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John K. King Used & Rare Books
John K. King Used & Rare Books: An immersive Detroit treasure trove of rare, vintage books.
5
Retail Store
$$
John K. King Used & Rare Books: An immersive Detroit treasure trove of rare, vintage books.
John K. King Used & Rare Books sits at 901 W Lafayette Blvd in Detroit, a destination for readers seeking rare and vintage titles. The store offers an enormous, multi-floor inventory that invites hours of exploration. Reviewers praise the immersive ambiance, helpful staff on each floor, and parking availability. The experience is lively and one-of-a-kind, with shelves brimming with stories waiting to be discovered.
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Browse a massive selection of affordable used books across all genres, from fiction to non-fiction, in a sprawling multi-floor setting.
Discover rare, out-of-print, and antique books, including first editions and historical volumes, curated for collectors and enthusiasts.
Get help from knowledgeable staff on each floor to locate specific titles or recommendations in the extensive inventory.
Convenient on-site parking lot available for customers, making visits easier in the Detroit area.
Secure packaging services for purchases, especially helpful for large hauls or fragile rare books.
Overall rating
Jessica Kauffmann
Level-set your expectations to optimize your experience, that's my recommendation. I come to John King annually in search of both nothing in particular, while simultaneously hoping to find 100 year old etiquette books for women (telling me what a heathen I am), or old psychology books (mainly telling me I need a lobotomy), or old medical books (highlighting the horrors of historical gynecology!). But sometimes instead, I leave with 200 year old picture books with hand painted flowers that fit in the palm of my hand, or a Korean and German Bible, or a random encyclopedia with the most elaborate cover I've ever seen, or hilarious romance novels from the 60s, historical maps, or just books with insane titles that you can't leave without! If you have time, and patience, and absolutely nothing to do and 0 expectations, John King can keep you busy for an entire day! Is it freezing in winter and steamy in summer? Absolutely? Dusty? You better believe it (seriously bring an inhaler, you'll thank me if you're asthmatic). Are some of the aisles so narrow my front and back lady lumps bump the books? 100% but sometimes they bump into gems! Is it a great place with a reading room for toddlers and impatient little boys with ADHD? Definitely not! But is it also a place to create memories with your mom and sister to see who will accidentally spend more? Yep (spoiler, it's also always me)!! Is it a place like no other bookstore I've ever seen? For sure! My new goal is for my entire bookshelf to be books that are >100 years old and I'm 50% there! As for the staff, I've always found them to be lovely. When they find me carrying 100 lbs of books they bring me a basket, and then they find my basket to be full, they carry it downstairs for me to wait at the register while I continue to search. When I scream in delight and run to them to confirm the *beautiful* 8 volume historic medical set is only $80, they excitedly tell me I'm right and that they are excited I stumbled upon my dreams! They packaged my books up in a box for me to carry to the car since there were too many to carry in bags. Overall, it's an experience, and memories, and I hope they never close, because it would say more about society than I'm ready to admit... Happy searching everyone...
Britney
A very unique shop and a must if you’re visiting Detroit and like books. Lots of stairs so not handicap friendly. You could easily spend all day here and not see it all
Ray The Observer
I was completely captivated by the immersive experience of being enveloped in a world of books—everywhere I turned, there were shelves brimming with stories waiting to be discovered. The sheer abundance of titles and genres was like a treasure trove, each book offering its own adventure. Unfortunately, time slipped away from me far too quickly, leaving me eager to return and explore even more of this literary wonderland.
Kristen Short
Incredible! If you’re a book lover browsing for hidden gems or rare finds, this store is a Detroit pilgrimage. Its enormous inventory, ambiance, and historical weight make it an experience. But temper expectations: the inventory isn’t curated like a boutique store, the atmosphere is functional (not pristine), and it’s hot in the summer. Like sauna hot. Staff was wonderful and friendly, someone is on each floor to answer any questions.
Elisa Ramon
Wonderful bookstore! If you are visiting the city, you cannot miss this great place! The entire building is packed with books! They also have a parking lot available. We had so much fun exploring the floors and we found a few books to buy! Absolutely recommended!
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