Books on Sale: 10 Places to Go to for Second-Hand Books

1. Book Sale

Book Sale is a distributor of local and imported used and unused pre-owned books from the U.S., Canada, Australia and the U.K.

Great finds:
Caring for Your Young Child (Birth to Age 5) - P45
What to Expect When You're Expecting - P225
Children's story books - P30 and up

Sale schedule:
Children's Book Fest starts 3rd week of July, until supplies last
Christmas Sale starts 2nd week of November until December 2013

Branches:
Makati - Makati Cinema Square, Cityland 10 Tower 2, Cash and Carry, Alphaland Southgate
Taguig - Market-Market
Pasay - SM Mall of Asia, Harrison Plaza
Manila - SM City Manila, SM San Lazaro, Robinson's Place Manila
Muntinlupa - Festival Mall 1, Festival Mall 2, SM City Muntinlupa
San Juan – Shoppesville, V-Mall
Pasig - SM Megamall, Starmall, Cherry Foodarama, Pavilion Mall
Paranaque - SM City Bicutan, SM City Sucat
Las Pinas - SM City Southmall, M-Star
Malabon - CitiSquare Malabon
Quezon City - SM City North EDSA, SM City Fairview, SM Centerpoint, SM City Novaliches, Robinson's Novaliches, Shopwise Cubao, Farmer's Plaza, Waltermart North EDSA, Waltermart E. Rodriguez

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2. Book For Less

Books for Less retails second-hand books from the US.

Great finds:
Your 3 Year Old - P75
Your 4 Year Old - P50
Hypno Birthing - P98
Children's storybooks - under P100

Branches:
Pasay – SM Mall of Asia
Pasig- SM Supercenter Pasig
Makati – RCBC Tower 1
Mandaluyong - Pioneer Center
Marikina - SM Marikina
Quezon City - Centris Station, Shopwise Commonwealth Avenue, Eastwood City, Shopwise Libis

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3. Chapters and Pages

Chapters and Pages occassionally holds seasonal and year-long exhibits in malls around Metro Manila.

Great finds:
Rookie Dad - P90
The New Father's Panic Book - P90
Nursing Mother, Working Mother - P90
Drug Proof your Kid - P90
Romance pocketbooks - P29

Main store:
Gift Market, Ground Floor Market-Market, Taguig (near Mercury Drug)
Tel: 889-4635

Stalls:
Manila - Robinson's Ermita, SM San Lazaro, SM Sta. Mesa, SaveMore Nagtahan (year-long exhibits), 168 Mall (until August 15)
Quezon City – Trinoma, SM North EDSA (year-long exhibits), Robinson's Galleria (until December 2013)
Muntinlupa - Festival Mall

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4. Just - In

Just-in carries back issues of international magazines and pre-owned books.

Great finds:
Hardbound books on home, crafts and cookbooks - P250
Hardbound children's story books - P100 to P150

Ongoing Sale: P65 on selected pocketbooks until supplies last

Branches:
Pasay - SM Mall of Asia (Tel – 718-1026)
San Juan - Greenhills Shopping Center (Tel – 445-2889)

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5. Filbar's

Known for selling comic books and back issues of imported and local magazines, Filbar's also carries pre-owned fiction and non-fiction books by popular authors.

Great finds:
Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul - P180
Fiction paperbacks - P100

Branches:
Manila - Robinson's Place Manila
Makati - Walter Mart, Cash & Carry
Taguig - Market! Market!
Alabang - Festival Mall
Mandaluyong  - SM Megamall Bldg. A
Quezon City - SM City Fairview, SM City North EDSA
Cainta - Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall

Related story: A List of 57 Public Libraries in Metro Manila

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Second-hand book stores in Recto
Known as Manila's haven for used books, about 90% of what you will find in Recto are textbooks and reference materials. Try these stalls in the area:

6. Mang Vic's Palitan Pocketbook

Mang Vic sells English and Filipino pocketbooks, back issues of local magazines, and rare finds

Branches:  corner of Recto and Quezon Boulevard and Recto near Nicanor Reyes St.

Great finds:
Chicken Soup for New Moms - P350
Happy Potter Goblet of Fire - P200
Harry Potter Chamber of Secrets - P200
Hardbound coffeetable books - P100
7-book set of Harry Potter (new) P2,400
Bantam books like Sweet Dreams and Choose Your Own Adventure - P15
Back issues of Smart Parenting and other Summit magazines - P15

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7. Almar Bookstore

While known for supplying school books, Almar also carries a variety of new and used books.

Address:
1819 C.M. Recto Avenue
Tel: 7355673

Great finds:
New copies of the Chicken Soup series: Married Life, New Mom, Thanks Dad - P490
New copies of the Soul Retreat series: Woman, Mom, Busy Mom, Teachers, etc - P150
Assorted used self-help books start at P50
Hardbound children's books start at P80

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8. Expressions

A store for school and office supplies, Expressions also offers second-hand pocketbooks.

Great finds at buy 1 take 1 for P99:
I Love You, Mom!: A Celebration of Our Mothers and Their Gifts to Us
Our Daughters' Health: Practical and Invaluable Advice for Raising Confident Girls Ages 6-16
Working Mom's Legal Survival Guide

Sale schedule:
Bookfest: July 15 to August 31, 2013

Branches:
Caloocan - Ever Gotesco Grand Central (Tel - 364-5655)
Makati - Waltermart (Tel - 845-3373), Mart-One Guadalupe
Manila - Mendiola (Tel - 734-5824), Cinerama Complex Isetann Recto (Tel - 733-4229)
Quezon City - Waltermart North EDSA (Tel - 332-1943), SM North EDSA (Tel - 441-1861), Waltermart E. Rodriguez (Tel - 724- 4633), Ever Gotesco Commonwealth (Tel - 931-0963), Fairview Center Mall (Tel - 930-9711)

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Non-profit used book sources

9. Segunda Mana Charity Store of Caritas

Books are donated by various donors, and proceeds of sales go to the charity works of Caritas Manila.

Address:
2002 Jesus St., Pandacan, Manila

Great finds:
Tea Time for Moms - P20
Romance pocketbooks - P30
Children’s books - P20
Devotionals - P10

Branches:
Manila - Isetann Cinerama Complex, Recto, Pandacan (Head office)
Makati - Makati Cinema Square
Pasay - Harrison Plaza
Mandaluyong - Star Mall EDSA-Shaw
Caloocan - Victory Central Mall
Cainta - Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall

Related story: Where to Donate your Preschooler’s Used Books

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10. Reading Club 2000

Reading Club 2000 is a 24/7 book stop is open to the public for reading, borrowing, swapping and dropping books all for free.

Address:
1454 Balagtas St., Brgy. La Paz, Makati City
Tel: 0915-9027657 / 0926-6457641

Fleur delis Street, Barangay Putatan, Muntinlupa City

Great finds:
What to Expect When You're Expecting
What to Expect the First Year
What to Expect Toddler Years


All photos of bookstores are by the author. Thumb image is from slate.com