Unnameable Books

My go-​to book store in the area. Really like the mix of used/​new books and I always check out the discount book cart.

It’s a rather cold place. Cold setup, cold owners (at times mean), cold signs («please do not steal books»?).
Tried to sell a couple of used books there. The lady took a look and said no. Perfectly fine. I then asked whether I could put down the books temporarily on the counter and browse through their collections on the shelf. She frowned and very reluctantly said yes.
Every couple of minutes the lady would stroll from the back to the front of the shop, apparently policing the customers. If you really care so much about book thieves, install a security camera.
Not my type of bookstore.

This bookstore ranks with Shakespeare & Co. Bibliophiles flock to sell their exchange their collections so there is a constant turnover of books. We enjoy the ever-​changing display of books in the storefront windows and we’re always finding something unusual and intriguing to peruse. If you want to sell your books be prepared for a line on the weekends because they are popular.

Great selection of used books with fair prices. The used graphic novel/​comicbook section is great. If you’re looking for a book that is slightly harder to find, give this place a shot.

Recently, I’ve been into used and local bookstores. When I went, it was the summer and they didn’t have AC which limited my time. I do like how crowded with books it is and that its in a fun neighborhood. Some of the books seemed overpriced and that’s fine but if they could make it smell a little bit better as in not like B.O. I think it would really help sales.
The selection is pretty diverse and fun to explore. Although, the signs that say not to steal bother me because they seem passive aggressive.

God-​tier bookstore, up there with The Strand and Book Thug Nation /​Human Relations
Much better curation & atmosphere than McNally, Bookcourt, WORD, Greenlight, Hullabaloo, etc

Unnameable ticked all the things that I like to see in a bookstore: some $ 1 books outside to lure me in, a healthy selection of used books in well-​organized shelves, intriguing stacks of used books on the floor, and some new books to tempt me. It took an inordinate amount of restraint to walk away with just one book. (It helped that the one book was a nice, used copy of The Sun Also Rises.)

I LOVE this place.
It’s absolutely cozy in here and perfect stop by while waiting for your dinner reservation, take the long walk home or in the mood to aimlessly hunt for a book. As another reviewer said «beautifully cluttered.» The associates here to bother to rush you or glare at you in a «too cool for you”-way.
The inexpensive books $ 2-​$ 4 on the outside are worth the look. My boyfriend found a Civil War hardcover (400+pages) for $ 3.For those with bigger wallets, in the back of the store they have rare books with a bigger price tags.
The used books here are in great condition, there may be underlining (in some books) but I’ve bought a «used» book… that was really 100% unread (spine cracked when i read it).
In addition to used books they do have a small section of new releases, so I try to go here and buy new releases vs. Amazon Prime it. Support your local businesses :)

They don’t buy books by local writers or as some people say ghetto books. Don’t go to them let alone they bought 4 books for less than $ 10. I really don’t need the money but seriously. .they’re the worst

Awesome quality books at great prices. Staff is helpful and attentive without being intrusive.

Had a great time, found some very cool obscure books on Medieval music, folk music, and some classical sheet music for violin. It’s a tiny hole in the wall, very quiet, they don’t rush you, and it’s next to a café, which is cool, and the staff is really friendly. I didn’t find what I was looking for, but I came out with some other super cool books and spent waaaaaay too much time there! I’d give it 5 stars if it wasn’t so crammed and hard to read the titles (I was on all fours with my head turned to the side most of the time). Great way to spend a couple hours in Brooklyn, and you never know what you’ll find.

Used books on the cheap starting at $ 1
Not as organized as you might like, but a good spot for finding quality reading material.
New and Used books
They accept credit cards (.25 cent charge for purchases under minimum amount)

Beautifully cluttered, yet ordered, the way you want a place that takes books seriously to be.
5 stars cuz when I brought my purchase to the counter (a relatively obscure selection), the lady at the counter said «We have a used copy of this, in good shape.» and it was HALF THE PRICE of the new one.
I will be coming back

I always said that if I found Zazen by Vanessa Veselka out in the wild, I’d buy it. Unnameable Books was the first shop that actually carried it on their shelves, along with a great selection of great small press books.
The shop is small but well-​curated. For the shop being as small as it is, I thought the prices on used books were really good; they were comparable to the Half Price Books in my town that probably has cheaper rent and definitely has a huge stock. To be able to pull off those prices with less stock and a smaller shop in a higher-​rent area? Very fair.

Wonderful selection of books, very reasonable prices and the pre-​owned books are in great condition. Most importantly the staff is very friendly and helpful.

I love to browse used books, find something I must have, and buy it right then without that nagging feeling that I should have paid less elsewhere. If I suspect that a price is inflated I will shamelessly check using my phone right in front of staff, but Unnameable Books doesn’t mind. I suppose they’re confident in their prices which, truth be told, are pretty good. Example: this week I took the $ 15 used copy of Bittman’s How To Cook Everything right out of the front window display. It’s missing the dust jacket but otherwise in 100% perfect condition. Right now «Like new» and «very good» copies of the same edition on Amazon start at $ 19. It’s also a little strange that I tend to browse used book stores with a companion who only reads e-​books. He looks, but never ever buys anything in print. Unnameable’s staff doesn’t mind that either. They don’t hover, and are helpful when asked. They keep the place clean and well organized. Nice store!

I came here as a book seller so I can’t speak to the experience of buyers. Maybe Unnameable Books passes their savings onto their customers after robbing used book sellers blind. That would be the only silver lining, the only thing to get the bad taste out of my mouth. I arrived with a stack of brand new hardcovers, Pulitzer-​prize winners that had been given to me as gifts, which I never got the chance to read and will sadly have to leave behind when I move. I was hoping to receive at least 20% of my books’ face value, but I am not one to cling to unrealistic expectations.
I was met by a rude shopkeeper, who manhandled the pages without so much as a word or a smile. I understand the need to assess condition, but these books had never been opened, and I feared the shopkeeper would break their spines. After all was said (or not said) and done, I was offered a measly five bucks – or a bit more in store credit, which is useless to me as I live far away. I had traveled for almost an hour on the subway to get to this place, hoping I would be able to leave with at least a little dignity and enough to cover my Metrocard expenses. But all I left with was a lesson learned.
Too bad the libraries don’t accept donations anymore! I’d rather give my books away for free than deal with Unnameable Books again.

It’s an adorable space — very tight and cozy, with a good selection of books. I was happy to see a healthy selection of Murakami’s, along with a few National Book award finalists. There’s a small section of children’s books, and then a large, large selection of higher (theory and critical thinking based) readings. Lots of interesting choices — eclectically curated. Plus, their business card is so clever — they’re little bookmarks!
The thing that keeps me from 4 stars is the customer service and such. It is a little less than friendly. When purchasing a book, the lady there seemed a bit curt and unenthusiastic.
I also reached out to them via email, wanting to see if I could send them a list of titles that I wanted to sell, before I lug all my books there (and possibly back, if they don’t accept them). I got a quick response, saying that a list is useless to them (they used the word useless), and some not so accommodating suggestions/​an explanation of how they buy books.
Also, it just seems that they aren’t super put together as a modern business typically is nowadays — no online catalog, a list of titles/​ISBNs is ‘useless’ to them, unorganized shelving, and blogspot business website.
I’m in love with the books, I guess, but not so much the store.

Only browsed the ground level at this relocation, but found the place inviting and the staff helpful.
A «please do not steal the books sign»…really?

I’m in here every week. Really excellent selection of new books, especially if your taste runs to contemporary fiction and poetry. Rare is the store that carries a selection of new poetry chapbooks, but this place does. The used selection can be more hit or miss, but that’s what you get with a store in an area heavily trafficked by culture vulture Brooklyn types.
I’ve found the pricing to be fair and the staff reserved, but helpful when asked. I’m holding back a star only because I think the store is perhaps too weighted towards works of theory and poetry. I’m old fashioned — I’d like a bit more history.