Independent bookstores ~ 1 hour from Plano, TX?

August 1, 2013 6:56 AM

I'm in Plano for work, and will finish up a bit early this afternoon - looking for any well-stocked independent bookstores no more than an hour or so away by car - recommendations? Thanks!
posted by ersatzkat to Shopping (7 answers total)

Half Price Books. It's not indy, but they're not Amazon either. I moved to Florida from Dallas and miss them dearly
posted by I am the Walrus at 7:03 AM on August 1, 2013 [3 favorites]

IndieBound has a storefinder, though most of the names on a Dallas search are ones I recognize as used, niche, or the size of a closet. I think "A Real Bookstore" is the one that used to be in a vastly overpriced half-empty shopping center in Frisco and has moved to Fairview, that's the only full-sized indie in the area that isn't Half Price.
posted by Lyn Never at 7:07 AM on August 1, 2013

Yea, seconding Half Price Books. Not much in Plano can really be considered independent at all. If I remember correctly, the one off 75 and Northwest Highway was massive.
posted by astapasta24 at 7:07 AM on August 1, 2013 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Recycled Books in Denton is fantastic. It is a large used bookstore that also has a great selection of used CDs, including local music. Google maps has it as 42 minutes from Plano.
posted by jilloftrades at 7:24 AM on August 1, 2013 [5 favorites]

Lucky Dog Books has three locations in the Dallas area that are within an hour of Plano. I would recommend that you check out the Lochwood and/or Oak Cliff locations over the Mesquite location.
posted by blacktshirtandjeans at 7:39 AM on August 1, 2013 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Seconding Recycled Books! I spent many glorious hours there in college. Bonus if you're a musician: UNT in Denton has one of, if not the, largest college of music in the U.S., so there are a *lot* of academic music books & scores for dirt cheap there. It's also got a really big art school, so although I can't speak to it personally, I suspect it's got a great collection of art books as well. It's also got a whale of a used CD/record collection (it's called Recycled Books & Records, or it used to be), with loads of really great classical and jazz albums.
posted by nosila at 7:51 AM on August 1, 2013 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: Recycled Books was the freaking bomb - I flew home with a suitcase that was 15 pounds heavier than when I left, and I deeply regret that I left behind the 3-volume copy of the complete letters of Vincent Van Gogh. I did, however, find a stack of first editions byJohn Graves, may he rest in peace. Cannot WAIT to go back to TX for work now! Thank you!!
posted by ersatzkat at 8:47 PM on August 2, 2013