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Category: Bookstores [Edit]
Neighborhood: Downtown DetroitMon-Sat. 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
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If you want bright lights, coffee, comfortable chairs then go to Borders. If you want to go to have an adventure then John K. King Books is your place. Four floors, dark aisle ways that can only be lit when you pull on the chain for the light. More books then you probably have ever seen in one place. The thing I most like about Detroit and most Detroit stores is that you have to work for it, and by that I mean you have to dig deep and really find what you are looking for. John King books doesn't have computers set up so you can easily find what you are looking for, but they do have very knowledgeable staff who is there to help.
Last time I went in they handed me an illustrated map to help me find where everything is. My favorite sections are the art books, cooking books, old national geographic, and all the weird stuff you find at the end of aisles by the windows. They also sell old records, and you will find random antiques scattered here and there.
Don't be intimidated when you walk in, it will suck you in and you will leave realizing you have been in there for hours.
Used book store fans are an odd lot. We all have a love of musty smells, sometimes yellowed and crinkled pages and the treasure of a book that has already been enjoyed. Some of my all time faves have been found in the stacks of a used book store, sometimes they are all the more loved as I was not the first.
I think many books here were not loved enough, they end up abandoned here and they need you to come and take them home to treasure. I am overly sentimental though. I think it's also why I always rescue older abandoned pets rather than kittens or puppies, even my husband came to me already divorced. I digress...
I love it here. It is massive though so I only drop in when I have a lot of time to kill. The staff is extremely helpful and it is pretty well organized into sections but it is still overwhelming at times, with the size it cannot be helped. If you cannot find a book here you are not much of a reader really. If you cannot find a bagful you are not me.
I have found some excellent books here but I always buy way too many! It is my husband's number one fave bookstore in the area. I like it so much but I always end up losing too much track of time and the next thing I know I have a bazillion books picked out.
This place looks like a factory on the outside, but it gets much better once you step through the door. Yes, it's a little musty and dusty, but it's a used book store, for crying out loud!
There are 4 floors crammed with books, which are organized by category. The staff were very approachable. I think I was asked about 3 times if I needed any help finding anything...not in an annoying way, but in a "can I help you find anything because this place is huge" type-of-way. I literally killed 2 hours perusing just a few sections (cooking, psychology, and social work) of this massive collection.
I was a little disappointed that the majority of their selection was about 10 years old, if not older. Normally, this fine with me, but it's not so great if you're looking for science books or are in a field which is rapidly changing.
My most unique find? A 1938 book about Southern Italian folkways in Europe and America. I can't wait to read it to gain insight into how a former historical period viewed immigration and assimilation.
Overall, this is a great place to go to spend a rainy afternoon when you have a few hours on your hands.
While it's not quite so new and bright as Strand books in NY or Powell's in Portland, OR, it has a certain Detroit grittiness that is actually surprisingly charming.
Are you looking to support a local bookstore? Well, you should hop over to John K. King faster then you can say "ShishKabob"! There is a free books pile in the front near the steps and usually it smells aromatically musty and funky, but free is free my friends!
They do buy books (at a low price) but it is a nice way to support a local business . . .
There is floor after floor of goodies . . . books in all shapes, flavors, and sizes and the customer service is quite good for a place of its magnitude. They even have some rare books . . . although not the one I was looking for when I went (a slight trickle of a tear inserted here).
I love to browse the books here . . . simply love it . . .
Just like in ER, we're going to pick this story up while in progress . . .
Store Manager: "I don't know what happened! She yelled something like, "What kind of selection is this!?!?" then she grabbed her chest and passed out. What took you so long to get here? Blah blah blah . . ."
Us: "Mmm oookay, calm down tiger. We've here now. Buh bye."
John (AKA Mr. Handsome Sr. the super medic that knows it all): "Randy, is she breathing?"
Randy (AKA Mr. Charming and handsome super almost medic that knows almost everything and is funnier then John. Also known as Randy): "Yeah. About 3 times a minute. Want me to tube her?"
J: "Yeah, drop the tube bro. The monitor shows SVT (supraventricular tachycardia-heart beating way too fast). Weak carotid pulses. I'm gonna cardiovert." (background noise of defibrillator charging and people gasping. Women are flushed and overcome with our massive . . .handsomeness and charm. A male voice mutters, "They're not cool. I have a CLK, that's cool!" His bone thin size 0/1 companion sighs, her gaze fixed on Mr. Charming, her hands fanning her girl-next-door-never-worked-a-day-in-her-life sun kissed face.)
R: "Tubes in. IV running." (Yes, he is that awesome fast. Don't test his skills kids)
J: "CLEAR! ZZZZZZZAP! YES! Her heart rate slowed."
A woman approaches, screaming, "WHAT'S WRONG WITH MY MOM!?"
R: "Your mom's heart was beating too fast. We slowed it down. We're going to take her to the hospital."
Daughter: "She just wanted to go to a real bookstore. Sob Sob Sob. She wanted . . ."
R: "John, I think she's got book seller failure. She might need King-STAT! "
Daughter: "What does that mean? Will she be okay?"
J: "It happens when real book lovers go to big box book stores. It's a type of heart failure. She'll be fine if we get her to John King Books right away."
Fast forward . . .
With each passing block, our patient's condition improves. Her heart seems to know where we're headed.
Fast forward . . .
Entering John K. King Books, our patient pulls her breathing tube out and deeply inhales the smell of a real bookstore. She rips her IV out, slaps her daughter, and bolts into the stacks.
Mr. Handsome and Mr. Charming high five and head to Motown Kabob for a falafel sammich.
The moral of the story: John K. King is a real book seller. Not a coffee shop that sells hardcover versions of dime store paperbacks and coffee table books. Go there or . . . ZZZAP!
John King is always worth a visit. I can browse here for hours, although those with dust allergies should avoid visiting for more than a few minutes. This is not the place to go when you need a specific out of print or rare book (although they do have a rare book room), rather, this is the store to visit when there is a topic you enjoy and you have some time free to look through a diverse collection of books about that subject. Books are divided into sections such as "Vietnam War", "Scouting," "Asian Poetry", "Nuclear Weapons", "Education teaching manuals" and "Urban Gardening".
I've come to the conclusion that whoever organized this store and created it's categorization system must have been an absolute genius because I have no idea how the staff are able to find anything -- and yet, when I came in asking for old travel guides for the Caribbean the friendly counter person was able to track down an entire shelf of such books (and she knew where several related books were located in different sections of the store).
My favorite place to browse is the dollar section (located on three different floors!).
During the winter this store is not heated, although there are several warming stations on floors two and four.
Staff are very helpful and prices can often be negotiated. Ask for help if you need it. Staff will carry your boxes of books to the car when you are done shopping.
This is a big used bookstore. I'm a fan of used bookstores, but this one didn't seem like anything special. It didn't live up to the hype.
The selection here is not anything to write home about. If you have some time and money that you need to spend, this can be a nice place to hang out, and you will find some cool stuff, but you will most likely not find any hidden gems.
In general, used bookstore translates as books no one else wanted marked up to a level where the store owner can make a profit.
My best find on my last visit was actually in the free bin.
I realize this is like a landmark to avid readers and I do enjoy coming here with friends to hang out but to be honest I have never found anything I wanted to buy here. Their selection is of questionable quality and as the employees are quick to disclose most of the good stuff is grabbed by them before it even hits the shelves. The price of some of the books is ludicrous... I've found books that have been reprinted and can be purchased new for 3/4 the price King's asks.
The staff is uncanny though. Even though to me the categorizing system of this place comes from some distant alien civilization they manage to find everything quickly. Too quickly. Are they human? Their really friendly in any case.
Their bathroom is straight out of a horror movie.
I realize that I could take a public beating for not giving King Books 5 stars. My Yelp colleagues have thoroughly established the positive qualities to the bookstore, and I heartily agree. But in the interest of full disclosure, there are a few things that potential visitors should be aware of before their first visit.
1. Order is hit and miss, books are categorized...uniquely in some cases, and certain topics (see Religion) are divided and located in multiple places. The building is four stories, and religion is located on floors one and four. Not particularly convenient. And not entirely logical, as one author may have titles on both floors.
2. The upstairs floors can be quite cold. During my most recent visit, it was 65 and sunny outdoors. It was probably 45-50 on floor four. Come properly dressed for the place. You'll be there for 2+ hours easily and shorts and flip flops aren't going to keep your body warm enough.
3. I really want to say something about the prices, but I suppose it is all in the personal value of a book to the buyer. My initial thoughts were that books in some of the categories/sections were overpriced, but I don't know how I would go about determining their value. I will say that there were many titles that I opted not to purchase because of their price.
Look, I love the place. My wife and I are moving into the city from the suburbs next month, and we will become even more-frequent customers that present. Still, if I had never been there before, I'd like to be aware of the hesitations I mentioned, so I hope these help the community enjoy King Books all the more.
This is just the only used bookstore to hit. Hands down, it is the largest selection I've seen, even after visiting NYC, Paris, LA. It's inviting, but does have the used book smell that most of these stores have.
If you have time to kill, spend lots of time here. You never know what you'll find.
Solid 5 stars. I might give it 6 if I could. Hell, I might move in if they let me.
So I was searching about yelp for things to do in Detroit proper and came across this. Perfect! I love books, and book smell (old and new) and used books are the best! If I hadn't been on vacation (and traveling by airplane back) I would have bought SO much more! As it was my carry on bag on the way home looked like a small library.
This was everything I had come to expect from reading the reviews here and more. 4 floors, 5 floors of books. Packed full of books. I spend most of my time on the 4th floor looking at the political science books, the communist books, the feminism and women's studies books. There were aisles and aisles of each. It was so much better than any corporate-owned chain bookstore full of shitty bestsellers with little actual content. The man working on the 4th floor was also GREAT. Knowledgeable to say the least. I asked about a rare something I'd been seeking out and he literally pointed down, right in front of me. And then continued with 5 other options...
It was amazing!
Also- complete side note, they've got lighting handing from every aisle and the idea is when you are in a given aisle you click on the light and then when you are done there, you turn it off. Saving them on their energy bill- but also all around good idea!!! Dear every college in the country- start doing this... now! Environmentally speaking its a GREAT idea! I've not seen it before and I was also highly impressed by it!
I can't wait to go back- next trip I take to Detroit, I'd better drive and leave lots of trunk space for John K King.
They've also got a website... :D
NOTE: I'm a Seattle girl, I'm a big fan of Elliott Bay Bookstore too- but their used books section is disappointing, especially after spending an afternoon at John K King Books. This bookstore is SO much more!
Not always the easiest place to find what you're looking for, but chances are, you'll find something you'll want to read. The downtown branch, housed in an old glove factory, has everything from paperbacks to first editions to old Detroit postcards from the 1900s to old maps. The staff is always helpful and usually knowledgeable, but the books are not always moderately priced and it isn't always easy to navigate the crammed shelves. It's a Detroit institution - and rightly so.
My first time in here I was a young girl, already in-love with the library and was in awe walking inside!
Still to this day I find it such and inviting and amazing place.
I also enjoy the old book smell...
I would set side an afternoon for your first time... enjoy!!
it is a must stop for people in the area...
King Books is awsome! I have found so many used books there at an absolute bargain! When I was in grad school, this place was my salvation. I owe a good chunk of my home library to King! This place is huge and, I will agree with the others - you may need to take your allergy medicine by the time you leave.
So, if you love books, go to King and enjoy the hunt!
I've never seen anything like this place, on this scale or with such a 'random' factor. It's on my short list of places to bring out-of-towners. King books isn't just a Detroit institution, it's an awesome anomaly. Poetry section has some rare finds -- try looking through the independent press boxes that go back 70+ years. Random foreign language dictionaries too (Basque, Hungarian, Gaelic..).
John K. King is probably the best store I have ever stepped my foot in. If the sweet, sweet scent of book dust turns you on, then this place is for you!
I can honestly spend hours in the huge building flipping through the old photographs, postcards, and millions of rare/used books. This used book store blows every other used book store in Ann Arbor right out of the water. JKK's rare antique books are reasonably priced compared to some other used book stores I have been to.
If you're looking for a specific art or photography book, ask them to take you to the art annex. I pretty much creamed when they took me into the photography annex. I got to touch some first edition books from some of my favorite photographers. It was heaven.
When I die, I will request to be buried underneath the floor boards in the art annex.
It's confusing, huge and daunting... but nothing short of amazing.
Bring a friend and make sure both of your cells are on so you can call each other to find one another to finally leave 2 hours after arriving!!!
Pay special attention to the dollar book tables on each floor :-)
This is probably my favorite place in the world and one of the reason I don't ever want to move from Detroit. John King Books is the absolute best bookstore. Screw Borders and B and N! Do they offer customers floor after floor after floor of records, used books in every subject, old photographs and postcards. No! Do they offer used books for mere dollars? No! Do they have staff bordering genius? Perhaps. But John King, Michigan's Largest Used bookseller, is a one of a kind place that everyone near and far should experience at least once in their life.
Located on Lafayette, just outside of downtown Detroit, John King is a book lovers dream, volumes and volumes of fiction, non-fiction, children's books, biographies, religious themed books and more. I can't think of any subject or topic that John King doesn't have a section for. As big as this joint is you'd think it'd be disorganized, but no. Sections are clearly marked, categorized neatly, and staff(with sweet walkie talkies), are always willing to help if you get lost, which you probably will.
As an English major while in college John King was my savior. I probably saved 1,000's of bucks getting my classics like Hemingway and Rand here. The prices are right and the finds are amazing. If you're not a hardcore book lover, one trip to John King will probably change that.
I've driven by John King many times while driving downtown on the Lodge, but only recently got around to stopping and going inside. What a fantastic bookstore! I love being surrounded by books although often times my eyes are bigger than my brain (think of the analogy "eyes bigger than stomach" when getting food). I have this habit of buying books and not quite getting around to reading them! No harm in that--there are worse vices, I suppose.
ANYWAY, about the bookstore. I picked a rainy, damp and chilly Saturday to venture out to John King--perfect weather for perusing books, right? I know. I wasn't looking for anything in particular, I just figured that I 'd work my way from bottom to top and pick up a few books along the way.
And that's what I did. I think I spent 3 hours there and walked out with an armful of books for under $50. Score!
Also, the staff is very nice and knowledgeable. Although I wasn't looking for any particular books, other customers were; I overheard many conversations between staff members and customers and holy shit, the staff really knows what's up! Another note: if you go there on a cold day, bundle up! The building is not heated very well and wooo it was chilly in there.
Soooo if you are a fellow bookworm with nothing to do on a crappy Saturday afternoon, head over to John King. Or go when it's nice out. Or on a weekday! And so on.
A place to loose yourself in floors of books.....
This place is a real jewel in downtown Detroit. I happened upon JK Books as a young rambling man. Plus it was on the way to Windsor. ;)You can literally spend weeks going thru all the books and art work at this place. If there is a book you are looking for and it is not here it doesn't exist. It is that big. There is no air here and smells funky but this place has a charm you could never recreate at Barnes or Borders. So if you have a rainy day with nothing on the agenda head down and check it out.
John K. King...my old, dear, friend...you have yet to fail me :-)
It's easy to get to...south on the Lodge...exit on Howard...stay on service drive...its on the left...at the corner, on Lafayette. (Parking is OK)
It's Massive! A few floors...3, as a matter of fact. A bit formidable at times...especially if you have an over active imagination.
It's old school with plenty of "character"...squeaky...mediocre lighting...even musty... and no latte. But, who cares!
Tons of great finds in there! Used books...Rare books. Its a great place to find "out of print" books. It has saved me a few times...especially with a book I needed not long ago. It was on eBay for like a million bucks(j/k)...got it at king for 10!!!
The stacks are not cataloged in the greatest order there but ,the sales people are very nice and helpful.
Things are changing a lot in downtown and the surrounding areas. I hope this doesn't!
The father of all used book stores. If the smell of musty books and old paper make you weak in the knees, John K is the place for you.
The first time my parents brought me here ( I was little, very little) I thought that it was where all books in the world were made. Now that I am grown I know that it is where all the books get to go if they have lived good and pure lives. Book Heaven.
You will never leave empty handed and the staff is great if you are looking for a particular title. Entire days have been lost to browsing titles...
If you have a dust allergy, well, good luck. Dope yourself up on antihistamine and go to town.
You could literally spend all day browsing at this HUGE used bookstore. It's in a former factory building near downtown Detroit, and from the exterior you'd never imagine what's inside. The staff are friendly and there are some great "finds".
It's equal parts awesome used book shop and forgotten cellar from The Shining.
Love it.
what the shit?! this place is awesome!
i am the kind of person that can go into any bookstore and get lost for hours. borders: 1 hour minimum. any independent : 1-2 hours, depending on size. myopic in chicago: 2 hours. i use to love to peruse the book section at kaleidescope in ann arbor: 2.5 hours {ahem, first issue off 'for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuff'!}.... seriously. i played hide and go seek with friends in high school at the u of m undergrad library. i just love books.
so, needless to say, my first visit to john k. king books was a dream come true. i didn't know where to start. they have everything, i mean EVERYTHING!
cool old cookbooks, type spec books, weird old books that are great for inspiration if you are an artist {& a HUGE art section for more literal inspiration}.... awesome rare finds and other things to dig around for {including prints, photos, michigan history, old magazines and records}
i am sure i missed a lot - the building is huge. but the people that work there are really helpful, so if you need any guidance they make it easy. decent prices. so much fun. & as my boy said - "this kind of place can only exist in detroit."
Shannon - no kidding, I was just there today and was sneezing left and right. This place is allergen central.
That aside, I found 3 awesome finds today for cheap: 2 Nigella books and Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian. I was giddy. They have some newer used books mixed in with some ancient classics (or just a bunch of fondue books no one wants from the 70s).
The staff is super friendly and really organized to help you find ANYTHING you want. I didn't know so much organization could come out of total utter book chaos.
They take credit cards, do not take checks, and your old bags (to be reused for other costumers)!
John King Books is several floors of used literary goodness that surprisingly do not have snot all over them, considering the absence of an air purifier. Asthma notwithstanding, it's easy to spend an entire day digging into the huge variety here; a bit of patience can reward you with great out of print and rare books. I've had family leave here with a stack of obscure subject material (cultural observations by missionaries in 1800s China as an example). Recent bestselling fiction, even in hardcover form, is pretty easy to find. There's even some sheet music, though not always in order or easy to sift through.
Prices are reasonable for being used, though they seemed to have increased in the past couple of years. Despite the huge inventory, staff seems omniscient and always very friendly. A freight elevator is available for those who cannot or do not want to take the stairs. Also, this place would be AWESOME for hide-and-go-seek, if not totally obnoxious for everyone else.
I love John K King because this place is "literally" (har har) filled with books. Floor to ceiling -- it is the book connoseiur's Detroit dreamland. You walk in and expect to stay there for a full shift. You will find rarities, oddities, stuff you never knew about, stuff you wished you new about sooner. Things are reasonably priced. It smells great and booksy. The only other comparable bookstore I've ever been to is The Strand in NYC, though I'm sure that's been said.
The staff is another great thing about this place. You ask a question and they are all about helping you, and giving you info you didn't know you wanted to know. I can't wait to visit this place again to dig into some first editions. Maps, even! I feel like the greatest bookstores know they need to have rare maps, just like the West Side in Ann Arbor.
This is both my favorite book store and the place I love to bring people visiting from Detroit. From New York, from London, from Toronto--this place is the kind of idiosyncratic and deep eclectic bookstore that any great city could hope to have and we have it here. You have to go up to an upper floor, as much as it is tempting to stop on the first floor. You have to ask a question, because this staff is so well read and friendly you'll just want to hang out and talk, and you have to look around at the beautiful hand drawn signs that indicate the specialties of the aisles.
The largest used book store in Michigan. Off the top of my head i'm guessing there are about 5 floors of books, sheet music, magazines, etc... I've spent hours here without trying. The staff is very helpful so you need not feel overwhelmed.
I frequent the National Geographic stairwell inbetween the main level and the basement. Hundreds of National Geographic magazines for .25 - .50 cents a piece.
The great thing about John King is a few things:
The size of this place makes Borders look like a hot dog stand. They have 3 floors of fun, and they're packed floor to ceiling with anything and everything you could ever want!
They have a fair selection of rare books. Granted, I don't NEED a first edition of Ginsberg's Howl, but if I did....
The staff really know books. There's no other way to explain it. Asking questions here isn't going to get you a sneer or an eye roll, but rather the workers, like human Rolidexes, will tell you exactly where th book in question is. Now, I haven't gotten a list going just to test this theory out, but when I've really needed something, they've found it without punching things into a computer.
Honestly, this is one of the most impressive bookstores I've ever been inside. If you're a bookworm and feel like spending a whole afternoon in a bookstore, this is THE place to do it!
You've gotta love John King Books..
..yep
If you look treasure-hunting for books this is a great place to be -- I wouldnt be surprised if they discovered another Dead Sea Scrolls here. I kid but for this South Florida gal, Detroit's largest used bookstore was stunning in its size, variety, and age of certain books -- perfect for that vintage, antiquey library look you were going for.
I could easily have spent an entire Saturday here.
Having grown up in Metro Detroit I have been coming here with my dad since I was a little kid. Now that I'm back in Detroit and work downtown I find myself coming here a couple times a month. It's a great place to not only find affordable used books, but also to find truly rare books that have been out of print for years.
The size of the place is pretty wild. It is one of the largest used bookstores in the Midwest; I personally haven't seen a larger one except in New York and London. You can easily lose track of time in the stacks of books. Luckily the knowledgeable and friendly staff are more than happy to help you track down a book.
Prices are reasonable on most books, but if you find something uncommon don't be surprised if you have to pay a bit more for it.
in disbelief, i stared at the shelves
miles and miles
piles and piles
stacks of books
in every corner, every nook
a whole day i spent there
but i must be blessed
for i found such rare books
in this organized mess
the store smells musty
of old books and paper and dust
but is full of more treasures
than a pirate ship bathed in rust
a special place
this is for sure
a gem of used bookstores
nonfiction, folklore
the largest bookstore
my eyes have ever beheld
you'll find everything you want
in their storied old shelves
This place would have been really exciting before http://Amazon.com. Now, it's ok.
I Love John King. If you can't find it here you don't need it. Just make sure you have alot of time on your hands and aren't allergic to book dust.
Before http://Half.com this was the only choice for an extensive book search. You could spend a day here and never notice it. Every shelf offers treats.
Holy hell this place is huge! Its in a giant old multi-level building off the expressway. You could spend hours here and only see a small portion of all the books they have. Used books are pretty cheap, and they buy books/take trades. They also have a room devoted to beautiful old and rare books. This place is a book lover's dream.
There's just nothing else that compares that I've seen. It's like a giant library, except all used books for sale.
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