Detroit, Michigan: John King Used Books

Okay, so I goofed up in the subject line of my other post ... but this is still my favorite bookstore in Michigan!

Going to JK is like going to heaven... it is ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!!

I no longer live in the Detroit area & I went with a friend before this past Christmas & we spent 3 or 4 hours there.

They told me that I could send a list next time I would be coming & they would be glad to pull the books for me...

But the fun is in looking for the books!!! and then finding other books that you discover you MUST HAVE!!

I do find that the longer I stay, the more money that I spend!! very dangerous!!

KromesTomes,

Feel free to edit your message, and fix the Topic heading. And PLEASE tell us about JKUB, and where it's located.
Thanks,
WHL

For a Christmas gift, I once drove my entire family out to John King and told them to go wild. Best ... gift ... ever!

A little more info: The original John King store is downtown, just off the Lodge on W. Lafayette ... they've got about 750,000 used books spread out on about 5-6 floors of what looks like an old warehouse ... don't be fooled by the exterior, though ... this is used book heaven!

Specifically:
901 W Lafayette, Detroit (at the top of the Howard Street exit off the southbound Lodge.) If you're not familiar with the area, it's a good idea to call for directions, especially since a big chunk of the Lodge is closed for construction this spring.
Phone: 313-961-0622

They also own the building next door & store books there!! You can't go in there (perhaps private showings, I think) but you can request books & they will check there.

If you google it or check the Detroit Free Press (www.freep.com) or the Detroit News (www.detnews.com). Both papers have done stories on this book heaven!!

I would agree that John King Books is great. I lived in Detroit 1971-73, and 1978-93. In the 1970's they were located someplace near Grand River Ave & Washington Blvd, and then moved to the old Michigan Theater Bldg, which I think is on Bagley pretty close to Grand Circus Park. It is generally a better store than the Strand bookstore in New York, which is also great, and John King's prices are better. My wife and Iloved to visit the store, particulalry when they moved to the building on West Lafayette. There used to be a very good camera store in the same building, Kings had 96% of the building, which I think is six stories. It odesn't feel like downtown as it is west of the Lodge (not east), on the other hand the Greyhound bus station is very close. In the 1970's I started my travel collection with old Baedekers purchased from John King.

There used to be a fabulous used bookstore in Philadelphia, which I think was located on 9th St just below Market. I don't remember its name.