San Jose Books, Mags, Music and Video Reviews

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Bookshop Santa Cruz

1520 Pacific Avenue
Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Carleen W. writes: Bookshop Santa Cruz is a cute little place. It is really easy to find books because they separate it pretty nicely. There are a lot more books that are independent-ish that the larger bookstores seem to ignore, so I like it. Each time I walk by there…

Recycle Book Store

1066 The Alameda
San Jose, CA 95126

Lolia S. writes: The building looks old, the carpet is ragged, shelves are crammed with books (more books than they should hold), and the furniture looks like it came from Goodwill. In other words, it has the charm of a second hand book shop, complete with the cat…

Leigh's Favorite Books

121 S Murphy Ave
Sunnyvale, CA 94086

Sheena L. writes: Leigh's is where I traded in the lousy books recommended to me by Amazon for a couple staff-recommended reads that I ended up loving. Humans 1, machine 0.

Streetlight Records

941 Pacific Ave
Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Eric S. writes: When I lived in Santa Cruz for my "Year of No Light" I spent sooo much time trolling the racks of Streetlight, looking for Emo and Hardcore albums. At one point, I was here so much that I thought the staff was secretly making fun of me every time I…

Streetlight Records

980 S. Bascom Avenue
San Jose, CA 95128

Brandon H. writes: I buy all my vinyl here, so don't go to Streetlight diggin' the crates for rare LPs... Yes, that's true, but I've got to give this awesome record more love than just two lousy sentences, so I'm updating my review.

This has been my favorite music…

Kepler's Books

1010 El Camino Real
Menlo Park, CA 94025

Jaime L. writes: Yes, I bought a harry potter scarf and beanie here.

And a wand.

And I walked around in a cape.

Ok not really, but I do have a cape.

Is that weird?

Something to be said about a "social life" before turning 21 when the highlight of your year is going to…

Movie Groove

1200 El Camino Real
Redwood City, CA 94063

Tito C. writes: This is by far the best place to rent movies around these parts. Huge selection and they just about always have what you are looking for. Big horror section too. Don't you ever make it a Lackluster nite again. Get in the Groove..........

BookBuyers

317 Castro Street
Mountain View, CA 94041

Kristina R. writes: I bought a great book called THE SCIENCE OF STAR WARS because of two reasons...

1) I'm a huge spaz.

2) My students asked me a question about seeing colors in space because they saw the PBS television show based on this very book. The question the kids…

Modernbook

494 University Avenue
Palo Alto, CA 94301

Hazel Grace D. writes: Modern and minimal with a nice selection of cutting edge, beautiful, artistic coffee table books that make great gifts and fresh perspective on art. The artist receptions are always a ton of fun and the owners are friendly, hip and extremely…

Sun Jose Hawaii

2200 Eastridge Loop #1102
San Jose, CA 95122

Ben Y. writes: This month, I am going to tell my mom that she doesn't have to stand in line at the downtown post office on her lunch break. Instead, I am going to support a great business by buying all my kakimochi, li hing mui, rice, toilet paper and spam at Sun…

Black Cat Comics

73 N Milpitas Blvd
Milpitas, CA 95035

Van N. writes: I remember when this place was called Comics Pendragon when it first opened up about 18 years ago. There were these twin blond haired dudes with long hair and I think I've seen them still there from time to time. I think they are part of the family…

Know Knew Books

415 S California Ave
Palo Alto, CA 94306

Frances H. writes: What a fantastic place. Not only is it a small business (as opposed to life-sucking corporate giant like B&N), but the owners are friendly and they have many out of print and obscure books. Delightful, really. Of course, the set-up is a little…

Half Price Books Records Magazines

43473 Boscell Rd
at Auto Mall Pkwy
Fremont, CA 94538

Anna D. writes: I LOVE HALF-PRICED BOOK STORES!!!!!

So I borrowed Barbara Bush:A Memoir from my English teacher at the beginning of the year and my dear dog has chewed it and made Barbara look funny. So I asked around at Borders and Barnes&Nobles, but they don't…

iTunes Music Store

1 Infinite Loop
Cupertino, CA 95014

Veronica V. writes: When I cant get a free copy of a song, I turn to iTunes. It seems that out of laziness more than anything else, I began straying from the free download sites. I am impatient. iTunes is a good standby site where you can check facts that may be…

Netflix

100 Winchester Cir
Los Gatos, CA 95032

jordano k. writes: domestication of a man...

a long long time ago.......when i was a young man.......i was a wild boy. yup, believe it. you know that duran duran song? it was dedicated to me.

.
wild boys, wild boys, wild boys, wild boys
wild (wild) boys (boys, boys)
the…

Costco Wholesale

1000 N Rengstorff Ave
Mountain View, CA 94043

Art S. writes: COSTCO ROCKS!!!

DISCLAIMER: I am a stockholder! A very happy stockholder!!

WARNING: Under any circumstance DO NOT come here on the weekends. The place is complete chaos...and that's just in the parking lot.

Forget Apple and the iPhone, I'm…

Kinokuniya Book Store

685 Saratoga Ave
San Jose, CA 95129

mary a. writes: after snack shopping or eating ramen it is my penchant to drop by at this bookstore just to look at their abundant arrays of glossy, expensive magazines for hairstyle. too frugal or too broke to pay $15, i just have to LOOK or BROWSE.

after long…

Fantasy Books & Games

2247 1st St
Livermore, CA 94550

Michael J. writes: I found this store by pure luck. I went to lunch with my mother (who lives in Livermore) and while driving my comic book sense started to tingle. So I asked "Are there any comic book stores in the area" and sure enough two minutes later there was…

Bell's Book Store

536 Emerson St
Palo Alto, CA 94301

Steven N. writes: I hadn't been to this bookstore in about twenty years. In fact I'd completely forgotten about the place.
I was walking by and saw that it was still here and I just had to stop in. I can't resist a good used book store. It seems like every time I go…

Borders

39210 Fremont Hub
Ste 211
Fremont, CA 94536

Anna D. writes: I go to the check-out and the cashier recommends another suggestion.

Her: You can go over to the Customer Service and someone will show you where it is on the shelf.
*She talks on her little headset: 'I'm sending a lovely lady over to you'*

I go over…

Tower Records-Video-Books

630 San Antonio Rd
Mountain View, CA 94040

Ken K. writes: This place has changed in the last 6 years since I started going. They've gone through so much remodeling and rearranging of their products as if they hired some Feng Shui expert that every consultation, found something wrong with the setup! Sadly…

The Literary Guillotine

204 Locust St
Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Boomer D. writes: This is a Serious Bookstore full of Serious Books. They stock books for some UC professors, but for most of the year it's just a walk-in bookstore. With a very eclectic and Serious stock.

If you want to find a book about some obscure philsophical…

Hicklebee's Childrens Books & Toys

1378 Lincoln Avenue
San Jose, CA 95125

Nancy C. writes: My favorite bookstore ever! Huge selection of books. Great decor.
All in all the perfect place to shop.

You walk into this story and get a calm feeling. I know calm from a kids store? I swear to you. This place is just perfect.

The staff is…

Borders Books Music & Cafe

356 Santana Row
San Jose, CA 95128

Mikey U. writes: ... writer's block... pt.1

In a vain attempt to remedy the inspiration-less apathy of the right lobe and creative hemisphere of my cerebrum, I sought out a good old
stand-by; ...romance...

... that venture EVER failing, I went to the bookstore.…

Lala.com

209 Hamilton Ave
Palo Alto, CA 94301

Stinky M. writes: you list your cd's on their website and select cd's that you want to receive then they match you up with other members. you send your old cd's to other members and get your requested cd's from them. only costs $1.50 per exchanged cd. i've swapped…

On the Corner Music

530 E Campbell Ave
Campbell, CA 95008

Veronica V. writes: You won't come here looking for the newest Maroon 5 or Fergie CD but you will leave with something you didn't expect to find. This is the beauty of a store like this.

There is a good selection of vinyl here and a decent selection of CDs as well. It…

Netflix

P.O. Box 49021
San Jose, CA 95161

Kerry K. writes: I've been a member since I heard about Netflix. This was back in the time when late fees from Blockbuster were astronomical!!
I love the convenience of not having to leave the house. They arrive quickly and without fuss. When one has gone missing…

Slug Books Co-Op

224 Cardiff Pl
Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Katie T. writes: Slug Books changed my life. It will never cease to amaze me that a group of full-time students, busy with classes, friends, and parties, can actually pull off a busy business.

I worked at Slug Books starting the summer after my freshman year of…

East West Bookstore

324 Castro St
Mountain View, CA 94041

jennifer b. writes: I like this bookstore for the sheer eclectic nature of its existance. The fact that you have a place to explore any kind of alternative thought is a plus to me.

The staff is appropriately distant and gives the illusion of soulfulness and deep…

Books Inc

301 Castro St
Mountain View, CA 94041

Veronica V. writes: Books Inc. is a small store and therefore limited in their selection. The travel region leaves much to be desired however, for children's books or mass market reading Books Inc. is perfect.

A nice refuge from the computer when I realize I havent gone…

Borders Bookstore

32111 Union Landing Boulevard
Union City, CA 94587

Stu U. writes: I go to Borders Cafe a lot to study. Its pretty cool there. The workers are nice and friendly. However I can't study when this girl name Kathy is working. She is so loud and talks so much! I can hear her from the back of the cafe. Sometimes when I'm…

Linden Tree Childrens Records & Books

170 State St
Los Altos, CA 94022

Maryanne R. writes: Excellent children's bookstore, but what really sets them apart from other independent bookstores is the music section! They carry all my favorite Canadian kid-music makers. Along with Raffi, you'll find Fred Penner, Charlotte Diamond, Sharon, Lois…

Comic Collector Shop

167 E El Camino Real
Mountain View, CA 94040

omar b. writes: way back in my days of attending buchser middle school through my one year at santa clara high in 89, a bunch of my friends were out cruising the el camino hanging out at taco bell and denny's...NO..not me!

i was at good ole' little shop of heroes in…

Best Video

2750 Middlefield Rd
Palo Alto, CA 94306

Angie C. writes: Really cute building - I drive by it every morning on my way to work and think, "It's a bank! No, it's a video store!!"

A lot of old skool VHS tapes loiter in the middle and the DVDs are in the front-ish and run the perimeter of the store.

Seems…

Rasputin Music

5777 Mowry Ave
Newark, CA 94560

Vanessa R. writes: This is my least favorite Rasputin location, at least compared to Berkeley and San Lo. It's very depressing here, the lighting is poor and I feel like I'm in a giant warehouse. On top of that, would it kill any of the employees to crack a smile,…

Towne Center Books

555 Main St
Pleasanton, CA 94566

tasha s. writes: small local bookstore - SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES or else your backyard will be a mall. Which isn't saying much anyway for Pleasanton since it's already a mall-town.

Recycle Book Store West

241 E Campbell Ave
Campbell, CA 95008

Linda T. writes: I love browsing in bookstores!

When they're open, they often (always?) have a shelf of books outside, usually recent bestsellers, etc.--to draw you in...it works for me. There's a bookstore cat, ISBN (gotta love the name), who sometimes sleeps in…

Legends of Sports & Fantasy

10123 N Wolfe Rd Ste 2065
Cupertino, CA 95014

Jaye C. writes: First thing you hear when Anton approaches you: "Are you having fun today? ^_^" And yes he includes the smiley face. Superb customer service, very friendly, and he owns a large amount of knowledge on almost all his wares be it boardgames, comics, or…

Atlantis Fantasyworld

1020 Cedar St
Santa Cruz, CA 95060

bardot c. writes: Atlantis Fantasyworld was THE comic book store that introduced me to the world of independent comics. I went to college in the area, and in my quest for knowledge, I stumbled on this store. Of course, they have your typical superhero fare, manga,…

American Video Center

14442 Union Ave
San Jose, CA 95124

Gabriel D. writes: An amazing selection, to be sure. This store is claimed (by the owner) to have the largest selection in northern California, and it makes sense. They have something for every taste, and even have some movies that have become somewhat of a rarity. The…

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