A Review of Nine Lives Books

in

7959 Fredericksburg Road, San Antonio, TX

Thirteen years ago when I lived in San Antonio, I used to visit Nine Lives when it was in its previous location. It was much bigger then, with a deeper selection of used titles to browse through, not to mention numerous bookshop cats darting around (hence the name), but now the name has another meaning, I suppose. The new shop is smaller, and less extensive in its literary offerings, and it seems to be starting over as a more multi-media shop. A new life, and hopefully not its last. From the value offered, one imagines it should find a unique niche in the local market.

(Image above is borrowed from the store’s Facebook page.)

Read More

A Bookshop Review of Half Price Books (Isom Road Location)

in

125 Northwest Loop 410, San Antonio, TX

I already reviewed another one of this company’s locations, but each location does have its own vibe and this is the first Half Price Books I started going to when I lived in San Antonio from 2006 through 2009. During this time I was voracious for anything Bukowski, Kerouac, Hunter Thompson, Steinbeck, and the like, and I always found excellent editions of their books here. I have probably purchased at least a dozen collection of Bukowski’s poetry from the 80s and 90s in this location alone, so any time I’m back in SA, I hit this one up to dig for gold. It never fails to have something interesting!

Read More

A Review of Cheever Books

in

3613 Broadway, San Antonio, TX

My time was running out during my last trip to San Antonio, but I managed to sneak in a quick visit to this second-hand and vintage bookshop on Broadway south of the UIW campus and the Witte Museum. Cheever Books recently went through a renovation and reorganization, so if you went in the past, it might be a different ball game for you now. And if you’re looking for fine and rare books about local or regional historical topics, this is absolutely the place for you, Texans!

Read More

A Review of Nowhere Bookshop

in

5154 Broadway, San Antonio, TX

This lively bookstore is located in San Antonio’s Alamo Height neighborhood, which for those not local to Military City, it feels like a small town within a bigger city, yet it’s one of the more—in very subtle ways—posh zip codes in the state. This unexpected dose of high-end style hidden behind a modest demeanor describes the neighborhood’s best bookshop, as well. Nowhere Bookshop is one of the best spots in the city for new books, and certainly one of the most conscious of how unique details can set a bookstore apart from the pack.

Read More

A Review of Half Price Books

in

3207 Broadway, San Antonio, TX

Let me start off by saying that I’m cheating a little here. This blog is about hyping small independent bookshops, and Half Price Books doesn’t reeeeally fall into that category. There are 120 locations (way more than I thought) but I have only ever been to two spots in San Antonio, Texas, and I have loved both. If they sold new books at new prices, I wouldn’t review them. But they sell everything under the literary sun and then some, and all at discounted (sometimes deeply discounted) prices. This place is a treasure trove and you absolutely must do yourself a favor and find one near you.

Read More

A Review of The Twig Book Shop

in

306 Pearl Parkway #106, San Antonio, TX

Since I moved away from San Antonio in 2009, the Pearl Brewery area has absolutely exploded with development, and in a beautiful way. My friend Christina gave me a tour of the new digs, the coffee shops, hotel lobbies, plazas, and of course a beautiful little bookshop. It’s not a huge shop, but it’s a fun one, and fits the aesthetic of the updated neighborhood very well.

Read More