Black Oak Books

Alas, they seem to be moving/​closing but given the sale they have going on now, it’s hard to beat their prices. At 40% off, lots of new and used books were too tempting to resist.
they will be missed!

I love this bookstore. I especially love that it is within easy walking distance of my house in a neighborhood where you wouldn’t necessarily expect a great bookstore. It has a very nice selection. It is much nicer inside than the outside would suggest, and the employees are very helpful and kind.

The two scriveners working at this bookery are unique and much worth engaging in literary intercourse with. One is a thin, wisp of a young man, shy, yet full of lore. Ask him about Emperor Norton and you will obtain delicious morsels of facts, and dare I say it; fun.
The woman is erudite and sagacious. She doth make it hard to discourse with her on the account of her wondrous appearance. Clothed in a long black dress, she sports a whalebone corset as dark as night to match her smoldering eyes. What’s more? Her hair is the color of the gloaming when the last rays of the exhausted sun lay down behind the horizon.
They also sell books.

It’s sad to see one of Berkeley’s best bookstores out on the fringes of town because the rents are going sky high in Berkeley. This is one of Berkeley stellar bookstore like Cody’s for you old times! Plus it has used books! It’s in a neighbor that is walkable if you are willing to hoof it an hour around trip from the center of Berkeley.

Adorable bookstore. I had to leave very quickly because I could literally feel the $ 20 bill in my wallet trying to escape. Very nice mix of new and used with a sizable sci-​fi/​fantasy section appended to the store. I ended up with just one book and left behind $ 6 for the pleasure. Staff very friendly and seem like cool people based on the conversation I was eavesdropping on while browsing.
Keep indie bookstores alive. Visit soon and visit often!

This is by far one of the nicest used bookstore in the area. The shop appears unassuming on the outside, but once you walk in, you’ll find a sprawling collection of books. This location offers a wide range of used novels, including a fantastic section of ‘Newly Released & Slightly Used’ hardback books so affordably priced my jaw drops every time I peruse the section. In addition to used, there’s also an enticing array of new books. Not just any new books, but the kind of titles that make you want to grab a blanket, make a cup of hot chocolate, and spend Saturday with your nose buried in a book. In other words, the staff is very knowledgeable about books and intelligently selective in stocking its shelves. Finally, in addition to new and used, the shelves occasionally hold rare prints, such the hardback Robert Chambers first edition printed in 1910 I recently purchased.
To conclude, this store is much larger than expected, incredibly well organized, bursting with a fantastic selection, impressively clean, and offers a knowledgeable and friendly staff.
The only downside is the lack of restrooms (yep, there’s not even one), which makes shopping a smidge tricky if you’re anything like me as I can happily spend hours perusing titles.

I loved it at the old Shattuck Avenue location. I don’t visit it nearly as often at the new one — but each time I do I am impressed with their service and selection.
Yesterday I was there to buy a hard to find book. I found out that Black Oaks had the book on one of the online mega booksellers website. Since I live so close and wanted it before Christmas, I decided to call and find out if they had the book handy and if I could come by the store and pick it up. I called and spoke to Mario who said he’d check and get back to me. He indeed did call me back and I went into the store to pick it up. The book was in exactly the shape they’d mentioned in the listing. I paid for it and even though they have a self-​serve gift wrapping station, Mario gift wrapped it beautifully for me. It’s gestures like that one that make me feel guilty about always buying from online stores. Thanks, Mario & Black Oaks. I’ll be back more often!

Very nice people that work here! It’s a really large book store (asked where a section was and she personally walked me to that area!) and I appreciate their quirky sense of humor with signs for trash, umbrellas, etc. It’s a cute place with doorways painted with columns for the fantasy section and I’m glad I walked over and checked it out while my car was getting some maintenance. I’m definitely going to go back. I really liked their sale racks right in front of the store. I think it was 3 books for $ 5 or was it $ 1 per book. It was something like that. :) Chairs are available. I like their walls and bookshelf corners… like a maze! :P

I give this store 5 stars for a number of reasons. An excellent selection. A pleasant staff, and fair prices. They could improve in areas, but given the pressures used book stores are under right now, I believe they do a great job trying to adapt. You may recall that the original Black Oak Books was a very expensive store staffed by knowledgeable people, but expensive used book stores are clearly on their way out. The new version of Black Oak stands a much better chance of survival. Give it a chance.

I’m often pleasantly surprised by their used book selections. Prices are very good, books are always in the very best quality. I live near here now, and stop by and buy something every now and then. Good motivation to read faster!

It seems these days everyone loves their e-​readers, and have forgotten the pleasure of holding, reading and turning the page of an actual book.
Black Oak books is special place for those of us who still seek the pleasure of reading an actual book. Exploring the store is like going on a treasure hunt. Great books everywhere, and a friendly, helpful, knowledgeable staff.
If you enjoy reading books, treat yourself to visit to Black Oak books, you won’t be disappointed.

ALMOST as bad as HALF PRICED BOOKS in as far as what they pay for books, don’t bother selling to BOB unless you want to haul 5 back breaking boxes and be offered $ 13 for ALL five boxes (!!!) AVOID!

The selection is OK. However, it is not organized as well as other bookstore’s in Berkeley. What’s worse is the owner threatens to fire employees for allowing a paying customer to use the restroom. Instead they send customers out the door and two buildings down to a tea shop to use theirs. If they aren’t good enough to let me relieve myself while shopping, they are not good enough for my business. There is too much competition in the area to be stingy about restrooms. I won’t be back unless the owner respects his/​her customers more. Moe’s Books in Berkeley is a far better choice.

I wandered in here the other day and really enjoyed wandering the aisles and browsing — I came across a book I had completely forgotten I wanted and picked it up for a nice price. I also liked the small Sci-​Fi room which had a picture of a Star Wars stormtrooper proclaiming «these are the books you are looking for»… lots of books and good prices, definitely worth a visit!

Nice bookstore. Good plac to browse. The site of an old R&B and a one-​time infamous punk club, going there brings back memories.
The only drawback? It reminds me of the old Black Oak Books, that used to be in the Gourmet Ghetto. I miss that place. :(

I only go to independent bookstores and thought I’d try Black Oak Books when I was in Berkeley. The selection was fine but I felt as if I was interrupting the conversation of the two women working there when I went to the counter.
I also, as a proofreader and children’s book reviewer noticed that they had a book listed as a ‘Newberry’ winner. Newbery has one ‘r’ and I did point that out jokingly. They just shrugged, didn’t correct it and had me put the incorrect sign back on the shelf.
I am a long time supporter of independent bookstores, but I won’t go back to this one. There is a lot of competition in that area, so I don’t need to go where my business is not wanted.

They don’t honor their trade slips! I went in with my old trade slip, for $ 90, and was told that their bankruptcy released them from all debts, including trade slips. Sleazy!
I loved the old Black Oak on Shattuck and was there often. But the new place seems dank and poorly organized. That, and the betrayal of old customers, means that I’ll not be back.

Awesome local independent bookstore — yet another one that draws me in and keeps me — like a spider luring a fly to a web — at least if that fly was a bibliophile with a credit card! Love the new location and am very happy to see this bookstore surviving — nice folks and great selection of books.

Following in the literary footsteps of Dorothy C., Toni M. and Alan L., I ventured into Black Oak Books yesterday. This place is still very much an unfinished manuscript, but with all the raw material and promise of a runaway best seller. While the store isn’t yet fully stocked, there is still loads of material to browse through. Let a coloured sticky note and the very helpful and knowledgeable staff be your guide.
It would also be nice if in the end, there were more comfy chairs throughout the store, as the selection both in front and the currently closed back merit hanging around a bit. A closer source of coffee would be nice too, although Café Trieste is only a short stroll down San Pablo.

As Kenneth R. noted, Black Oak is back. Non Unilocalers were tipped off to that fact by an article in today’s Chronicle:
We decided to pay our respects and found the store buzzing w/​enthusiastic bibliophiles who had the same impulse. We had incorrectly inferred from the article that the store was in the same block as Good Vibrations and Sea Salt. It’s the next block south, in the building that housed the long gone Rountree’s nightclub. The doors still have grandly carved Rs on them. The sign outside just says BOOKS. I didn’t ask whether they have one ordered that will say BLACK OAK.
The shelves aren’t yet fully stocked but we managed to find 3 books we wanted. They have new books and used. New books are discounted 20% until the 27^th, then the discount goes to 10%. It still feels like a work in progress, but none of the other customers were anything but enthusiastic. Alan at first thought the place was too dusty for him, then realized he’d been going though old and dusty papers this morning, so his reaction wasn’t to the store. It’s a delight to have Black Oak back. The article said they plan to resume the author readings once they’ve fully unpacked and settled in. So go welcome Black Oak back. And buy something.