Village Book Exchange

Love stopping in here and seeing what books they have. Relaxing atmosphere with
great nooks and comfortable overstuffed chairs to browse and read and make final
decisions on what books I can’t live without buying.

One of our favorite stops every time we come to San Clemente for vacation. We always find something to pick up and enjoy for a read at the beach. Well organized and varied selection.

Best Used Book Store EVER!!! Staff is very helpful and can even order books at a discounted rate for you if they don’t have in stock! I find myself sitting and reading in this quaint space they have… happy they are in San Clemente!

I’ve been going to Village Books for almost 5 years… I just love the «feel» of the store. (I go even more since the DP Library was closed for remodeling.) Generally I get my books there and when I’m done I bring them back in for a partial credit. (The credit is on paperback books in decent shape that others would still want to read.) ***Village Books is especially convenient to buy the recommended reading list books for my kids in middle/​high school.

I still remember when they used to have their shop in Del Mar before a lot of super wealth started overtaking San Clemente. Anyways wonderful bookstore. I could spend hours in the Classics and History section. I never went to college. This bookstore was my professor.

The nicest ladies work here! They have given me fabulous suggestions over the years and will even hold books aside. The customer service is top rate and makes me feel like I live in a small town. A friend gave me this recommendation years ago and I’m so glad she did. Check them out!

I love this place! So sweet and fully stocked with just about everything! Spent about an hour just browsing. Cute reading areas for you to relax and check your book out before buying. Adorable cat roams about or sits happily on its perch by the door. The prices are so good! I left with 4 books for $ 20! And going back for more. Thank god this is right by my house!

Built on what looks like the bottom story of a building that disappears into the pavement, this is a little treasure trove of books off the main road of San Clemente.
I’m always, ALWAYS on the hunt for awesome used book stores. When my sister wanted me to come south so that I could slave away and build her IKEA furniture for her (in exchange for food), I immediately jumped on Unilocal to see if there were any local used bookstore gems in the area. Turns out, there are two — and Village Book Exchange is one of them.
There are books crammed into what feels like every inch of shelf space (and even on top of the shelves in some areas). Pricing is about on par with any Half Priced Books location (so roughly half off the retail price). I’ve seen better but I’ve also seen worse.
The extra star is for the service. The woman who was in charge was super friendly, but wasn’t hovering annoyingly the way some salespeople do. She gave us a quick breakdown of how the books were organized in the store then left my sister and I to browse to our hearts’ content. She was even able to look up an author for me when I couldn’t remember who had written a specific book! She also has the sweetest and fluffiest cat imaginable running around. Make sure to give her a pat before you go!

So good!!!
I stumbled (quite literally) into this place last Friday. I had come from walking around Del Mar and was meeting my friends in a nail salon down El Camino. On my left I saw a used bookshop and knew I had to check it out!
Pretty good selection — had a nice range of old and new stuff. To my pleasant surprise, their psych and sociology sections were actually decently updated so I snagged a bunch of psych nerd books for pretty cheap. Everything else looked good — a bit outdated but decent selection.
The lady’s cat was adorable too. The cat roams around the store doing whatever cats do and creating a nice, home-​y ambiance.
If I’m ever in the neighborhood again, I’ll definitely be back!

Love this place!!! This bookstore is a true gem. The perky lady who works there always makes great recommendations for my boys, and encourages them to sit a few minutes and read the book to see if it grabs them before we buy it. So glad we have this place in our little town!

The only cool bookstore in south orange county. Kind of sad how there aren’t really any other decent bookstores in the area.

God knows I want to support local books stores. This one infuriates me though because they deftly make it as difficult as possible. I simply can’t comprehend how a used book store can not carry so many books that are so easy to find used. Jack Kerouac or John Steinbeck books — for example — are foolish to buy new for $ 15 – 17 here when one could so easily order one like new off Amazon for $ 5. Almost all used books at this store are no name authors and everything I actually want to read is new and overpriced. Their music section is awful and lacks basic rock bios such as Motley Crue: The Dirt while carrying not one — but two! — Amy Grant biographies. Who the fuck wants to read about Amy Grant?! I’ll feel bad when this place shuts it’s doors for good someday soon. Hopefully then I’ll remember how long it takes to find a book I’m willing to pay their price for and how stubbornly they refused to offer any real service to the community (nostalgia doesn’t count).

I love this book store. I always will. Its what made my husband and I want one at the beach when we retire. Sweet old lady at the counter. Fairly priced used books. Nice organization.
Yup. Always come here when I am in town.

Not only is this a great used book store they will order new books for you and give you a discount on it. My highschool studen is in advanced English which requres a lot of reading (and can get expensive). The owner knows which books the local highschoolers need, and stocks up on used copies of those books. When those run out, she will order you a new copy, with a discount, if you need it. I am thrilled I discovered this bookstore and that I don’t have to leave town to shop.

As progress inevitably marches forward, reasons for little bookstores like this to exist become fewer and fewer — after all, you can get any book you want on Amazon, used, generally cheaper than you can get it here. Or you can go fully electronic– Nooks, Kindles, iPads, whatever. And I’m not nostalgic– I love Amazon and I love my Nook. I use Netflix instead of Blockbuster, I use my iPod instead of record stores. If the internet business crushes the brick-​and-​mortar one, I will remain mostly indifferent.
But that said, I think we should get to keep a few stores like this one, no matter how firmly rooted in our culture the cyber-​business becomes. As far as selection, prices, convenience goes they can’t really compete. But when you go into this store, you get to be surrounded by books– every single wall is stacked high with them. And what’s more, the staff are people who love books. You can get advice, you can crack jokes, you can wander the aisles looking for something you’ve never heard of to tickle your brain for a few hours.
That’s got to be worth something.

Village Books is a great resource for books suggested by SCHS. Karen is so friendly and knowledgeable — she can help you find anything. This store is truly a treasure!

This is a great little bookstore. As I understand it, it’s the only bookstore in San Clemente! The owner is very enthusiastic, kind and community oriented. She orders new books for the high school kids but the rest of the inventory is all used books. It’s well organized and comfortable enough to find a quiet corner to read a few pages. Harry the large fluffy cat will come by a few times to see if you are enjoying yourself and finding everything ok. Prices are fair and trade in’s are welcome. Parking on street is easy. Make sure they are open before you go, they don’t stay open late.

I found this store by accident one day. It’s almost like the store was a little hidden. You walk in and it feels like going into a long-​time family friends’ home. This place has a very welcoming and inviting feeling. I actually started to get a little drowsy in the store because it was just so comfortable in there. The books are well organized and categories are easily visible. The bookcases are a little close together so the aisles can’t fit too many people. The lady who was working during my visit couldn’t have been more helpful. This quote was placed on the counter next to the register and it made my day.
«Promise me… you’ll always remember you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.» — Christopher Robin to Pooh
So very glad I found this place.

I love used book stores — and I don’t care who knows it!
If you like reading and the joy of being engrossed in a good novel, than you owe it to yourself to buy a fre used books every year, just to make sure these small operations are able to stay in business.
Village books is cramped but well organized. The owner — Manager? Employee? reminds me more of an old-​school Librarian than a retailer, and I always feel the need to whisper.
Don’t leave the door open — her cat may escape — don’t you see the sign?!

My family & I started going here when they were on Del Mar (down with «the man» for inflating rent on Del Mar!).
It’s a great place to pick up a «certified used» book for cheap. They host quite an expansive selection. They even have a friendly cat that lives in the store — it’s so cute!
I get all of my Agatha Christie’s here, and am thrilled to be able to support the local SC economy in the process. Great place!