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The woman who works in the YA/children's section in the back of the store is amazing! She knows books, and she knows kids. Maybe because she teaches middle schoolers, who knows? But when I was there last weekend with a colleague on a book-buying mission for school, she was great and made the shopping experience worth driving from the Dot out to Newton. Her expertise nearly made up for the socially awkward man who rang up our purchases and kept telling me to bag the books and go get boxes. Excuse me, what?
Other than that, I had to remember that books are categorized by publishers. Odd, but in the hunt for one particular title, I was more than happy to land on some ones I'm sure I'd have overlooked if not snooping around in a section.
An additional plus, too, for that crowded back room of markdown books. If you're looking to add to your collection, particularly of YA, multicultural or any combination of the two, and are looking for some deals, the back room is where it's at!
There's really only one phrase to proffer to my dear New England Mobile Book Fair, and it's FULL OF WIN. While it's not mobile, and definitely deficient in the 'fair' atmosphere (ie: lack of clowns and fried dough), it's still a bibliophile's drunken wet dream of nirvana, with glitter, unicorns, puppies, and Mallowmars. Figuratively speaking, that is.
Don't expect much in displays or flash. Don't think you'll be greeted by cute pyramids of Dan Brown's newest ouvre or the most recent Twilight tome. Nope; it's bare bones. But the bones are so rich!
Don't expect to master the feel of the place on your first visit; it takes time and finesse to navigate the greatness that is the New England Mobile Book Fair. I too have been flummoxed by the Fair.
I first came here when I had barely managed to walk. Each August found me here, digging out the books I needed for summer reading for school. Aside from the required, I pretty much infuriated my mother by taking hours to peruse the shelves as I got older. What does this store not have?
It's bare. It's gray. It's a bunch of books organized in a seemingly haphazard way (by publisher), which may make it difficult to navigate. If you can see it for what it is and trust in the staff and the store catalogue, you may find literary paradise.
I highly recommend checking out their remainders/sale section (which takes up half the building). Last time I did, I wandered out with books about ancient Egypt, WW2, and astrophysics, all at a discount. Does it get better? I think not.
If you're not into the above, there's still a trove for whatever else you dig. Try it. I dare you to give it your best shot and if you come up empty handed and pockets full, you can blame it all on me.
I cannot get enough of this place.
I live across the street and literally spend hours browsing the dozens of aisles of books. The clearance section is as big as some bookstores I've been into.
All the people who work there are absolute bookworms (I say this with love.) They are amazing at recommending new books to me and know by heart where all the titles are.
This is a great place to go on a rainy day and mosey on through. Plus everything is at least 20% off the list price!
I like this place... A little bit cheaper than those bigger book companies... i have 2 little complaints. Why must all the books be under the publisher? really? It's obnoxious to find a book. And everything is all cramped and not very well light...
Come with a full belly, comfy clothes, and a light afternoon schedule. Comprehensive selection, Best prices. True bibliophiles will explore these aisles for hours. Go ahead and fill your arms, fill your basket, then fill your shelves at home.
Don't miss out on the bargain area! Taschen books, biographies, classics...everything! Even better prices than the main floor, which is already cheaper than anywhere else I've been!
Going into the book fair is the way searching for books should be. there's definitely something to be said for navigating the seemlingly endless and haphazard maze of every type of print imaginable and when you finally find the one book your looking for - plus an armload of other various books judged solely by their cover and possibly inside cover flap - you feel a sense of victory. I've been coming here since I was buying my grade school summer reading and it's bookworm paradise
Family-owned bookstores do not get any better. Friendly and informative staff. Incredible selection of books - the remaider section has numerious gems at low prices.
I've been going here since I first moved to MA, when I was 7 years old. It's always been a great destination.
People say it's cramped, which is true, but I actually enjoy the layout--- it makes it easy to get in a little corner and read a book in privacy.
The books are arranged by publisher, but even if you don't have a specific book you're looking for, or forgot to check the publisher of whatever book you want to buy, no worries! There's a computer that lets you check that info, if you need it.
Excellent place to spend a rainy day :)
This is a great place to go if you want to buy a specific book or if you have some serious time to kill. It's a no-frills kind of place, which I like, because I'm there to look at books, not relax on a couch with a fancy coffee drink.
This place is freaking huge. It's organized by publisher, which is odd. I would imagine that would be annoying if you wanted to just browse some novels. I'm mostly a non-fiction guy, though, so I just go to the section I'm interested in and browse all the titles. Everything is 20% off the list price, and the NYT bestsellers I believe are 30% off. This is the biggest bookstore I've ever been to, and they obviously have a great selection.
The bargain section takes up about half the store. This is where you can find some sweet deals. A lot of the books are old in there, but you'll find some gems every now and then.
Also, I don't know why it's called MOBILE book fair. It's a huge building that is certainly firmly attached to the ground.
Whenever I want to get a book immediately, this is the first bookshop that comes to my mind. It's a 10-minute drive and I can get it for a very good price, even when you compare to the online retailers these days. However, that's only if I have a book in mind. The legion of reviewers have already stated that it is very difficult to genuinely browse, and I am among them, since they have their publisher-based searching system. When I come here, it is either a very quick or a very long trip... and by very long, it is not spending a lot of time browsing, it is a very long time bouncing between the one or two search computers and making sure I'm in the right publisher's zone. I've never 'browsed the shelves' of the store save the cookbooks, bargain bins, and the new releases.
I've bought a handful of books at the bargain bins over the years, but not many. The issue I have with the bargain aisles is that I've seen the contents too often. It doesn't completely liquidate, it just accumulates. It might be better for someone with fresher eyes.
It's still a wonderful, quirky local institution, and definitely quirky. The staff is helpful, but one wishes sometimes that there were more around, considering the 'organization'.
I've been coming here for books for, like forever. I have a great reason to hang out here more often these days because my middle child is becoming quite the bookworm like her mom. One of my neighbors who I volunteer with noticed me carrying a laptop in a NEMBF bag and told me that she went to school with the fellow who is the owner. And yes, she said, back when the Mobile Book Fair was just getting started, it actually went around town on wheels :-)
Place is the bomb piece. I can lose 2-3 hours of my life way too easily in here both because the inventory is extremely comprehensive and also why I gave a 1 star demerit (the organization of books by publisher is somewhat maddening). I appreciate the no-frills warehouse setting that keeps overhead down, allows for bulk inventory and therefore good prices. Check this place out if/when you're in the neighborhood.
I went and did some serious Xmas shopping here.
Great kid's toys, if you haven't looked at them. My nieces are seriously hooked up with some cool gifts.
I spent over $100, so they gave me the choice of a tshirt, a bookbag, or some free coffee. As in, a bag of beans. I opted for the coffee, and now I'm hooked on it. It's fantastic!
I've only stumped these guys once. It's a humongoid maze of book stacks, organized somehow (I've… Read more »
When I die, I will go here AND STAY. My ghost will haunt the crowded, sawdusty, illogically organized aisles. No one will be able to make me leave! Bwaha ha ha! New books discounted 20% every day! Half a warehouse full of remainders of all kinds and genres! For an impressionable little suburban nerd like me, this was greatness.
New England Mobile Book Fair, you are a legend. I began visiting you as soon as you opened - was it thirty years ago? My mom cursed herself every time she let me out of the car, because I could evade her for hours. But when she finally found me, she'd just roll her eyes and sigh, and she'd inevitably "help" me with my purchases.
Newbies, please be advised: The NE Mobile Book Fair is neither mobile nor a fair. Discuss.
Hidden on Needham Street in Newton, this place always seems to have a full lot. It's like walking through a camper into a warehouse full of racks of well organized books.
New England Mobile Book Fair is an awesome place for reasonably priced books with out the overage and glitz of a Barnes & Noble. If you aren't looking for Starbucks and you need a good deal on a new book, this is the place.
* I recommend for lunch to stop at the Farm Grill & Rotisserie on the way out. It's on the same side of the road and has the most heavenly Greek food. My all time favorite is the Chicken Caesar Pita.
When it comes to finding things for my kindergarten classroom I have found that there is this fanatical side of me that loves to bargain hunt. Came here with a fellow teacher. I scurried into the discount room and spent hours there just looking over all of the children's books. Sadly, I forgot to bring a basket with me and couldn't be bothered going back out to find one so I stacked books upon books and lugged them around the room. Hardcover books for $2, $3, $5 tops! It was such a great deal!! I wish there were more multi cultural books but I definitely had fun rummaging through the books.
It's really hard to go in with set titles because they are all organized by publisher rather than author (who actual knows who published what books and it's a pain to have to go online and find out when you have a whole list of titles).
Def. not your typical book store. It's a huge ware house. It's worth the trip if you're looking to bargain hunt.
What in the hell IS a mobile book fair? It is definitely not mobile. Yes, there are books, but it doesn't resemble a fair, unless books = fun. AND YES, BOOKS = FUN, SO SUCK IT!
Ahem. sorry. Angry English teacher here.
The fair is a giant warehouse on the border of Needham and Newton. It's actually not too far from Rte. 9. Highland Ave. Between Rte 9 and 128 is always a mess; the road is two lanes and there are so many businesses on this street that a left turn means suicide for the traffic. Getting in and out of the driveway is a chore, and then you have to pray that you can find a spot in the bumper-car lot. My advice is to go right when they open in the morning: less people, more parking, easier commute.
The fair itself is a nice alternative to your local Borders on many levels, but aspects of the store will be bewildering to you upon first visit. There is a slight discount on most books at the store. They have all new releases in abundance. They usually have one copy of everything else, but it's surprising how they sometimes don't have the most obvious books. I once spend 20 minutes trying to find a copy of "On The Road" (this was several years ago before the reissue), only to be told by an employee that the were out. How do you run out of "On the Road" in such a giant warehouse? Special ordering through them is dicey, and not really worth it, unless you're some anti-corporate hippy-dippy tree-hugging book nerd who doesn't want to support Amazon dot com...oh, wait. I AM one of those. Anyway, their special orders take a long time, so be forewarned.
Three giant rooms make up the warehouse: paperback, hardcover, and discount. The discount section is really the gem of the store just because there are a million cheap books in there that you never knew you needed but you cannot live without, such as: "Giant Clams of the Ocean Deep", a full color chronicle of the life of the very sexy deep sea clam, "My Life in Tap Shoes", an autobiography by tap dancer Gregory Hines, an art book a foot thick featuring the paintings of Winslow "The Rocket" Homer, and "Lapp Dancing: The Secret Sex Trade of Northern Scandinavia"...the title really says it all. OK, I made all that up. But you get the idea. The best part is that the discount books are CHEAP.
The "system" at the Mobile (look out! It's running away! Catch it!) Book Fair is that books are divided up by publisher, then within the publisher by title. This can be disconcerting for those of us who are used to alphabetical by author. Even after 10 years, I still have trouble getting the hang of this place some days. You can look up books on the self serve computers, but there are only two of these, and everyone else is confused and wants to look up books too, so you'll be waiting a bit.
Asking employees for help here is a crap shoot. I hate to generalize, but stick to friendly looking female employees rather than the younger males. The women are always nice and will go out of their way to help, whereas the men always try to appear "busy" when they see you coming and look annoyed when you ask for help (even though they're hiding a pile of manga in a drawer of their desk). No joke: I once had to wait for a guy who told me "One minute" while he finished reading a poem in a book. And it was really one minute...one long uncomfortable irritating minute of my life that I will never get back. Thanks a lot, John Keats!
The hardcover section is quite good, notable for its extensive children's section, travel section, and excellent selection of cookbooks. You can find everything here to suit your kitchen needs. The paperback section is less good and gets most of the foot traffic in the place. I'd stick to the front and do a quick walk through to see if there's anything new you want. there are also special sections for a mix of paperback and hardback by subject matter on anything you want: music, science, history, poetry...you name it. You may need help locating these sections, so ask someone who works there. They also have a good discount card program, so sign up!
Looking back over this, I feel as if I haven't given the NE Mobile Book Fair (whee! Ride the Ferris Wheel! Cotton candy!) a fair (hehe) review. There are a lot of little inconveniences here, but the bottom line is that if you're a bibliophile, spending a couple of hours here browsing is a real pleasure.
When I first saw this place, I thought it had a kinda strange name... I mean, does it move? Is it on wheels? Does it travel around Newton peddling books? Um, no..there is no way all those books could every move on any sort of wheels. But it is an awesome bookstore. They have everything you could ever want and possibly never need. My roommate and I could spend hours in there and never even see each other. The crowded little rooms full of books make you feel like you are in the haunted house maze of knowledge. The sale room is my ultimate fave as it is well organized and so interesting. I never even thought I wanted to learn faux finishing until I saw this way cool book on it, now...I am gonna try it.
If you are looking for a place to spend the day that is so much cooler than B&N, this place is it. PS...no comfy chairs though. I use the floor.
If it wasn't evil to navigate I'd give it a 5. However, for those of you who cannot get to it often enough to figure out the maze, beware. I would like to say though, it's worth it, and boy would it make for a good game of hide and seek! I love this place. LOVE! I went there on a recommendation and almost died for giddiness. It's like taking happiness and putting it into a bottle for you to enjoy whenever you want.
So if you need a book, and they're always 20-40% off, go here. I love it. Anything you could think of is here, and the people who work there seem to have the place down by the title of a book. It's insane. Enjoy!
This place is kickass-- Imagine a record store where the music was grouped by record label-- the opportunity to see the similarities and dissimilarities of artists, the range of styles they cover, and the chance to find catalog gems that you wouldn't even know to look for otherwise. Now, imagine the same place, but a hundred times larger, and with books.
The cookbook section alone could keep me occupied for the next decade or two...
Part of me loves the navigation of this place but most of me hates it (yeah, I'm a librarian. go figure.) That's the ONLY reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5. Well, the concrete floors aren't great on the tootsies either, but that's not totally relevant.
Other than those two things, this place is freaking nirvana for book lovers! I don't go there when I know what I want to read - I go there when I don't know what I want to read, because I know something will always jump in front of me and say "Me! Me! Please buy and read me!" Who can argue with that?
I walked in there for the first time yesterday. It's like book nirvana. Seriously cool.
Apologies if I'm repeating stuff, but this place is huge, thorough and a wonderland for book lovers. Here's the trick - all the paperbacks and some select hardcovers are organized by publisher. Who looks for books according to their publisher, you ask? Not the layperson, but it's OKAY, because they have computers where you can look up the book and get the name of the publisher. And many avid readers may actually find they like several books by the same publisher, so it's really a whole new way to discover new reading material! Now, I believe everyone on Yelp knows how to use a computer...
I'd knock off half a star because they have yet to have their inventory available by computer; once they put that in place, there's no reason that any warehouse bookseller could beat this place. I disagree with reviewer who said there's no windows (implying it felt claustrophobic, I guess); there are. Plus tall ceilings and a huge amount of space.
Besides, who goes to bookshopping according to ambiance? Only folks who aren't really there to BUY books...
An amazingly large bookstore but as others have mentioned, most of the store is organized by PUBLISHER because it used to be a wholesale supplier. If it weren't for that issue, this place would deserve 5 stars.
The discounted book section is worth visiting first (turn left after you enter). Those books are sorted by subject. All books outside the discounted section are 20%-30% off the cover price.
Oh and unlike your friendly neighborhood Barnes and Noble, this place does not sell coffee. Perhaps a good idea to grab a cup from the Dunkin Donuts about a quarter mile South-West down Needham.
This is probably the largest bookstore you'll ever set foot in.
It's about the size of three large bookstores put together.
As others have stated, everything is organized by publisher, which makes browsing a bit difficult (since most publishers put out more than one genre). You'll have to set aside an afternoon - at least! - to take full advantage of everything this shop has to offer.
The word "mobile" in the name refers to the fact that this warehouse stores books that are sold in area school bookfairs - thus "mobile." It does not, nor has ever, moved...
The Mobile Book Fair is like having died and gone to book heaven-- admittedly, it's a book heaven where everything is organized by publisher instead of author. But still -- it's heaven. This place has gobs and gobs of everything, and you could literally spend hours there wandering the store's somewhat claustrophobic aisles. Oh, and the prices are great too.
Lots of great reviews... but too long -- So in SIMPLE terms:
1) GREAT Bargain books
2) BEYOND GREAT Bargain Kids (and art) books
3) AMAZING STAFF---
Super prices !!!
*** Sometimes books are cheaper on amazon... (not always) and not by much at all
This place really ROCKS the casbah!!!!
Yeah so it may be the Bohemian version of Barnes and Noble- I loves it :)
20-40% off a humongous maze of books stacked to the ceiling... and whats more- you get a "loyalty card" which means for every $30 you spend you get a stamp...fill up the card and you get a $20 gift card... Thats like 4 more books!
I love this place
The Mobile Book Fair. Ahhhh. The first time I came here, I was with my dad and about 5 years old. I remember thinking it was the greatest place on earth. Like the library, but darker and dustier, with shelves of books that seemed to stretch forever. As I poked around I felt like one of the little girls in the novels that's always a little too nosey, you know, the ones who sneak around until they find a hidden garden to wheel their invalid friend into, and together they nurture both the child and the garden back to health. Ahhh is right.
Older now, I still sort of feel that way. Due to the strange seeming filing system, I try and do my research before I go, so that I can step into the "warehouse" and head directly to the appropriate publisher's section. However, once there, I always manage to find other treasures, and thus leave with 4 books, instead of the 1 I went it to find.
If you walk to the back room (in the doors, to your right) in the front they group all the "new" books, and also most of the currently popular best sellers. This is where I'm usually able to find "book club" type books. Easey peasey.
The discount is nice and definitely makes it hard for me to justify buying books elsewhere, as paying more for the exact same thing seems silly. Also, they have loyalty cards which get stamped after every $30 purchase. Fill up the card and you get a $20 gift certificate, which there is equivalent to 2 books. Yippie!
First, to answer previous posters, there is no coffee here but they do sell their own brand of coffee for consumption elsewhere. Second, while the store was never mobile, it moved to its current location in the '70s from West Roxbury.
That said, I echo everyone else to spend hours here on a rainy afternoon.
The remainder section is art book and cookbook paradise, with prices at least 50% off cover. Regular, just published books are usually 20% off or more (30% off NYT best sellers). This place is not for people who like to get right to the point - because it is almost impossible. There's too much to discover in all of the nooks and crannies. Best bookstore in the US.
I've been shopping here for more than 20 years, and while I've never seen anyone here linger over a book in the aisles, I have left a happy customer each and every time. Parking can be disastrous during the holidays, so be prepared for the worst.
A bookshop-browsers paradise! This huge independent bookstore in Newton is jam-packed with books from floor to ceiling. My favorite part though is the remainders book section...tons of books (of all genres) at deep discounts. I can never walk out of here empty handed.
The store is organized quite a bit differently than other stores in that the books are arranged by genre and then by publisher. You can use one of their handy-dandy maps or their computers to help you find what you are looking for.
This is an amazing book warehouse. It is not Borders or Barnes & Noble where you read your book over a cup of Starbucks on a comfy couch. The Book Fair has rows and rows of dusty aisles and small side rooms over flowing with more books than you can imagine. Know what you want and who publishes it when you come here or have time to wander. The remainders section is fantastic especially for children's books in other languages and if you have any questions about travel guides see Reggie who has an amazing knowledge of every travel guide ever published.
A little-known fact about the New England Mobile Book Fair. It is in fact mobile. Late at night, little wheels pop out of the bottom of the building and it drives itself back home for a few hours to relax with some pork rinds and reality shows. Then, by 5 each morning, it goes back to Newton and acts all innocent like nothing ever happened.
Seriously, though, this place is Mecca for bookworms. First, it's organized by publisher - so folks who are used to distribution by genre are going to be VERY confused. The building is about the same size as a small European country, so don't bother asking if they have a particular book - they do. It's just a matter of finding it, which is sort of part of the fun - but if you're on any kind of a schedule, don't bother. You'll never leave with only what you wanted, you'll always find something else to buy, which is okay because their prices are usually 15-25% less than Barnes and Noble. I went in just to look and left with the new David Sedaris (hardcover), the old John Hodgeman and Cormac McCarthy's 'The Road' for 30 bucks total. Hells yeah. You really could build a day around this place, and I've always been a fan of the stretch of road it's on. Block off an hour or two and really enjoy yourself! The folks that work here are really cool, and are usually open to helping you navigate the stores busy aisles.
To me, this is what bookstores should be--messy, dusty places with people running every which way, books piled upon books seemingly in every square inch of a sprawling warehouse, overstocks and bargain books squeezed into a hidden back corner area, and prices that are at times stunningly low. For those who love books and can't stand the chains, New England Mobile Book Fair is a slice of heaven on Earth.
This place is huge! I love it here. It's the perfect rainy day place. And yes, as most people have said the books are organized by publisher, but if you are looking for something specific you can go to the computer and look up the author or title. AND considering that publishers often....publish...the same type of content, it still allows you to browse. So you know with Penguin or someting you get The Bluest Eye and The Divine COmedy and various Dickens volumes, etc. There is a section devoted to Oprah's Book Club *barf* but there's a New Releases section and a bargain section where the books are often $4 a pop.
20% off all the time plus the BEST selection of childrens' books I have ever seen! I love how you can find a book that you loved when you were little with the same illustrations and font as you remember.
It is hard to find things but the staff is very helpful and patient. It's also easy to go in with no direction and wander around until you find something. They have great cookbooks(many are 40% off).
I'm also a sucker for their frequent buyer card and their tootsie rolls at the counter.
First... everyone should read more.
Second... good news. The NE mobile book fair will help you with this. Their selection of books runs the gamut, and there is plenty of selection for what you're looking for (or even for something cool that you aren't). You can run in to grab a bestseller, but go when you have some time.
Go get lost in there. Read. More.
I don't think it gets any better than this. A building filled floor to ceiling and wall to wall with books galore. What every bookworm can only dream of. Forget Barnes & Noble and Borders. Why pay full price when you can get the same books at discounted prices EVERYDAY?!
On a recent trip, not knowing that they close at 7pm, my mother and I headed in looking for a hard to find book that I couldn't locate at my local Barnes & Noble. The second we walked in, over the loudspeaker comes "We will be closing in 10 minutes." We made our way to the computer to locate the publisher of this book (as many of the books are shelved according to). With that information in hand, we then proceeded to navigate our way through the maze of books. The first employee that we approached was somewhat abrupt and pointed us in the direction of the paperback section. Oops, guess we weren't as Book Fair saavy as we had thought. On our way to the paperback section, over the loudspeaker we heard - or at least I did - "5 minutes until closing". Rushing to the customer service desk in the paperback section, I blurted out the title of the book I was looking for and with swift steps and the navigation skills as good as my GPS, she led us directly to the book I was looking for. Amazing. But I guess after a while of working there, the employees must know their way around the store like the back of their hand.
"We are now closing. Please bring your purchases up to the front desk." Happy with our choices - we went in for 1 book and came out with 3 - we paid and left. On our way out, my Mom asked me "Why were we in such a rush?" Oh Mom!
Huge book store, it's like it's own library.
The prices are ultra low. It's amazing how they cut places like Barnes and Nobles by half the price for the same product.
The only down said to this place is it's like a maze and is very haunting inside. Which really isn't a downsize so no stars off for that.
If you want to buy 1 book or a bunch this is the end all be all place to go.
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Bookstores
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