Submitted by Esosorum t3_y26v9m in pittsburgh
I love half price books but it doesn’t quite scratch the itch. I’m picturing a crowded shop full of used books. Anything like that in the area?
Comments
Esosorum OP t1_is15jtd wrote
Hell yeah, then that’s where I’m headed. Thanks!
alwaysboopthesnoot t1_is15s07 wrote
Caliban. City Books. Amazing Books. Shadyside Books.
Rickert & Beagle closed permanently and I think so did Jays Book Stall.
https://www.verylocal.com/independent-bookstores-pittsburgh/1265/amp/
Esosorum OP t1_is15y5x wrote
Numerous_Pie t1_is16c0l wrote
Seconding Amazing Books and Records. The owner is very knowledgeable and will give recommendations for other books.
ClammyHandedFreak t1_is19mvc wrote
Glad the memory of Jay's lives on. That was a historical business. Truly a magical place. Inspired me to love learning as a young one.
Happy_Charity_7595 t1_is1ayj9 wrote
Caliban
LostEnroute t1_is1dnop wrote
Bottom Feeder Books in Point Breeze is cool. Not a huge selection but excellent curation.
Showerbeerz413 t1_is1eyox wrote
I lived in dormont for years and I ALWAYS forgot that place was there. looked super cool
nirvanagirllisa t1_is1fn9q wrote
Big Idea Bookstore in Bloomfield
GothGirlAcademia t1_is1g7xr wrote
Amazing Books and Records has both a downtown and Squirrel Hill location. Large selection of used books and always rotating stock. I've never lacked something new to pick up whenever I go, sometimes weekly
OcelotWolf t1_is1hnjy wrote
Can anyone give me a single reason to patronize Caliban after the owner robbed $8M worth of irreplaceable books from the Carnegie Library and escaped with only 4 years of house arrest, 12 years of probation, and $55,000 in damages?
NSlocal t1_is1i627 wrote
I can't. The owner's wife remains at the helm supposedly. How can she not have known after a decade of illegal activity?
Esosorum OP t1_is1icxg wrote
Girl WHAT???
OcelotWolf t1_is1igom wrote
Oh boy you’re in for a treat
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/20/us/Carnegie-library-theft-schulman-priore.html
OcelotWolf t1_is1it29 wrote
Supposedly they’re allowed to pay bills on behalf of the store but can’t personally profit from it. I get not wanting to shut the store down entirely but I still don’t trust them. They should have been forced to sell and I will never step foot in that store for as long as they’re involved, and probably a little while after that too.
aesthetichovvell t1_is1kduu wrote
Good vibes, but the books I was thinking about getting were super expensive
Moogottrrgr t1_is1lkmk wrote
They were nasty shits BEFORE what they were doing came to light. I haven't stepped through their doors since the 20th century because of how they treated people.
brendannnnnn t1_is1ll87 wrote
Amazing Books and Records, hands down. Squirrel Hill.
Here's a NYT article about the owner, who is a super nice dude: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/18/books/amazing-books-pittsburgh-bookstore.html
NSlocal t1_is1lvwm wrote
The storefront maintains a high profile presence a stone's throw from the institution that was robbed blind of irreplaceable items, it's a slap in the face. John was not a good person, he'd step over his dead mother for a 1st edition book.
MaryOutside t1_is1p02u wrote
The woman who is running Caliban now is a fixture in the Pittsburgh small press world and is a trained librarian. She's fantastic and is not going to fence any library material. She runs Karen's Book Row through the Caliban space and her taste is just fantastic. Shulman, the thief and scoundrel, curse upon his name, and his wife who sold the Oliver Room material that Priore stole from the collection he was in charge of, are still able to own the business but the 2018 court ruling disallows them from receiving any profit from the store. So I feel like the choice is kind of up to you.
Esosorum OP t1_is1vuh6 wrote
Holy cow, that’s incredible
Esosorum OP t1_is1vz52 wrote
It was a little pricey but this place absolutely scratched the itch, I absolutely loved it. Thank you!
Esosorum OP t1_is1w0pw wrote
Thanks!
NSlocal t1_is1y828 wrote
Thanks, I had not known the details of how the store was able to remain.
wokeafsince83 t1_is23csv wrote
Repurposed thrift store in the north hills has a large a mostly organized book section.
Esosorum OP t1_is272i1 wrote
Esosorum OP t1_is273t8 wrote
KeyboardCatRedux t1_is298yn wrote
Fungus Books in Regent Square has a small but mighty collection of weird cool books.
Megalisk t1_is2d82h wrote
Seconding this, both locations have a very good selection.
iSoReddit t1_is2ewp3 wrote
Nope I’ll never go in there again
iSoReddit t1_is2f3v4 wrote
Stay away from the thieves that run caliban
Azious t1_is2n43y wrote
I didn't know any of this... Thank you all.
universeofdesign t1_is382bq wrote
Is this the place in squirrel hill that does some late night shopping hours while serving alcohol? I've been meaning to go there.
Character-Vast-8601 t1_is3o9xt wrote
How do you steal irreplaceable books from the library? Do you just walk in and put the books in your bag and walk out like nothing happened?
WeakPublic t1_is3qmbq wrote
Is it still cash only? I want to go there but want to make sure I’m prepped.
OcelotWolf t1_is3vw9b wrote
In this case, be the archivist in charge of taking care of them and then walk out with them because you have authority
frosty03351 t1_is3xzzw wrote
And all the records and comic books. I take my kids there all the time. Sad the cat cafe is no longer. Satisfied the need to have a pet for a while and they did good things for the animals
RokuAang625 t1_is41r3n wrote
Northland public library has book sales they just had one a few weeks ago and another one a few months ago I’m sure the next one will be in spring 2023 u can even get a bunch of decent books for $5
angry_eccentric t1_is42xip wrote
here to recommend karen's book row as well, she is wonderful and truly loves books
brendannnnnn t1_is46xjx wrote
darthduckie2 t1_is47793 wrote
Arlen is awesome! And her TikTok channel is something of a phenomenon https://www.tiktok.com/@citybookspgh.
lift_heavy64 t1_is4b0mu wrote
Not only do they serve alcohol, but it's also free
Caiterz4catzz t1_is4kme6 wrote
Came here to recommend Amazing Books!!
phasmos t1_is4mmlz wrote
Not just the books... IIRC, the guy was also razoring individual pages out of ancient or medieval texts and selling them off piecemeal.
I used to wait on Priore now and then at a local store. He struck me as a slimeball even before this hit the news.
Watchyousuffer t1_is530wz wrote
Feel bad for her then, but Shulman needs to sell. The money should go to the library too. I can't bring myself to go there with him involved, which is a shame because I've seen several things I'd like on their eBay account (which is under a different name)
tupperwhat t1_is57o5p wrote
Amen. Fuck that guy
Willow-girl t1_is5anwn wrote
Library book sales? Go to www.booksalefinder.com.
NSlocal t1_is5ff1c wrote
The William Oliver room is a special collections room in an off-limits area of the library's stacks. People wanting to do research there must apply and make an appointment. They'd then be escorted by security to the locked door where Greg Priore would greet them. Greg would oversee the visits and of course the collection itself as there are many items that are valuable or rare or both. Greg was untouchable for many years and I think he was trusted too much. He and John from Caliban began selling items in addition to cannibalizing books for individual pages, they're horrible people. The room was under no surveillance, only Greg and security had a key to the room.
adamcouture t1_is5hmek wrote
Pittsburgh needs a 2nd & Charles.
SuchEstablishment442 t1_is5r23i wrote
Absolutely second this! It looks small, but it is lovely to browse and Arlen is always happy to try and find something specific if you're on a hunt.
Floopydoodler t1_is5seej wrote
City Books on Northside, right behind the Modern Cafe on Western Ave. Tiny place but absolutely stuffed with books!
AhPshaw t1_is7lsyo wrote
Sorry not sure. I was there for the first time in over a year the other day but didn't purchase anything. Cash on hand would seem a good idea though.
iateapietod t1_ispdd9c wrote
Hi, I'm not doubting you at all but before visiting Caliban would like some verification ("trust but verify" as its said) - do you have any sources you could provide about this setup?
MaryOutside t1_isphtd5 wrote
Here's a Post-Gazette article from 2018, let me know if you hit the paywall.
iateapietod t1_ispwhd7 wrote
I did in fact hit the paywall, thanks for responding!
MaryOutside t1_isq0afz wrote
Caliban Book Shop co-owner John Schulman, right, arrives with his attorney Robert Del Greco Jr., for his arraignment at City Court on Friday July 20, 2018 in Downtown Pittsburgh.
Judge forbids profits but lets Caliban Book Shop owner, charged in Carnegie Library theft, pay store's bills
An Allegheny County prosecutor on Thursday argued to a judge that Caliban Book Shop in Oakland ought to be shut down so that its owner, charged with participating in a conspiracy to steal hundreds of rare books, maps and plates from the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh and then selling them through his store and warehouse, cannot profit from his crime.
“It essentially was a criminal enterprise that allowed this crime to happen,” said Assistant District Attorney Aaron McKendry.
He asked Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey A. Manning to keep two business bank accounts, operated by Caliban co-owner John Schulman, frozen, which could effectively shut down the store.
The DA’s office froze the accounts last month while the case against Mr. Schulman proceeds, prompting his attorneys to try to have the order vacated.
The judge Thursday found the prosecution’s request too burdensome and instead said the shop can continue to operate.
Judge Manning ruled that Mr. Schulman can have access to the accounts to ensure that his employees and the store’s utilities and rent are paid. Neither Mr. Schulman nor his wife, co-owner Emily Hetzel, however, can receive money from them, Judge Manning said.
“No one is permitted to make a profit,” the judge said.
Attorneys fees may also be released from the account.
Mr. Schulman, 54, of Squirrel Hill, is charged in the case along with Greg Priore, 61, of Oakland. Mr. Priore worked as the sole archivist and manager of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s rare book room.
Investigators with the district attorney’s office said that Mr. Priore would remove items from the Oliver Room and give them to Mr. Schulman, who would then sell them online and at book fairs.
The criminal complaint in the case said that the scheme began in the late 1990s and continued until December 2016. It is estimated that more than 300 items valued at $8 million were removed from the library.
About $1.1 million worth of the missing items have been recovered.
A preliminary hearing is expected in the case for Oct. 12.
During his argument, Mr. McKendry said the investigation into the thefts and sales is ongoing.
“The very employees we’re talking about worked in the warehouse. These are not innocent people,” he said. “These are people working for a criminal enterprise.
“Mr. Schulman corrupted his own business.”
But Albert Veverka, an attorney for Mr. Schulman, countered that no allegations have been brought against any employees, and further, that Caliban sold other items in its store and warehouse unrelated to the library thefts.
“To punish all of these people for the entirety of his business for what may be a small part is unfair,” the defense attorney said. “These are mere allegations, your honor. There’s been no proof.”
Mr. McKendry countered, “This business gets to profit after they’ve robbed part of our cultural heritage. I don’t think the book shop’s loss compares to that loss to society.”
Paula Reed Ward: pward@post-gazette.com, 412-263-2620 or on Twitter: u/PaulaReedWard.
First Published August 2, 2018, 2:07pm
iateapietod t1_isqt0m0 wrote
Awesome, thank you for the info!
easy192 t1_is15ck2 wrote
Beyond Bedtime Books in Dormont on Potomac is one of my favorites! Locally owned and soooo many used books of all kinds. Plus great music/scents/vibes