Old Editions Book Shop

Huge selection of books (3 floors), & open nearly everyday, but no free parking downtown. building recently went up for sale, so its future does not look promising !

I knew we’d be flying into Buffalo, so I naturally looked for bookstores to visit on the way through. Via Unilocal,I found Old Editions and knew I had to stop. I love bookstores and am obsessed with my book collection. We wandered around the store awhile, and I liked it. Then I found the rare book rooms, and I fell in love.
First off, let me say that the employee who let us in the rare book room was pleasant and fairly knowledgeable of the inventory. Also the rare book room was huge. And regardless of your budget, you can find some great books. I bought several terrific paperbacks from the 1960s, as well as some hard-​to-​find proofs by Robert Bloch. It is a great store and a worthwhile detour if you are in Buffalo.

I think I may have previously visited this place in a dream. It’s like a book lover’s fantasy land. First of all, the store is huge; much larger than I was expecting and by far the largest used book store I have ever been in. Covering three floors, the selection is amazing.
I found a book that has been on my to-​read list for ages and I got a clean, like-​new copy for $ 25. The prices for this book online range from $ 30-​up (plus shipping) and who really knows what you are going to get. Someone’s opinion of «like-​new», «very good» or «acceptable», may not match your own standards.
The collector’s section upstairs is like like taking a trip back in time. I could get lost in this store for entire day easily. Sadly, I only had about an hour to spare today but I will be back. This store is incredible and if you are even half as enthusiastic about books as I am, you deserve to treat yourself to a visit.

Thanks to used bookstores, I will never, ever have enough shelf space in my house. Those who know me, know that if I enter a used bookstore I am likely to come out with a pile of at least 5 – 10 books.
So needless to say, I am no stranger to used bookstores and I am sufficiently qualified to render an opinion.
Here is my fully educated opinion on this bookstore:
AWESOME.
Tons and tons of books on all different subjects. Rare books, fiction, classics, nonfiction, children’s, cooking, travel, etc. etc. Two stories tall, this shop will easily consume at least an hour or two of your time.
One of the best things about this store is the owner — he will gladly knock off a couple dollars or even give you a free book. He seems to really appreciate people frequenting his shop and he sympathizes with the ravenous bookworm (like myself) who spends perhaps too much money on books every year.

This book shop is one of the best I’ve been to anywhere. It goes on forever, they have anything you’d want, & a rare book room upstairs. Like a Buffalo Powells or Strand something… not quite as big, but enough to keep you occupied for a day! If in Buffalo, it’s a must visit.

I know the word is overused but all I can say about this place is EPIC. They have the most amazing, wide-​ranging, diverse selection of books anywhere in the area (and possibly overshadowing that available in many other areas). They also have comics, magazines, digests (such as Alfred Hitchcock Presents monthly). The gentleman who usually mans the counter (I believe one of the owners?) has virtually every book in stock memorized and is a very friendly fellow. You can easily spend a whole day browsing here — they have any subject or author, no matter how obscure, you may want and their prices were largely VERY reasonable.
Also, if you are someone like me who tends to thrift store and yard sale shop and owns a lot of out-​of-​print or older edition books, this is a great place to check the shelves and see what your stuff is worth (or just be nice and pay a small fee to the owner to price your items if you have something really rare). I found out a vintage set of encyclopedias I own about religious and supernatural subjects (Man, Myth and Magick) is worth about ten times the $ 14 I gave for them when I was a teen (in your face, Mom).

I found Old Editions, ironically, via a Social Media Club meetup in the side room. This gem of a bookstore is hidden right down the street from the old Electric Tower, where I work sometimes, on a dark side street.
When you enter, you’re confronted with a universe of old books, stacked on shelves, fanned against the wall, and encroaching even into their communal meeting space, where we were perched, eating pizza.
The meeting itself was interesting. Don’t get me wrong. But I am a nerd at heart, and used books are nerdnip. So as talk turned from social media to accounting and membership issues, my attention turned to the bookshelf next to me … and there, right before my eyes, was «The Novel of the Future,» by Anais Nin, who happens to be the one author whose books I cannot resist buying whenever I find them in a used bookstore.
(BTW, if you’re a Unilocaler and you haven’t read Anais Nin’s journals, step away from your computer and go find them. All of them. In used bookstores, only. Then read them. It’ll take you several years, but it’s okay. I’ll wait. They will inspire you to up your writing game in ways you never imagined.
Okay, back? Cool. Nice to see you there, reading this on your hovering iPhone 10S. Carry on…)
Anyway. Once I had this crusty old Nin paperback in my sights, it was only a matter of time before I could get my hands on her. When I had a chance, I snuck away to the counter and slid her across.
«Screw social media,» I told the clerk with an evil grin. «I’m buying a BOOK!»
He rang me up, then paused. «You know, I think we have the photographic supplement to her journals somewhere.»
My jaw dropped. «Really?»
“Yeah. I mean, I don’t want to promise it, but … give me a minute.“
Eric (we’re now operating on a first-​name basis on account of what he did next) returned with a slim paperback book full of photos, photos that apparently illustrate several years of Nin’s life. He slid it across.
«I will GIVE you this, if you promise to come back and keep buying books,» he said.
«Dude,» I said. «I promise.»
I realize maybe five people in the world can relate to how cool this interaction was. That’s fine. Eric, you know you’re awesome. Everyone, please keep buying books. The end.

When I visit Buffalo, I spend hours wandering around this amazing 3 story building. My cousin dragged me in here several years ago so we could escape the blistering snow outside and warm up some. I’ve never been into a used book store that swallowed me up like this place did. I really get lost looking at every single item, title by title, because I know if I just scan through real fast I’ll definitely miss something great.
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Everything that I am interested in collecting is here — first edition paperbacks, rare letterpress books and tons of juicy junk pulp. They have all your needs covered:
– used & rare books
– prints & artwork
– first editions & signed books
– historical documents & autographs
– collectible magazines, postcards, & memorabilia
Last time I was there I purchased a mint set of 1956 Playboy Magazines. The key to this purchase however… I asked if they carried anything such as that, since I did not see any on display. The owner took me upstairs where he snuck into a back room only to reappear with a large amount of magazines from 1954 — 1959. Not everything is on display, so don’t be afraid to ask them what you’re looking for. They may have it in the back rooms somewhere.
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Old Editions is a really staggering place to spend a few hours wandering around. The amount of materials on display and that which is hidden in the back rooms makes me want to visit and explore even more. If you stay there long enough, you’re bound to find something that you just have to own.