Nine Lives Books

Spoke to a gentleman on the phone today looking for a book for my daughter. He was kind of a douche. He didn’t understand the last name of the author I was looking for. Took me spelling it out. Made me feel kind of stupid and belittled me. Then when he didn’t have the book I said «okay thank you» and he just hung up the phone. No «your welcome» or even a «have a good day.» Guy didn’t even say goodbye. Won’t be going here anymore. Barnes and Noble may be a corporation but at least they teach their employees basic customer service and phone skills.

Great location, selection of items, and reasonably priced. Some of the VHS tapes are a bit overpriced but they also have VHS tapes on sale for 10 cents and 50 cents, so it balances out. I really wish they still had kitties though :(

I am visiting from out of town and I was looking for a certain book. I called they had it and held it at the register for me. The ladies were friendly and knew right where to find my book. I wish I had time to look around.

I love cats AND books– you’d think this place would be one of my favorites, right? Well, maybe if it were better maintained, it would be.
Location has books and cats, yes, but that’s where the appeal ends. Store has little to no organization, and while there are some treasures to be found, the dated selection is more on par with a garage sale than the curated collection of reads it should be– especially considering how selective staff is about taking in books.
In addition to organization, this shop lacks cleanliness– dust and puffs of cat fur everywhere. Dusty books plus furry critters means you have to keep on top of the Swiffering, Dust Bustering, or whatever your preferred method of attack is. This place doesn’t.
Slight saving grace is that the location has improved– plaza used to be totally deserted but now some other shops and restaurants have moved to the area, so it’s not as much of a hassle to get out here.

(Actually a 3.5 stars rating)
The other day I was briefly glancing at a site that showcased bookstores from around the world. One in particular, a bookstore from Argentina caught my eye. It made me think, even wish that we had a store like that on a much grander scale in our city. It was so ornate and spacious like a cathedral. I came to the conclusion that no matter how big or small a store is it is really the intention that makes it such. Then I suddenly had a craving for some Shakespeare and I went to check out Nine Lives Books.
(Ironically, I remember year’s back there used to be a bookstore not too far from here.) Nine Lives Books is a place that exists nonchalantly in a strip mall. Inside it is pretty vast and spacious with books, vinyl, magazines, comics, cassette tapes etc. covering every nook and cranny. The place is pretty organized and self contained. There are books on history, sociology, self-​help, philosophy and entertainment. In addition they have a few specialized sections dedicated to African-​American Studies, Latin American Studies among other groups. They have stuff for children, tweens, teens and adults alike throughout the store.
The aisles are pretty wide so the likelihood of bumping into another patron as you are skimming through books is rather low. They have a few seats and chairs where you can sit and contemplate literature or any potential purchases. The owner is very hospitable and personable. I saw her talking a storm with another customer about characters from a piece of literature, which is the stable of any good store. I scrambled through their excellent selection of vinyl records and found Rush’s, «Moving Pictures» which found a new home. In addition I bought a copy of Shakespeare’s, «King Lear» to stave off my book craving.
For all intent and purposes this place sells used items, which led me to believe that the prices here would be equal to that. And this is unfortunately where my three and a half stars comes in. Some books are priced way too high. For example I did spot a copy of James Joyce’s, «Ulysses» which was priced a bit higher than even Half Priced Books. I also saw a used audio copy of Stephen King’s, «Dark Tower» at a substantially marked up rate. I say these things in the most affectionate manner, as a person who still loves literature and being able at some point to run my fingers through pages. In an age of Kindle and Nooks it most certainly would benefit this place to price items to move out.
In my opinion a place should always play to its strengths. Firstly, it has great extended hours. Maybe they could have a happy hour for books, when items are specially priced. Secondly it is quirky. The Yoda in the front entrance is certainly worth the admission. Furthermore, it would be cool to hear bossa nova or Bjork playing overhead.
The service is good. They have an excellent selection of items. The store is both spacious and vast. And above all it is very welcoming. However, the prices need to be lowered a little more. While I do love to read I also like a good deal now and then.

My new favorite book store! A small second-​hand bookstore where everything actually is a pre-​owned book, unlike Half Price Books anymore. It looks small on the outside, but it’s actually bigger than it looks. The book collection here is pretty impressive, and my fiancé and I found some pretty difficult-​to-​find books here for a pretty decent price. They have an amazing history section that I’ll have to revisit. Not all the books are super cheap, but you can be surprised what kind of deals you can find there. They also have second-​hand DVDs, video games, records, CDs, and other forms of media.
The lady behind the desk was sweet and you could tell she loves books and she was happy when we told her we had a good experience there. This store reminds me of the kind of Half Price Books stores I went to as a kid, where everything used to belong to someone and the books piled up and spilled over the shelves, cabinets, and nooks. Cozy atmosphere. I didn’t notice any cats last time I was there, but I’ll remember to look for them next time I return!

Open everyday from 10a to 10p this used bookstore has so many books to peruse through. Absolutely liked that their cookbook section is so big but wished they had more baking and pastry books to choose from. The kiddos book section has it’s own corner of the store and there’s a big area for comic books too. If I counted correctly there were four carts dedicated to clearance items so that will take anyone sometime to search for goodies on. The staff here was very friendly and pointed me in the right direction when I needed it. Had I known about their hours of operation before I would have definitely visited sooner. The place was overrun with books but still fairly clean. Well lit and there wasn’t any smell except old books (unlike one reviewer had mentioned) I like this used bookstore and will be visiting again. Maybe I’ll take some of my old books and see if they want to buy them off of me.

Not terribly impressed. I didn’t get a good impression of the owner or whoever it was that was working at the front desk. A man came in looking for a particular book title.
The owner was very snippy to him about it. She had never heard of the book which surprised me since it was a pretty popular book at the time. I figured the owner of a book store would know more about books. Also, I know I’m cheap but the prices aren’t great. I guess there comparable to Half Price books but I do a lot of thrift shop shopping and you can find lots of books in great shape for 1 – 2 $. I don’t understand paying 7 – 10 $ for used books that aren’t in great condition. If your a bibliophile like me, check out the local Goodwills, Salvation Armies and the library book sales.

What a cute bookstore that is a joy to explore. They have some other goodies and trinkets hiding other than books. I was looking for some specific titles on my visit that they didn’t have, but they do have a wide selection otherwise. I love supporting local business, and I look forward to returning to Nine Lives (I didn’t see any kitties though). I was greeted when I entered, by a jolly older gentlemen who directed me to the right section I was looking for. I thought the service was very friendly, and that really means a lot.

I don’t understand all the positive reviews on this site. Have you ever tried to sell anything to this woman? The prices she gives you are ridiculous – actually insulting– and I think the prices on her books are high, too.
I hate to bash a local place, but after the last time I went in to sell books, I swore I wouldn’t go back, and I haven’t.
(Update: I still stand behind this review and haven’t gone back, but I’d like to suggest an alternative. You can’t get cash for your books by giving them to the Book Cellar in the Main Library basement, but you can support the library system by allowing the Friends of the Library to sell your unwanted books. Also, the book prices in their bookstore are rock bottom and you can find some awesome «treasures» down there. Highly recommended.)

The original Nine Lives was one of the best bookstores in San Antonio. The prices were more than fair, the selection was far more locally sourced than the competition (I even found a few odd books on DOS from the start of the PC revolution not long ago), and a variety of friendly cats roamed the aisles.
Now in a smaller, albeit nearby location, the new incarnation has lost a bit of its charm. The variety of books on the shelves is still high quality, but the presence of the cats and the ongoing adoption drives really made you want to spend a few extra bucks to support the store. It’s still a great place, but it really could stand to recapture the old atmosphere.

I love going here when I get bubble tea next door at Bobalicious.
The sweet lady working there is just so helpful & very very kind.
She greeted us with a very warm hello & asked if we needed help right away.
I buy all my magazines here, even though they are from last months issue or last years I really don’t mind, because they are very cheap. I love getting fashion magazines from here for only .50 cents or $ 1.00 which I believe is a very good deal.
I’ve never tried selling my old books or magazines here, but I will one day. I will definitely come back here again… I need more magazines.

BRING THE CATS BACK!!! I love this little bookstore! However I hate the fact that they are no longer allowed to keep the cats inside the store! San Antonio told them to 86 the friendly little furballs); however they still have a stellar selection of used books! Every possible category accounted for… Well maybe not «every» category but they also have a good variety of old retro/​antique books and the smell of the inside pages is worth the price alone. Also they have tons of used DVDs and VHS tapes as well so if you’re like me and still collect movies to watch movies on your VCR then that alone will be a good reason to frequent nine lives, tons of great titles! They even have a small rack of used but cool clothes (i found a cool retro 80’s NASA shirt here for a ridiculously cheap price). So turn off that video game, stop watching Justin Bieber on tv and go find yourself a good book!!! It’s time for a reading revival and nine lives book store has books so cheap you can purr about it all the way to your favorite reading chair.
P. s. Meow.

Repeat after me, «NO CATS AT NINE LIVES BOOKS, NO CATS AT NINE LIVES BOOKS, NO CATS AT NINE LIVES BOOKS». [Shame on people who are STILL writing about the cats: you’ve been busted!]
Great books, movies, and music; very good prices; and NO CATS — yes, you read correctly, «N-​O C-​A-​T-​S» in the new location.
The former location of Nine Lives — just a few shops down from where it now resides — was an odd space, indeed, with just one or two elusive «shop kitties» sleeping amongst the stacks, as well as some adoptable, caged felines… NOT — as a couple of reviewers have recently asserted — running all over the store (at least not in the past couple of years, since I’ve been shopping there). And yes, it often did smell like, uh, eau de cat box.
When the store moved this past summer, however, the new lease stipulated **N-​O C-​A-​T-​S** on the premises.
I’ve been back, a couple of times, since the move. And though I miss the kitties, I think the change is a good one. The old space was reminiscent of a rambling mansion owned by a spinster aunt: labyrinthian and spooky and cool — but also inefficient, untidy and with the potential for frustration.
Proceeds from the store continue to benefit the cat sanctuary; and Nine Lives still has great offerings and great prices, too, if you’re willing to spend just a little time browsing. Check out the «bargain racks» at the front of the store for especially good values: my most recent trip yielded a Jeff Smith cookbook and Colin Powell’s autobiography — both in hardback and in good condition — for a dollar apiece.
The new Nine Lives Books, with NO CATS, has less personality — but is cleaner and seems to be better organized — than the old store.
And it smells better, too!

I don’t like this place. There are cats running around all over the place! Its great that they rescue cats and all but I would like to grab a book without having an attack seeing as I’m deathly allergic to them. Plus, their selection seems old — not mixed with a variety — simply old. It just feels like your in a bag ladies house who collected a bunch of books people threw out. It’s weird — too weird for me.

This place is certainly unique.
It’s a great used bookstore. They have a great selection, and the prices are decent.
It smells like they need to change out their litter box. They seriously have packs of cats roaming the store, and more in cages. It gets a little smelly. I’d avoid the place if you’re allergic to cats, b/​c they always seem to be attracted to the person who wants the least to do with them!
They have a pretty great selection of books, and an impressive selection of records, DVDs, and VHS tapes. They’ve always got a sale going, so if you’re looking for something cheap to read, this is a good place to go.
I do really enjoy the fact that they offer free coffee and/​or tea to sip while reading.

This place reminds me of Half Price Books with a dash of attitude. I was able to spend some time checking out a few favorite sections and probably some folks would have thought I had super glue attached to the bottom of my shoes. I don’t think I moved from one area for about 30 – 40 min!
They have cats as well (that is where the attitude comes in). They are a safe haven for them and allow the cats to read all the books any time they please. You might have one nestle your legs while you browse around.
They are moving locations. Not too far, just right NEXT to bubble tea place (so my guess is that you can drink and read responsively without worry about stubbing your toe on the sidewalk!).
Great place to go if you like used bookstores. if you are allergic to cats, I would suggest staying away. Also, you might just smell a few things you really don’t want to. Overall great place to be, hang out, chill, and drink a bubble tea!

Nine lives? From the smell of it they’ve gone through at least half of them. It’s funny because I often find myself cleaning out the litter box and thinking, «Wow this smells like a book store»
I know what you’re thinking. That I am a big fat meany who doesn’t like cats. Well it just so happens that we stopped in here to kill some time on our way to pick up our adopted kitty we bought last week, so there.
No, I like cats well enough. I just don’t like litter boxes and that’s what this place smells like. This is the old Half Price Books in Loehman’s Village that I grew up with so I have a fondness for this old building. The bookshelves look the same as they did years ago and you can still find some great deals in here. I even found a Gordon Lightfoot album for $ 1, now i just need $ 40 for a record player to play it on and someone to tell me who Gordon Lightfoot is.
Discount bookstores are definitely the way to go when it comes to buying books but it does take a while to sort through the selections to find something that you want to buy and I don’t think that I could last anymore than 15 minutes in here.
«Cat lover’s of the World,
Unite and take over…»

Cats and books. Need I say more?
Okay, I will. Nine Lives Affordable Books is a maze of a book store where cats lounge on the book carts and in the children’s section. If I were a 50-​something, single school teacher, I would be here nearly every night. As it is, I will exercise self restraint and visit only every few weeks. Or days. The kitties need my love, after all.
This is pretty much the coolest store I have ever been in. Need a bookmark from the ‘70s? They’ve got it! How ’bout some records or VHS tapes? Totally. Happen to be a nurse and need some scrubs? Oddly enough, you’ve found your place. As I wondered around Nine Lives, I got the distinct impression that the owners are pretty flexible about their definition of a book store.
Not to say that there aren’t plenty of books, because there are. This place is actually pretty big inside, an almost never ending array of aisles that boast everything from women’s fiction to westerns. Sure, it’s cluttered in places, but definitely has an overarching organization to it.
Plus, if you want to know when Talk like a Pirate Day (Sept. 18^th) or Banned Books Week (Sept 26^th to Oct 3^rd) is, you’ll find a mirrored column in the back of the store with all that good stuff.
Nine Lives: the staff is friendly and quirky, the books are many and the cats are… well, there. This book store has cats, man! What more do you need?

This is a great place to go to if you have kids (as long as you don’t have allergies or if you do, you’re willing to suffocate for a moment for the sake of the kids’ happiness…)
They have board games set up on a couple of different tables (chess, checkers). On different days they offer tarot readings, psychic fairs, and live music. Nine Lives even buys your stuff (books, CDs, DVDs) so if you’re looking to sell, you could check it out here.
Although I have to agree with Sarah on something: it did feel a bit disorganized. You have to watch it down some of the aisles since not only will there be cats wandering around, there’ll be baskets full of books (usually marked for clearance) there too.
All in all, it’s a pretty neat place to go. =^^=