Bluestocking Books 
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Welcome to Bluestocking Books. For over 40 years, 3817 5th Ave has been an independent bookseller in the Hillcrest neighborhood of San Diego, California. We stock used and new titles as well as bookish gifts, cards & ephemera. We carry books on all topics that seem interesting and important as well as those that let our minds escape - a little of everything! Customers may trade used books for store credit. We Special Order books of all kinds.
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Best independent bookstore in town?
(created by neight on January 4, 2008)
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One of the oldest shops still around with an eclectic selection - always interesting things to purchase.
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Bluestocking books has a very helpful, welcoming staff. They are eager to order any books that are not currently on their shelves and ship them direct to your home, though why you wouldn't go back and browse some more is beyond me!
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this is an excellent bookstore.
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Bluestocking helped me gather hard-to-find studies on Mark Twain, as well as a great poster of Rosie the Riveter. I found a memoir by someone who lived in the same place in Ireland that my mother once lived, and other books collecting stories from the Aran Islands. Broad range, friendly, knowledgeable staff.
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A bright (smart) bookstore run by a bright (smart) lady - that's Kris' Bluestocking Books.
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I worked at Bluestocking Books for four years, and a better employer and better job environment could not be hoped for. I heart Kris and Bluestocking Books!
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Always ask if I need assistance, really friendly.
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great selection of books, easy to use website, friendly service and conversation. It's nice to have a bookstore where the people who work and own it truly love books.
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Bluestocking books has the best book selection available. The customer service is incredible and the atmosphere is unbeatable!
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Organization, friendliness, service, location, great books and fun staff!
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They have the friendliest staff!
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Great shop, excellent staff, and books you really won't find anywhere else. Keep up the good work!!!
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Bluestocking Book store has been a mainstay in Hillcrest and has managed to maintain a very loyal clientele despite the convenience of ordering books online. I think that speaks of the connection the store has with the community and the types of books they continue to offer.
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Very friendly, great selection, cool location, i love finding an excuse to visit the store!
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To the right when you walk in there’s this intriguing table of books that changes all the time. I’ve found many treasures at this table and that’s just one table. The shelves are wonderfully stocked. It’s a gold, silver and diamond mine of books!
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A bookstore with old world feel; great selection of obscure titles and publishers; special orders friendly and prompt; a classic, allowing free expression and free speech within it's walls; the readings and the clientèle is always interesting.
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Cool atmosphere, community spirit, you can tell these people love books!
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When you're in Bluestocking Books, time just seems to slip away. With a relaxing ambiance, an impressive selection of books, and a knowledgeable, personable staff, Bluestocking Books is a gem.
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I like the independent atmosphere and the knowledgeable service.
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Bluestocking is ever a great choice for new and used books, as well as intriguing gifts and ephemera. The shop is always looking forward, changing and providing an interesting array of reading choices. Buy local! Love ya Bluestocking!
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The combination of used and new books is wonderful. Also, their newsletter is the best I've seen coming out of ANY bookstore! And they have both print and online newsletters - for a book lover, what more could I ask for?? :)
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Neighborly customer service.
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Bluestocking consistently selects the best of contemporary fiction and features innovative publications. It's one of the few places in the San Diego area to obtain premier publications like McSweeney's and the Believer, as well as local and national zines. They have a fabulous, friendly, knowledgeable and helpful staff/
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BLUESTOCKING BOOKS --
AN APPRECIATION IN NINE HAIKU:
classy and relaxed,
this refreshing book-tique
reminds me that its
word-loving people
who make literacy fun --
no 'move-more-units'
barnes/and/ignoble
nonsense here with chris and her
handy, well-read crew:
the pleasure(s) of the
text is this store's purview
and in that, it shines . . .
. . . in fact, the folks at
bluestocking books are much more
than merely adroit
page-mavens with a
happy knack for the act of
bibliophilic
congress [ bookselling ];
for they excel, moreover
in the rare art of
hot, lusty, lengthy
literary intercourse:
for they not only
love to sell good books,
they read them too -- and truly
love the books they sell.
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Open-minded, kind, real down to earth folks-they love books!
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They offer so many ways to be resourceful, including buying your old books back and offering either a trade or 25% off new with your credit. I tried taking my books several other places and none were nearly as nice.
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great
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Affordable books on so many subject and extremely knowledgeable and helpful bibliophiles who work there!!
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Cool store.
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Always love this place.
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Great service
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Always helpful, always feel welcome, always find a fabulous little something I wasn't looking for
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we love hillcrest!
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Kris and the gang make Bluestocking a place to come, feel comfy and encourage book reading.
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Bluestocking is the heart and soul of bookstores.
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Because they have great books that usually I have to go to San Francisco to have access to, a nice staff, a really nice cozy atmosphere, and they are community minded and have flyers for local events available in an uncluttered way.
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Because they have GREAT books that usually I hafta go to San Francisco to have access to, a nice staff, a really nice cozy atmosphere, and they are community minded and have fliers for local events available in an uncluttered way.
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The staff at Bluestocking are great and they know their stuff.
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Not only do they have a fine selection of new and used books, their staff is always courteous and friendly. However, what really sets this bookstore apart is its support of its local community and the local community of writers.
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They have a unique selection of books and choose to make window displays which celebrate the month( ie Black history month, women's history month, national poetry month.) Their table near the store entrance always displays works by the finest writers and thinkers and topics which are relevant to current events and they have great service. I also like their in-house book discussion sessions and their readings by local poets.
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I like the large assortment of paperback books and the helpful and friendly employees.
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Knowledgeable, friendly Bluestockings on duty at all times. Lovely setting, comfortable, well-lit atmosphere. Unusual finds as well as some of the more standard books abound.
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Great selection of new and used books. Terrific ambiance. And one of the few truly charming places left in Hillcrest, which has become vapidly "trendy."
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They offer a great experience in reading!
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Bluestocking is a great store. The staff knows books! They are not just clerks. I order books from them and they come in quickly.
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Bluestocking Bookstore is one of the last bookstores in a neighborhood which used to thrive on its many used bookstores. It offers a unique selection of merchandise and interesting conversation with staff as well as a very welcoming atmosphere. These factors, coupled with regular updates of goings on related to the bookstore via email make this a bookstore worthy of being voted number one.
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It doesn't look to the NYTimes to decide what is the best book to read; it has unusual, titillating and unique selections.
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I think they are the best. I always feel welcome in their store. And the employees are always cheerful and they always make conversation.
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Bluestocking is a real neighborhood institution we can count on for great stock and the company of friends.
