Used book stores? (Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit: coupons, neighborhood, universities)

[dejavugirl]

New to Kansas City, living in Lee's Summit.

I'm looking for used book stores anywhere in the metro area. Near me is nice, but I'm not afraid to drive. I'd love to find some large used book stores. Biggest and best?

I came from a city with a massive used book store with over a million books to their name... (I'm sure I was spoiled) It was so fun to get lost there. Just looking for another nice store to get lost in.

[TabulaRasa]

There are quite a few Half Price Books locations throughout the metro, which have both used and overstocks, very cheap to begin with and also with constant coupons deals. Prospero's, in the Volker neighborhood near KU Med is a locally owned one. Small, cozy, and quirky, though. I haven't lived in Lee's Summit for a few years, but if KD's Books is still open in the downtown area across from the Depot, it's an independent with used and new.

We used to have Spivey's, which was a locally run, great antiquarian books and maps dealer, as well as used bookshop, but it closed several years ago. At the time, I believe that the plan was to focus on the antiques via online, versus maintaining a shop (which was kind of crumbling around them), but I don't know if that happened. Too bad.

The biggest bookstore in the city is (of course) the Barnes & Noble on the Plaza, which is four floors, but obviously not a used bookstore. But it is big and fun to explore.

The fact that, despite having several universities in the city, there is no real established university neighborhood, creates a situation where used bookstores are somewhat less easy to come by.

[MLSFan]

https://www.hpb.com/084/
I like that half price books location

[TabulaRasa]

I'm pretty sure that's the biggest HPB location.

[Bluefox]

I second Prospero's in Volker.

[RadioSilence]

Perhaps a bit closer to you is a place called Anastasia's Books. It's on 63rd St., east of Raytown Rd.

[PA650]

Originally Posted by TabulaRasa

There are quite a few Half Price Books locations throughout the metro, which have both used and overstocks, very cheap to begin with and also with constant coupons deals. Prospero's, in the Volker neighborhood near KU Med is a locally owned one. Small, cozy, and quirky, though. I haven't lived in Lee's Summit for a few years, but if KD's Books is still open in the downtown area across from the Depot, it's an independent with used and new.

We used to have Spivey's, which was a locally run, great antiquarian books and maps dealer, as well as used bookshop, but it closed several years ago. At the time, I believe that the plan was to focus on the antiques via online, versus maintaining a shop (which was kind of crumbling around them), but I don't know if that happened. Too bad.

The biggest bookstore in the city is (of course) the Barnes & Noble on the Plaza, which is four floors, but obviously not a used bookstore. But it is big and fun to explore.

The fact that, despite having several universities in the city, there is no real established university neighborhood, creates a situation where used bookstores are somewhat less easy to come by.

TabulaRasa is quite correct on this. My suggestion would be Massachusetts Street (Mass) in downtown Lawrence. It's unfortunately on the other side of the Metro, but there are a plethora of stores to browse through.

[TabulaRasa]

Yeah, there are good ones in Lawrence, but I wouldn't make the trip there from Lee's Summit just for that. Just me, but I don't really count Lawrence as part of the metro from a practicality of access standpoint. But Lawrence is fun.

[pacificwhim]

There's also a Half Price Books at 91st and Metcalf in Overland Park, which is closer to you.

[TabulaRasa]

The HPB closest to the OP is probably the one near Independence Center.