Ravenswood Used Books

I love this place. Its very cool set up, with piles and piles and stacks and stacks and shelves on shelves of books. As you go further and further back in the store, you end up in your own little hidey hole, surrounded by books. I am not claustrophobic-​but could imagine it being a problem for anyone that has problems in tight spaces.
I am not an expert on books– so I can’t speak for their selection. It seemed like most of your typical paperbacks were in the $ 5-​$ 7 range (original price $ 15-​$ 20). I don’t know what they buy or not, but thought $ 6 was a good price for the books I got.

First, I am a fan of used book stores. That being said, this is a quaint bookstore that maximizes every inch of space in the place. It’s slightly cluttered but in a fun, nostalgic way. You might need help reaching for a few books or finding the right section, but it is a cozy, cool place that you can pleasantly get lost in. Nice selection considering the size of the store, I specifically appreciate the literature and poetry section. The prices are fair and the people are friendly.

Wish I could give this place zero stars. The woman at the counter is a real B***h.

Would give no stars if it was possible. Called this morning to see if they had a specific book in stock and was told by the gentleman who answered the phone that they did. He didn’t put me on hold, hesitate in his answer as if he was looking it up just said yes. I drive all the way down to their store an hour later and as for the book only to be told by the woman at the counter that they don’t have it. WTF! Why did I bother calling first? She said they usually have it just not today. Not really good for customer service. I would have rather given my name & number over the phone & let them call me when it came in rather than waste my time driving there for nothing.

This place is my favorite bookstore in Chicago by far. Amazing selection and ambiance, ask the manager for a recommendation and she will knock it out of the park for you.

I don’t work far from this book store and was looking for a very specific couple of books. The person working at the store was both knowledgable, helpful, and friendly. I was able to purchase the books I was looking for, for a very good price, and had great experience overall. Very happy and highly recommend this store!

Very nice collection of books. My only complaint is that it’s a bit pricey for a used book store. Definitely don’t know why people put the single dollar sign for this store as that is not the case at all. Not to be one of those guys who complains about a few bucks but it’s definitely not cheap.

Excellent getaway. It’s located in an already calm quiet neighborhood but stepping in here is like stepping into an alternate universe. It’s maze-​like but in a charming organized way. I love coming here. I’m excited to check out the events they host.

This is a special place. A large, good selection of books, great prices, the manager is so helpful & friendly, and her greyhound is so chill. They also stay open later sometimes for special events. What more can I say?
Note: Google Maps shows the correct address in text but not on the map!

A true gem. Well curated, amazing selection. They don’t make em like this any more. Show your support for this dying breed of charming book store. I’m in love. Eff you amazon dot com! I’ll frequent this place until I’m no longer able to read.

Apparently Unilocal created a new listing and closed the old one, instead of just marking it as moved. Here is the link, because I think that many of those reviews are still relevant.
In the new location at 2005 W Montrose, Jim has more space than the shop in Lincoln Square, and I think that it will be a real boon for his business. I spent about thirty minutes there today and I didn’t even peruse half the shelves. More room = more books = more browsing pleasure. It is still a great browsing bookstore with a perfect balance between organization and lack thereof. The shelves are labelled by genre, but there is no alphabetization or other apparent book-​by-​book ordering withing the sections, except that some major authors are grouped together. So you can spend a lot of time digging for those gems, of which there are many.
Of course, if you’re looking for something specific, just let Jim know and he can tell you exactly where it is.
I can see spending a lot more time (and money) at the new incarnation of Ravenswood Used Books – now actually located in Ravenswood!