Montclair Book Center Reviews

Fun place to browse books and cds...prices moderate to high.

What a really cool place. Has so many different areas to explore with so much to offer. From music to books, this place is a must visit. You dont find places like this anymore. A hidden gem in the world of Bookstores.

Wow, they've got a lot here. My family stopped in over Thanksgiving weekend and we could have made an entire vacation out of just browsing the shelves. I thought I had found the hidden treasures on the upper floor until I realized there was an entire basement to look through as well.

There's something about the smell of the books and the neat little aisles that really draws you in and makes you want to hang out for a while. I found it particularly fun how the horror section was tucked away in a dimly-lit dead end with just enough room for a single wooden chair. Maybe you have to see it to appreciate it.

I am so glad I stopped. This place is a must for anyone who loves books or music. The staff was very kind. Wish I could have spent all day exploring.

Great selection, giant inventory, friendly and knowledgable staff !

Great selection. The staff is knowledge and helpful. Close to public transportation.

Awesome old fashioned book store with a healthy vinyl/CD collection.

Great book store! Lots of choice and a mix of new and used books.

Smell of old books, vast selections, good music. A pretty store in a picturesque town.

This is a great little bookstore! They have,I believe, thousands of books available in the store of all sorts ranging from very old which are locked up because they're worth a lot to the very new and to the fairly recent of which they have multiple copies.
The new books will have a little bit off cover price not much but enough to make it worth the trip to go there another big chain the older books can be a lot cheaper and you can find some books that you would never find online because you get to browse actual books and become interested via the cover or the summary on the back.
When you walk in you will see very narrow aisles with many of the books there also is also a back section with mostly kids books and if you go straight ahead upstairs from when you enter you will see and walkway all around, that house other categories of books.
if when you walk in you had around to the right you also see the art section in the other room with the records that you can actually try out on two turntables they have available. Also if you go downstairs you'll find a large collection of CDs that you can buy music and more records you can also try out there as well with other turntables!
They do buy books as well, obviously, as how are they going to get more used books in. However it depends on what they need at the time so you may go there and they may not be buying books or they may be buying books.
We always trying go here with enough money to buy several books. Usually we will find obvious books like the classics to kill a Mockingbird or Catcher in the Rye, but we also want to find some books of which we have never heard of as well.
Parking can be a bit tough in this area as anyone in Montclair knows, so plan on possibly walking a few blocks unless you get lucky and park in the lot right down the side street.
As I mentioned the aisles can be quite narrow and there are stairs going upstairs to part of the bookstore and stairs going downstairs and since I did not see an elevator I would assume that if you have a wheelchair you would not be able to access those areas in the wheelchair. I would recommend calling them to ask them if there is any solution to that.
I think one of the greatest things about this place is if you bring kids this can be the kind of place to really get to get interesting reading it's like an exploration to find a book to read that make it so interesting that makes them want to read that book they found on their own even more important!

A good old bookstore with collectable vinyl as well!

Excellent staff member asked me if I'd prefer an edition of the book I chose with the original cover instead of the movie tie-in. Little things make the difference.

We found original vinyls of Iron Maiden in great condition for a steal of a deal. Love this place

You will for sure find what you're looking for here. There are three levels, basement, main and top floors filled with books and LP's. They are also super affordable! These can make great gifts. One must go to this place if around Montclair.

Very helpful friendly staff that aren't pushy. Great selection of books, new and used. Staff will help locate used books for you as well. I got two used books for good prices. One was like new quality. Will definitely frequent this book store.

Classic used book store. Amazing selection. You can spend all day exploring this. Lots of big hardcovers and photography books.

It feels much more local than the strand bookstore in New York. Books are books, but there are many old records. I hope you stay for a long time.

Cozy place,you could buy any book you need,excellent customer service.

Adorable little place!! The selection of books is huge and the energy of the whole store is just amazing. Two floors entirely filled with previously loved books. I could spend hours in there just browsing through all the titles. Lots of coffee shops nearby. Perf place for a coffee & book shopping date :)

This is an absolute gem, especially if you are looking for old vinyls. The books are great as well. Parking is a bit difficult to find. The staff is absolutely fantastic and knowledgable as well. Will definately recommend this place to all.

The employees are so helpful and it beats a Barnes & Noble any time. It's a no frills store but has charm.

Wow a rare treat to wander around a "real" old fashion bookstore, not a modern cookie cutter overpriced chain store! The smell of the vintage books fills the heart with what adventures those pages have in-store for the reader! Staff very helpful and friendly! Found maybe the only copy of a book I have been searching for over 2 years! My definite find time to go back to place!

Magical. Go to browse and enjoy. Not a place to zip in & out of looking for a particular title.

It's a fun used bookstore, they have a large selection. My only gripe is the prices, which are generally more than what you would pay for a book on Amazon or at Barnes and noble; or used books the prices should be lower.

This place is incredibly adorable! Everywhere you look there are shelves of books and more books. It doesn't take itself too seriously and it's fun to walk around while discovering more nooks with more books. The downstairs area is full of music, like cassette and vinyls of many different genres. Love this place!

My favorite place to go on a bad day, good day, any day! Wonderful book store to explore.

Best bookstore ever! Its beautiful and quaint inside with lots of variety and good discounts. I love stopping by here. A total gem

Good selection. Lots of interesting nooks and crannies.

One of my favorite places in Montclair. I visit whenever I am in town.

Awesome place has rare books and records!! Very vintage place, huge place, can spend hours in there. Prices very reasonable.

Really chill place with a HUGE variety of books and music!

Overwhelmingly organized. Vinyl priced higher than expected for secondhand.

Good selection of gently-used popular hardcovers and trade PBs that doesn't stray from the beaten path by much. Prices generally 1/2 of list. Struck out on my most recent visit.

Great stock of used books, helpful staff and a lot of room to get lost in looking for something interesting to read. I make a stop here every chance I can get.

Been coming here for years! Lots of used books including some that are out of print! Great music section! They got vinyl records too! You can find things here that you might not find anyplace else!

If you love books, you must go here. Used books, rare books, old books, new books, records... this seemingly small store goes on FOREVER inside. Seriously, you could spend an entire day in this store and still not see everything they offer. Bibliophiles, check it out.

I was shopping around for vinyl today and was not disappointed. I could spend hours here browsing their huge selection.

I love looking at old old books, CDs an vinyls. This store has a huge selection.

Amazing choices and great environment to find engaging books for new readers.

They're good. They ordered the wrong book. But they still had both books I wanted.

Very nice place. Many hard to find books to choose from . Ask if you need help. There are some great updated materials you can purchase immediately. They can order for you.

Limitless books used and new!! I always find a treasure here!

Cavernous, three store place with tons of books of all kinds

Great shop for books from academic to children's to music to out of print and always a discount.

I was in college the first time I went to the Montclair Book Center. Twenty plus years later, I'm back in the area and what to my wondrous eyes should appear but the same bookstore! It survived Amazon! And it's just like I remember. A small storefront that opens into a comically large bookstore full of amazing finds for cheap. Go now!

Atmosphere nice & friendly, a little overwhelming at first but fun if you have some time to kill

Messy, musty, crowded, the books were hardly in any sort of order, and even the staff couldn't find specific titles.

A gorgeous gem of a local book shop! If you were locked in here for the rest of your life, you'd probably be just fine with it and die a lot smarter & more eclectic than you started out. If the vibe of a Barnes & Noble is likened to a beer buzz, the vibe of this place is like magic mushrooms. Sublimely beautiful. All book lovers must come here.

Rudely informed of a "20 minute browsing limit" with only one other person in the store. Not exactly a welcoming warm and fuzzy feeling. I'll spend my money elsewhere.

very cozy and pretty they sell records and many interesting books

Bookstore the way they all should be: filled to the brim with great books at good prices. It looks and smells like a bookstore that isn't trying to be anything but what it is. I really enjoyed my time walking through the shelves and finding my next few reads.