I had a horrible experience with this bookstore as I was doing an exchange for cash and brought in a box of 50 books, they took 16 of said books and gave me 15 dollars in exchange for them which is less then a dollar a book, which im sorry but less then a dollar for a book when they're selling them for 5 or 6$ Thats just outrageous which honestly i wasent expecting a fortune from them but a little more for the amount of books they accepted would have been nice, ontop of that 2 of the three lady's were quite rude
The store is beautiful. I was immediately excited when I walked in the door. Well organized and simply a book lovers haven. BUT!! Proceed With CAUTION! I came looking for a certain book I called about the previous day for. The lady on the phone was kind, helpful and informative and I was looking forward to my first visit here. When I got there the two woman at the counter blew my mind with their ignorance and lack of respect. I kindly said hello and good morning and asked if they had the book I called about, neither woman paused. The older one of the two looked up at me with a confused look on her face so I added that I spoke to someone about it already yesterday and discussed picking it up this morning. Her response with an unimpressed tone, "she's not in yet", as she is unboxing and scanning books in the system. Me, standing there confused with the type of customer service I was experiencing, not knowing anything about their process, if I was supposed to go find the book myself, or if I was supposed to wait, or maybe she was quickly looking through her stack of books for the one I asked for? I had no idea what I was supposed to do or what was next by her response. So, I respond: "the lady on the phone said it would be coming in today, it's my first time here" Employee: "she's bringing it from her house and she's not here yet". Now I'm feeling dismissed and her ignorance quickly turned to disrespect. I then added: "I have travelled this morning to come here, how long do you think she will be?" With the look of "who cares" slapped on both of the woman's faces now, the younger lady lifts her head and pipes up to say "she just left Canadian Tire, she won't be long". Now my insides are starting to boil. I ever so carefully stayed respectful and further asked, "So, about 20 minutes?" After a big huff from the young lady, she responded with "if that". I made it loud and clear that they were disrespectful and rude as I walked out the door. So, I sat in my car, waiting. I waited about 30 mins before going back inside and another woman was at the desk with dark curly hair (thank goodness). Professional, kind, and informative - must have been the same woman I spoke to on the phone yesterday. She gave suggestions and shared some perks of purchasing from them. I bought my book and left feeling much better about the store. Employees can really shape a business. They are the face to most business. If a business chooses to hire and keep rude, disrespectful and unworthy people of a customer service position, that speaks volumes about the business. I am against Big Box and will always strive to support local but local stores should start employing worthy and qualified peoples of their positios.
Wow!!! What an extensive selection and huge store! It's packed to the rafters, literally!! If you're a book lover, you will want to see this massive selection!!
I simply adore this bookstore for its thoughtfully curated and expansive selection of gently used books—many of which are in remarkably pristine condition. It’s a local gem for any avid reader. That said, I find it difficult to rate the experience higher than three stars due to repeated encounters with a particular staff member—an older Caucasian woman who, while appearing to be quite knowledgeable, has consistently come across as unwelcoming, and at times, overtly condescending. I’ve spoken with other regular patrons who have shared similar impressions, which suggests this is not an isolated experience. Although I haven’t confirmed her name (she may even be the newer owner Nicole, however I’m unsure as there’s only photos of the old owner, Wendy online), I’ve come to instinctively avoid interaction during visits when she is present. I’ve made genuine attempts to engage in friendly conversation in the past, but these were met with such coldness that I’ve since stopped trying. Books have always offered me a form of escape, a refuge from the day-to-day. Unfortunately, the discomfort I now associate with visiting this store—despite its many literary treasures—has occasionally driven me to purchase titles elsewhere, even at a higher cost, simply to avoid a negative interaction. I do hope this feedback is taken in the spirit intended, as I remain a strong supporter of independent bookstores and would love nothing more than to fully enjoy the experience this shop could offer.
Most of the positive reviews are from people who have purchased there. All the bad ones are from people who have dropped off books. I'm one of those. Don't waste your time making an appointment to drop off your books thinking they'll give you some cash. It's a scam and bad business practice. I went in there mid-June and asked if they paid for books. They said yes, but I had to make an appointment. They initially asked me what types of books I had. Not then, nor on their website did they specify what types of books "sell" and what don't. My appointment was 3 months later. I prepared my collection of minimum 100 books comprised of interior design, architecture, gardens and gardening, fiction, finance, self-helps etc. A really mixed variety. Due to the amount, I had to hire someone to help me move them all. After the drop off, I get a call the following day, saying they would pay me $10 for over 100 books. I went in to collect my $10, and felt like throwing it back at them saying they clearly needed it more than I did. The excuses they came up with for such a measly amount were lame and when I questioned them, their claim was that "only a few were going to sell." Then they claimed demand "changes every day". I don't know how both can be true.
I had a great experience with Kim at Rivendell. I was trying to unload some of my Dad's sports books since he passed in 2023 and wanted to honor him and his collection. She was very helpful, and kind. I know it was huge collection to look through and in the end they were able to take some. I appreciate the time and effort that was made today. Thank you very much!
Love at first sight! As soon as I walked into the bookstore I immediately became a fan, the amount of books but also the type of books that they have. Caters to so many audiences! And the owner and her daughter are awesome, they have great taste in music too!
Rivendell Books is a Canadian Used book store based in Barrie, Ontario. Rivendell Books is located at 165 Wellington St W, Barrie, ON L4N 1L1, Canada.
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