ken sanders Review

Great place for book lovers and collectors, just takes time to shuffle through all the books. There is thousands of good obscure books.

Good selection I've purchased a few books from here

I have never had a book purchased from me but this store and I have had some rare books. The answer I get in the phone is "we really aren't buying much at this time". Seems like if you had some rare books it would attract more buyers but I am not a bookstore owner. I have walked in with books I sold on Ebay for well over $200 and would have preferred not to hassle with Ebay and do local business. I don't think I will return here because nothing really changes in inventory a whole lot. There are some neat prints.

It's me, the only Foreigner who writes decent reviews in Korea. except for some reason this is showing up on my list of things to review when I'm in Korea. The only thing you need to know about this place is that it's got a lot of rare books and Ken Sanders is an absolutely amazing person. I don't know if he's dead, but if he's not then I'm sure he's rocking it up in the basement.

Super awesome iconic historic gem and famed book store existing in Salt Lake City!

There are awesome rare reads here as well as first, second, and third editions of books you wouldn t be able to find anywhere else.

I was so happy to finally get to experience this place!!!!! I have lived in Salt Lake City for almost 3 years and I hadn t been here til just recently.

It is everything it is talked up to be as far as a bucket list place for Salt Lake City while you are visiting or whether or not you live here. The building is iconic and the outside makes for great pictures as well as some wall murals close to the side of the building!

Good selection of the classics, labelled shelves and moderate room to move around

Always magical. Great used books and knowledgeable staff.

It's an old-school junky bookstore, but I don't mean that necessary in a bad way...I think that's the vibe they're going for. Seems like the kind of place you would find books you weren't looking for.

Ken is a great guy and the bookstore had that genuine feel. I would suggest it for anyone looking to escape the corporate bookstores. Ken also was a visitor in one of my classes at the University of Utah and he has a ton of great stories. Definitely pick his brain if you get a chance while in here!

An absolute gem of a used/rare bookstore. Don't go in expecting Barnes and Nobles - this place is as eclectic as it gets! Wonderful selection, great second-hand books, very cool. Must visit!

If you're looking for a quaint, awesome bookstore with crazy amounts of book that are a sort of organized chaos, look no further than Ken Sanders. The store is a work of art.

I could walk around this place for hours without running out of interesting books to find.

Step into Ken Sanders Rare Books and take in the stacks and smells of the West's most evocative collection of used, rare, and new books with brilliant ideas - and people - in every corner. Don't miss this Salt Lake City gem.

This place is a gem. Such a special atmosphere with books literally everywhere. You're gonna find something you weren't looking for when you walked in.

So many books so little time. If I could I would seriously live here.

They have everything. It's like an attic inside an attic.

Check out the art outside as well as the literary art inside!

I have always been incredibly pleased with the diversity and quality of books that I can find through Ken Sander's book store. Yes, the ones I purchase are pricier then the cheap mass market paperbacks that you can find nearly everywhere now days, but these books are treasures that are more than worth the cost.

Hidden gem in Salt Lake. This bookstore has character! The staff is extremely helpful and kind. Worth the visit for locals or visitors seeking a unique space with thousands of books to choose from.

Amazing selection of books with an awesome atmosphere!

I ve been coming here since I was in highschool - me and my friends used to ditch class and explore all the cool little books in the store it s not just all books it s magazine and old posters from places it s definitely a really cool place and the staff is always nice :) also very quiet so you can read in peace :)

Several months back I brought in 7 books to sell. During the conversation I had with Ken Sanders himself he relayed a few of my books were worth something. Two were serialized, autographed WWII books. Two others were copies with rare autographs of a fantasy author. While he proceeded with the payment I didn't think to ask him how much for each. Thinking he would be fair and honest.
Before I continue let me caveat that Mr. Sanders is a professional is field. Highly respected and knowledgeable on the subject of books. Which is why I was surprised to recount the money in my car to find he gave me $35 for 7 books. Four of which he said from his own mouth were worth more than $100 each. When I went back inside he said no refunds or returns. We both got upset at each other and I left. The next day I called to explain the situation, thinking he may have been unduly distracted. Except the lady on the other end began to laugh and degrade me and accuse me of lying. DO NOT! I repeat DO NOT SELL BOOKS TO THIS ESTABLISHMENT. I even looked up the books my grandmother had me sell for her and sure enough one of the books I sold him wasn't available for less than $275 online. She was extremely disappointed as she needed the money for bills left over from my recent grandfather's passing. When she asked where the rest was I told her what happened. Needless to say it made my family very upset none of us have shopped there since.

This is a great bookstore for Salt Lake City, I love the staff there. They have a large collectuon is books and genre to choose from. This is the second best bookstore I've been to in my lifetime.

Excellent used, rare, vintage, collectable bookstore. A true pity it has been priced out to make way for more soulless and redundant condos. Major loss for SLC.

One of the best used book stores around. Excellent selection of Western US history. A must visit if you're in Salt Lake City.

Cool old bookstore. You can find a lot of original editions but they can be a smidgen expensive. Had a cool ambiance and places to read. It is a tad cluttered but the staff is very helpful and knowledge about book locations.

Ken Sanders provides such incredible escapism & is completely enamoring. It can get a little chaotic- but that s its charm. They have such an amazing selections & gems you couldn t find elsewhere. Everything is affordable. Also I ve become addicted to buying old antique postcards. There s truly an art to it, and they re like... $5 to get stuff from the 1800s. Ken sanders rules.

Real book store has soul...not your average Barnes & Noble experience Uniquely Utah

Honestly a favorite place of mine to be whether I intend on buying something or not. So far, I haven't been able to leave without having bought something of interest. There's just always something to find.

Great place with rare or odd books you won't easily find online and here you can touch and read them. Plus intimate house concerts with local musicians like Kate MacLeod who is a Utah and national treasure for her fiddle and voice and guitar and writing about key events her in the West like coal mining disasters.

I was able to find a few really nice books for inexpensive prices here. They have low cost books outside and near entrance that comprise various topics though not in a particular order. Inside the store the staff was very friendly and helpful. The shelves and isles are labeled with the topics found in them. Worth a visit sometime. Might be surprised at what you find as well.

This book shop is like a treasure chest full of knowledge and character. And books. So many wonderful used books!

Such a unique bookstore. I could spend days in there browsing.

Amazing little book store hidden near downtown SLC. Huge selection of all sorts of literature in a cozy atmosphere.

Awesome bookstore. Not very easy to get around on crutches though. Books piled all over the place. I could wander up and down the aisles though for hours because the books are incredible!

Love this place. Great prices and a really nice selection. Love how they are handling the pandemic through limiting the number of people in the store, we felt totally safe. A real staple in the Salt Lake community. Thank you!

Great used bookstore full of treasures! It's obviously been there a long time and has so many books for such a small space. They do have a lot of new books mixed in as well so check it out next time you're looking for a book.

Take your Ghostbusters equipment... Smells like a book store should smell and has a ridiculous archive of used books... Awesome service and selection... Pricing is great!

Outstanding local book store featuring a huge selection of used as well as new books. Great spot for finding local authors, rare books, and Utah ephemera.

As I'm a lover of books, I'm a lover of Ken Sanders! They host engaging community events and are home to friendly, knowledgeable staff.

What a fun place to just browse and hang out around books. Definitely has that book smell in the air! Overall, just a great atmosphere.

The store itself has something for everyone. They have a great selection and I could spend hours there. However, I do think the way the owner runs his business is very unprofessional. Ken s political views are very clear throughout the store as well as religious views. Probably don t shop there if you like Trump or if you re a Mormon.

Love this place, so many great books and things to see. Ken is very friendly and great to talk to.

I ve frequented Ken Sander s for years. This is the place to go for friendly people. It s the place to go for unique finds. I ve found countless first editions and books to fill my bookshelves, as well as postcards to fill my walls. I walk around downtown just to end up here. It is by far one of my favorite places to be in Salt Lake City.

I was very pleased with their selection. I came here specifically for older LDS books published by Bookcraft and they did not disappoint. If I am ever in salt Lake City again I will definitely be back here again!

I loved this place! The smell when you walk in is that of books!! There are some great treasures in here. Careful while walking around as there are books on the floor, which as bad as I felt for the books I absolutely loved that this place was bursting with books from all around! On my walk out I noticed some really great posters too, which I will be back for! The staff were warm and welcoming without being over bearing! Come get lost in this place its the best!!

A excellent place to find that book that's gone of our print. And there are chairs everywhere to let you sit a read a bit before you buy.

Ken Sanders is the white bearded man who appraises books on Antiques Roadshow. He really knows what he is talking about. Tho for some specific rare books there is more than a mile long wait list.

All of us here at Pioneer Book are big Ken Sanders Bookstore fans. Keep up the good work!

Always a treasure to be found! Places like this make life better!

Surprised to see any negative reviews, and I have to think it's as much to do with the reviewer as with Mr. Sanders, his store or employees. Met Ken at an antique expo and realized, after the losses we suffered when our house burned up a few months ago, that his store might be a place to replenish my torched library, especially some of the more obscure items.

After spending a couple of hours (but still too few) in his store today, and being treated warmly by his staff, I have to say that this is a great place to find unusual or rare books, and, if you give yourself time, things you may never have heard of!

Five stars, and thanks to the staff...who were helpful as I needed, but who had also apparently deduced I had been in a bookstore or two before and so also left me alone. An enjoyable experience all around.

Great bookstore with helpful employees and a variety of fantastic books! It s a bit warm in there, so be prepared for that if you go on a sunny day, but it was definitely a treat to visit!

FILTHY. Rude. Dishonest. The book I wanted wasn't priced...so he sized me up, and bid high. Later dates, Ken Sanders. Hello Amazon.

Picked up a few books here. They have both affordable selections and a huge array of various books. If you're looking for a place to pass the time and pick up a new book this is the place, but be careful because you might spend all day here, it's far more interesting then any Barnes and Noble or library.

Visited this store while in the valley. So many used, rare and unique books to choose from. I spent an hour in just one book aisle. You would have to spend many trips there just to make sure you didn t miss anything. So many books they have started stacking them. Can t wait to go back and check out their rare section. They have all the books organized by very specific categories, I like that. Plus when you walk in the whole place smells like a book. So many choices and hardly any two the same, helpful staff.

Seem like they had a lot of great selection and they had organized rows of topics but there is a lot of messes to walk around to get to it.

There are so many different books there. First editions, collectibles.... there is something for everyone. I was looking for a specific book and came our with 6 different valuable volumes. It also has a nice and friendly atmosphere.

I could have spent another hour there if I wasn't forced to keep migrating back to the front for air ventilation. It was hot as hell in there but this review is posted mid - August and I'm older. The young lady attending the front was so lovely, kind, patient, and informative though. She looked up books for me on the computer and also guided me to the sections I that might be able to find those Titles not in the system I was looking for. I think I'll go back in Winter next time. TOO HOT in summer for me.

This book store is one of the greatest local shops. Find treasures and suggest titles that the community will enjoy. Always a pleasure to talk with Ken and staff. A must for anyone spending time in downtown SLC.

Several months back I brought in 7 books to sell. During the conversation I had with Ken Sanders himself he relayed a few of my books were worth something. Two were serialized, autographed WWII books. Two others were copies with rare autographs of a fantasy author. While he proceeded with the payment I didn't think to ask him how much for each. Thinking he would be fair and honest.
Before I continue let me caveat that Mr. Sanders is a professional is field. Highly respected and knowledgeable on the subject of books. Which is why I was surprised to recount the money in my car to find he gave me $35 for 7 books. Four of which he said from his own mouth were worth more than $100 each. When I went back inside he said no refunds or returns. We both got upset at each other and I left. The next day I called to explain the situation, thinking he may have been unduly distracted. Except the lady on the other end began to laugh and degrade me and accuse me of lying. DO NOT! I repeat DO NOT SELL BOOKS TO THIS ESTABLISHMENT. I even looked up the books my grandmother had me sell for her and sure enough one of the books I sold him wasn't available for less than $275 online. She was extremely disappointed as she needed the money for bills left over from my recent grandfather's passing. When she asked where the rest was I told her what happened. Needless to say it made my family very upset none of us have shopped there since.

Helpful staff. Knowledgable staff. A nice store with no pressure to buy.

So many treasures and a great selection of books. The staff is always so wonderful. This is a place worth visiting.

Great place to roam, read and get lost. Like waking up from a good dream upon leaving the store. Its "the bookstore" you always see in the movies! You'll be there awhile...Enjoy!

Sooo cool and fun!! Went here for a date night and had the best time just browsing for cool books. I found some I liked, but ultimately nothing sparked joy enough for me to take it home and that s ok!! I loved the clutter that was in the shop and all the Knick knacks. The murals outside were cool too!!

I recently bought a rare map from circa 1780 and sent an email to Ken about the map to see if he was interested in possibly purchasing it. Much to my surprise this "famous guy" from my fav show Antiques Roadshow immediately responded in a very professional, polite way. Needless to say I am ever more impressed with Mr. Sanders now!

Ken Sanders is a Salt Lake City book legend going back to his days at the late, lamented Cosmic Aeroplane Bookstore. (How we miss their calendars and the smell of mingled incense and paper!) This is one of the City's bookshop gems and the books and ephemera here are a treasure trove, particularly for people interested in Edward Abbey, '60s rock concert posters, and Mormon/LDS/Latter-day Saint rarities.

The staff know their stuff! And they definitely they know more about books than you do.

Worth a visit that will turn into hours of browsing.

Lovely place! Found a book in about every topic I wanted! Even Jewish studies!