Read any good books lately? If not, Denton’s bookstores have you covered!
Whether you’re looking for the latest new title or used treasures, bookish Dentonites will have no problem finding what they’re looking for.
Plus the Friends of the Denton Public Libraries will be holding their next quarterly Big Book Sale on Saturday, August 12th at the North Branch Library, where book lovers can purchase a book bag for $20 and fill it to the brim with books and DVDs.
Now is also a great time to purchase a new book to celebrate Read a Book Day on September 6th and International Literacy Day on September 8th.
Recycled Books, Records & CDs
If you live in Denton, then chances are very good you’re familiar with Recycled Books, Records & CDs on the Denton Square, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.
“First walking through the door of Recycled is usually, from what I can glean from customers as I’ve been working there, is overwhelming,” explains Recycled Books associate Axel Severs. “There’s just so much in this one store.”
In addition to shelves upon shelves of used books, Recycled Books also carries new books, movies, music — including CDs and records — video games, board games, and even vintage figures and toys. “We also have a kids section that could constitute a whole entire store in and of itself,” Severs adds.
The three levels of Recycled Books are a virtual maze of different book categories, including some pretty unique ones like Texana. Severs says customers really get excited when they see their Texana section. “It’s something that we’re proud of and we know that as a Texas bookstore, there’s pretty much always going to be an audience for this,” he says.
In addition to selling media, Recycled Books will also purchase used books, movies, music, or video games. “A lot of the stock that we have … is determined by what customers bring in to us,” Severs adds.
And it’s that ever-changing stock that Severs says makes Recycled Books so unique. “We get stuff from all corners … not just Denton,” he continues. “People have been all over the world and they get these books. You come to Recycled because we’re getting new (items) every day. And at least a portion of that stuff — every single day — is stuff that we haven’t seen before.”
Recycled Books, Records & CDs is located at 200 N. Locust on Denton Square. For more information call 940-566-5688 or visit their website. You can also find them on Facebook and Instagram.
Patchouli Joe’s Books & Indulgences
Also nearby the Denton Square is Patchouli Joe’s Books & Indulgences, which just celebrated its second anniversary in Denton in May.
Owner Joe Mayes says he and his wife, Diane Mayes, focus on new books at the store, everything from children’s books to adult books and everything in between.
“We have what I lovingly call the Patchouli Patch, which is our children’s section,” Mayes says. “The furniture is children’s sized, the shelves are children’s sized. We have a wide range of children’s books from board books and touch books for brand new babies all the way up through probably 12 years old or so, that sixth grade reading level.”
Mayes says 90% of the books sold at Patchouli Joe’s are hand-curated by Diane and their staff to specifically reflect the interests of the Denton community. “Obviously that takes some time, but that’s one of the things that an independent bookstore can offer that big box stores don’t offer,” he adds. “We focus on reflecting the interests of the community.”
Mayes says they focus on providing a sensory experience with human connection at Patchouli Joe’s. Additionally, the store’s space is intentionally open and flowing. “A lot of bookstores can be very cramped — they pack a lot of books into the space,” he explains. “Nothing wrong with that — we wanted something to feel a little more comfortable, kind of like a loose garment rather than a real tight sweatshirt. Have something that they can walk in and feel comfortable just casually making their way through the store.”
Additionally, Patchouli Joe’s helps support the book loving community in Denton through a variety of events, including First Friday Poetry Readings, a book club, and author visits. “We hold a lot of events … so that we can be part of building the Denton community fabric as opposed to just being a store that comes in and says, hey, Denton’s cool, let me set up shop here,” Mayes says. “We want to be part of Denton, so that’s why we have all those events.”
Patchouli Joe’s Books & Indulgences is located at 221 W Hickory Street about a block off Denton Square. For more information call 940-808-0530 or visit their website. You can also find them on Facebook and Instagram.
Books & More
If you are a romance book lover, then you must take a trip to Books & More on West University Drive.
According to the store’s website, one full room is devoted just to romance novels, including historical, contemporary, paranormal, and other categories. “I can easily say this is like the romance book capital of Denton,” says store manager Kyle Cheatham. “There’s tons of romance books here — thousands.”
But Books & More is not just romance books. Cheatham says you’ll find books in just about any category, including some unique sections like vampire books and a whole section of books that were made into movies.
Cheatham says 99% of the books in the store are used. Many of their books come through the store’s trading policy when a customer wishes to sell books to them. “We’ll give the customer a quarter of their book price in credit and then they can apply that credit towards the other books in our store,” he explains. “It makes the half-priced books in our store a quarter of the price.”
And in addition to books, Books & More also carries what Cheatham calls a kaleidoscope of pop culture. “We have tons of records, posters, movie memorabilia, and weird memorabilia,” he details. “That’s a large part of what makes our store what it is. If you enjoy pop culture at all, then I would definitely check out our store.”
Books & More is located at 1626 W. University Drive. For more information, call 940-387-9022 or visit their website. You can also find them on Facebook.
Secondhand Prose & Friends of the Denton Public Libraries’ Big Book Sale
And if you’d like to help support the Denton Public Library system, then consider shopping at the Friends of the Denton Public Libraries’ used bookstore Secondhand Prose and their quarterly Big Book Sales.
Secondhand Prose is located at the North Branch Library on N. Locust Street and is open Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays when the library itself is open.
Friends President Teri Lupo says you will find all sorts of books at the store. “There are hardback books and paperback books, both trade and mass market paperbacks,” she continues. “We (also) have DVDs, audio books, children’s books, (and) children’s DVDs.”
Lupo says because Secondhand Prose is a smaller bookstore, it’s a very pleasant experience. “You have time to browse and find some treasures,” she says. “Plus you’re at the library — we’re inside the library — so you can also browse in the library. So it’s a complete experience.”
Then four times a year, the Friends hold a Big Book Sale at the North Branch Library that allows them to put out more inventory than the store can hold. “Whatever we normally sell in the bookstore, we also sell in the sale,” she explains. “It’s just that we have a store room full of books that won’t fit in the store, so that’s why we have these quarterly book sales so that we can put out everything that we have — to provide everything to the public that we have.”
The next quarterly Big Book Sale will take place Saturday, August 12th from 10am to 4pm. However, Friends members can start shopping earlier at 9:30am.
At the sale, shoppers can purchase a book bag for $20 and then fill it with everything in the sale for free. “And then if they bring it back in subsequent sales, they can fill it for $10,” Lupo adds.
Proceeds from both Secondhand Prose and the Big Book Sales go directly to fund the Denton Public Library. “The library gives us their wish list once a year and whatever monies we make from the bookstore, the book sale, donations, we give it all to the library,” Lupo says.
The biggest item the Friends fund every year, Lupo says, is the annual Summer Reading Challenge. “It started out as a summer reading program for children and now it encompasses anybody in the community that wants to participate,” she continues. “Whenever you complete your goal … you get a free book. And we fund those books — the money that we give to the library, they buy brand new books to give out.”
The Friends receive book donations from the libraries themselves, as well as donations from the public, to stock Secondhand Prose and the Big Book Sales. “The North Branch Library is the only branch that will accept donations,” Lupo says. “They do get quite a few donations. The public donates them to the library and then the library donates them to us.”
In addition to donating books and DVDs, Dentonites can also support the work of the Friends by becoming a member.
“It’s just a great feeling to support your library system because the libraries are so dynamic in any community,” Lupo says. “And it offers so much even beyond books — they offer so many different services at the library. So that’s the main thing — you want to feel good about supporting that.”
Secondhand Prose is located inside the North Branch Library at 3020 N Locust Street. The store is open Saturdays from 9am-3pm, Sundays from 1pm-4pm, and Mondays from 9am-3pm. The store is closed when the library is closed. For more information, visit their website. You can also find them on Facebook.
The next Big Book Sale will take place Saturday, August 12th from 10am-4pm at the North Branch Library at 3020 N Locust Street. Friends members can enter the sale starting at 9:30am. For more information, click here.