Tangible Books

"Your Favorite South Side Neighborhood Bookstore"

About Us

Tangible Books, located in Chicago IL, is the Chicago Land Area's newest premier bookstore. We specialize in a large selection of books. We carry a wide range selection of topics and interests, and have a constant turnover of books with new books added daily. We would personally like to invite you to visit us at our new location off of South Halsted. For your next book purchase, visit Tangible Books in Chicago.

Areas Served

Chicago and Chicago Area | Chicago and Chicagoland Suburbs

What We Offer

Our Specialties include:

Over 50,000 Books
Used Books
We Buy Books Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday (Not Buying Books Month Of January)
Events Throughout The Year - Check out our social media

Our Services include:

Local Authors
Book Donations and Drop Off
Search and Order Service

Our Products include:

Fiction
Sci-Fi
History
Psychology
Art
Political Science
Architecture
Novels
Hardbacks
Books about Antiques
Bookmarks
Large Print
Literature
Comics
Graphic Novels
Classics
Music
Poetry
Mystery, Kids, Fiction, Non-Fiction, Science Fiction, Philosophy, Religion, Cook, Art, History, Hobby Adult and Young Adult Books

Testimonials

On 8/3/2026 Dan Miles had this to say:
A real bookstore ❤️

On 7/22/2026 Isaac had this to say:
Fantastic collection of foreign language books and exceptional attention to customers. I came to Tangible Books on my first visit to Chicago, looking for some secondhand gems. As soon as I walked in the door, one of the employees asked me what I was looking for and personally showed me the foreign language section. As a language nerd, I was so impressed by the sheer variety: I saw books in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Urdu, Vietnamese and Ukrainian, and I’m sure I’m forgetting some. I came with the intention of getting books in both other languages and English, but their foreign selection was so great that I left without any English ones! Highly recommended for any secondhand book lovers, especially those looking for books not written in English. Well worth the trip!

On 7/16/2026 C V had this to say:
Highly worth checking out! Good selection, friendly staff.

On 5/23/2026 Dan Shay had this to say:
Cute as heck, many popular authors are at the desk.

On 5/10/2026 T R had this to say:
One of the best bookstores I've ever visited and likely my new favorite. Reasonable prices, massive selection, very well organized and with many niche/specific categories! This place is a true gem.

Contact Us

Tangible Books
3326 S. Halsted Chicago, IL 60608
Phone: (773) 909-5218
Email: bostonar2268@yahoo.com

Where To Find Us

Payment Types Accepted

Checks, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa, Debit Cards

Our Hours

Holiday Hours May Vary. Please Call For Details.

Monday: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM

News

Events:
1. Book reading: Chicago in 77, Sunday May 4th 2025 @ 7:00pm, Author Karen Roddie.
2. Book Release: Moby Dick, May 10th 2025 @ 7:00pm, with Publisher Mallory Smart and Designer Dmitry Samarov.
3. Performance: Borikuerdas in Bridgeport, May 31st 2025, co-hosted by the Richard j. Daley Branch.

New Recurring Events: Yoga for Introverts, All levels yoga every Sunday 9:00am-10:00am, bit.ly/tangibleyoga

Speakers for the recurring Poetry Show:
May 3rd: Christine Clark and Jae Green
June 7th Natty Chris Gallinari, Sandy Marchetti and Jamie Wendt

On 2/6/2024 this was posted:
Nurrah Muhammad's film "Erin and Elaine" filmed at Tangible Books! Check it out https://youtu.be/TEtbAhnvn0Y?si=WKLOUlWtiJwJMhFn
Expires 2/29/2024

Nurrah Muhammad's film "Erin and Elaine" filmed at Tangible Books! Check it out https://youtu.be/TEtbAhnvn0Y?si=WKLOUlWtiJwJMhFn

Tangible has 6620 books that are either on Amazon, on Ebay, or being processed in the bookstore. Can you guess the number of books on the shelves? Leave guesses on our Facebook page.

Closest guess gets: a tote bag and a $30 gift certificate.
2nd place gets: a tote bag and a $20 gift certificate.
3rd place gets: a tote bag and a $10 gift certificate.

Winners announced on Sunday January 21st.

Come check out some events we are hosting at Tangible Books! Everyone is welcomed!

September 9th: 7:00 pm-10:00 pm Sobotka Release Party

September 16th: 7:00 pm To Whom It May Concern: Letters from Dmity Samarov Featuring Mallory Smart and Annie Howard

Do Not Submit Presents: Open Mic Night the First Thursday of every month. Sign up list 7:15 pm / Show 7:30pm
- Free Entry
- BYOB
- Light refreshments provided.
- Join DNS Chicago and your hosts for a storytelling open mic in Bridgeport. You'll have 7 minutes to tell or read any story you'd like. All levels welcome!! No pressure. No judgement. No scoring. Everyone has a story to tell and we want to hear yours!
- Questions: DONOTSUBMITCHICAGO@GMAIL.COM

New Poetry Show. First Saturday of every month: 7:00pm-9:00pm
- Poetry/Spoken Word (also some music, stand up, and performance art)
- Email: carlivit@gmail.com for more details

joshdimension and Tangible Books present Tangible Music: 3rd Wednesdays at 7:15pm

Info

The Buddy System
Jackalope Coffee
So Happy You're Here
Augustine's Boutique
Order Amazon Books

FAQ

Where do your books come from?

Our books are provided to us by members of the community who buy, trade, and sell their books to us.

What kinds of books do you carry?

We offer a curated selection of used books across a wide range of genres.

Do you host events or book signings?

We love supporting local authors and regularly host readings, signings, and community events.

Where do I find the cost of the book I picked out?

You can find the cost on the first white page in the top right corner written in pencil.

Can I sell or trade books with you?

We trade and sell books on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturday during open hours, and donations are excepted anytime, anyday!

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