Gathered within a cavernous space in an industrial section of northwest Houston is a massive concentration of books, a veritable universe of portable entertainment, which operates under the name “Houston Book Warehouse.”
Be warned, dear reader📖: The store might be a nightmare for some. Though attempts have been made to sort the stock, I’d still describe the rambling biblioscape as wildly disordered – but the wide array of used books at low, low prices make this collection a worthwhile way to while away a few hours.
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A preface: What to know before you go
The mammoth store holds thousands of hardcover classics and pulpy paperbacks. It deals entirely in second hand-volumes, specializing in texts that are well-thumbed or once-read, whether it’s a dog-eared James Joyce or a nearly-new Jonathan Franzen.
The big general bookshop seems to cater to book lovers who enjoy hunting down a good book almost as much as they enjoy reading it – those who love to spend long hours browsing for deep discounts.
The emphasis at the comfortable, unpretentious bookstore is on fiction, with a selection of nonfiction in the mix. The all-used selection is particularly strong on genre fiction – romance, historical fiction, science fiction and fantasy.
The shop’s goal seems simple: to offer as many books and varieties of books at as low a price as possible -- It’s a bargain browser’s paradise.
Books, books everywhere . . . but wait, there’s more
As if the massive horde of books weren’t enough, the bookshop also offers an assortment of new and used toys. A warning to parents, the toys line the ground below the bookshelves, meaning they are oh-so-accessible to little ones.
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A trip to a warehouse for a bargain book shopping spree
I remember my first visit to Houston Book Warehouse well.
The epic used-book emporium proved heavenly for a used book hound such as myself.
Over the entrance, my eye was caught by a sign: “NEW ARRIVALS!!! Thriller, Action, Mystery, Fantasy, Romance, Novels, Kids, History, Sci-Fi, Western, Graphic Novels, and a lot more!”
Within, I could see a vista of shelves stretching far away to the rear of the building.
I entered eagerly, and looked about. The shop was comfortably busy, with a number of people browsing. They looked normal enough, but in their eyes I detected the wild gaze of the bargain-hunting bibliomaniac.
“Ah,” I thought, “I’m among my kind.”
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At first glance, the warehouse was an overwhelming, multicolored melange of volumes. Then the picture cleared and I discovered gems among the miscellany. Among my initial finds: “Annie John” by Jamaica Kincaid, “The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter” by Carson McCullers, and “Grendel” by John Gardner.
Excited, mouth agape, I paced through the narrow aisles, scanning the overstuffed shelves. Greedily, I pawed through piles, burrowing through bargain books, spurred by signs promising spectacular prices. One read: “$3 small paperback; $4 large paperback; $5 hardcover.” On another shelf, a sign stated: “Hardcover $1 each; Paperback/Mass market 3 for $1.” On one box: “FREE.”
Desperately seeking the dopamine hit that accompanies a good find at a good price, I lurched from shelf to shelf, circling the shop several times over, ensuring no book escaped my scrutiny (a fool’s errand).
Two hours later, satisfied with how much I’d seen ( I assume several thousands of books), I brought my browse to an end. I had sincerely exhausted myself. My head throbbed, my eyes ached, but patience and time had turned up a stack of must-haves. Be sure to look at the bottom of this article to see my full list of purchases and how much I paid.
A virtual walk around the warehouse
Interested in visiting Houston Book Warehouse? Scroll below for a virtual walk through the bookstore.
My haul:
“Billy Budd” by Herman Melville - $3
“Dubliners” by James Joyce - $3
“The Stories of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Vol. 1″ - $1.98
“The Stories of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Vol. 2″ - $1.98
Houston Book Warehouse, 17939 Kieth Harrow Boulevard, between Windsong Trail and Queenston Boulevard, (281) 815-5151; Open daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
What are your favorite bookstores in the city? And what are your most treasured moments there? Tell us about them in the comments.