Spectator Books - Oakland, California

Jaradie C.

You’ll love being a spectator here. This bookstore is similar to going to Barnes and Noble but with an ump. There are DVDs and board games for vintage lovers. My favorite part about this bookstore was the unique cards. Consider yourself lucky if you get a greeting card from this shop. The Artistry has a different feel than mass-produced greeting cards. The higher price tag is worth it, in my opinion, for those special people in your lives.

Arthur G.

Spectator Books has a fabulous selection of new and used books. The store has many little rooms and feels both welcoming and challenging since there are so many different kinds of books to examine. It’s very possible to literally spend hours reading and exploring in this delightful bookstore.

Cillian S.

Incredible selection of books! Might come back again, but the owner (presumably) kept butting in to interrupt the employee who was helping me, which made me feel really uncomfortable and kind of put me off.

Tsdoihoi

Love this place! It is so cozy and everything about it just amazing. Outside is a little pink cart that has all the books on sale for 0.91¢ ($1 with tax). I was able to grab a book for myself and also some books for others. They have a very good selection just from the front cart alone. They also have other items on sale as well. When you walk in, they have masks, hand sanitizer, wipes, a “drink parking”, everything you need to feel comfy. This store is STACKED with books and every single genre. I came across a great find which I bought for a friend (the book in the picture) and it was a used book but in perfect condition. Interior is clean and well organized.

You get punch cards for purchase and right next to the register is a “purse launch pad” for people to put their stuff down to pay. I just loved how they thought about each detail in a customer’s experience and those little things made me fall in love.

Robert T.

Great bookstore with an extensive collection of used books to browse, as well as a well curated selection of new releases.

Mike

Large assortment of books. The sales girl was very helpful and knowledgeable.
Very good service! Thanks for great experience!

Flicker/Bas O.

Phenomenal little bookstore. I was worried that the shop would be too small/narrow for my rollater walker, but I can squeeze through just fine. Larger/wider wheelchairs may be an issue, but I'm sure the folks inside would be happy to help-- the staff here is incredibly kind and accommodating. They also offer punch cards for regular patrons!

Altay H.

Avoid this place if you expect any level of respectful customer service. Absolutely appalling service at this bookstore. I asked about purchasing old books for my library and was rudely brushed off by the staff who insensitively mistook my intentions for seeking donations. The staff was dismissive, refusing to listen and instead chose to repeatedly interrupt me with the same misguided assumptions. This is no way to run a bookstore; their blatant rudeness and lack of professionalism were shocking.

***Update Following Store’s Response:

-Your response clearly uses the language barrier excuse to deflect from your rudeness, a tactic that feels discriminatory, especially given the subtle judgment based on my name. This evasion not only highlights a deeper issue of prejudice within your establishment but also unfairly insinuates to other readers that my language skills are lacking because of my name. This clearly shows that the problem isn’t just poor customer service, but an underlying discriminatory attitude.