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Bay Books Overview

Established in 1988, Bay Books serves our community of book lovers and collectors. Whether you are looking for that hard-to-find volume or the latest bestseller, Bay Books is the place to start. At our two locations, we stock over 600,000 books- half are new and half are used.

We have a wide array of art and architecture books, classics, cookbooks, craft books and history books. Our children's section is well organized and a favorite place for parents. Teachers and librarians (home-schoolers too!) receive a 10% discount on used books for classroom use. We boast a large selection of paperbacks, and we are very proud of our large collection of archival-quality leatherbound volumes. We carry all of the tradepaper bestsellers and some hardcovers too. You will find both new and used titles on our front tables and floor displays-all discounted 10-50% off. We don't carry every new hardcover, but check with us by phone; we are always glad to check the stock for you!

Our friendly staff enjoy sharing ideas and helping customers find interesting books to read. Often our staff members end up reading books suggested by customers because they, too, are book lovers. We are a member of the American Bookseller's Association, and participate in its nationwide programs. And, we are active in the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association. Bay Books will find rare and obscure books for you wherever in the world they are for sale. On request, we will special-order any book available new from our wholesalers, if we don't have it in one of our stores.

Bay Books helps our local schools, libraries and churches through book donations and fund-raising assistance. We were a major sponsor of the first annual 5K Fun Run/Walk, a fund-raiser for book acquisitions of the Contra Costa County Library. We have sent books direct to our troops, risking their lives in service to their country, in far-off Iraq and Afghanistan. We also donate books to the Blue Star Moms for their Care Packages to soldiers away from home.

This year we are celebrating the 21st anniversary of our Concord store.  It began in a small space at the back of the Park and Shop Center.  Now we occupy 6,000 square feet of space that is filled with new, used and out-of-print books and original  oil  paintings  and  watercolors  which are always for sale.   We are very proud of our Concord store.  It is airy, light, organized and friendly.  You find wide aisles, good lighting, an amazing selection of books organized by subject matter, chairs conveniently located for relaxed enjoyment of the bookstore, and a friendly and helpful staff ready to offer suggestions. Our aisles are roomy and there is always somewhere to sit and look at your books.  Sections are organized in alpha order so you can find books easily.

Our San Ramon store is a very busy place.  Though it is 4400 square feet of new, used and rare books, it is cozy and friendly.  Our staff are all passionate book lovers who are eager to talk books with you.  They love to suggest books for you to read and also to hear your suggestions.  Though we buy enormous quantities of books from the public every day, we try to keep the shelves neatly stocked and organized.

Supplementing our two bricks-and-mortar locations is the website you are now visiting.  Here we sell new books to you both for pickup in our store, and for direct shipment to you from the publisher.  In many cases it is your choice, although we could never stock all the books the publishers have, so, inevitably, there is a large number of titles that are only available online or on special order.  Besides using the search blocks in the right-hand column, you can also shop our warehouse site (see the link in the "About Us" block in the left column). Rest assured that when you buy online from us, you are supporting us just as much as when you buy in our stores. 

Our rare books are also available online. Please see the Store Information block in the left column for links to search engines for these rare books; one search site for Concord, and one for San Ramon.   


Remember when you shop locally- your dollars stay local.