If funding your book habit is proving expensive, Grassroots Books has a cost-friendly and sustainable option for stacking that TBR (to-be-read) pile. Serving the community from its Grove Street location since 2009, the focus is on books people want to read—not bottom-of-the-barrel castaways.
“We support the growth of literacy and free inquiry,” said Kevin Short, one of the store’s booksellers.
The bookstore is expansive and organized—not your typical bargain shop with paperbacks mashed together in old cardboard boxes. Instead, it’s hard to tell which books are used and which are new because they also sell new books. Books are stacked neatly on labeled shelves that announce the genre from romance to fantasy, fiction to classics.
The rule of thumb is that anything unmarked is $1.99 in paperback or $3.99 in hardcover. Many books have their own stickered prices, but most are just a couple of bucks more unless they are brand new. New books are sold at 20% off of the list price.
Browsing the aisles turns up hidden gems and New York Times’ best sellers. You may discover something you’ve never heard of before, but you’ll also skim past favorite authors. Smaller sections offer up books in psychology, survival and even manga. A room in the back holds children’s treasures, sold for $1.99 each unless otherwise marked.
“People very often are surprised at how low costs are,” bookseller Julia Betzhold said. “That’s how we stay busy.”
“We carry bestsellers, usually for 20% off list price. We also have a ton of local interest books, including field guides, hiking and history. Additionally, we have a great selection of young adult and children’s books,” she added.
Specific titles can often be ordered overnight for the same 20% discount and free of fees. The books come from Oregon-based Ingram Books, and, weather pending, the trucks bring them in fast.
While the main focus is books, Grassroots sells DVDs, vinyl records, comic books and games.
“What makes this store so special is that it represents a microcosm of the local community,” Short said. “The people at Grassroots Books—customers and team members alike—are brought together from diverse backgrounds by a love for books, film and music, regardless of their tastes.”
While new books are purchased from Ingram, used books are often recycled through the community.
“We pay cash for books, DVDs, vinyl records, comic books and games,” Betzhold said.
Buying hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 to 11 a.m. on Sundays. They also host occasional “Cash for Kitsch” events where buyers and third-party collectors bid on whatever customers bring in, from porcelain dolls to action figures.
While the inside of the shop is enough to draw any reading enthusiast through the doors, it’s not the only draw. Outside in the back lot, a book sale occurs each day, weather permitting, where books are $1 and kid’s books are 25 cents. On Sundays, one can stuff a grocery bag with as many books as will fit for $5.
“People are often shocked that we’re always selling thousands of books for $1 at our outside sale,” Short said. “But, well, we see a lot of books. Really. You’d be astounded at the number. If we tried to stuff them all into the store, you wouldn’t be able to crawl through the front door.”
The outside space makes it easier to have more books on display and cater to those looking for an especially good bargain. In addition to book sales, donations are also accepted. Large bins outside the store allow for an easy drop-off system from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. daily.
While Grassroots Books has been a Reno staple for over a decade, the venture began in 2003 in Seattle when Zoe Miller started selling books out of a box in her garage to make money and spend more time with her kids. The business took off, and Miller found a new home in Reno where the rain wasn’t as prohibitive. Now, the shop stocks more than 40,000 books, plus plenty of other items, including gifts.
More
660 E. Grove St., Reno, NV 89502
