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I recently had an overnight business trip near Dallas. But I couldn’t just sit in my hotel room that night. Travel for work is still travel…right?
A bit of Google-ing turned up the perfect thing for me to do in this little-known Texas town. Denton is home to the largest rare and used bookstore in the state!
I HAD to see it before I went home! (And I even brought my family back to it 3 years later, after we moved to Texas!)
And here are 3 reasons you HAVE to see this magnificent bookstore too!
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It Has a Huge Inventory
As an absolute bibliophile, to be unexpectedly tossed into the same city as such a marvelous book store could only be destiny.
I jumped into my tiny rental car and sped off for Recycled Books in Denton even though it was nearly 7 pm. Luckily the store closes at 9, so I had time…or so I thought!
Two hours was nowhere near enough time to peruse these shelves. Forever might not be enough time to see all of Recycled Books in Denton.
There are huge sections of records, CDs, and DVDs, along with nearly half a million books. I could easily spend the whole day wandering around this literary labyrinth.
And what a labyrinth it is!
This bookstore makes its home in a 17,000-square-foot former Opera House and is packed to the brim with mismatched shelving full of merchandise.
From the fiction section on the upper level to the records on the ground level to the obscure genres squirreled away in the basement, Recycled Books in Denton is sure to have something for everyone!
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The Unique Atmosphere
You could search the whole world over and I doubt you’ll find another bookstore in a purple opera house. Recycled Books’ atmosphere is unusual in all the best ways!
There are a dozen small alcoves scattered throughout the store. Each one is labeled by genre and decorated to match.
The travel section was adorned with maps. While dozens of pictures of sea animals filled the walls of the niche full of marine biology books.
Mismatched flooring also contributes to the uniqueness of the store. From the green shag carpeting in the front windows to the busted 70’s-era linoleum in the basement, the store’s unique history shines through.
In keeping with the eclectic vibes, Recycled Books in Denton offers entire sections of obscure genres, such as Lesbian Pulp Fiction. And there is a shelf right under the ceiling labeled ‘Books for Tall People’ – a genre I’ll never be familiar with.
Handmade signs designed to be both entertaining and helpful are posted throughout the store. They label each genre and provide useful information about the merchandise.
It’s the small details throughout the store that give Recycled Books in Denton an extraordinary atmosphere all its own.
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It’s Affordable!
One of the main ways I judge any store is by how much it cost me and Recycled Books in Denton did not let me down!
I walked out of there with 2 bags FULL of books for less than $50!
Most of the paperbacks in the store cost half of the publisher’s price on the back cover.
The hardback books are priced individually based on their condition and availability. This bookstore’s prices truly can’t be beat!
This bookstore quickly became one of my favorite places on Earth! Since we live in Texas now, I plan to make as many visits to it as I can.
If you’re ever in the Dallas area, I highly recommend checking out Recycled Books in Denton!
