[JohnH]

As someone who travels quite a bit, I was wondering about keeping a thread going or nicely archived that gives names and locations (cities as oppose to actual addresses) of everyone favorite bookstore.
But favorite because of their fantasy selection.

Not to be too much of a pain in the butt, however it probably would behoove us all if you tried to really focus on stores that are well above and beyond the norm. The local B&N really does not meet the criteria unless you have been in countless B&N's and this one is dramtically different.

Also supporting your local mom and pop is wonderful (I do it myself), but if what this store gives you is due to a personal relationship or because they are always able to get the books you order it also does not meet the criteria.

It must be a store that offers a wonderful selction to whoever walks in the door.

So let the rest of us know about those wonderful meccas of bookbuying. And please include any gems of used bookstores.

My favorite has already been mentioned. It is the bookstore in the Gammla Stan in Stockholm. Can't spell the name offhand but the store is what fantasy bookstores are all about. Last trip I took to Stockholm, I ended up buying a half suitcase of books.

Another great fantasy bookstore used to be te Borders in Lancaster PA. Was stuck there a week and found out that the assistant stocker for the store was a huge Fantasy fan. five whole cases of shelves (about seven shelfs per case) just for hardback! Sheer bliss. However I have no idea if the quality has remained. Chains are fickle.

I also love, though have never been, to Basilisk Dreams bookstore. Great online site and I try to get as many of my UK books from them.

So please share. Let the rest of us know where to look next time we darken a horizon near you.

[Aylis]

Well where I live the closest bookstore is about 20 minutes away, without traffic, because all the ones nearby closed. And that bookstore, Borders, only has two cases of science fiction and fantasy books. Happily a new Borders is going to open up about 5 minutes away from my house, so I'll actually have a bookstore nearby I can go to. Btw, I live in Palos Verdes (the bookstore's actually in the next city - Torrance). It's in Southern California.

[Warewolf]

http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/frown.gif John, you're a few months too late for me. There was a bookstore in the area (in Palo Alto, CA (home of Stanford University) to be specific) that carried nothing but sci-fi, fantasy, and horror. That's it (well, you could buy gargoyle statues there too, but... http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif )

Anyway, this was a great place. They always had authors stopping in for autograph sessions (David Brin, Tad Williams, etc.). Unfortunately, they just couldn't compete with the big chains and have since gone out of business http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/frown.gif

However, I have two used bookstores in the area that I love because they have HUGE sci-fi/fantasy sections. One is Ananda Bookbuyers in Mountain View and the other is Know Knew Books in Palo Alto. Great places to get lost in http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

Oh yeah...in Portland, OR, there's a bookstore called Powell's. Their claim to fame is that they are the biggest bookstore spacewise in the US (they used to be anyway). Humongous section on sci-fi. They carry everything else, too, as well as a huge area for used books, as well. You can even check them out online (http://www.powells.com). Neat stuff...


[This message has been edited by Warewolf (edited January 20, 2002).]

[jbcohen]

Soneone in another thread recommend that I pay a visit to http://www.walmart.com for this matter. However, for bricks and morter (sp?) the best that I have been able to find is Barns and Nobles. The DC ones tend to have a better selection than some of the others. I used to like to go to crown books before they went out of business. However, the best thing to do, IMHO, is to pay a visit to your local used book store, which usually has the best selection of Sci-Fi/Fantasy. Find your local used book store at http://yp.yahoo.com.

[Gooch]

I've got a couple stops for you if you happen to be traveling in Indiana. (Lord knows why you would be though)

Indianapolis, IN
Half Price Books www.halfpricebooks.com (http://www.halfpricebooks.com)

This is a chain, but it is my FAVORITE stop to by books. Excellent selection on Sci Fi/Fantasy, all used.

Fort Wayne, IN
The Bookmark

This place was small, very tiny as a matter of fact, but they had a great Used book store there. Since my wife is now my wife, I no longer go to Fort Wayne to visit her, so I haven't been in here for years.

South Bend, IN
The Griffin
The Griffin is a Pen and Paper Roleplaying Store for the most part, but the basement of this place is stock full of books, mostly fantasy, and a lot of military history books to go along with the role playing.


[This message has been edited by Gooch (edited January 20, 2002).]

[estranghero]

*the sound of saliva dripping as estranghero drools at all the bookstores in the world... all out of reach of this maniac, anyway, dammit.* http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/frown.gif

[Keyoke]

Best Fantasy store where I live? In Calgary, Ab, Canada you cannot beat The Sentry Box.

By far, one of the best fantasy book stores ever. This is what they specialize in..scifi/fantasy genre.
www.sentrybox.com (http://www.sentrybox.com)

I guess my only true complaint would be that they are a little slow on new releases.. but, they give 20 percent off on new releases, so, I cant complain to much.

Keyoke

[Mithfânion]

John,. if you ever go the Netherlands, there are two stores you'll want to check out.

1. A specialized store in the Hague called "Elf". Its got stacks of Fantasy, popular and more obscure stuff. Both English and translated Fantasy.

2. Donner books. Rotterdam, in the center of the city. You can't misss it, its teh largest bookstore in the Netherlands and has a considerable Fantasy section in the basement as well. Its eight floors stuffed with every sort of book.

[Rob B]

I was on a business trip in San Francisco about a year or so ago and stumbled on to

Borderland Books. I remember them having a very nice selection.

Ithaca, NY has a couple of used bookshops that are pretty good. There are about 3 or 4 in the middle of the shopping center downtown. I remember seeing a 1st edition LOTR as well as a lot of the Ballantine Adult Fantasy books there. In another one, about 2 shops down, I picked up ER Eddison's Worm Ouroboros & Poul Anderson's The Broken Sword, two books I'd been hinting down for a while.

[fluffy bunny]

I found that Waterstones and WHSmith cover my needs adequately, along with the local library.