Orca Books

I came in one day looking for wrapping paper out of desperation (where do parents buy wrapping paper? I still don’t know.) The guy who helped me was great; he found some wrapping paper behind the counter and let me cut off a piece.
I figured I should at least buy something small to be polite, so I started browsing, and ended up finding my new favorite book!
Will definitely be back the next time I need more reading material.

A nice book store in town with all sorts of fun things to discover. Browse through carrots sections until you find something that captures your fancy, you’re bound to find something on the shelves.

This bookstore has a lot to offer. I was visiting from Seattle, and I was quite impressed. It is definitely worth checking out if you’re in the Olympia area, and have a love for books.

Nice bookstore with scores of used books everywhere to paw through!
From my experience at least some of these used bookstores are untidy and not organized but no such issue exists here.
This bookstore was recommended in the «Best of» for the year in the Tacoma Volcano for the year and I have to say that it hit the mark quite nicely!

I’ve been going to Orca for years, and I truly want to support local bookstores and have a good relationship with fellow bibliophiles. But the customer service demonstrated by some of the staff is sometimes just so poor. I often feel like they just don’t care about me as a customer. If I ask a question, I’ll get short/​snarky replies, as if I’m bothering someone. And I buy a lot of stuff from their store.
The book trades are really inconsistent – sometimes they reject books without even looking at the title (literally), and I’ll bring the same stack back and they’ll take them all.
I just wish Orca cared a little more about its customers and provided better service. Or at least courtesy. I do purchase and sell more and more on Amazon because the prices are better. I go to Orca because I want to support local businesses and experience a kind of bibliophilic connection. But the staff at Orca never seem to care, and I gradually take my book business elsewhere.

Olympia’s main cultural institutions revolve around the arts and booze. You’d think the town was founded by Charles Bukowski, and you wouldn’t be that far from the truth.
Orca provides the literary portion of our town’s constitution. It serves as a cheaper alternative than the campus bookstores for the college students, a conceptual reaction chamber for the locals. If the only thing you knew about Olympia was learnt from time spent wandering Orca’s aisles, you’d be under the impression that you were standing at some weird intersection of Naropa and CERN.
This isn’t the heart of Olympia, this is the brain. Walk in and plug yourself right into the old noodle.

The worst. Their Native American section is abysmal, filled with nonsense books, and with few to no actual native authors.
After searching the shelves for books I needed including God is Red by Vine Deloria Jr., and House of Dawn by N. Scott Momaday, I approached the cashier to ask about the books. There was a book discussion going on in the shop that I didn’t want to interrupt so I offered to write it down and he glared at me and loudly demanded «just tell me! They can’t hear.»
Pardon me for trying to be polite and also, eff you for lacking the common sense and courtesy to carry at least a couple of native authors in your «Native American» section. You won’t be seeing my business ever again and I will warn others of your complete and total rudeness.

Awesome book shop. Great organization and really great options. I love a good independent book shop and this is one to support.

Great book store. I wanted to write this review before the last independent book store in America closes. We got a fair amount of credit for books we traded in, and then we found books of interest for all ages: Grandma, myself (advanced middle age), and 10 year old James. I will definitely return on the next visit to Olympia.

They have a good selection and only take in great condition books. Just be aware there are many full price new books also so not all are discounted.

Although not many new books are in store and they don’t have a huge selection, it’s a nice local bookstore with friendly and helpful staff.

I love Orca Books for their selection. I can guarantee you will find several interesting books! Browsing and Buying are my two favorite things to do. I always kick myself for not buying a particular book because I can never find it a second time. Books go fast here! Orca Books offers a wide variety of topics. Their used books are usually in good condition, but not always. I would suggest leafing through a used book to see if any pages are ripped. I almost bought a book with some old pages repaired with tape. (I don’t mind this with some books, but I do care if it is a field guide.)
My daughter is a big fan of Orca Books. She is a bibliophile and would hoard books if it wasn’t for the book swap at her school. Twice a week she demands to go to the book store and always attempts to leave with a huge stack of books. She loves the children’s section. There are picture books, chapter books, graphic novels, and educational books. It’s easy to find stories that feature girls as heroes, which are my daughter’s favorites.
My number one problem with Orca Books is I am not a millionaire and I can’t buy half of their inventory. My number two problem is I need a bigger house for all of the books I have bought here!

I seriously love this little local book store. The staff is very nice and willing to help you find anything you want. If they dont have it, they will order it for you and quickly too. If you call, they answer their phone in the first few rings and actually act like they are happy to help you.
There prices are just like you would find in any other book store but the service here is what is nice.
I do go to that other BIG book store on the west side but find that I am coming here more and more often just because I like the personal feel of the place. Customer service is important to me, and these guys know what that is.
If you cant find parking on the street pull into the tire store parking lot to the east of the store, after the business closes it is free ;)

Really great service! Open late, plus they have two great cats that don’t mind being petted if you’re not aggressive. (Allergy sufferers need not worry: the cats will not follow you around and the only traces of fur are on the cats themselves.)
Wonderful small business feel at Orca Books and the staff really deliver on the friendly atmosphere you’d expect at an independent bookstore.

Nice bookstore in downtown Olympia. I’ve had success finding specific books at low cost, and I always enjoy seeing the random cats roaming the store. I’ve also traded in a used book before for store credit. I’d go back.

Love it, beautiful bookstore, lots of little seats, reading the merchandise seems welcome. I always find the store cats to get a little love. Some pretty obscure titles. A little pricey, wish they had a sale now and then.

Awesome little bookstore! I really like the selection of magazines and used DVDs. My two complaints about Orca would have to be some of the employees have a crappy attitude and their lack of meat themed cookbooks. I respect the fact that they are catering to the large vegetarian/​vegan community of Olympia, but they seem to go out of their way to not carry meat heavy cookbooks. Other than those two items I have enjoyed shopping here for years.

Orca has an immense collection of books, perfectly categorized and immaculately kept. I was good friends with their old cat, Henry, may he rest in peace.

I would give it more stars but their used prices are on the high side. Still i love stopping in here.

I adore Orca books. They are holding true to a disappearing icon — the independent, local, used book store. Growing up I loved going into these kind of places, with the smell of paper and scattered comfy chairs, where you could spend hours browsing or reading. There is no place I’d rather be on a rainy day.
Orca books has an excellent balance between used and new books, and an amazing selection of every genre. I regularly browse here to see the best of new titles — from urban gardening to modern fiction, handpicked titles are on tables throughout the store. Most of the staff are committed bibliophiles and are able to suggest titles perfectly suited to your taste.
Orca also has a large selection of used dvds, blank journals, calendars, book marks, and other items.
Even if you buy nothing, if you care anything at all for books it is a wonderful way to spend part of an afternoon.

What is not to love? This is always my favorite bookstore to visit when I’m in Oly. Buy independent and local! :-)

I LOVE THIS BOOKSTORE every time I visit olympia i go here and find amazing literature.
shop local