Business Details
50+ Years
experience
Your Trusted Independent Bookstore in Minneapolis
Established in 1975, Paperback Exchange has served as a locally owned and independent bookstore in Minneapolis, Minnesota, for nearly five decades. Our inventory of over 150,000 books spans current bestsellers, out-of-print oddities, and specialized genres including Mystery, Science Fiction, Romance, and Non-Fiction. Located at the intersection of 50th & Penn Avenue South, we offer free parking, bike accessibility, and convenient public transit options. We specialize in helping customers locate hard-to-find titles, provide mail-order services nationwide, and maintain a rental program for current hardcover bestsellers.Our trade-credit system rewards customers with 70% off used books and 25% off new books when they exchange qualifying titles. Despite recent challenges from a water main break that damaged our historic location, we remain committed to rebuilding and continuing our legacy as a community-focused literary resource.
Services
Used Books
New Books
DVDs & Blu-Ray
Gift Certificates
Book Search
Mail Order
Hardcover Rentals
Trade-In Program
Vintage Paperbacks
Special Orders
Details
- Year established: 1975
Highlights and features
- We offer 50 years of bookselling expertise in Minneapolis
- Our inventory includes 150,000+ diverse book titles
- We provide 70% off used books with our trade-credit system
- We offer special order services for hard-to-find titles
- We maintain a curated selection of vintage and collectible books
Services
Used Books
Our extensive collection features 150,000+ gently used books across all genres. Customers receive 70% off cover price with trade-credit or 50% off without. Inventory includes current bestsellers, vintage paperbacks, and rare out-of-print titles. New books arrive daily through customer trades and acquisitions.
Trade-In Program
Earn trade-credit by exchanging qualifying books. Receive 70% off used books or 25% off new titles using your credit balance. Minimum $5.95 credit per trade-in for most books, with balances transferable and never expiring. Excludes library copies and heavily damaged titles.
Special Orders
We locate and order books not in current stock, including academic texts and small press titles. Most special orders arrive within a week. Available for both new and used titles, with 25% discount applying to new orders when using trade-credit.
Hardcover Rentals
Access current bestsellers at reduced rates through our rental program. First week costs $2.95 with $0.25 daily extensions. Ideal for readers wanting premium titles without full purchase price commitment. Available for in-store pickup only.
Mail Order
We ship books nationwide with custom rate quotes. Services include special order fulfillment and trade-in credit processing for remote customers. Packaging and shipping fees apply based on delivery distance and book quantity.
Questions
What types of books do you carry?
We have 150,000+ titles spanning Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Children's books, and Non-Fiction. Inventory includes both current bestsellers and rare out-of-print editions.
Can I trade in my books for store credit?
Yes! Our trade-credit program gives 70% off used books when you exchange qualifying titles. Credits start at $5.95 per book and never expire.
Do you offer special order services?
Yes, we can order any book not in stock. Most special orders arrive within a week, with 25% discount available for new titles using trade-credit.
Are there rental book options available?
We offer hardcover book rentals at $2.95 for the first week plus $0.25 daily extensions. Rentals require in-store pickup and return.
What happened to your physical store?
Our historic location sustained water damage from a February 2024 main break. We're operating pop-up sales while planning rebuilding efforts to restore full operations.
