, some music, and basically really odd stuff I'd never seen before. Eides on Penn Avenue is a new & used book store with supposedly a good rep for SF stuff. From: Angela.Hickman@ML.RI.CMU.EDU Borders in the South Hills is really cool. They have books about *everything* and a fireplace/reading area in the basement. From: Lester Paul Diamond I have heard great things about the Border Bookstore out near South Hills Village. It's on the right side of the road in a small plaza just before you get to the mall. I read somewhere that it is actually part of some large chain, but it is their very high end store. Friends of mine have been there and have loved it. From: Chris Koenigsberg Try City Books, on E.Carson St. between 11th and 12th St., it's a crowded musty old place chock full of used mostly esoteric books. Also try Border's, which is way out in the South Hills - you go out the Liberty Tubes, keep straight on W.Liberty, it turns into Washington Rd., keep going. You pass the "Galleria" on the right, and Borders is a few more blocks past that, in a little shopping center. From: Todd.Kaufmann@ZEN.MT.CS.CMU.EDU St. Elmo's on the Southside (right at the end of the bridge). Sign of Aquarius (in Shadyside0 deals mostly in the occult & "new age" (really, old age) Tucker's has a good selection of old (though pricey) books Schoyer's -- I've never been here. From: "Todd L. Masco" If they care about little mystic bookstores, there's the Sign of Aquarius in Shadyside.