The Book House

I’ve been here twice and and each time was a blast! I’m a bit of a book worm and the tight feeling of the bookshelves was oddly comforting. The people there are very nice as well. It’s a huuuuuge selection of books, mostly older books. I probably should go through some pluses and possible cons in more detail. Honestly the pros way outweigh the cons for me but it might be a dealbreaker for someone else. If you have any questions, chances are the people there would be willing to help you!nnCons:nSMALL - it’s definitely small with a lot of books, and some may find it claustrophobic. There’s a specific spot around the boyscout books and the world culture books that even I think is tight, but there is another way around.nI wouldn’t say it’s easily handicap accessible in the shelves. Some shelves are stacked and still have books lining the bottoms.nUNCLEAR HOURS- the hours are limited.nHARD TO NAVIGATE SELECTION-If you’re looking for something particular on your own it might take a while. It’s more of a hidden gem kind of place, not a Barnes and noble. However it doesn’t hurt to ask for help!nnNeutrals:nPARKING -parking is limited but the area is usually pretty deadnOLD BOOKS -a lot of the books are older and outdated. I personally like that for historical research purposes, but I doubt many people will find use of old rotary telephone manuals. For 8$ I found an old question/answer Japanese travel book from the early 2000’s and I was genuinely intrigued because it was prior to the 2011 tsunamis and subsequent Fukushima nuclear disaster. I found that info interesting, but not everyone willnCOST-some see cost as an issue, but in my opinion it’s usually just seeing the value of the book. Both are ok ways to look at it. I saw a 1940’s engineer reference book for 95$ Which is more than a modern one would sell for (although that kind of info doesn’t usually change toooo much) . I purchased a Star Trek next gen ship manual for 25, when it was originally 13$. However with inflation that sounds about right and it was a gift for my dad who I know would super enjoy it. There’s cat who books for 2$ Which is close to their original price which is quite a deal. Just kind of depends.nnPluses:nVARIETY-an absolute avalanche of book varieties!!! There’s so much there I think anyone would find something. I could spend hours and discover there’s two rows of books on a single shelf and do it all over again.nSome interesting tidbits: murder mystery, white wolf roleplay books, nonfiction information books, classical plays, classical stories (Charles dickens, Jane Austen, Oscar Wilde), fantasy/science fiction, old kids books, biographies, and Christian books. There’s a couple of notable local history books as well, such as laws from centuries ago.nFRIENDLY STAFF-the people running the place are really friendly. The door says the hours are limited due to someone taking care of their elderly mother. They love talking about local events. I got a 5$ coupon last time I was in. If I’m not mistaken they’re active In the community.nCOZY- it’s surprisingly cozy. There isn’t necessarily a place to sit and read, but there aren’t too many people usually so you can sit in a corner to flip through a book. Last time I went in with my boyfriend and we sat on the floor and browsed the classical books for a while.n-there’s also a book exchange out front!

Prices are a bit high on some books but they've got lots of old ones and if you tell the owner what you are looking for she knows exactly where it is.

Quaint little shop. Dont be in a rush. Lots of hidden treasures!

This is an amazing little book store packed with classic treasures. A visit for any bibliophile.

* full disclosure, I'm the shopkeepers' daughter* The Book House is a bookstore specializing in used and out of print books. If you love books and find yourself in northern York county, you should stop by. My Mom is very knowledgeable and can help you find what you are looking for ( my Dad, the Air Force vet mentioned further down, sadly passed away early this year). Besides books there is a small offering of antiques and fleets of Hot Wheels, Matchbox, and other die-cast car collectables.