Newtown Book & Record Exchange

Great place with great prices! Four stars and not five because the place can appear somewhat disorganized and difficult to find certain materials. Other than that, just a fun place and great way to get books and media without paying retail prices.

Newtown Book and Record Exchange has a great location, and I was impressed by how clean it was inside, despite how many books and CDs they had. They were also well-​organized, and clearly labeled by genre/​medium/​etc. The store was very bright, the employee was very friendly, and I really enjoyed my time visiting.
The book were generally priced at half of their original cover price, according to sign posted in the store. This is a great idea, as it is easy to understand, and doesn’t force shoppers to search for small, illegible handwritten prices inside the book, as most other used bookstores do. The buyback prices for books seemed fair compared to similar stores. Unfortunately, many books can be purchased online for half their cover price, or often even less. While browsing was pleasant, the store just didn’t offer me anything that I couldn’t already find for the same or less online, except maybe the joy of not having to wait for a purchase to be shipped.

Small, but diverse selection of indie, alt rock and classic rock records. The staff is friendly and helpful as well. Mostly books though; the records are sort of scattered throughout the store in different boxes so make sure to walk though the entire store to see the full selection. The only issue I have with the store is the price. A lot of the records, I feel, are $ 5 – 10 too expensive compared to other stores with comparable selections. There are even a small number of the records that are laughably overpriced. One I remember seeing is the Division Bell reissue (the two disc one) which sells for about $ 36 on amazon was being sold for around $ 80 here. Still worth a visit.

Broad selection of artists/​genre in vinyl and the stock is in very good condition. Worth a visit if you’re a collector. Selling to them can be tricky only because the owner does the buying and she’s not always there so call ahead if you’re bringing stuff.

Nice, cozy little shop that I am very glad still exists. If you are in Newtown, I would recommend at least a quick stop in this local institution.

I must admit that I have not visited this Newtown institution in probably 15 years. However, my nostalgia for the place forces me to comment on how much this staple of Newtown has shaped me.
I recall visiting the Book & Record for the first time as a small kid when it was located a few doors down in the basement of what I believe is the Godwin Building. I fondly remember getting my haircut from Ernie and then wandering over to the book & record to spend some of my hard earned cash on some cassettes… I even remember my first purchase! I am sad to say that it was DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince’s album «And In This Corner»…Please don’t judge me…
Over the years my taste in music changed and the Book And Record made it possible for me to find pre-​used cassettes and cd’s at reasonable prices. However, I hope that a business like this can survive the onslaught of digital alternatives…

I love to support small businesses. This is a great shop with helpful and knowledgeable staff. Perfectly located next to stabucks so you can grab a book to read while having a coffee.

This is a great little shop in Newtown. They have a pretty big selection of paperbacks, cds, and records. I was looking for a specific record for my brother for a present, and I called and spoke with the woman who runs the place. She told me that she didn’t have it, but that she would be happy to order it for me. A few days later, she gave me a call and let me know that the record was in– to purchase it from her was about $ 5 less than what I would have spent online! I will definitely contact her again when I am looking for an off the wall record.

Newtown Book & Record Exchange has a prime location on State Street, Newtown, right next door to Starbucks. If this isn’t a gold mine just based on overflow from the S.$$$, I don’t know what is.
First impressions walking through the front door is one of narrow aisles and stacks of used books and Cd’s (also some tapes, etc), with hand written labels to direct you and creaky wooden floors that have been tread on for more than a century. Yes, there is also a dustiness and slight scent of decaying paper, as would be expected where thousands of old books are stored. It all adds to the overall gestalt of entering a literary and musical time warp. It is quite enjoyable if you like this sort of thing. I do.
Likely due to the rent paid for this location, the prices on the books and music are higher than seems reasonable, and the trade in policy is not designed to provide value to the trader. Over the years, I have purchased a few things here on impulse, but overall aside from wanting the old place to survive, the selection is generally not what I am looking for, and the cost offsets the cultural and historic imperatives.
Definitely worth a long browse while sipping caffeine from next door, but if you have visited the Princeton Record Exchange you know what a dedicated used music emporium is all about. This one is not that. As to the books, you might find something you like, but if you don’t, the Newtown Library Company is about 2 blocks away. You can join and likely find what you seek and be able to return it after reading. Recycling at its earliest and best.

Cute little book & record shop. I stop whenever I can if I’m passing through Newtown. They welcome coffee drinkers, as a Starbucks is directly next door, and people simply browsing their offerings. I find their prices on records (both new & used) to be on the high side, but have found a few gems there over the years.

This is a cute little place where you can get both old and new books, CDs, records, etc. The owner (I forget her name… the one who goes through your books when you go to sell them used) is pretty snooty and not the nicest person, but this it’s still a fun place to visit if you are chillin on State Street.

This place is cute, if not a little cluttered. The woman who owns/​works there was nice and seemed to appreciate people coming in to browse. They had a decent collection of kids books right up front. Average kids book was $ 2.50

The book selection for kids is outstanding. I don’t think their trade in policy is the best you can find, everything is half off the original price. Good location.

This is a cute neighborhood shop that sells used books, new and used CDs, and records. If they don’t have something you’re looking for, the staff will be happy to order it for you, although they’re not exactly the warmest bunch of folks in Newtown. There’s a Starbucks right next door, and they welcome coffee drinkers.
I regularly buy their books, which are half the cost of the list price. Good deals, especially for older books that have lower list prices. There are piles and piles, but everything is pretty organized.
It is very laid back, as evidenced by their hours on Sunday: «sometimes 12 — 4, call before.» Nice.

I really like this store. I liked that the staff wasn’t there with vacant judgmental looks on their faces, instead they are little ladies trying to help you find everything you are looking for.
I found about ten books and five cds without skimming the surface of this place.

Love this place! Unfortunately every time I get the chance to make it down to Newtown, they are closed.
But I went in there the other day finally to see what their record selection was like. Wasn’t the greatest selection I’d ever seen, but I did find an old Grateful Dead record and a couple others I’d been looking for. They have mostly books inside, and a lot of media (cassettes, CD’s, etc). I could spend hours in here looking at stuff and still not see it all. The woman who runs it is very nice and helpful. Would recommend this place to avid readers who notice their bookshelf becoming overrun with books they’ll never read again. Go trade them in and get something new (used). Better than sitting in a pile in the corner of your office, right?

The woman that runs this store has been around for years and years, and she’s still happy to serve you. This great old book store has so, so much more character than Barnes & Noble, and while it doesn’t have a café right inside, you’ll find a Starbucks conveniently half a block away.
The shelves are filled with treasures for those with time to explore. I always enjoy scouring the used CDs. She’s got a decent vinyl collection, too.