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Pilsen Community Books
1102 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608, United States
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Pilsen Community Books
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Ji
Review №1

I’ve had many pleasant experiences with Pilsen Community Books ever since discovering them over two years ago! Extremely friendly staff, excellent shopping in-store, and a wide selection of online books. 10/10 would recommend!

Ke
Review №2

I was looking for a larger used books store, but this didnt disappoint. I got 2 new books (that Ill eventually get to), and the whole Narnia series in one book! And the price was dope! Ill be back. Great vibe, they were thoughtful when I stepped away for 1/2 an hour... great.

Ta
Review №3

Pilsen books is a great community bookstore! Theyre a small/medium bookshop, but you can also order books on their website and pick them up in store. They have several monthly book clubs that you can join and a large YA/childrens book section. They also sell cards and stationary if youre looking for gifts.

An
Review №4

One of my favorite book stores I’ve ever stumbled on! A wonderful assortment of books and what a cosy space!

Je
Review №5

Looking for an awesome community bookstore? Great place to browse for your next manifesto.

Al
Review №6

What a wonderful store! They have a good selection of children books.

Iv
Review №7

Such a lovely find in Pilsen. They have all the latest and greatest books and then more things you never knew you wanted to read! Most paperback books are

Ha
Review №8

Ive wanted to visit Pilsen Communiy Books since buying their Always Carry A Book sweater and visiting this weekend from Minneapolis, this space was all I ever dreamed of! Great poetry and non-fiction selection, plus a lovely assortment of childrens books, with many Spanish language books available to offer to the surrounding Latinx community. This is a bookstore that puts the ideas and dreams of radical writing into action!! I will be back!

Ma
Review №9

Really nice atmosphere and a great collection of books! Staff Knows a ton about pretty much any book you could ask about.

Li
Review №10

Friendly staff, great selection! Everything you could ask for in a neighborhood bookstore!

Br
Review №11

Cozy, quaint, diverse book store with a wide and eclectic selection. Great for finding local books about Chicago, books written from Chicago based authors, and a they offer a number of books in Spanish. LGBTQ friendly.

Da
Review №12

A phenomenal selection of Leftist books, new and old. They stock the typical categories of fiction and nonfiction as well, but the political and activist sections stand out!

So
Review №13

Cute place! Even though theyre not open to the public right now, just being able to see from the outside all of their books is amazing.Placed my order online and it was ready within minutes! Their attention to detail is the reason I prefer to shop here instead of corporate companies.

Jo
Review №14

Good selection, good service, definitely meets its purpose of providing books and community.

Cr
Review №15

Amazing selection, great staff.

St
Review №16

Im from Portland. If I had to name my favorites Id have two in the top, Pilsen Community Books, and Powells Books & I still wear my old Pilsen Tee with love (like the logo). If youre reading this... and havent been-- just go. Dont think. Do.Read.

Cr
Review №17

Wonderful selection of books for and friendly, passionate staff!

Sa
Review №18

Always a great experience! Every other Friday night they stay open late and host a special event. Excellent service and jovial staff. :)

Ni
Review №19

I love Pilsen books! Have always had incredibly good experiences while there. Also have contacted them about 2 or 3 books Ive been searching for and they respond quickly via email and hold the book for me for a day or two until I can get in and pick it up. Theyve been smart about COVID practices. They also sell these recycled paper notebooks and Im on my 4th one, as Ive been using it as a daily journal for the last year or so.Good prices. Great atmosphere. Fantastic people doing fantastic things. Keep doing your thing, Pilsen Community Books!

Ma
Review №20

I really like it here. A pleasant place to be inside of, spend some time in and find something interesting to read. Wide selection of books at decent prices. I love that they have a kids book section in the back, and stock some cool zines (including some from Chicagos own Tan & Loose Press).The wall to wall, floor to ceiling books is awesome—the rolling ladders are a book-lovers dream—but overwhelming. What books am I missing way up there near the ceiling?Definitely dont skip this place when youre in Pilsen; youll love it!

Am
Review №21

Great selection of books with fair prices

El
Review №22

Excellent selections and a must see when visiting Pilsen.

ye
Review №23

Staff was not welcoming maybe because Im not part of the gentrification that hit Pilsen.

An
Review №24

Great deals. Got a used book for half off the original price even though the book still looks brand new. Awesome place to buy books.

Le
Review №25

Great for snagging an unexpected read! Wide selection of books, and you leave knowing your purchase benefited the community (through the stores community programs or simply local business ownership.)

Pe
Review №26

Great selection. Great prices. Great staff. Im very glad to have this bookstore so nearby

Ki
Review №27

I got books delivered during the quarantine and this store was great! Very quick response, all the books were wrapped up really nicely and they even put in a little note! They had a wide and detailed online selection. Plus we love a worker-owned business.

Fa
Review №28

Highly recommend!

Am
Review №29

Great local book store with pre-order and pick up service!

Et
Review №30

Great selection of books for such a small space. Many political books youre unlikely to find many other places.

Tr
Review №31

Extremely friendly staff, I love the little bookmarks they give you with each purchase that teaches you a new word. Prices are great! Very cozy.

Ra
Review №32

A quaint bookstore with floor-to-ceiling shelves filled with affordable books. The selection was well curated with a reasonable number of books in each genre. The books that I checked were all $6.

Ga
Review №33

Pilsen Community Books is among the best bookshops in Chicago and definitely one of my favorite places in Pilsen. Its worth checking out if you are from other neighborhoods in the city. Their selection changes at a good rate to make it worth visiting weekly, the staff is helpful and knowledgeable, and the books themselves are in very good condition with excellent pricing. The art and poetry sections are my favorite by far, always offering new books and the often rare findings.

El
Review №34

Really great selection and atmosphere. I regularly make purchases here and can’t wait to explore the children’s section with my kid. Service is very friendly. I do wonder about the guy wearing the communist pin at the register though. Is this a communist book store? PCB definitely has more books than me... sooo do we still have to pay for these “community” books?

Ei
Review №35

Great selection and prices. Staff are friendly and helpful.

Iv
Review №36

Super helpful and friendly staffs. Very reasonably priced used books. Not too big of a place but has a good selection of everything.

Au
Review №37

If youre a fan of bookstores, run to Pilsen Community Books. Its one of (if not the only) bookstore in the Pilsen neighborhood. Its in a block of several other row houses and this house is converted into an independent, used bookstore. Its well organized, but the books stay on the first floor of the row house.For housing tons of used books, Pilsen Community Books is clean. The books are in good condition and the store is kept clean. The staff (who can often be seen reading when not helping customers) are helpful and know the store and its books well.If youre looking for a fun day of exploration in Chicago, go to Pilsen and add this bookstore to the itinerary. There are nearby cafes and restaurants with some of the best and most creative food in the city!

Wa
Review №38

This is an awesome spot! This makes shopping for books enjoyable. The size is a perfect balance of small shop meets nice size inventory. The books are laid out to make the most use of the small space which gives a cozy feel. Its completely contrary to the larger book stores. Its located in a high pedestrian area so there are few cars around, but plenty of street parking available. Everyone is friendly and very knowledgeable of all the books they carry. Theres little room to sit and read but you can easily walk to the many nearby shops and restaurants with your book!

Em
Review №39

The wall to wall display of books was amazing to look at, but the great selection of books and reasonable prices was even better!

Ph
Review №40

Great selection of all genres. They keep stocked on new books of broad, local, and specific appeal. I love stopping in to see what catches my eye. They also have some used and rare books for sale.

He
Review №41

Lovely small independent bookstore with a good selection of new and used books. Prices are reasonable, staff is friendly and helpful. Enjoy finding books I didnt know I wanted when browsing.

An
Review №42

A little gem of knowledge in pilsen.

Sa
Review №43

I love this bookstore, it’s so cute. Great spot to find children’s books.

Ae
Review №44

Found a copy of Love - a Toni Morrison book I was in the middle of reading until it was stolen with my luggage from a hotel. Went inside bookstore hoping theyd have it. $6 for the same paperback release w/ authors foreward. Surrounding neighborhood is vibrant! Thank you very much, Pilsen Community Bookstore!

am
Review №45

Cute location, and additional info is on the website. I love that its a used book store but not to many copys of the same book nor too many extra items for sell.

Ev
Review №46

Books arrived beautifully wrapped with a personalized, handwritten note.

Da
Review №47

Wonderful place. Very knowledgeable staff

Ab
Review №48

I cant get enough of this place! Who knew that a used books store could be so classy with a wide selection thats also affordable! My boyfriend and I love coming here. Its probably the best book store in Chicago to be honest.

Su
Review №49

A beautiful and serene bookstore, that reminds you that independently owned bookstores should always be in existance. Many of the books are used, but you would never know because they are in new condition, and less expensive! An amazing selection of books, you could spend many hours looking through, and enjoying every moment!

Al
Review №50

Amazing selection—highly recommend the selected books, set aside. Incredible prices for these rare finds.

Sa
Review №51

Intimate with knowledgeable staff and decent selection.

La
Review №52

Wonderfully curated books. A gem of a bookstore

Za
Review №53

Great prices on a very large selection of used books; lots of great titles and hidden gems for a few dollars cheaper than your usual bookstore, plus the people who work here are passionate about their work. However, given that its location is in Pilsen and very few of the books are in Spanish it might come off as insulting to the community, though its doubtful that this is anything more than an oversight.

Jo
Review №54

Cute book store for used books in Pilsen, very well organized and kind.

KA
Review №55

Little neat book store!

Jo
Review №56

Well lit, plenty of room and a knowledgeable friendly staff.

Jo
Review №57

Excellent Selection and super cheap prices.They have fiction, biographies, philosophy, economics, politics, childrens books, photography, etc. soo many good choices.

Sa
Review №58

Such an adorable treasure trove! Wide selection of reading materials, old-fashioned library decor. Its such a charming place to frequent!

Fr
Review №59

Great find in Pilsen I didnt know was there! Good selection and prices Check it out.

Ma
Review №60

Lovely place with good and cheap books

Jo
Review №61

Such a wonderful little book store with new, used, vintage, and rare books. They someone serve wine and cookies :)

Ma
Review №62

An amazing new and used bookstore! Cozy with great lighting. And helpful service!

Er
Review №63

Wide selection and excellent atmosphere

Ro
Review №64

Very warm nice place! Great inexpensive books, great customer service. Loved it

Ro
Review №65

Awesome selection of books. Will definitely return. Glad to have a nice book store in Pilsen

Tr
Review №66

Great local bookstore with good prices and friendly, helpful employees. The selection is fantastic, with some great old editions mixed with the best in recent publications.

Ma
Review №67

Amazing store... spend a little time and you’ll find your next special book

Mo
Review №68

Great little bookstore with plenty of books to choose from!

Al
Review №69

Good customer service! They were more than happy to help me find a book.

Cy
Review №70

This is a lovely addition to our neighborhood and very supportive of our local schools! Amazing staff!

Ef
Review №71

Its defiantly a niche. Ive only been inside the store once and I didnt buy anything. There was a selection of genres in the store. Unfortunately, none that captured my interest or my wallet. Overall, its probably someone priced location but Im not that someone.

Us
Review №72

Excellent selection, fair prices. Floor to ceiling bookcases, plants...

Al
Review №73

Great selection of books - old and new! Great vibe and friendly service.

Na
Review №74

A must place to visit, great selection on books and they order books for you if they don’t carry it.

Mi
Review №75

Great place to browse books. If you ask they can order your new books as well.

Jo
Review №76

Great used bookstore. I found some excellent books at very affordable prices!

Jo
Review №77

Great owner. Love the prices and affordable prices. Will be my go to spot now.

Sm
Review №78

Great small boostore bery friendly people and comfy atmosphere🔠 all genres!

Fr
Review №79

Extensive book selection, donation system and obvious dedication to serving educators and learners. Would love to see a built-out Asian-American history/culture section someday.

Fr
Review №80

AMAZING BOOKSTORE! Ive been a shopper here since its opening. They never fail to disappoint!

Sa
Review №81

I love the selection and the adventure in finding treasures in community books!

Jo
Review №82

Gorgeous store with a really nice selection of books!

As
Review №83

So cute. Love the floor to ceiling bookshelves!

Se
Review №84

Awesome location, great service and selection

Nu
Review №85

Liked it. Cute, vintage spark.

Ya
Review №86

Just exactly what Pilsen needed – a bilingual used bookstore curated with mind-stimulating texts. High five!

Da
Review №87

Great people, great selection

Mi
Review №88

Nice bookstore, owners seem to be very passionate about their work. A lot of rare books!

Ai
Review №89

This place was great the books were affordable and the staff was helpful

Ro
Review №90

Literally books from floor to ceiling is a plus in mind. Very simplistic layout as well; still best to ask if they have books available or nah.

Jo
Review №91

A book store in a Spanish speaking community that sells almost no books in Spanish or related to the culture. A move to kick the current residents out. Will not support!

Al
Review №92

Amazing selection and very friendly and helpful staff

Hi
Review №93

Pilsen Community Bioks is our newest treasure in the community. Its like a small book Heaven.

Ro
Review №94

Friendly, great, organized selection, good prices and variety

Ch
Review №95

Bag o books every time I leave! Clean friendly and the selection is libraryish.

Ge
Review №96

Really great book store with a large collection. There is something here for everyone!

Om
Review №97

Good place to find a book. Shop local.

Ju
Review №98

Best book store in town.

Li
Review №99

Beautiful shop with lots of awesome books!

Em
Review №100

Friendly staff; a pretty, clean and well organized store with a good variety of books for any sort of reader. Its a true neighborhood bookstore.

Information
79 Photos
100 Comments
4.8 Rating
  • Address:1102 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608, United States
  • Site:http://www.pilsencommunitybooks.com/
  • Phone:+1 312-478-9434
Categories
  • Book store
  • Rare book store
  • Store
  • Used book store
Working hours
  • Monday:12–6PM
  • Tuesday:12–7PM
  • Wednesday:12–7PM
  • Thursday:12–7PM
  • Friday:12–7PM
  • Saturday:12–7PM
  • Sunday:12–5PM
Service options
  • In-store pickup:Yes
Accessibility
  • Wheelchair accessible entrance:No
Planning
  • Quick visit:Yes
Payments
  • Debit cards:Yes
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