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Category: Bookstores [Edit]
Neighborhood: Wicker ParkDamen (Blue)
Mon-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 a.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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What a great troth of oddities! I love this book store. It reminds me of some of the bookstores that I frequented in Brooklyn. Open late, dis-organized and not over categorized or marketed.
This place is chalk full of used books that I can spend hours looking through. And when I find the one I want, the price is right.
So far, my favorite bookstore in Chicago and I just discovered it a couple weeks ago, even though I live near it!
My purchases:
- 3 used books on tape for $1 each! (Hey, my '96 ford taurus only has a tape deck)
- a French book of word puzzles (perfect for my students!)
- Freakanomics (for my book club!)
My wishlist (because I had to show some restraint):
- old hardcover Agatha Christie books
- all-encompassing vegetarian cookbook
- Buffy Season 8 comic book (yes, I have an addiction)
I can't wait to go back and sit in the sunbeam on the beat-up couch with the kitty!
I loved Myopic when they had a bathroom! I was willing to overlook that the books are at times slightly overpriced and the staff varies in the level of friendliness, but Myopic existed for me mainly as a stopover after a wine date and before going home. Once the bathroom was no more and a staff member was outright rude to me, I vowed never to return. To be fair, that was the only time I had a problem with staff being anything less than indifferent upon entrance but helpful when approached, a perfect attitude for the place. Regardless, Myopic will live on for me only in my memory of the way we were.
*I haven't been in months, but the policy on credit cards was that they'd only allow use after $15.*
They don't always have what I want ... BUT I ALWAYS WANT WHAT THEY HAVE.
A lovely gingerbread-house maze of a used bookstore. It's wonderful when you feel like you're about to fall through the floor on the mezzanine level. The cat is always friendly, as is the staff.
And my very favorite thing: they're open late enough that you can get drunk, and then go shopping for a book after midnight. THE BEST!
Fun spot to sit down and read a few pages of just about anything...
I liked it better when they had a bathroom! Anybody know what happened to that?
Good place to hang out and browse for books, although the past few times that I have been there, I can't seem to find the occult section. So that just means for those types of books I shall frequent the Occult bookstore.
No cell phone policy, which is nice. I didn't like the number of books they rejected when I tried to sell them some old reads (flyy girl isn't good enough for them I guess, hmph!) but in generally this is a neat place to kill time, when waiting to meet people, or before you go get a bite to eat in wicker park.
An alright store, with pretty ok Selection, but overall, is just a wee bit expensive on some fronts and the rules make it even more claustrophobic than their stacks of shelves.
Good place to waste some time and maybe find a gem or two but overall...meh
Dude, a kitty lives there.
A KITTY!
He's adorable and awesome.
Myopic is awesome, I'm the guy swarming over the comic trade paperbacks. I found the whole Preacher set there on the shelf and some other awesome out of print trades.
I'm always excited to go there because it's almost always open and I know theres something sitting there on the shelf calling my name. "Dave. DAAAVEEEEEE!"
It's also a good place to get away from all the hipsters flocking around area bars, though this place gets its fair share of them, so far though none of them seem to enjoy Green Lantern trades so it works out for me.
Woo!
Myopic, You Go Girl!
Any bookstore with a cat is going to get a thumbs-up from me. Overall a good selection and somehow cozy-yet-huge interior.
The staff appears a little stand-offish, but is actually very, very nice. The prices aren't always that cheap, but it's worth going here for the charm.
I have a *small* Stephen King addiction. And a *small* problem with buying books, loaning them out, and forgetting to get them back. So what to do when you really want to read Delores Claiborne but don't want to pay $8 (again)? Hit up Myopic, and you'll find more than enough to keep you satisfied.
Myopic is decent and they have a lot of used (and new) books that are worth perusing. However, it really is just a used bookstore and nothing too extraordinary.
I can't tell if I hate the no cell phone rule, but I definitely don't like the fact that their bathroom is pretty much nonexistent. And is the building falling apart? Hmm, oh well.
However, bonus points for the basement, which is filled with science fiction books (!!)... It distracts me from recognizing that the building itself is falling apart.
It certainly is a cool-looking store, but just walking around inside with the multiple ubiquitous signs about all the things you should not do, you, you terrible person who should be ashamed of yourself, it just has a really... walking on eggshells vibe. I feel like I am about to piss someone off. CHECK YOUR BAG AT THE DOOR! BOOKS WILL GO UP BY $1 IF FOUND IN THE WRONG SPOT! DO NOT TAKE BOOKS FROM THE OVERFLOW SHELVES! NO BATHROOM! NO CELL PHONES!
This store is like something straight out of http://passiveaggressi..., essentially coasting on charm.
I've worked retail before and restocking the shelves with things that are in the wrong place is just what comes with the territory. Sorry. If you really don't like restocking shelves... don't work in retail. They are your customers, not your friends you secretly can't stand.
And as far as the selection goes, you will have three copies of one book and nothing else by that same author. How is that a good selection? I guess I should just stick to shopping online where there's a better selection at a better price with a wholly better experience.
It's as if they aren't here to serve the function of being a bookstore, but to be one more sort of well-regarded hip spot that is ultimately not as good as just walking by. It is not for customers, but for the people who work there
This place is immense, a mecca of used books right in the middle of Bucktown. I was thoroughly impressed by Myopic the first time I came in, and have been back many times since. The prices are very good, with the average used book in good condition going for about half of list price. The store is big with tons of stuff.
Sometimes the stock is hit or miss, being a used bookstore, but you occasionally come up with a gem. Its kind of funny to wander into a bookstore to find they only have one Vonnegut book, but at the other end of the store its possible they have an obscure Kerouac that you wouldn't find at Borders or anyplace else. Its part of the fun of the store in how different the stock is every time you're in. It feels like going through a new book store every time when you leave a couple months in between.
I've been pretty impressed by the staff. They are quite friendly, and are not nearly as pretentious as most of the other skinny indie kids running the shops in Wicker Park. They are helpful, personable, and make you feel comfortable. There are a lot of rules posted about not taking pictures, and re-shelving books you take off the shelf, but this seems like a fair request from such an awesome place.
My only warning would be that its probably not a great place for you if you are allergic to cats. There is an awesome cat named Leonard that patrols the shop. Being a cat-lover, I love the little guy, but if you get all stuffy you might want a mask or to shop quickly. Other than that, I can't recommend it enough. This is easily my favorite book store.
I cannot express adequately with words how much I miss living near Myopic. As an avid reader who likes to hold onto books once she's done reading them, it can get pretty expensive buying books from Borders or Barnes and Noble.
Myopic almost always has specific books I'm looking for in stock. They're in great shape, never torn up or shabby, and always more than reasonably priced. The staff has always been totally friendly and unpretentious.
I, too, like the no cell phone policy. It's a smallish store where sound carries, so it's nice not to have to listen to everyone's random conversations. The other policies are no big deal as well. It's how they maintain their organization, plus, if they're saving on labor not having to reshelve everything 100 times a day, they're keeping our prices down.
Anyway, I wish they'd open a shop up north (hint-hint).
I have no idea why I never popped into this place sooner. I'm a huge bookworm, and the selection in this place is incredible. The staff is friendly and helpful and I love the no cellphone policy. I wish more places were like that, I hate being subjected to someone's summary of their drunken antics the night before while I'm browsing a store or waiting for food somewhere.
Prices are also very reasonable here, and I love browsing the new fiction arrivals rack, there are always one or two gems on that rack that I simply can't resist.
OH! And this place has a cat. I'm a HUGE fan of stores with cats. In my opinion, every store should have a kitty roaming around.
As far as bookstores go, Myopic Books has a great selection that equals the variety and selection found at many of the best used bookstores in Chicago - such as the famous ones in Hyde Park.
Myopic books has everything from the newest fiction bestsellers, to the staffs favs of the week, to even the occult. Plus, its in the heart of Wicker Park which makes a great afternoon of window looking and barhoping alongside a great book. (oh, need I mention that it is regularly open until 1am?!)
Back when Myopic was on the north side of Milwaukee Ave, it was one of the more exciting used bookstores in the city--books crammed in every nook and corner (like some kind of literary gangbang), events for every esoteric taste (I wouldn't be surprised if there was a Chess for Wizards club), and it was essentially the vomit bucket for forward-thinking hipster intelligentsia (you know, college-educated junkies trying to make rent because being in a promising local band paid soooo well).
Now that they moved into the old Earwax space, it's elevated to a formidable Wicker Park institution. The space is cleaner, the system is more streamlined, and it's WAY bigger. But still packed--the "L" fiction section has provided many awkward encounters, none of which have ever led to making out in the stacks like in the movies. Myopic is basically 3 1/2 stories of bookworm buffet. Gatsby would be impressed, but only because he's such a fucking poser.
The staff is what every patron wants in a clerk: helpful and engaging. Like Quimby's, it's employed by folks who aren't waiting out a summer job--they're actually well-read. Every purchase turns into a small conversation, and I walk out with a couple of tangents to explore.
Last weekend, I picked up an old hardcover edition of Studs Terkel's "Race" interviews, only to come home and find the author had signed it. Granted, I wouldn't have been surprised if Terkel himself snuck in and blessed each copy, but it was addressed to Sonny, wishing him a good recovery.
Maybe he didn't recover, but, Sonny, thanks for the read. And thanks, Myopic, for being everything a used bookstore should be.
Hands down hands down hands DOWN my favorite bookstore in Chicago. I never fail to leave here without an armload of books. The prices are EXACTLY what I want to pay for books, and I've even come across some real gems here. The books are also very well organized for a used bookstore--which is a huge asset. Some used bookstores just pile 'em on and expect you to wade through the mess, but Myopic makes it so easy to find a book you're looking for--or a book you didn't realize you were looking for in the first place, but as you pass it you think to yourself "Oh snap, I've been meaning to read that! What's this, it's only seven bucks? That's DONE."
I was just about to use the "I travel here all the way from Hyde Park" line but I see that Sarah S. beat me to it. I would live in this bookstore were it possible.
Another lovely perk: lots of sitting room to read! A couple of huge tables on the second floor! So crucial for a bookstore, yet so overlooked in too many of them. Just remember to put your book back or else it goes up a dollar!
Had to laugh as I WALKED BY- now there's a sign on the door not to enter with a bar-code scanner... I've seen their books, I work as a librarian, I know special collections...they ain't got nothin' to worry about.
They need to just say it: customers unwelome.
I could like Myopic, even love, but I don't. Housed in an old building, occupying multiple floors… Read more »
Myopic is probably my favorite bookstore in Chicago. I travel up here all the way from Hyde Park (which has more than its share of awesome used and new bookstores) just because it's such a nice place to browse.
Most bookstores with a seating area don't feel truly welcoming of people who want to sit, read, and chill out. Myopic is different. I never feel like I'm being pushed out or that people in the store are wondering why I'm not checking out - I can browse, sit, pet the cat, and enjoy myself. It's like sitting in my own living room.
If you're a bookstore fan, Myopic is worth it just for the stunning entrance alone - walking in and seeing a 2-story set of awesome bars, like a portcullis, surrounded by floor to ceiling books, takes your breath away.
Their selection is excellent, as well. All in all, like I said, my favorite bookstore in Chicago.
I've been to Myopic a bunch of times over the years and I have never really had a good experience and today was nothing unusual. I walked in looking for a specific book, asked if it was in stock and the asshole behind the counter not only scoffed at my request, but didn't even bother to make eye contact while mumbling "We don't have that book here."
Stock: C- (considering "They don't have that book")
Staff: F (always has been, always will be)
Cleanliness: D (this cute cat everyones raving about seems to have peed on the floor under the Ws in the Fiction section)
This may be what my heaven looks like. As a visitor to Chicago I relied upon the kindness of a friend to show me around. We are both giant book nerds and I definitely should have trusted her when she said she liked browsing here.
Upon walking in, it just LOOKS like a used bookstore should. Thousands of books, all over the walls, a veritable warren of them, I didn't even know where to start. We did waste an hour or two there. It would have been more if it weren't so damn hot outside.
I found several books I would not have expected to find in a bookstore--when I used to work at one I would definitely have had to special order all but one of them. A book of poetry by Samantha Wynne Rhydderch, $5? An actual, new edition of Cleland's Fanny Hill? Anne Radcliffe at ALL? One of the huge thrills of book browsing for me are finding titles that are familiar, that I love, but that are hard to find anywhere else, and Myopic allowed me to play that game several times over. They have an awesome selection of both modern and classical titles, and generally good editions of those titles (the familiar red and white spine of the Oxford World's Classics series was a common and welcome one here).
Yeah, the price policy of raising the prices for left out books sucks, but I'd be willing to put up with it. Their prices are very fair for the quality of both the tomes and the selection.
If I'm ever in Chicago again, I'm coming back here for sure.
I love Myopic Books and I have to give it 5 stars because I walked in and within two minutes I found a book on exactly what I was looking for! They do have the general topics posted up on the bookshelves, and after that it's a treasure hunt to see what great books you can find hidden away.
The downstairs is a bit musty, but it's just like every other used bookstore basement I've been to. You just get used to all the old books and you go for the experience of finding weird things that you never knew existed. You can spend a whole afternoon here getting lost among the shelves.
Went back the other day and almost stole the Store Cat. It was adorable - just chillin' on top of the table being cool. It's a recession, you know? Gotta get your peace where you can...
This time around I got a extra ultra-uber-cheap copy of Edith Hamilton's Mythology. The larger copy had been claimed like nobody's business.
Seriously folks, If you're not certain that you'll keep the book don't write your name in big-ass letters on the side. That makes puppies die and people hate you.
Anywho, I brought a couple friends with me this time and as soon as we crossed the threshold, we scattered into the directions of our respective tastes: the guys to Africana Studies and Theatre, my two girlfriends to Fiction and Anthropology and little ol' me to Mythology and Folklore.
Worth it every time. But still no Brothers K. Damn.
P.S. Books bought on:
Friday: 6p-10p
Saturday: 11a-6p
Alright, so what does a girl have to do to find a beat-up arse copy of The Brothers Karamazov? Huh?… Read more »
I feel like a kid in a candy store every single time I walk in. I once spent two hours milling about the entire place and didn't end up buying anything.
It's conveniently located near the Damen stop and I struggle with myself to not stop in every single time I pass by. The staff isn't entirely too friendly and they don't really seem to care about the fact a customer is in the store. I have long ago given up on asking them any questions.
The hours are amazing.. I once stopped in at midnight on a Saturday night in between bars just because I could. I believe it stays open until 1 am some nights of the week.
Even if I can't find exactly what I'm looking for, I always find something I want at Myopic - and I'm always psyched on the price. I guess if I went there to drink coffee, use the bathroom or pal around with the staff I might have a different opinion (considering some of the other reviews here) but as a person who sometimes shops for used books, I like it. And for the record - the staff has always been nice to me.
The owner once told me I was the "sexiest girl in Wicker Park." Although that might read creepy, it… Read more »
The hipster staff seems less snooty than usual. I even got a smile and word of greeting from one of the female clerks on Saturday. Perhaps the poor economy is forcing them to welcome customers?
Otherwise, Myopic is still Myopic. Overpriced books and nothing that I want despite the cavernous size. And on top of everything, the basement was closed on Saturday. Booo.
On the upside, they have an imperturbable cat and a neat kid-crafted poster about four-horned sheep.
A for size and pleasure of browsing; D for selection and prices, and occasional snootiness.
This…
Read more »
Don't find too many books i'm looking for here, but always find at least one i wasn't looking for. The number of books is impressive, and their layout is interesting, though i fell like im going to fall through that 1st and a half floor fiction section.
The employees are not unfriendly, checking your bag is standard these days, and not using cellphones is a courtesy i welcome.
The prices are average to me for a chicago used book store, but cheap for entertainment in that neighborhood.
And to Andrew K: I heard the reason they didn't sell you books is because you went in there with a bar code reader and scanned books to find ones you can turn a profit on. Fuck you man.
Myopic is awesome if you are a night owl who loves books. They have an excellent biography section in the basement and I enjoy browsing around down there in peace and quiet. And what an amazing place for a true crime section. It totally feels like someone was murdered down there. The other day I was in and found 2 psychology books on the list I'd brought. That was about what I expected them to have from a list of five. The cats are sweet, the staff leave you alone and are nice enough. I do find it annoying that they can't actually tell you what books they have in the store but such is life. The re-stocking fee thing is a little annoying but so are people who take books off of shelves and don't put them back. The other day when I was sitting on the couch upstairs all alone except for a cat sleeping next to me I was really thankful that a place like this is just down the street.
I love this place, I can always find what I am looking for. The prices are SO reasonable and it is very well organized. I can spend lengthy amounts of time here. Sometimes I feel like the people that work there are thinking, "Yeah, right, like this girl likes Rushdie." But that's me being totally paranoid, everyone there is really nice!
Hurry to this Wicker Park gem before the building is torn down and the store's replaced by a squeaky clean Barnes and Nobles where you can check your very nice, expensive bag with the well-groomed, friendly staff people while y'all peruse your Dan Browns and John Grishoms.
Seriously, folks. Myopic is a great asset to the community. Stop in and browse for a 1/2 hour and I'm betting there will be at least 6 things you'll want to buy. As an added bonus, you won't be annoyed by other shoppers cell phone conversations, and pushy salespeople won't be trying to sell you things (but they WILL help you if you want help!).
I've sold more books than I've purchased at Myopic but, regardless of the transaction, my visits are never disappointing. The selection is stocked with curiosities and classics and is well organized. Prices are fair (at least for the dusty, softcover, fictional classics I've bought) and I'm always pleased with the windfalls I walk out with when selling books.
Only beef - they only buy books on Friday evenings and Saturdays. I'm sure there's a reason for this, but it can get a little backed up if you show up late & are behind a few customers who are vending boxes of books. But really, it's not so bad if you plan ahead. Just don't take it so hard when they reject your copy of "The Da Vinci Code." Nobody wants that - it's like the R.E.M. "Monster" of books.
The good: This place is just crammed with books. The women's studies and gay studies section are pretty large, and they have a fairly large craft section. There are tables and comfy chairs so you can relax and look through books before you buy them. Also, it's open super late - great for night owls like me.
The bad: They insisted that I check my purse on the way in. I almost walked out right then. There is absolutely no reason a store should ever take somebody's purse! I don't know you, random person behind the counter, and I would rather not hand my valuables over to you. In the end, I tucked my wallet and camera into my coat and handed my purse over. (Noticing that my coat was far roomier than my purse. If I was going to steal something, I could have easily tucked it into my coat pocket. Come to think of it, my pants were kind of baggy. Maybe they should have made me check them too.)
Also, the prices are a bit high for used books, and they have signs posted everywhere saying that they'll raise the price of any book not put back correctly by $1. Why would somebody care about the price going up if they aren't buying the book? It will only affect the next person who wants it.
It's an alright place, but I don't think I'll be going back any time soon.
Any different, and I wouldn't like it.
As much as a place like Myopic fits into the neighborhood, it still surprises me that a place like this exists. The book store is set up almost like a maze. It's really fun to walk around and see what books linger behind each bend. For having only used books, the selection is broad. I found what I wanted without much trouble. Even if I had to walk up to the top, the journey getting there was fun, AND I got to the see the famous pretty cat that sleeps on the couch. Being here made me so happy. It's like I entered a different universe along Milwaukee. Has anybody else felt this way coming here? Was I just having one of those few and far between terrific days? I guess the only thing I'd have a slight complaint about was the smell--a little musty. It wasn't anything that was intolerable. Jeez just scatter my ashes here and a few other places and I'll rest just heavenly.
Myopic books is the epitome of what you want in a used book store. Great selection. SUPER helpful staff. (They personally search for your book when you call in to see if they have a title.) The owner is a great guy. The manager is one of the best read people i know. THEY GIVE OUT KIDS BOOKS TO TIRCK-or-TREATERS at Halloween. They have all kinds of free entertainment like chess and jazz. They have the greatest places to sit and read. AND they make the best ICED COFFEE in the neighborhood because they make ice out of coffee so when it melts your coffee doesn't get watered down. And it's only a $1.25! What more could you ask for. I've been going there for YEARS and never once not been greeted with a smile.
It's the best. It's one of the few remaining locally owned staples of Wicker Park that made Wicker Park what it is today. It's the best used book store in Chicago. PERIOD
This is seriously my favorite bookstore. I've been coming here for years. Well, not HERE here, but to Myopic. They've actually moved around a bit over the years, but seem to have found a home at their current location.
Yes, they're a little retarded about customers checking their bags at the register or speaking on their cell phones while in the store, but overall, this is a great bookstore. Lots of good used books.
I go for cheap philosophy books, but I've also gotten some good popular non-fiction, and the books are generally in very good condition. The upstairs area with the table and chairs is very pleasant.
Myopic's wooden floors, creaky stairs, and narrow aisles are cursed by a surfeit of folks who appear to believe that browsing in a book store is a form of ego-gratification, and that books are lifestyle accessories.
That the kinds of books such people typically seek out are displayed at the front makes entering the store like running an annoying gauntlet of preening monkeys hooting with detached enthusiasm and complete inanity about Foucault, Bataille, Acker, Burroughs, and the like.
Which is a shame because, as someone who's frequented Myopic at all of its locations over the years, I gotta say, I really, really like this place. Great literary programming. Good selection of literary fiction, history, poetry, politics, criticism and genre fiction. And, mirabile dictu, an actual section (ok, shelf, but still) of labor books.
I'd like to see a better philosophy section, and a more up-to-date criticism section, so I'm hoping more retired faculty and disgruntled grad students unload their books instead of hoarding them into retirement or exile. Or, you know, losing them because they went to jail for shooting up a thesis defense.
The bottom line, though, is this: what makes Myopic great is that while it usually doesn't have what I was looking for, it *always* has something I'm happy I found.
I'm kind of torn on my star-giving here. This is where ya go to get your book club book, rather than going to Borders or somewhere where the book is $15, paperback, you go here where it's $5, used. Chances are, whatever you're looking for, they're gonna have it. You may even run into some books I used to own here (I mean the actual books, not just copies). If you're lucky, I wrote notes in the margins and/or underlined parts of them I liked.
Oh, right, the review. ...Finding the book you came for, however, may not be as easy as you hope. I mean, I'm PRET-ty good with my ABCs and all. I mean, I know them and their order and what comes after what. I even knew how to spell the author's last name. It still took me fifteen minutes to locate my fiction book. I even got trapped in the maze at one point and some vines tried to eat me. I think.
I also kind of have an issue with their policy of taking your bag away when you walk in. It basically says to me, "We know what a filthy thief you are and you cannot be trusted around our many used books." Though I'm unsure why, when you assume I am a thief, you want me to give you the bag which contains all of the valuables in my possession, when I don't know you from Adam. That makes me very uncomfortable.
I wish I could give this more than three stars, I really do. The place is huge, literally wall to wall of bookshelves filled to the brim! It's like a freaking maze!
Unfortunately, every time I come here, the service tends to be a tad less than stellar. Mostly, I'm just ignored. Which is fine, whatever. But when I do ask for help, I definitely get the feeling like I'm in inconveniencing someone. And, perhaps its just my luck, but whenever I've come here for something specific, I can never find it!
It's a nerd orgy of bookstuffs. Seriously though Myopic rocks my ass. Books and books and books piled in places I didn't think books could go. It's like a weird maze of two-by-fours, plywood and BOOKS. The coffee is actually a pump thingie (what's the name for this again?) and some styrofoam cups but who gives a shit. Books everywhere.
I was going to give it 3 stars for the lack of organization, but I met a cool bearded dude in the basement and that's worth a star no matter where you go.
Neighborhood: Wicker Park
Category: Comic Books
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