Looking to try the best bookstores in town?
Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best affordable bookstores in Chicago, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to venture when cravings strike.
1. Kibbitznest Books, Brews & Blarney
Topping the list is Kibbitznest Books, Brews & Blarney. Located at 2212 N. Clybourn Ave. (between Webster and Greenview avenues.) in Sheffield Neighbors, the bookstore, cocktail bar and beer bar is the highest-rated cheap bookstore in Chicago, boasting five stars out of 141 reviews on Yelp. The spot also offers a menu with items like cheeses, bread and ice cream.
2. Myopic Books
Myopic Books, a bookstore and used bookstore in Wicker Park, is another inexpensive go-to, with four stars out of 491 Yelp reviews. Head over to 1564 N. Milwaukee Ave. (between Damen and North avenues) to see for yourself. The spot offers live music, according to the website.
The site has lots more information about Myopic Books.
"Myopic was born as a small bookstore in the back of our current storefront, sharing the space with Earwax Cafe," per the history section of the business's Yelp profile. "Over the past 20 years, we've moved to several locations around Wicker Park before settling back in our original location. Myopic Books has been a Wicker Park landmark for two decades are we're still going strong with three floors holding over 70,000 titles for your perusal."
Concerning signature items, "Myopic is the oldest and largest bookstore in Wicker Park," it states on Yelp in the section highlighting specialties. "We carry thousands of second-hand titles on all kinds of subject matter including fiction, art, biographies, philosophy, poetry, gender studies, cooking and foreign languages. We also have an online store of rare and unusual titles, which is searchable through our website."
3. Armadillo's Pillow
Over in Rogers Park, check out Armadillo's Pillow, which has earned 4.5 stars out of 95 reviews on Yelp. Dig in at the bookstore by heading over to 6753 N. Sheridan Road. (between Columbia Avenue and Pratt Boulevard).
Yelper Elizabeth P., who reviewed Armadillo's Pillow on Oct. 12 wrote, "This is a really great local bookstore, inexpensive, great service — a good place to support."
4. Bookman's Corner
And then there's Bookman's Corner, a Lake View East favorite with 4.5 stars out of 92 reviews. Stop by 2959 N. Clark St. (between Oakdale and Wellington avenues) to hit up the next time you're looking to satisfy your cravings on a budget. The spot offers a wide selection of books at a range of prices.
Yelper Frank C., who reviewed Bookman's Corner on Nov. 11 wrote, "I've been going here for more than 10 years. I've discovered many books by accident that have been important to me."
This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
