I dont live in Chicago, but if I did, Id be making all my book purchases here. This has to be the best (non-used) bookstore in the U.S., especially for academic books.

The three best bookstores in Chicago are in Hyde Park. And this bookstore is the best of the best. The selection, variety and depth of the collection is mind boggling.

Gorgeous bookstore I was happy to browse through and support with a book and blank journal purchase.

Very well organized web site. Staff is knowledgeable, all transactions conducted via their website. Email notifications status of your order are the rule. Their location is not well marked, but curbside parking available.

Absolutely the best academic bookstore in the country. If you are associate with the University, youll want to get a co-op membership. The store is a maze of warrens and cramped, but it means there are more books, and it is well-organized with knowledgeable staff.

Cold and pretentious welcome, outdated mask policy, clothespin customer tracking…. Let people wear masks if they want, trust the science behind the vaccine, and finally, please welcome people visiting your bookstore after 18 months of pandemic hell.

A true gem of a bookstore on the south side and in Chicago more broadly. The term embarrassment of riches certainly applies here, so many wonderful events and a comprehensive selection! Oh and you can sip coffee and stare at a UNESCO World Heritage Site while youre there. Cant beat that!

Easy on line order, easy walk in pick up.

Has a good selection of books. Open to the public but also a place for University of Chicago students to secure their text books for class. Closed at this time due to covid. Outdoor station to order books during daytime hrs.

The best bookstore in Chicago.

Great collection.

The have an excellent selection of books. But truly, that shouldnt come as a surprise. After all, Chicago is a great place for books. But what distinguishes this bookstore is the space. I love how the shop is laid out. There is enough space to navigate between the aisles and shelves without knocking anything or anyone over, even with a book bag. The other point I love about them is the quantity and quality of associates available to customer for questions. Thats what makes the place truly remarkable.

Now, this—THIS—is a bookstore. Many bookstores these days are 40% trinkets, 30% children’s, and only 30% actual books. But this place is 99% books. Add to that, a clearly well-thought-out selection within a broad range of sections. I was especially impressed that they had separate sections for cognitive science, psychology, and science. Usually those three are lumped together on a meager few shelves at other bookstores. They had books that I’ve even had trouble finding on Amazon. While most books are list price, they have a good selection of used copies and sale books that are actually worth reading. The salespeople were very kind and friendly, and I saw them help several customers find what they were looking for. This is really a place in which I could spend hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars.

Nice bookstore came for a book reading for Morgan Parker. I love how the neighborhood has changed so much. Great place for a peace of mind.

A great place to pursue the stacks! For the range of choice and the opportunity to find books by chance. Excellent space for that to happen. The cafe is a delight too.

Between this and their sister store on 57th, they definitely have the nicest staff in all of Hyde Park. They recognize their regulars and call them by name. Its great.

I only know the University of Chicago from the economic experimenting that wrecked Latin America, so I was pleasantly surprised by this on-campus (but independent) bookstore. Terrific selection of literary criticism, poetry, theology, philosophy, history, sociology...and very critical economic theory. Bought a stack of books. Would have moved in if I could.

While I have a couple of iBooks I can easily access on my phone, I have not even turned a page on Leo Tolstoys Anna Karenina when I downloaded it two months ago. (it was free!)

At awesomely academic Seminary Co-op, you might run into a Nobel laureate or three.

Beautiful store on the already excellent looking U Chicago campus. Found a very rare book on digital fabrication in architecture at a very low price. Also a good coffee shop adjoining, and views of the Frank Lloyd Wright house immediately next door.

One of the best bookstores around. I love the variety and curated selection!

Very good curb service

Amazing little book store. They have a great selection and the workers are incredibly helpful

I dont think I can add anything to the reputation of this place. Just come already and you will not leave empty-handed, I promise. This is a living, brick-and-mortar fairy tale for a book lover. Not enough stars in ratings!

This bookstore is a gem. The selection is excellent whether youre a non-fiction/sciences nut like myself, or a fiction fanatic like my partner. The staff pics at the endcaps of each section are great, and the new-arrivals stacks are well curated. Overall, exactly what a college bookstore SHOULD be. *Bonus* Theres a nice little cafe called Plein Air located in the building. Get there early for lunch - the baguettes sell out nearly every day!

Best bookstore Ive ever seen, hands down. The selection of books on the front table is amazing and the staff very helpful. It was a unique experience.

Books on all conceivable topics, especially more academic titles that might be hard to find elsewhere. Helpful staff as well. A wonderful bookstore.

Amazing bookstore, with a huge selection of books in literature. The decor is very pleasant and the organization of books encourages browsing. Definitely one of my favorite bookstores in Chicago.

One of my favorite all time bookstores. The staff are so friendly, they have truly one of the best selections of all time (I especially love reading the little staff recommendations written under certain books!), and there’s even some nice, peaceful work space by the windows which I love. It’s a great resource for textbooks for UChicago students (perfect opportunity to support a local business instead of the University bookstore!) Also adjacent to an amazing coffeeshop!!❤️❤️

Great atmosphere! A bit more on the pricey side, but great selection of books to choose from!

Seminar is a co-op enterprise. We, the workers and community base own and operate the business. It is someplace really serious readers can find the books they need. A lifeline - over half a century in business.

The photos on this site should be edited. Many are from the old location, which was a claustrophobic basement of an old building. Six years ago the Seminary Co-op moved to its current location in the ground floor of a new building where the book stacks are creatively arranged in sunny, open rooms. There’s also a very nice coffee shop with patio seating, next door the Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fredrick Robie house. I’ve posted some new photos.This is the best book store in Chicago, especially for academics, philosophy and religion. The literature section is rich as well, and the bookshelves are arranged around chairs and seating nooks that invite browsing.

I love coming here! The selection of books is amazing and the vibe is inspiring. There is a sweet cafe next door too!

The best academic bookstore in the US. Amazing store. If you love books, this is the place to be.

The Seminary Co-op Bookstore is a grand pleasure. It has been one of the best bookstores in the world from its very beginning---when there were many many great bookstores to explore. Now, with bookstores becoming ever more limited, Seminary Co-op becomes progressively more important, treasured and worthy of support. It is a joy and source of deep happiness.

Once it was hailed as one of the finest bookstores in North America. Perhaps it still is.

Really neat selection of books, including a lot of titles that would be hard to find elsewhere

Flat out, Im a fan. All kinds of books from the obscure to the popular and they can order anything for you. Also check out their partner store 57th Street books. Go. Browse. Buy.

Wonderful selection of books and knowledgeable staff with a sense of humor

The book talks they offer cant be beat. I went to a great one yesterday. My only reservation is, of course, the prices. Im not a member, and without a membership the books are quite expensive. Ive only bought one, I think (after a book talk, of course).

Its such a great bookstore! I come here for events all the time and I appreciate how friendly the staff are!

If youre looking for a physical bookstore with incredible selection (especially in academic fields), the Seminary Co-Op is your place. (To take just one example, it is the only place I know of in Chicago where you can find most of the _Oxford Classics_ on the shelf.) I am a member, and membership -- while of course not required -- is well worth the cost if youre a serious book fiend.The Seminary Co-Op may not always be price-competitive with online retailers (although with the membership discount, this is disputable), but it compensates with the intangibles of the bookstore experience, especially the ability to physically browse through the shelves and discover fascinating books that no algorithm would ever have suggested.

Clean and organized; great vibe and selection. As a new bookstore, the prices are really steep, given the existence of online vendors, but they do offer sale books and free membership.

Great book selections in neat order so I found Hesse and Lacan in like 5 mins. Also nice staff! :)

I absolutely love this book store. Every time I go I end up spending at least an hour in there, sometimes two, whether I am looking for a certain book or not. They have such an amazing selection of books - new releases, current books, classics, and rare things that youve never heard of but immediately love. The bookshelves are set up in a different way than other bookstores Ive been to, and I appreciate the change.The staff is super knowledgeable and helpful. If you are a UofC student, they carry textbooks, so I highly suggest you check them out.Remember that they are a co-op, and you might benefit from being a member. Its worth enquiring. :)

Classic book store. Interesting books. Nice place.

Extensive collection of scholarly books. This store is a great resource for the greater Chicago community.

I loved this bookstore! Friendly staff, many interesting books, and nice coffee to have with your newest book nearby!

Amazing service! Really nice cashier

The world’s most important bookstore.

Great store for new and used books. Located near University of Chicago

Must visit for book store lovers. Nice cafe and good selection

The best academic bookstore in the country, hands down.

Best book store in the city, maybe even in the country. Forget Amazon; peruse the stacks at this place.

Great independent book store people with a brain, and a nice place for a coffee and/or lunch

Book store on U of Chicago Hyde Park campus. Go there for suggestions nt the nyt top 10

One of the best new book shops in the country. An great selection of book, many of them discounted.

In the top five of the best bookstores in the country.

Fantastic bookstore, phenomenal selection of books, and a lot of great events hosted in house every week. The only problem is the prices, particularly on the few used books in the store, are quite high.

This is an awesome bookstore, but mostly academic books. If you want other reading, youll want to check out their nearby store, 57th street books.

THE best academic bookstore in the galaxy!

One of the best academic book stores in the United States.

An intellectual bent well suited for the university, with a clever store layout to match.

This is an amazing bookstore with friendly and knowledgable staff. Become a member!

Excellent selection with friendly and helpful staff

The new ground level location doesnt have the same labrynthine feel as the basement location, but its still a great bookstore to get lost in.

I love this bookstore, great character and selection

Great bookstore with nice vibe and a great poetry section

Recently renovated bookstores with knowledgeable staff. I could lost browsing this place all day long!

Real books, esoteric topics, knowledgeable staff.

Very good selection of books, great for course textbooks.

All time favorite book store!

Great presentation by Dr. William Ayers

Maybe the best brick and mortar bookseller in the country.

Great book selection, love the coop idea and discount.

This is the most inspiring and incredible bookstore that I know of.

Adorable with a coffee shop (yet to try). A wee overpriced, but a co-op membership makes it worth it.

High quality products for sale here.

The most incredible bookstore Ive ever been to.

Great layout very welcoming

What can anyone say. ..the best there is...

Bookstores are always awesome.

So much to see!

Expensive. good book selection.

This is a quality bookstore that i wish could thrive in more places than just university grounds.

A must-visit for the serious book lover and/or academic resource.

The best place.

Excellent collection of books

Book labyrinth. If that appeals to you, this is the place.

Everything you want in an academic bookstore.

Best bookstore in the city

Best books.

Nice

Great selection

Totally enjoyed

Brilliant!

Must visit whenever were in Chicago

A gem.

Hell yeah

Overpriced like hell