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Book Bay Fort Mason
Category: Shopping Books, Mags, Music and Video Bookstores Bookstores [Edit]
Fort Mason CenterBldg C
San Francisco, CA 94123
Neighborhood: Marina/Cow Hollow
(415) 771-1076
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 9 am - 6 pm
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
34 reviews for Book Bay Fort Mason
Review Highlights
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"Is it real Blue Bottle Coffee." In 2 reviews -
"...and want to support your public library, go on over to Fort..." In 3 reviews -
"Well organized, friendly workers, great selection..." In 3 reviews
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34 reviews in English
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Review from Jenn C.
1/8/2012
This is one of my favorite bookstores in the Bay Area - now, I know what you're thinking, "Gosh, Jenn - you say that about EVERY bookstore" and maybe that's almost true but this bookstore really is super special.
First - the location is really special. It's in a fantastic old building and I just love the way it is set up inside. I like the creaky floors and the proximity to so many neat things at Ft Mason.
Second - the books are not inventoried in a computer. That means the only way you can find cool things is by looking for them! I can't resist coming by here even if I don't have a lot of time because this store is just so much awesome that it draws me inside with an irresistable magnetism. Do not resist the draw of the bookstore that is so much goodness! -
Review from Curran H.
San Francisco, CA
6/5/2011
There's not one thing that *isn't* good about the Book Bay. An extensive selection of used books, optimal lighting, generously sized aisles and clean carpeting on the floor, so you can kneel down to prowl through lower shelves, and a very nice cafe attached to one side. And the manageress (?) is kind of hot. The only thing they're lacking is a bookstore cat; then, they'd get six stars.
And remember, parking in the Fort Mason parking lot that's right next to Book Bay, is free for up to 30 minutes! -
Review from Eva Y.
4/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Such a CUTE bookstore. This place reminds me of 'You've got mail'. The store is filled with nostalgia and the history of Fort Mason. I love this feeling of used book store. Attached to this bookstore is the cafe which is just wonderful.
This would be a wonderful place for a nice afternoon date and stroll around Fort Mason. -
Review from Emily C.
2/7/2011
I love Fort Mason and used book stores, but the Fort Mason Book Bay just doesn't do it for me. One thing I love about used book stores is the smell of books... which Book Bay is sorely lacking. Book Bay has the feel and look of a chain which is also a turn off... Most of all though, I just couldn't find anything I actually wanted to grab despite good prices.
I will give Book Bay a plus for carrying used comics and records. -
Review from Steve N.
Pacifica, CA
4/11/2010
This might be one of the best used book stores I've ever been to.
The selection is great and the prices are super cheap and they have a good local history section.
If you love used book stores like I do (+ it's on the water!) you have to check this one out. -
Review from christina a.
Oakland, CA
11/14/2006
Book Bay is one of my favorite bookstores in San Francisco. It's one of the Friends of the San Francisco Library's two bookstores, where they sell their donated books at deliciously low prices - and then all of the money goes into the SF Library system. (ok, so not as low as the Book a Bag sales the library sometimes has, or prices you might find at a thirft store - but still, they're low)
Reasons why I love this store:
1. Anxious volunteer woman who works the sales desk on the weekends.
2. The store is well-organized, especially in comparison with most used bookstores, and has a rather extensive selection of Women's Studies, Gender Studies, Asian Lit, and Fiction of all types.
3. It's about to triple in size! It's a bit cozy now, which is good (warm! cute!) and bad (less selection, bumping elbows), but according to anxious volunteer woman, they're finishing painting and carpeting the shop's extension, and it should be open and stocked soon!
4. Boxes of photographs and postcards for sale, also donated by the public to the library.
5. Fort Mason! One of my favorite places in San Francisco.
We walked out of here with 18 books for $45, including some hard-to-find hardbacks. And yes, you can technically find cheaper books at yard sales and thrift stores, but this supports the library! Who doesn't want to support the library? (jerks, that's who.) -
Review from Chelsea P.
Berkeley, CA
12/18/2008
Cutest little bookstore, EVER. Great selection for its size. Friendly old ladies at the counter. Wow. Fantastic find.
I hope I don't ruin anyone's X-Mas presents if they read this, but for $50 I scooped up:
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin
The Nine Steps to Financial Freedom by Suze Orman
Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explanation to the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner
Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain (look for the sexy tall older chef guy)
Purpose: The Starting Point of Great Companies by Nikos Mourkogiannis
Quick & Easy Sushi Cookbook by Heihachiro Tohyama
Smoothies by Mary Corpening Barber, Sara Corpening & Lori Lyn Narlock
Knock-Out Black Jack: The Easiest Card-Counting System Ever Devised by Olaf Vancura, Ph.D. & Ken Fuchs
No single item was above $8. Everything is of hand-me-down quality (totally suitable for me), though some are in immaculate condition. Still is loads cheaper than buying used books off eBay which was my former preferred method. They give out a stamp card for freebies, too, earning stamps at intervals of $5.
I found everything I needed, and tons more. Did a huge chunk of holiday shopping (I'm on a BUDGET, fo' reals) and got at least three books for me to read until school resumes at the end of January.
When they ran out of stamp cards, they took down my info and offered to give me all my stamps when I come back. Those lil' ol' ladies are the sweetest. -
Review from Fannie S.
2/21/2008
I like coming here for the annual booksale... Prices are good. Selection is good...a lot of choices! Every year that I have gone to this annual sale...I have left with $20.00 of books, and about two grocery bags full.
My dislike is with the lines.Listed in: Cultural Experience
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Review from Dolores L.
San Francisco, CA
7/19/2010
I'm one of those nerdy, archaic dinosaurs that likes writing letters on paper, enjoys the smell of new notebooks, giddy about new school supplies, doesn't have Internet on my phone, and likes using a paper weekly planner.
With that said, this is probably my favorite book store. I know, it's a used book store and it probably doesn't smell as good as new notebook paper, but it's my kind of archaic happiness.
Recently, I got hooked on Haruki Murakami's books and I've been coming here to fuel my new addiction. I try to frequent weekly to see what new stuff they bring in. I haven't read in a while, so I'm pretty sure a capillary in my eyeball popped from all this reading. True story - you can ask my friends, they came up with the theory.
It's awesome that the money you spend here gets donated back to the libraries. It's the least I can do for all the years I've mooched from the library, only contributing a few measly dollars for my late fees. -
Review from David R.
8/21/2008
This is a truly great medium-sized used bookstore. I was happy to give them my money because it is operated by the Friends of the San Francisco Public Library, and I will support libraries all day long. Especially when I get to stock up on cheap books in the process.
All of the books are in very good condition, and the prices are extremely reasonable based on the quality, selection, and organization of the store. Usually a neat, well maintained store equals high prices. Too bad it was near the end of my visit and I had already bought too much at Green Apple and Dog Eared. (I had to send a box home in the mail because I had no room in my luggage.) I did walk out of here with three paperbacks, including The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With the Sea by Yukio Mishima.
Fiction is a strong suit at Book Bay, taking up most of an entire wall. I didn't find much history to my liking, and poetry and drama are rather sparse, but one can't make too many complaints about a gem like this. I actually had to come here twice because by the time I found it the first time (screw you, Top Ten guidebook map) it was after 5 and the place was closed. So instead I sat on a bench outside and watched the bay, because it is quite a hike to get up here. -
Review from Emily S.
Redwood City, CA
1/5/2008
I came into Book Bay expecting everything to be a dollar; I do not know why. Most books are in the $5-6 dollar range, but they're like new, and you're sure to find something you actually want. I almost came away with a nice $8 architecture book, before discovering what looked like cat barf on it. Um yeah. So I decided on a $3 CD instead. Book Bay also has cool old prints that you can buy. They're about $10-12, awesome if you're going for a Dickensian feel on a budget.
You can even make a day of it: Go to Book Bay, take out some food from Greens, sit and look at the Bay, then see a show at the Magic Theater or something. Sweet. -
Review from lulubelle l.
San Mateo, CA
3/19/2011
I love bookstores, especially clean, organized ones, and especially used bookstores where you can usually find a bargain. The best & biggest, of course , is Powell's in Portland, worth a journey and in which I can spend hours, but of course, it is a tad far away. But this small but packed bookstore at Fort Mason, with free parking outside, is also worth a journey! We found 8 books and spent $40.00, a bargain! Lots of cookbooks, fiction,mysteries, San Francisco history books, and even comic books, etc. There is a adjoining cafe which looks very cozy. We went on a rainy day which is perfect for book shopping. On nicer days, the view outside of course is incredible, with the San Francisco Bay and Golden Gate Bridge beckoning nearby.
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Review from Erin W.
7/17/2011
Love this place! Great addition to Ft. Mason. Good coffee and good, very well-priced used books. Check it out, especially on a magical foggy day. Could also be a fun place for a date...very unique for sure.
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Review from Erick R.
San Francisco, CA
4/29/2009
What's great about this place is that its suppliers include old libraries trying to clear their shelves of dusty old books that no one checks out anymore. This is how I found my first edition Frank Lloyd Wright (formerly being unappreciated on the shelves of the Library of the University of Wisconsin) for $10.
Although a knowledgeable staff may help you find some obscure book only five people in the world have ever heard of, they will also charge you a small fortune for said book. A not-so-knowledgeable staff, on the other hand, probably won't be as excited as you are about transcripts from old film noir flicks, but they also won't know how to price extremely valuable books.
Due to this scientific anomaly, you can walk away with a book for $10 and resell it on ebay for $150.
Remember this piece of advice. It will be the legacy I leave this world.Listed in: I work in the Marina, Oxford Commas Only, Periods…
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Review from Ryan C.
12/20/2010
I love wandering around bookstores, especially used ones, and almost always end up with a whole pile of stuff. This is a special bookstore because it's supporting the SFPL! Plus the people are so friendly! I could spend all day here. You have to keep going back because you never know what will turn up. A nice coffee shop in the back too.
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Review from Alex C.
San Francisco, CA
8/10/2007
I left Book Bay with four mind expanding books for 20 dollars. That's a good deal.
WISDOM UNLOCKS FREEDOM. -
Review from Alexia W.
March Joint Air Reserve Base, CA
7/21/2011
Wow. I love this place. Got beautiful art books, prints, magnets, and novels for next to nothing. I wish I lived closer by-this would be my new haunt. Highly recommended.
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Review from Sachiko M.
San Francisco, CA
4/1/2011
Is it real Blue Bottle Coffee? I bought a cup of coffee when they were selling coffee outside at Sunday Farmer's Market. It's 2 dollars for small cup (expensive!), and it taste like coffee I bought at a coffee stand in Manhattan. I couldn't even finish it. It was such a waste of two dollars.
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Review from Marian C.
Oakland, CA
1/26/2011
I could spend hours in here. You can get really cheap books here! In addition to the books, there are CD's, DVD's, comics, and vintage prints! Some of them are cut out from magazines but for $1-3, I think it's a deal. Got some to decorate my place. There's an adjoining cafe where they serve sandwiches, salads, and Blue Bottle Coffee.
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Review from Mark C.
San Francisco, CA
5/25/2011
I so miss out-of-the-way, neighborhoodish bookstores, Book Bay Fort Mason is one such book store... a throwback to the past where small book stores dominated the book selling experience, this place is a surprise find! Next door to a good cafe, this is a great place to get lost in your favorite books!
Not the greatest depth of books but they have a lot of some books in single categories which makes for fun exploration! -
Review from Mel P.
1/30/2011
A good alternative if you don't want to spend money at a chain bookstore. The books are hella cheap as well as their DVDs. They also have VHS (which is pretty cool!) Good selection and friendly staff.
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Review from Christy S.
San Francisco, CA
11/21/2009
Smells like old books. I love it.
Well organized, friendly workers, great selection, beautiful setting. -
Review from Katherine B.
San Francisco, CA
6/5/2007
I find SO many good deals here and because I read so much and like to bend the spines back so I can lie in bed while I soak in knowledge, buying my own copy is nicer than ruining public copies. They also have TONS of children's books in great condition for bargain prices. This is cheaper than any other used book store I have come across and all the proceeds go to a good cause.
Listed in: Born to Shop
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Review from David G.
San Francisco, CA
3/23/2008
A great place to browse any time! I discovered it because it's on my jogging route, and now I like to stop in on the way back as a reward. I had wanted to read Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, and they had two copies, one for $3 and a slightly more beat-up one for $2. It's also a great place to discover interesting or odd books that you might not otherwise come into contact with.
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Review from Mark L.
Mountain View, CA
2/10/2009
This is one of the best used bookstores in San Francisco. All of the books within have been donated by the community, and all of the proceeds go to the upkeep of the SFPL system. Because they deal in used books, it is likely you will not find the current best seller's list there- but then again, you might well be surprised. Better it is for finding things that you never expected to see in a used bookstore, and that you weren't thinking you wanted- until that one choice book caught your eye... The store has bargain tables (a bargain on a bargain!) and everything is indeed, very reasonably priced.
The new Friends store is a huge step up from the small cubbyhole that originally served as the Book Bay Fort Mason- the expansion has brought with it very good shelves and also, an expansion of the capacity of books that can be fronted. It's located down in Fort Mason so if you come out that way with other things to do, keep in mind it's just right there on the corner of building C. Now that the Friends have moved their donation center to Treat Avenue they will have a little less of a presence at Fort Mason, but the bookstore isn't going anywhere, and it's one of the cool things about spending an afternoon or evening at the old Fort. -
Review from Janice P.
San Francisco, CA
11/19/2006
I agree with Christina. Book Bay at Fort Mason is a find. If you love browsing bookstores and want to support your public library, go on over to Fort Mason and enjoy. Be sure to check out the annual Big Book Sale held every September. Hundreds of thousands of books, new and used, priced as low as $1. And the profit goes to Friends of San Francisco Public Library foundation.
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Review from katie a.
San Francisco, CA
11/18/2008
I love cheap books. The best place in the city to get used books at the best price. Seriously.
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Review from kirti p.
San Francisco, CA
9/20/2010
i usually get my books out from the library, but this place is a good alternative when i have a hold that's going to take several months to get filled.
plus, it's part of friends of sf public library network so at the end of the day the library will benefit. the transitive property applies here right? . -
Review from Mark D.
Washington, DC
1/20/2007
They moved to a bigger space in the same building, and it's a lot more organized. Where else do they have a stack of Sedaris books for only $6 each? Very well organized, very cheap, and you're supporting our library system.
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Review from Steve T.
Sparks, NV
11/7/2009
Lots of books. Cheap. What else do you want?
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Review from M. W.
Oakland, CA
6/18/2010
So many books and well-priced. God i love the Friends of the Library!
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Review from C N.
San Francisco, CA
5/15/2011 3 Check-ins Here
fantastic place to have good books with wonderful coffee place
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Review from Rey L.
San Francisco, CA
3/7/2008
I love books. I love love used bookstores. Triple love when the used bookstore is located in a great setting, like Fort Mason. We go almost every weekend. Book Bay just seems to beckon. I rarely walk away without something - first edition, hardcover, with fine dustjacket only, of course. They seem to get new titles very quickly, and you do feel good buying from this organization as you know it benefits the library. I go directly to the huge fiction wall, while my partner combs through the art/design/architecture/photography shelves. Afterwards, we top off the experience with a tasty pastry from Greens next door. My only pet peeve is the parking situation, which is not the fault of the store itself. It used to be quite convenient to be able to just drive into the compound and park. Now, you have to go through the gates and pay if you stay for more than 30 minutes. Oh well, it's a good place for a walk anyway. You really can't beat the setting.
Listed in: Born to Shop
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Review from P G.
Palo Alto, CA
11/30/2008
What a beautiful place to be in the city on almost any weekend but when the sun is shining....this is it! A phenomenal crafts fair taking place at Ft Mason, scenic views of the bay abound you, Greens Restaurant for a bite to eat there or even better to go as you view the water, and then to top your day off....book browsing! If you always wanted to read a book that you didn't get around to, this is the place to probably find it. I bought a bag of books for $10, some for me and some for my friends who love a particular author and genre. I'll be back!
