bookstores.

Unabridged Book Store

Expert Reviews of Unabridged Book Store

Citysearch | Although dubbed "the gay bookstore," this independent local shop offers titles for all readers.

This Boys Town bookstore has expanded to more than three times its size since opening in 1980. Staffers are full-time, and their recommendation cards yield thoughtful comments. It's not the most glamorous of...
citysearch.com - expert review - 08/14/2003
Full Review »

User Reviews of Unabridged Book Store

Yelp.com Review - by Katydid D.

5.0 of 5 stars. I'm a big-time nerd in disguise, a voracious reader who considers spending all day in Sulzer library a heavenly excursion. I maintain a large list of "Get From The Library!" books (literally, a list…
yelp.com - user review - 05/14/2008
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Jacqueline K.

5.0 of 5 stars. Another great independent bookstore. I love this place - they have a fantastic selection of the classics and lots of new stuff as well. Staff is extremely helpful and friendly.
yelp.com - user review - 04/26/2008
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by bj f.

5.0 of 5 stars. such a fine group of people employed here, and such a helpful set up, with the book reviews, because what can you really tell from a jacket blurb? i love all the genres they cover, some of which are…
yelp.com - user review - 04/13/2008
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by tania j.

5.0 of 5 stars. happened in here, wanted to spend a minute, and ended up spending an hour and walking out with a bag full of books--the best experience you could hope for in an independent bookstore. their stock is…
yelp.com - user review - 04/06/2008
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Rents B.

5.0 of 5 stars. I love this book store. I get such a great neighborhood feel here. And the book reviews are wonderful. I will always go here over the chain stores. They are extremely knowledgeable and friendly and…
yelp.com - user review - 04/05/2008
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Melanie V.

5.0 of 5 stars. i love that there's a whole downstairs section dedicated to travel. seriously, i could spend like 80 hours here just reading thru all the books. i also love all the handwritten recommendations on…
yelp.com - user review - 03/01/2008
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Anne M.

5.0 of 5 stars. I came into Unabridged for the first time today- I don't frequent the Lakeview neighborhood all too much but this place is amazing. I could have spent hours here if I hadn't had a 3 o'clock…
yelp.com - user review - 02/15/2008
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Melissa A.

5.0 of 5 stars. Has anyone mentioned the childrens and young adult sections? I absolutely love them. I admit, I love my weird young adult novels, and I always find a shiny gem in their stacks. And yes, the staff…
yelp.com - user review - 02/14/2008
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Delia C.

5.0 of 5 stars. ditto to everything that's already been said about this store: great staff, huge and varied selection (it's a very thoughtful selection of books) and some great naughty stuff, too. one really can't…
yelp.com - user review - 02/02/2008
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Brandon B.

5.0 of 5 stars. RIP: Heath & M.C., I miss you dearly. One of the last proud few bookstores with a little taste of everything and no attitude. Where else could you find a big children's book section next to a large…
yelp.com - user review - 01/25/2008
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Em B.

4.0 of 5 stars. I really appreciate the way this store is set up; namely that the "For Dummies" books are all together. I was just browsing that shelf, and discovered that not only did I want to "Write books for…
yelp.com - user review - 01/19/2008
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Melinda M.

5.0 of 5 stars. I love this store. In a world of huge Borders and Barnes and Nobles, this place is refreshing. Staff always know exactly where something is and are extremely helpful and friendly. They actually know…
yelp.com - user review - 01/16/2008
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Sara F.

5.0 of 5 stars. I love this little store. They have a millions recommendations and they always have a surprise on the shelf when I am browsing. I can't walk in here without walking out with at least two book sand I…
yelp.com - user review - 12/28/2007
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Justin C.

5.0 of 5 stars. unabridged! what a great store with overly helpful staff. if they dont have it they will order it for you in a heartbeat. their reviews are helpful, they have a great selection, and their travel…
yelp.com - user review - 12/09/2007
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Ed U.

5.0 of 5 stars. So do you remember that "Twilight Zone" episode where Burgess Meredith plays Henry Bemis, the bespectacled bookworm who survives an A-bomb blast and finds all the time in the world to read only to…
yelp.com - user review - 12/04/2007
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Lindsay K.

5.0 of 5 stars. I adore this store - would rather give them my money than Borders down the street. I love supporting our local businesses. the lesbian section, albeit still small, is the largest I've ever seen.…
yelp.com - user review - 11/30/2007
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Namaste G.

5.0 of 5 stars. Support Local Business- this is a great independent book store. The other thing I absolutely love is that the people working here actually read!!! They have always been great at recommendations and…
yelp.com - user review - 11/10/2007
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Julie E.

5.0 of 5 stars. One of the great remaining independent bookstores. A wonderful selection of mainstream and abstract titles. Many years ago, my friends and I waited in line to meet Ru Paul and get her autobiography…
yelp.com - user review - 09/17/2007
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Ralph L.

5.0 of 5 stars. A real gem in a world of Borders and B & N's. You won't go wrong at this store!
yelp.com - user review - 08/15/2007
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Pandora P.

4.0 of 5 stars. We always enjoy shopping here! Their recommendations are wonderful and they are always helpful. A good place to leisurely shop. Prices are higher here than the chain bookstores however, this is a more…
yelp.com - user review - 08/15/2007
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Kathryn T.

4.0 of 5 stars. I am a book store groupie. Honestly, I see a book store, I go in, spend hours scouring the shelves, and usually walk out with significantly less money than I started with. I've walked by Unabridged…
yelp.com - user review - 08/04/2007
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Andy F.

5.0 of 5 stars. I love me some good books and Unabriged carries 'em. As with any book store, Unabriged carries the newest offerings in every genre although with a queer bent that specializes in Child Lit! Now, if…
yelp.com - user review - 07/13/2007
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Molly H.

4.0 of 5 stars. This place is really nice. It has all the latest books, but also some off the wall, hard to find works. Very friendly staff and nice local joint. Well worth a visit. I buy from here before hitting…
yelp.com - user review - 07/07/2007
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Colleen S.

5.0 of 5 stars. I'll go here before Borders any day. The prices of books are pretty much set when you buy in a store so I don't see the point of patronizing a giant chain when I could buy from this grand little shop…
yelp.com - user review - 06/26/2007
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Lindsay N.

3.0 of 5 stars. Nice neighborhood bookstore, but it is truly a shame that large competitors offer their products so much cheaper. Small book shops like this arn't as common as they used to be... I enjoy coming in…
yelp.com - user review - 06/18/2007
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Maria C.

5.0 of 5 stars. Um...I *heart* this bookstore in a major, major way. Granted, I'm not allowed in bookstores all that often because I buy too many books I can't afford, but I digress. I walked into Unabridged one…
yelp.com - user review - 06/08/2007
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Steve R.

5.0 of 5 stars. I am so happy to see this place is still around and hasn't been amazoned out of business. It's one of my favorite bookstores in Chicago and we need to support the few community bookstores left in town!
yelp.com - user review - 04/14/2007
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Kyle H.

5.0 of 5 stars. Love this place! They always have the new releases right up front and their Employee Picks are a joy and something that the big boxes Borders and Barnes & N just try to duplicate. Unabridged has a…
yelp.com - user review - 04/05/2007
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Missy M.

5.0 of 5 stars. I flippin' love this bookstore! In fact, I now feel a strange alliance with them... kind of like the relationship you have with your hair stylist (you feel like you are cheating on them if you go…
yelp.com - user review - 03/19/2007
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Carrie C.

5.0 of 5 stars. This is a great bookstore. The variety is excellent. Everything from queer erotica to children's books. Something for everyone. The staff recommendations are excellent. They have never steered me…
yelp.com - user review - 02/19/2007
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Vince F.

3.0 of 5 stars. It's a sad day in my life when I move to a new city and am told to check out this bookstore by numerous people. Why is it sad? Because if this is one of the best independent bookstores Chicago has…
yelp.com - user review - 01/16/2007
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by B W.

4.0 of 5 stars. Classic indie bookstore. The hand-written staff recommendation cards, the hip McSweeney's-ish lit on display...it's all here. Nice selection with many categories. Stop in here before you hit up…
yelp.com - user review - 01/14/2007
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Tracy I.

4.0 of 5 stars. I LOVE this book store. They're loosely organized, which I can relate to.. plus it makes the joy of discovering something that much more rewarding.
yelp.com - user review - 12/28/2006
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Olga S.

5.0 of 5 stars. I told the staff that I read a story in perhaps the New Yorker, but maybe not, by a young female Russian writer who in the last few years published a book of short stories that she wrote in English.…
yelp.com - user review - 12/17/2006
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Heather S.

4.0 of 5 stars. Nice bookstore - I really like the staff's reviews. It is great that it is not a chain too! They often have book signings and it is where I met Anne Rice.
yelp.com - user review - 10/30/2006
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Dez Z.

5.0 of 5 stars. I see that other people have done a rather good job summing up the finer points of the bookstore so I won't write too much. In my opinion the coolest things about it are: huge gay book collection…
yelp.com - user review - 10/22/2006
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Erin B.

4.0 of 5 stars. I've been here several times, and everytime I walk in here I just feel so cool and hip. Yes, the prices are a little bit more expensive than that of their huge corporate counterparts, but I'd rather…
yelp.com - user review - 09/14/2006
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by TeaAddict G.

4.0 of 5 stars. The best stocked travel section I've ever seen in any book store, hands down! It's downstairs in the basement, do not miss it. Also in the basement are really are high-end vintage poster calendars.…
yelp.com - user review - 08/22/2006
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by John B.

5.0 of 5 stars. I used to live up the street from Unabridged Books, and I still miss it. It was great having a well run independent bookstore mere moments from home. At the same time, I spent more money here than I…
yelp.com - user review - 08/12/2006
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Philip K.

5.0 of 5 stars. You'll feel good walking into this place for a number of reasons: --it's obviously a small-business operation and it feels real good to support that kind of action
yelp.com - user review - 07/10/2006
Full Review »

Local Bookstore

This is a very nice little bookstore on Broadway. Everytime I walk by I am tempted to go in because ...
judysbook.com - user review - 05/28/2006
Full Review »

books

This place has a very wide variety to chose from. The prices are good and the people are easy to he...
judysbook.com - user review - 05/26/2006
Full Review »

Wow. What a bookstore!

This is an amazing bookstore. It has huge travel sections, childrens, literature and sale sections (great- deals here) but what I love best is that the staff, a group of devoted readers, writes reviews of...
citysearch.com - user review - 05/01/2006
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Noran W.

5.0 of 5 stars. A most excellent independent bookstore. It is worth driving 35 miles, from NWI monthly to visit, and I never leave empty handed. I have a Border's store within 5 miles of me and I rather drive to…
yelp.com - user review - 04/17/2006
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Jookie K.

4.0 of 5 stars. Because I have the memory of a schizophrenic turtle, I'm ceaselessly pleased every time I walk in here, which should be far more often. They have a brilliant range of books for such a small-seeming…
yelp.com - user review - 03/15/2006
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Jack C.

5.0 of 5 stars. I tend to think of Unabridged as a bookstore for (and by) book lovers. An amazing selection of books and periodicals, it's worth spending hours in here - just be prepared to walk away loaded down with…
yelp.com - user review - 02/12/2006
Full Review »

Unabridged Books

Unabridged Books is located on Broadway in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood.One of my favorite co...
judysbook.com - user review - 01/12/2006
Full Review »

great bookstore

I agree with everything said above...and they are dog friendly as well.
citysearch.com - user review - 11/12/2005
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Julia B.

4.0 of 5 stars. This Independant bookseller will probably have a lot of books you can't find in other bookstores. The staff is super friendly, helpful and can always offer an opinion on a book you might be…
yelp.com - user review - 11/10/2005
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Lacie G.

4.0 of 5 stars. I love to support this store. They have a thoughtful selection of not so common topics. The staff also gives reviews of new books that are sincere and appreciated. David Sedaris gave a reading here…
yelp.com - user review - 11/09/2005
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Oscar the Death Cat B.

5.0 of 5 stars. Unabridged Books is among the last of a dying breed of successful, independent bookstores in the city. I think it remains successful because it serves well the patrons who live in & visit the…
yelp.com - user review - 10/05/2005
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by Bill M.

4.0 of 5 stars. This independent bookstore on Broadway is still holding out amongst the major chain bookstores. Browse around if you have some time.
yelp.com - user review - 08/23/2005
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by A.S. V.

4.0 of 5 stars. If you're not digging the corporate takeover of the book market, there's certainly plenty of options. Unabridged is one of the larger independent booksellers, and there's a good chance you'll find it…
yelp.com - user review - 08/14/2005
Full Review »

Yelp.com Review - by a w.

3.0 of 5 stars. Shelves and shelves of random books, quite disorganized in my opinion. But there's some great books to be found among the chaos. If you're a book lover, its worth a trip to this store!
yelp.com - user review - 07/08/2005
Full Review »

Spend your afternoon here

This is a fantastic local bookstore. The staff offer many of their own candid and honest book reviews, there is a huge selection, there's a lovely atmosphere and its in a great neighborhood. I would recommend...
citysearch.com - user review - 12/24/2002
Full Review »

Great Boys Town bookstore

Love this bookstore. It's got a nice mom-and-pop feel to it, with the best selection of gay and lesbian books in the 'hood. And what a sale rack! You can find great hardbacks for five bucks. Can't beat it....
citysearch.com - user review - 05/13/2002
Full Review »