Black Oak Books

Won’t somebody think of the unbought books?!
I’m bummed that this place closed down. It gave me something to do while waiting for friends, not to mention I’ve already gone through all the titles I picked up on a whim last time.
Their super friendly help will be missed.

So sad that they are closed… they even had used books so you could often get a great deal. Another local bookstore down… what’s next, the inner sunset being taken over by mall-​esque/​chain restaurants and fancy dog boutiques? Oh, never mind, that’s already happening :(
Thank you Black Oak Books! (BTW, their Berkeley location is still open)

I used to really love this place. It was open ’til 10 PM every night, so it was a good way to avoid studying for extended periods. They always had interesting books in the windows and on the shelves. The people who worked there were incredibly nice and helpful.
I went by today… and there was a sign in the window saying they were closed for good. (They still had some really cool books in the window, though. I would’ve bought one of them if they were still open. What a tease!)

OMG — I was there a week before theye closed and they didn’t tell me. I wish they had a big sale, but just a sign. :(
There will always be a never ending list of books that I have decided I need to read. But for some reason the books I actually pick up and finish are the ones that begin with a mystical hunt.
When I need inspiration, a general pick me up, I go on a search for a book. Recently I have been finding myself at Black Oak. I walk their fiction aisle glancing at bound paper that is alphabetically organized by author. I see familiar authors names, pretty covers, intriguing titles. Then there is a spark! And I realize I have to read that book!
My most favorite experiences led me to:
Arundhati Roy «The God of Small Things»
Geoffrey Eugenedes — «Middlesex»
and a rare book on news writing
I like the people that work here too. They are unobtrusive, friendly, and knowledgeable.

UPDATE 3÷25÷08
Black Oak Books is Closed. This makes me so sad. Damn you amazon!
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After eating too much baigan bartha at Naan N’ Curry or any of the other many eateries in the InSet, this is where I like to come and browse books before heading home. The selection is diverse.
On the «new» tables you will see all of the books that you’ve seen your fellow commuters reading on the N-​Judah. In the «used» section you’ll find a surprising variety of titles, ranging from math textbooks to recent fiction (I’ve found Murakami, Eggers, and Coetzee works regularly).
Black Oak Books has become as much a staple of my InSet diet (I use the word in the general sense *ahem*) as Koo Sushi. They seem to have come on some hard times as of late and are in danger of closing, so please, if you’re thinking of buying a book, head over here and support a local business rather than buying it on-​line. You’ll actually get to smell it and touch it and will probably save money on shipping and handling.

Black Oak Books is a classic local bookstore, and worth supporting just for that reason. Sure, you’re not going to have the breadth of selection (they were out of the two books I inquired about although the cashier guy knew right away what I was asking about), but this is one of those places you browse about and stumble upon something.
A lot of the inventory is used, so you can find some pretty good deals if you have the time (and I hear they are very fair on selling books if that’s your thing).
If you find yourself having dinner around the 9^th and Irving area, this is a good place to digest afterwards since they keep pretty late hours.

I really like this bookstore. I don’t know whether it’s their custom shelves or their large fiction section or their no-​nonsense employees that keeps me coming back, but these things all help.
It would get five stars except that I have this notion, perhaps childish, that the perfect bookstore comprises multiple floors, ideally connected by rickety staircases. Also, this place is super clean, which is great for the books – there’s still a slight musty smell, which is good – but which again takes away from the mythical perfect bookstore.

Miss your old college bookstore? Here it is!
Euclid. Physics, by Asimov. Lewis Carroll. A children’s book on «Wizardology.» Applied Abstract Analysis. 1,001 Arabian Nights in 10 volumes. Medieval Literature. Why Display Art. Sci Fi and trashy romance novels, too.
This is a browsing paradise.

When I sell books, I usually sell them in hopes that they will sell. I was so desperate to unload books, I sold my 19^th century art history book for three dollars and had bitten expensive books because the jerk behind the book decided to print a new edition.
And after so many birthdays and so many college books, I donated boxes of books to the library. My former roommate, who is an avid book scavenger, used to work as a book buyer at Black Oak Books and would call me to reference
like weekly when he found rare Marxist books around the city. «How much is ‚.,.?» then he would come home with an $ 80 book for «guess how much?» Impressive.
San Francisco is the most literate city in the US as I quote the Chronicle. Readers go through their books quickly here and make their impoverished counterparts day at Black Oak. So the moral is to research, research, research if you’ve time but if not, you can probably buy the book of your dreams online for ten dollars more. This medium-​sized bookstore has a very decent supply of used books, including yes jumbo-​sized picture books.

WTF– every year i’m face with that dilemna. Y’know, the one question we dread that we have to address, the one that seperates the slackers from the, almost slackers– what is your new years resolution.
I usually apply the tried and true «monkey throwing darts» strategy of making a bunch of easy ones and hoping one will stick (yeah, I know, that whole «eat what’s on your plate and not finish your friends food» resolution was not one that lasted long). well, this year, I wanted to challenged myself, and try to get myself more «smartular” — and what better way to be smartular, than to read some of these things called «books» (well, I hear they work better than putting on glasses).
Black Oak makes finding said books easy, and the helpful staff both have glasses (smartiness=check!) AND they can help newbie book readers like me out with suggestions (although they need more picturebooks ;)). So far, I’ve gotten through two hilarious finds («Gods behaving badly», and now a Confederacy of Dunces). Definately recommended– and theres no presumptuous vibe there (or funky mildewy smell you get other places).
Here’s to a smartular 2008– and at worse case, some pretty dustcovers to look at on my desk ;)

I love pumpkin pancakes.
Especially Crepevine’s.
So being that Black Oak Books is on the way to Crepevine.
I go in ALOT.
Each time that I venture inside, I am always excited to see new old art books. new old photography books, new old interior design books, new old biographies and, new old travel books lining the shelves.
Each time that I have gone inside I always gain new perspective.Through. Old. Wisdom.
Each time I go into Black Oak Books I come home. Put on my radio.
And read a book.

Friend took me here and she had some books she wanted to try to sell to them. If you bring large bags get them checked at the front counter. they will hold them for u.
They looked at her books and they were willing to buy 2 books. and she picked store credit. Then we looked around the bookstore.
Some of the new arrivals in the Used books section were pretty good. I found Julie & Julia and also My Life in France. She picked My Life in France (to buy w/​her store credit) so I hope she lets me borrow it after she’s done!

Great store, but does have a fairly limited book selection. Additionally, most of the used books are excessively expensive when compared to places like Green Apple.
Occasional good buys can be found though, you just have to be willing to go there a lot and know exactly what you want.

R.I.P. Black Oak Books. You will be missed.
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I am more than mildly irritated by people 90% of the time.
So I hide behind books so I don’t hurt their feelings by telling them to shove off. I figure reading a book is the best way to ignore the surrounding population.
BOB has used, new, fun, boring, educational, funny and all sorts of books. The folks who work there are more than helpful and can recommend a book that you’ll like. They have always been pretty damn good with their suggestions to me.
So if you see me reading a book… it’s not because I’m trying to expand my horizons or anything. It’s because I just don’t want to deal with you.

Though it’s not the largest bookstore, this location of Black Oak Books always carries books that interest me and they’re used. They sell new books too, but mainly used ones. The literature selection is very good. I also look at cookbooks and have found some obscure ones here (though the selection is not extensive).
They get high marks for keeping things organized. I went to the Green Apple Annex and the used books aren’t alphabetized there as they are here at Black Oak. The layout makes for pleasant browsing and the store is clean and appealing. They buy books too. And they have rare books.
They don’t clutter up the place with a lot of non-​book merchandise. It’s a purists’ bookstore, which I appreciate. Not flashy, but substantive.

I agree with Matt L. — this store has a very impressive selection of used math and science books. And the prices are quite reasonable too — I’ve found several out-​of-​print math books that go for $ 200+ used on Amazon or
, but at Black Oak they cost between $ 20 and $ 30. Quite a score!
It’s a real shame that the owner wants to sell — apparently because running this shop and its larger sibling in Berkeley takes up too much of his time that he prefers to spend learning dead languages and, soon, mathematics! I couldn’t make this up if I tried, which I suppose speaks volumes about my creativity.
Oh yeah, and the other sections are nice too, though for fiction and history I think I like Great Overland Books (a block away on Judah) even better.
Supposedly the owner of Black Oak is seeking buyout offers, so if you’re a rich philanthropist reading this, please keep this place open lest it fall into the hands of yet another of the chain stores that are inexorably taking over this block of Irving Street!
BTW, the now-​extinct store on Irving that Matt L. asked about was called Chelsea Bookshop. Alas it’s gone now, so Black Oak and Great Overland are all we have left, unless you count the dodgy Christian store on 9^th or the musty-​looking sci-​fi (?) shop on Judah which one of these days I will remember to look inside.
Regarding parking: I live a few blocks away so I usually walk or bicycle over, but for those coming by automobile, there’s a small lot off 8^th Ave. behind Citibank that is often but not always full — certainly worth trying if the street parking is jammed as it usually is in the evenings.

Used book stores are my sanctuaries. I love them like Andrew Jackson loved the concept of Manifest Destiny (although my love is without the skewed Western world view, at least so overtly). And being a resident of the inner sunset, I also love this neighborhood. Thus, this store makes for two great tastes that taste great together.
While some will sing the praises of Green Apple day in and day out, this store has the better of Green Apple in a few key categories. First, and most importantly, I have found that the selection of technical books at Black Oak far outstrips the selection at Green Apple. More specifically, if you are in the market for used science or math texts, this is the place for you. I suppose one could argue that devoting so much shelf space to these subjects necessarily cuts your potential audience, but being that I am a member of this audience, I find it wonderful.
The selection is more than ample if you’re in the mood for browsing. They’ve got new books as well, and the staff is always friendly.
I will be best friends with anyone who can name the used book store that used to be across the street. This place was very small, but so wonderfully quaint, and it was bar none my favorite book store in the city. When they closed, I mourned for several weeks; but on their door they instructed potential patrons to go to Black Oak Books across the street, and so I dutifully comply. I have yet to be disappointed.

Ughrrrr… I just accidentally clicked back the page, and lost a long elaborate review that I wrote. I am too frustrated to start over now, so here is a short and sweet version:
I love this bookstore! It’s bigger than it looks, and has a GREAT selection of non-​fiction! I found AMAZING books on the theory of space [Arch, not Math], the structure of mind [Psych, not BioPhys], the history of 19^th century Paris, and even some Econ books that I actually found very interesting.
Come here, but beware — you can buy books much faster than you can read them! That’s my problem — I get all these incredible, fascinating books that I MUST read, and then I find myself barricaded in my house with knee-​high stacks of books, and PANICKING that I am not reading enough! It gets very emotionally taxing.

Had quite an enjoyable browse here after a brunch with a friend. Solid used bookstore with tables displaying new books.
After eyeing MFK Fisher’s Art of Eating and thumbing it over and over (I have left too many devasted well-​thumbed books behind in the trail of my browsing), I bought it along with a small used book of Celan’s prose.
Really, finding Celan’s prose made my day as it’s not easy to find.
I’ve been thinking of the lovely hour spent at Black Oak since that brunch. Part of the enjoyment is the well-​cloistered literature section. Nothing is better than walking down an aisle of shelves… a womb of books, of sorts. I will be back soon for another enjoyable weekend browse.

Not a bad bookstore, not a super bookstore either. Location is great since you can hop off the N and its right there. Good selection of literature used books, generally good balance between used and new books, organized and the clerks are friendly.
But on the downside is the limited selection of popular used fiction (dangit, I don’t want literature, I don’t want to improve my mind, I just want a good murder mystery) and the fact that the pricing system doesn’t vary for the condition of the book. Half off the cover price, sure that is standard, but when the paperback is starting to fall apart, I don’t want to pay more than $ 1 – 2. Prices overall are on the high side.