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Second Story Books
Second Story Books: Well-organized used books and rare finds in DC.
4.8
Retail Store
$$
Second Story Books: Well-organized used books and rare finds in DC.
Second Story Books at 2000 P St NW in Washington, DC, presents a well-organized selection of used books across history, philosophy, poetry, nonfiction, and art, plus vintage art and movie posters and a notable Spanish selection. Customers praise helpful staff, broad inventory, and the option to trade books for store credit. Note the store enforces a stringent bag policy at checkout.
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Browse a wide selection of pre-owned books in good condition, including history, philosophy, nonfiction, poetry, and art.
Find rare and vintage books, as well as interesting collectable copies for enthusiasts and collectors.
Discover unique home decor items like vintage posters to add character to your space.
Bring in your books to exchange for store credit, making it easy to refresh your collection.
Explore a decent range of Spanish-language books for diverse reading interests.
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Overall rating
Rich The King
Excellent used book store. They also will take books for store credit.
Don Jones
I like this store overall and make a point of visiting at least once during my annual trips to the District. For a relatively small space, they pack in a good inventory in history, philosophy, nonfiction, poetry and art. Fiction has been surprisingly less strong, but then again, I'm in the area only one week a year (in terms of stock turnover). In any case, I have been pleasantly surprised by multiple finds here over the years. Prices are higher for basic paperbacks but this is also one of the most high-rent areas of the city. My interactions with the staff have been generally courteous, if not minimal and slightly distant (on their part). I don't often ask questions because I've worked in the book business for years and know what I'm looking for. In the past, I'd overheard staff occasionally mutter under their breath about customers, but I hope that behavior has been curbed. You will be well served to stop in. Take note of their stringent bag policy and be prepared to check it at the front counter. They are not responsible for loss, etc., so try to skip bringing a bag altogether.
Holly Quimby
Well organized and the staff was helpful. Decent Spanish selection. Very interesting collectable copies
gold_queen_dragon
We never miss a stop at Second Story Books! Well organized with plenty of used books to peruse. We were pleased by the selection we found, especially given the good condition of the books we bought. Booklovers, don't miss out!
Emma N
One of my favorite book stores in DC so far, I love how everything is organized and all of the smaller genre shelves. I was especially pleased with the nonfiction sections about different parts of the world, I love international affairs and there were so many great finds about every region. The selection of vintage art and movie posters is amazing as well. Prices are a little higher than I’m used to for used books so that limits the number of books I buy there, but maybe it’s because of the location?
