ABC Book Store

I drop by ABC while walking down the yonge st strip and I always find something to put a smile on my face. Great selections, good prices and there is definitely something for everyone here. Managed to get a lot of hard to find stuff that’s not sold by chapters here with a quick browse of current offerings. There are some others on the strip that are either unorganized or simply not competitive with Chapters.
All in all, it’s a great experience even if you’re just browsing. The aisles are a bit tight but they make good use of the limited space.

been coming here forever it seems. Great place to buy or browse books. Love the smell lots of interesting characters and some really great finds.
Good selection of Comics and Paperbacks, I find the prices reasonable and the atmosphere just right.
Not as nice as Elliots Bookstore (south a few blocks) but a contender (little more trailer park. just my style)

Great used book store! I hardly ever come in here, but most of their books are in immaculate condition. Tons of titles to choose from. If you are looking for popular title in particular, this is a good place to start. I managed to find a best-​seller for $ 9.95 and it originally retailed for $ 20. They also have a cart outside, and from time to time you can find some really cool impulse reads for $ 1 or even a cool vintage magazine. The collection of DVDs looks impressive as well. I’m sure there are lots of gems among the shelves.
Most of the time they are open until 11pm, so if you happen to be strolling around this area, then this is a great place to come to on a walk home or on the way to the subway.
I have no idea of what it’s like to sell books to these guys. In my experience with used book stores, it’s quite difficult and you barely get any money (roughly 20% of the original price). Some places tend to be more picky than others. Based on the books in the store and based on the other Unilocal reviews, my sense is that ABC is probably really picky when buying books from people. On the other hand, as a purchaser I am impressed with the amount of titles and the condition they are in. I find their prices fair, but if you are still concerned, then check out BMV books just a block before Dundas and Yonge.

I love this little bookstore! They have a really good selection (seriously, they have some books that are just recently released and sell them for a good deal less than Indigo) and all the books are good quality — no falling apart second hand books here. The prices are pretty much on par with other used book stores in TO. I never leave this place wihout at least one book that’s caught my eye!

They have a good selection for a small bookstore. The staff is helpful. The books are priced well, much cheaper than new. The books turn over. They pay fair but low prices for the books they buy. They don’t buy everything offered to them. All in all, an excellent bookstore.

Worth a stop if you’re in the area. I assume this little bookstore is a BMV branch because they share a lot of similar stock, stickers, bags, and signage. Anyways, it’s got a pretty decent selection of all the basics as well as a fairly robust (for the size of the store) graphic novel/​comic section. I’ve found a couple of the large DC Absolute Editions here for 40 – 50 dollars down from 90 – 120 retail. You can usually find a book or two and it’s always fun to browse. It doesn’t have anywhere near the selection of many of the larger bookstores in the area (let alone online), but if you’re in the area it’s worth a quick stop. Decent money for trade ins too… not especially great, but you don’t feel like you’re getting ripped off either.

With more affordable prices than Indigo/​Chapters, and a real bookstore feel, ABC Books is one of my new fave places to go to for reads and DVDs. I discovered this store when a friend who was visiting from the U.S. decided to check it out. With organized sections throughout the store, and prices that are 50% cheaper than what you would pay at the Indigo store a block away on Bay & Bloor Streets, I now have found a new spot to go to for non-​fiction books and used DVDs.
Prices appear on the first page of the book (written lightly with a pencil). The store also buys back books, DVDs, and certain magazines (mainly art periodicals) if you’re looking for some way to clean out your library.

Warts and all, this place is in my good books. Like David R., 3.5 stars is probably about right.
I tend to prefer ABC over Eliot’s and NDJ, the other two used bookstores along that strip of Yonge, because it’s better organized, brighter and you don’t need a gas mask to enter the premises. I defy you to not rifle through the bargain bin they keep outside… mostly misses, but some amazing hits for $ 1 or $ 2.
The literature section needs some plumping up, given that a good number of significant authors are absent. The travel section is pretty good for a used bookstore — nothing’s outdated, and about half the time, I’ll find the guidebook I’m looking for.
Staff are fairly friendly and helpful. I might not trek across the city to come here, but definitely worth checking out/​frequenting if you’re a bookworm in the nabe.

I moved into an extra tiny condo and decided to thin out my book collection. So many of the books I’ve been keeping for reference purposes I can now find the info online (ie Monty Python’s Tao of Dating, the Canadian Book of Lists, Nit Picker’s Guide to Everyone Loves Raymond, The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Servant, One Thousand «One Thousand X You Must Do/​Read/​See/​Listen to/​Eat Before You Die» Books You Must Read Before You Die, the Flatware of Shannara, et al.) I decided it was high time to get rid of them. Maybe pocket some cash and really splurge on Manchu Wok for lunch.
The used bookstore biz appears to be the greatest racket on the planet. They pay about $ 2 for a good hardcover or softcover which they then turn around and sell for 50% off the cover price (meaning $ 10-​$ 12).
Given the high margins, I’m grappling for a theory of human psychology or economics that explains why the Saturday morning guy is just so, I dunno, not happy to take in new stock. Maybe there’s not a great profit sharing plan at ABC Books. I dunno.
The down economy probably has a lot more sellers than buyers these days. And used bookstores are pretty choosy about what they buy. ABC won’t touch books not in near mint condition. I tend to be rough on my books. A well loved book I always leave looking well loved, in a Biblical sense. You know?
So anyway, don’t waste your time and spare your back trying to get cash for something even with a semi noticeable cover fold.

This one is really 3.5 as well (I hate being wishy-​washy, but c’est la ecriture).
The store is smallish, but they offer a nice selection of fictions of various types (classics, modern, and «genre»). I found six copies of my next book club selection – The Maltese Falcon. They have a ton of comics as well, plus two cases full of travel guides – current ones, not outdated crap.
Probably their biggest strength seems to be pricing on newish paperbacks. A lot of the ones that I looked at were half off the list price, or less. Maybe they are getting remainders but only putting out one or two copies at a time. For only $ 7.97, I got an early-​2009 novel listed at $ 16.99 (Huge by James Fuerst, an awesome read).