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When I need to pick up a used paperback to squander an afternoon with, I park the Buick on 21st Street right in front of Time Tested. Peter and the rest of his staff are on top of their stock and are quick with advice and recommendations if asked. A great place for genre paperbacks, especially crime fiction. This is where I was first turned on to Stephen Greenleaf and James Crumley. The new space they have is nice and well-lit, but I always liked the previous incarnation in the neighboring storefront. With the radio firmly stuck on 90.9 NPR, navigating the dusty shelves made me feel like I was in a Berkeley bookstore.
With the exception of Raffles the cat, I can do without the "lit-ty" pretentiousness of the staff over at Beers, which is why I always start my book hunting at Time-Tested. My lasted find: Elmore Leonard's 1976 "Swag" (formerly Ryan's Rules). $3.95 plus tax. I finished the book in one long 106 degree afternoon inside with the a/c cranking. Not a bad way to go.
this place is interesting. i went last week. it's set up better than most used bookstores but still has that old book smell. i hate that smell. otherwise it was ok with just ok pricing. i could probably get better prices on amazon.
I love used bookstores. I love the atmosphere, the way they smell and I love the idea of buying books that have been used previously (obviously, as long as they don't have food/writing/disgustingness in them). However, I've noticed a recent trend in used bookstores being really expensive.
$2 off the original price really isn't that great of a deal. The only time that is a good deal is when you find a book that's out of print, and then I'm definitely willing to pay more.
Anyway, the point I'm getting to... I thought that Time Tested Books had a fabulous atmosphere, but I am just not willing to pay as much as they charge for used books. It's supposed to be a deal, but I always feel ripped off when I go in there and see how much their books cost.
This bookstore is great! If you had every been to the old store (I guess it would be several years now) this is nothing like it, though it had it's charms then too.
It is now a beautifully open space, with tall ceilings and a GREAT selection of books. I have found some of the best cookbooks here, and they have great sections in fiction, history, and science.
The staff have always been very friendly, and the prices are great as well. If they don't have something in stock, they are more than happy to order it for you.
Also, they buy used books, yay! (Though I'm guessing this depends on what they are able to carry).
(The location is awesome as well if you happen to be walking around downtown during Second Saturdays).
Wonderful used book store! You walk in and hear NPR playing in the background. There is a little side table with featured books on display--today's theme: true adventure tales from the North Pole. Cool.
The store is very well organized. You don't have to hunt to find the type of book you are looking for--there are well-posted signs throughout. I found a surprising number of excellent, recently published books that I was tempted by (not sure why I was surprised--this happens every time I go to a book store! Yes, I am a librarian's daughter).
I was touched by how well they take care of the books. All the hardbacks were covered in plastic--the kind the library uses to protect its books. Hence, it feels like you're in a new book store--it doesn't even have that musty smell. Very well taken care of!
Bonus: they offer a book-return deal. There's a sticker inside each book; if you leave that sticker in place, you can bring the book back and earn half its sticker value toward the price of other books in the store. I love that idea! Now, I'm off to read my new book...
i have to say i love this bookstore. whenever i need a gift for someone i always stop here first to check out what they have and i'm always pleasantly pleased. i live a few blocks from the store so i stop in quite often, and i bring my dog too b/c they allow dogs on leashes in the store. the owner is usually there and he's very friendly and always remembers me. the other employees are knowledgeable and helpful as well. for a small, used bookstore i dont see how it could be any better for a city like sacramento.
The employees are always unbelieveably friendly. Some of the prices are a little high, but overall everything is reasonably priced. Definitely a place you can go for hours just to browse.
I can't recommend them highly enough. Ask Majel for poetry recommendations---she's knows her way around that section. And they're exceptional about finding books you want at a reasonable price.
My best suggestion: look up what you want online; call Time-Tested and have them order it; they'll call you when it's in. You support a local business and save postage, too.
A great used/new bookstore in mid-town. The owner is a super friendly guy who is more than happy to help. The store itself is laid out well and allows for lots of natural light to flood the space. Books range from new releases to first editions and are all very fairly priced. They also do occassional author readings from a diverse range of subjects.
I hate to sound like a broken record here, but you really should check out my profile to see where I'm coming from ---- America's most expensive, and therefore best, city. Having mentioned that, this bookstore really upholds the tradition of SF booksellers. Ever since SF revolutionized the written word by inventing the printing press and providing published books to the world the literacy rate in developed countries has skyrocketed. There is no need to thank us as we've already moved on to more developed (and complicated) forms of reading. Maybe one day we will share these new methods with "The Others", but until then you should enjoy turning the pages of papyrus that bookshops such as Time Tested continue to sell.
I first came here as part of a Sacramento Women's book club and love it both as a location for book club meetings and browsing/buying. The books are well organized, the staff is very kind, and it is typically easy to find parking. They can order books for you and you won't feel pressured to buy if you are just there to browse.
I love their newly remodeled space! It is so welcoming and beautiful, and well-organized. They have a great selection, and even have records. I scored a paperback Alfred North Whitehead for only $1, and am coming back to fill out my Horatio Hornblower collection.
The owner is nice and friendly too. Yay, books!
This was a fun find the other day as I was wandering around in the hours preceeding Second Saturday Artwalk. I found a copy of "War and Peace", the exact edition I wanted, in very good condition for $8.95 - score! The man who runs the place was great, helpful, and as I was making my purchase, commented (in regards to Tolstoy) that he suggested I start with "Anna Karenina". I replied, "I already did!" :-) He said this one dragged a bit in spots but was still good. Good customer service. Seems like a great little used book store!
Great selection of quality used books. A good find!
Not much of a fan of reading and such, but they did have this book that is incredibly hard to find! So, 5 stars for that.
This is a great used bookstore that has gotten even better since they moved into their new space (next door to the original location). Prices are very good and they have a great selection of hard to find titles. I do miss the collection of mementos left in used books that used to be posted on the ends of the bookshelves. It was kind of reminiscent of the discarded passport photograph book from the movie Amelie.
They also sell the Anderson Valley Advertiser here which always makes for good reading.
My main reason for visiting Time Tested is to go through the records for local and other great underground releases. There is nice selection of used records and many records, new and used, have helpful descriptions. When I do branch out to look at books I am pleased. Time Tested and Beers are my favorite and first locations to look for used books. Time Tested Books has benefited from their new location which feels much more open and clean. I loved the place when it was dusty and I felt a bit uncomfortable going nearly behind the counter to look through the record bins, but now they've made a winner with their new space. The author and music events are enjoyable and fill up quickly. Overall I am happy for their success and am always happy to visit but try to not go too often since I am willing to hand over wads of cash. The staff is also very helpful and friendly.
The merchandise is very attractively presented, especially by used-bookstore standards. As others have noted, the space is great. I was impressed by the selection in the history and economics sections.
This is what an independent bookstore should look like. Wooden shelves. Books I've never heard of...Most of them aren't by Tom Clancy or Dan Brown...oh well. I also like that even though there's a "check your bag at the counter" sign, they didn't make me check my bag in, even though it is a considerable man purse.
You can tell whoever owns this place is very proud of it; clean and organized inside and wonderful selection of rare [not necessarily expensive] books. I managed to find some old SF I've been looking everywhere for. If your a fan of that genre this place will make you happy.
Time Tested recently expanded into a much nicer and larger space next door to their old location on 21st St across from Olipom. Pretty broad selection of rare and more common used books to peruse. I didn't see the records last time I stopped in, but apparently they are still there; I just overlooked them. I have seen some great finds there.
The nice thing about Time Tested is that their name is more than just a sign on a store front. Having opened in 1877 and not actually sold a single book (on purpose. In reality no books are for sale at Time Tested and once you enter, you can never again leave), their books have held up remarkably well. I live near the feminist shelf. If you do happen across Time Tested and decide to come in, as noted above, prepare to never leave. No one does. It's like the cube. Now, let's get out there and change some lives.
One of my very favorite book stores. The staff is extremely helpful and friendly. Great atmosphere. I've found some really cool stuff here.
I have to say....before it became beautiful (sunlit room, high ceiling, open brickwork walls, lovely green rugs) it was a great bookstore. Now, it's got a great haircut to boot. It is the fave out of the used bookstores in town (Beers, the unknown one off 23rd). Three reasons to come here? (1) the amazing clerk --- he recommends a whole host of authors for every genre (2) book selection is well-thought out (fiction/cooking) (3) very, very organized which is unusual. I've never understood why used bookstores were unorganized. That's just bad business.
I love this place. I always find lots of books and have to debate which ones to buy. I have found recent books, old classic mysteries, and much more. The staff is so nice and friendly. I could stay in here for hours happily.
i really liked this store. as well as a broad and well organized selection of books they had a small area for used records etc. i found a crawl unit & r.h.y. yau 7", a 12" + cd of the intelligence for a friend (red vinyl, fancy) and a 70's era sci-fi anthology about the future of art that i mostly bought for the cover art. all that came in under $25.
i believe they've moved, but only next door. give this place some business.
This used bookstore has the best selection of rarely seen new vinyl of any store this side of Aquarius Records in San Francisco. A very finely honed music selection. I buy one of everything they order...That's how much I trust them!
Time Tested Books is the best Used Book Store in Sacramento. When they moved next door from the old Location the atmosphere improved, though I still miss the cat they had for years that eventually died of old age. Their expansion into Records was a good idea, but I miss the covey hole they used to have surrounded by their poetry selection. Peter and Scott are wonderful people to talk with about just about anything. This is a place where people should be gathering to discuss books, poetry, politics and art. And right across the street at the 'Lucky Cafe' you can get one of the best breakfast's in town.
In regards the record selection at this store, the fur-ball troll operating as the Chief Vinyl Executive here may not be much to look at...or speak to...or smell...but he does stock his shelves with interesting records, both new and used.
This is a great liltle book store that has only improved since moving next door. It's a very comfy place with lots of natural light, courtesy of the large windows on two sides of the store. As others have mentioned, there is vinyl (records, not kinky outfits) for sale too. You can buy used or new books here. The selection is very good and the used prices are excellent. I recently found a book there I had been wanting. It was a first edition, signed by the author and because the back of the book had a little tear that had been repaired with tape, it was half the original price! The record selection is as broad as any record store. Rock, punk, blues, jazz, gospel, country, you name it, there's a little bit of everything in those racks.
Sacramento, CA
Category: Bookstores
Sacramento, CA
Category: Bookstores
Sacramento, CA
Category: Bookstores
Sacramento, CA
Category: Bookstores
Sacramento, CA
Category: Bookstores
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