Smith Family Bookstore

Category:	Used Book Store
Address:	525 Willamette St, Eugene, OR 97401, USA
Phone:	+1 541-343-4717
Site:	smithfamilybookstore.com
Rating:	4.1
Working:	10AM–6PM 10AM–6PM 10AM–6PM 10AM–6PM 10AM–6PM 10AM–6PM Closed

Location

Photos 78

Reviews 12

Marilee Reyes

People who whine because someone who is concentrating on reviewing what books the store can resell rather than socializing with them would be better off in a big chain store. I have taken my books in probably 15-20 times in the past 6 years and they have always been professional and polite, but not ditzy butterflies. They know their business. And hogwash to the person who said they never have to check their bags when entering a store. They, too, belong only in big chains where a certain amount of the business is already earmarked for loss through shoplifters. Small, family run businesses frequently require bags and back packs be checked. Look around with your eyes open and youll see the signs. I like both stores, but I generally go to the Willamette store because parking is too difficult at the 13th street store. However staff has always been available to help me find the section I want, and have even called the other store to see if the have a specific title in stock.

TT S

The owner tends to be found most frequently over here and she is very sweet and quite the authority on books. The prices here are extremely reasonable, sometimes more so at this location than their university location (1 of 2). Of note used books can be donated and in buying books there is a no return policy but you can hold books for a good amount of time, they are quite negotiable. Downtown Smith Family I find to be the best for the most relaxing and definitive in creative type books. I could be wrong but Ive frequently found a lot more books on drawing and travel (calligraphy, needlepoint, scrapbooking and an immense cookbook section and if you want all of the hiking Sullivan books they can be found here), more autobiographical books and books on theories of knowledge such as math, biology and psychology are here. If you want textbooks go to the university location.

Roxanne MacDonald

While I love supporting local book stores I have a difficult time with supporting Smiths. The selection of books is outstanding and the pricing is reasonable. Where they fail is customer service. I went to the location on Willamette yesterday to get one of William Sullivans books on hiking. I had hoped to get it used but, knew that if not used I would get 10% off the new price. I got the book and approached the cashier to purchase it. He was talking with another employee about which location they would be working at the following day. I stood quietly for a moment and then made eye contact with them both and said that I would like to pay. He rang me up, continuing to talk with the other employee the ENTIRE time. Neither one smiled or talked to me. The next book I purchase will be through Amazon.

Taylor Truesdell

Wanted to (possible) buy some "better-to-rare" books, maybe signed copies, not looking for a specific title. Too bad for me; they have them, but I couldnt look at them, they said I had to go back home and look for a specific title in the internet. Except on ABE, where they say they are, I was unable to look up a specific bookstore. The stores are linked to the book, and if I could just find a title that they have, I could click on a link for Smith Family, and maybe see if they show the entire inventory. ABE doesnt show any way to search for a specific companys offering, so that didnt work. Thus, the $300 I had on me did me no good, and no one there seemed to care much. I guess they make enough money on the paperbacks they carry, which did seem well arranged. Time for a Powells run, I guess

A Private User

selection of books is great but the staff is horribly rude. the last time I visited I was 8 months pregnant and had my 5 year old with me. Naturally as 5 year oldst tend, to do she had to use the restroom right after been there for 15 minutes, and I had a stack of childrens book that I was going to buy. The rude woman working told me I had to walk a couple blocks to the nearest public bathroom, keeping in mind that I was 8 months pregnant. I just set my entire stack of books on the counter next to her & walked out. I couldnt believe that they would be accommodating to a very pregnant woman and a small child. I have not been back since.

Angela Ward

There is a huge selection, but the woman working the counter was very rude. I came in with a huge list of books I needed for school and she and another employee just waved me in the direction they thought I might find my books. I came back overwhelmed and lost asking if they might just check their database. She told me they dont keep an electronic database of their books. I asked her "how do you know what books you have?" She said "we look with our eyes" and pointed to her own eyes in case I wasnt intelligent enough to to know what eyes were. The service was a massive turn off. Go to the other Smith Family, or Tsunami books instead...

A Private User

I came in today to sell 4 books and was told by the disinterested clerk I would need to wait 15 minutes. So I stood there waiting and he totally ignored me. After about 5 minutes he suggested I put my books down. I went to check out the selection of books on home food preservation and didnt find anything of value. I found I needed to use a restroom. When I asked the clerk where the restroom was I was informed they didnt have a public restroom and told that I should use the one at the train station 2 blocks away. It was an insulting experience.

Noah Kerr

Always a fun place to browse for unexpected reads. Also, a handy place to seek used textbooks, if youre a student. While the fiction sections are fairly well ordered and easy to navigate, most of the non-fiction stocks quickly spill the shelves organization. While this has its own sort of charm, the store lacks an effective system to otherwise keep track of individual items. This said, both locations (Willamette St. & 5th Ave. and 13th Ave. & Hilyard St.) are worth checking out.

Cassandra Anderson

Ive gotten lost in this store (In a good way!) Their book selection is excellent. My favorite aspect is the foreign language section. Smiths Family Bookstore is the only place I know who will have a selection of kids books in french at any given time. Also the downtown location is HUGE! There is something for everyone there. Even my gamer husband can find his out of print Dungeons and Dragons books.

Sodindo Banana

I really cant disagree with the reviewers whove deemed this place "snobby"... having frequented it for the better part of three decades, Ive seen plenty of apathetic arrogance from them myself. This seems to have consciously changed in the last few years, though. And theyve still got a hell of a lot of fairly cheap books. :)

Larissa Carrillo

Wanted me to put my purse behind their counter. They want to insinuate that I would put a book in my purse, well, how do I know they wont go through my purse or someone else while their back is turned. Ill just give my business to St. Vinnies, their books are cheaper and I dont have to give a stranger my purse

Panda McCurtain

A delightful treasure house full of wonder and simply DAYS of volumes to peruse. If being taken by the hand and escorted to the book of your choice is what you seek then head elsewhere! This is a gem worth spending the proper time in to find what you seek and what you didnt know what you were seeking!