This Giant South Carolina Secondhand Bookstore Is A Book Lover’s Dream Day
Some doors lead into stores. One entrance in South Carolina leads into thousands of other worlds.
Inside this Greenville treasure hunt, shelves stretch in every direction. Novels wait beside biographies.
Vinyl records compete for attention with comics, movies, games, and collectibles nobody planned to buy but suddenly cannot leave behind.
Minutes disappear quickly here. So do shopping lists.
One aisle might uncover a childhood favorite. The next could hold a forgotten album, a strange movie, or the perfect book for a rainy weekend.
That unpredictability helps explain why more than 1,700 reviewers have awarded this place an impressive 4.7-star rating.
What makes a secondhand bookstore worth losing an afternoon inside?
The answer lives somewhere between its enormous selection, affordable discoveries, and endless sense of possibility. Grab a sturdy tote bag, silence the clock, and start exploring.
In this Greenville maze, getting lost is not a problem. It is the plan.
A Plain Storefront Hiding A Book Maze
One shopper once admitted she drove past this spot for years on her way to the grocery store, never bothering to stop. She thought it would be a letdown.
Big mistake, and a classic case of judging a bookshop by its cover.
Mr K’s Used Books, Music and More sits at 101 Verdae Blvd, Suite 320, South Carolina in a busy shopping center on Greenville’s east side. From the parking lot, it looks like any other storefront.
Nothing about the outside hints at the huge maze of shelves waiting behind the glass doors.
Step inside, though, and the space just keeps going. Aisles stretch farther than you expect, lined with paperbacks, hardcovers, records, movies, and toys.
The air carries that soft, papery smell that every book lover knows by heart.
Part of the fun is that surprise. You walk in thinking you will grab one novel and leave in twenty minutes.
Then you look up, see the signs for dozens of genres, and realize your afternoon plans just changed.
So go ahead and tell whoever is waiting in the car that you might be a while. Honestly, they should just come inside too.
Browsing here is a group sport.
Vintage Treasures Greet You At The Door
Picture this: you push open the door, and the very first shelves you see are packed with old, collectible books. Faded cloth covers, gold lettering, and spines that have clearly lived a few lives.
It feels a bit like walking into a time capsule.
Fans of antique books tend to lose their minds right here, and in the best way. One visitor was so thrilled by what she found near the entrance that she called her mom three times from the store to gush about it.
That is the kind of reaction this corner tends to spark.
A quick heads-up before you fall in love, though. Many older books and some vinyl records are priced as collectibles, not as basic used items.
That means a rare find may cost more than a regular secondhand paperback.
Think of it this way. You are paying for something that may be hard to track down anywhere else in the Upstate.
If you want a gift for a history buff or a reader who loves old editions, this section is your starting line.
Take your time, flip gently through the pages, and check the price sticker before your heart gets too attached.
Every Genre Has A Home (And A Label)
Organization nerds, rejoice. Shelf after shelf at Mr K’s carries clear genre labels, so you always know exactly where you are.
Mystery lovers, sci-fi fans, romance readers, and theology scholars can all find their corner without wandering in circles.
Shoppers bring this up again and again. Reviewers often praise how neat and easy to search the store feels, especially compared to messier used shops where books are stacked in random towers.
Here, it really is a place for everything and everything in its place.
The owners clearly care about this. In replies to customers, they have said they try very hard to keep things organized and easy to find.
They also invite anyone hunting for something specific to simply ask the staff.
Here is a smart strategy for your first visit. Start by doing one slow lap around the whole store just to learn the layout.
Then circle back to your favorite sections and dig in deep.
Keep a list on your phone of authors or series you are chasing. With everything sorted so clearly, you can knock out that list fast and still have time left to browse for surprises.
Your future self will thank you for it.
Shelves That Change Every Single Day
Here is the secret sauce: Mr K’s buys used books, music, and movies from the public, then puts them right back on the shelves. That simple model means the inventory is always shifting.
The store itself says new things come in every day.
What does that mean for you? The shelf you browsed last month is not the same shelf today.
A book that was missing before might suddenly appear, and something you passed on might be gone for good.
Regular shoppers love this about the place. One longtime fan said she can always find something for herself or for family and friends, no matter how often she visits.
It turns every trip into a small treasure hunt.
There is also something cozy about it. Every used book here has already been loved by someone else in the community.
When you take it home, you become the next chapter in its story.
A good rule to follow: if you see something you really want, grab it. Waiting until next week is a gamble, since another reader might scoop it up first.
The upside is that there will always be a fresh batch of finds the next time you walk through the door.
Trade Your Old Books For Store Credit
Got a closet full of books you already finished? Mr K’s might want them.
The store runs a buy-back program where you can bring in books, CDs, DVDs, and more in exchange for store credit or cash.
This is how plenty of locals keep their reading habit affordable. One customer said he has been buying and selling books and DVDs here since he was a teenager.
Clear out your shelf, then refill it with something new to you.
Keep your expectations realistic, though. Like any used store, Mr K’s has to resell what it buys, so the offer will be lower than what you might get selling items yourself online.
Shoppers who have used the program often call that the price of convenience.
Not everyone leaves happy. At least one visitor felt the offer on older first editions was far too low, so if you own rare or valuable books, you may want to research their worth before you go.
Knowing what you have is always smart.
For everyday paperbacks and movies you are done with, though, trading is an easy win. Call ahead at 864-286-3000 if you have questions about what they are currently accepting.
Vinyl, CDs, And DVDs By The Crateful
The name says Used Books, Music and More, and the music part is no joke. Crates of vinyl records, racks of CDs, and rows of DVDs fill a big chunk of the store.
Customers mention the DVDs and CDs almost as often as the books.
Flipping through records has its own special rhythm. You tilt each sleeve forward, scan the cover art, and hope the next one is that album you have been hunting for years.
One shopper happily walked out with a used classical CD, while another noticed ABBA playing over the speakers during her visit.
Movie nights get a boost here too. Instead of paying for yet another streaming service, you can build a real collection of films you can hold in your hands.
Older titles that vanished from streaming can sometimes turn up on these shelves.
Collectors should know that some LPs carry collectible prices, especially rare pressings. Casual listeners can still find plenty of fair deals if they are patient and willing to dig.
Bring a friend who loves music but does not read much. They will be happily occupied in the record bins while you wander the fiction aisles.
Everybody wins.
Comics, Games, And Action Figures Galore
Somewhere between the novels and the records, things get wonderfully nerdy. Mr K’s carries comics, games, collectibles, and a colorful spread of action figures that even non-collectors stop to stare at.
One visitor admitted he did not even know some of these items existed until he saw them here.
Comic fans can spend a long time flipping through issues and graphic novels. Reviewers describe the comics selection as plentiful, which is great news if you are filling gaps in a favorite series.
Pop culture lovers will spot familiar faces from movies, TV shows, and video games all over the place.
Games are part of the mix as well. Whether you are after something for family night or a solo gaming session, it is worth a peek.
Stock changes often, so what you find depends on what came in that week.
Collectibles make fun gifts, especially for that friend who seems impossible to shop for. A quirky figure or a retro toy says you really thought about them.
Kids and grown-ups alike tend to linger in this area. Set a timer if you are on a schedule, because this section has a sneaky way of swallowing an hour.
A Surprisingly Big Kids Section
Parents, you are going to love this part. Shoppers regularly describe the children’s area at Mr K’s as surprisingly big, with loads of titles to choose from.
It is not just a sad little shelf tucked in a back corner.
Young readers can hunt for picture books, early chapter books, and middle-grade adventures. One shopper was especially pleased by how many good children’s books she found, and she said the store was worth the drive even for non-locals.
Affordable used copies really help, since little readers can go through stories at lightning speed.
Here is a tip that works wonders. Give your child a small budget and let them pick their own books.
Kids who choose their stories often feel more excited to read them.
A bookstore trip can also be a great screen-free outing on a rainy Greenville afternoon. Kids get to explore, touch real books, and discover characters they might never find through an app.
Once they have their stack, swing by the comics and toys for a quick look. Just be ready for a few extra requests at the register.
Consider it an investment in raising a lifelong reader.
Friendly Faces Behind The Counter
Out of more than 1,700 Google reviews, helpful staff is one of the things people mention most. That says a lot about the folks who work here.
The store holds a strong 4.7-star rating, and the team is a big reason why.
A couple of names get special shout-outs. Shoppers have singled out Robbie and Brian as especially sweet and always willing to help with questions.
Others describe the checkout crew as kind, polite, and quick to lend a hand.
The vibe is relaxed, too. One quiet visitor noted that the staff stocking shelves left readers in peace to browse, which she appreciated.
You can wander for hours without anyone hovering over your shoulder.
Need help finding something? Just ask.
The owners have said they want your shopping experience to be as easy and pleasant as possible, and they genuinely seem to mean it.
Something else that stands out is how the store responds to reviews. The owners reply to comments with warmth and honesty, even admitting when they cannot beat giant online sellers on price.
That kind of openness makes Mr K’s feel less like a chain and more like a neighborhood hangout.
Plan Your Visit Like A Pro
Ready to go? Mr K’s is open Monday through Saturday from 10 AM to 7 PM, and Sunday from noon to 6 PM.
Hours can shift around holidays, so check the website at mrksusedbooks.com or call before a special trip.
Getting there is simple. The store sits in a shopping center at 101 Verdae Blvd in Greenville, with a shared parking lot right outside the door.
Weekday mornings tend to be calmer than weekend afternoons if you like quiet aisles.
There is no admission fee, of course, so browsing is completely free. Prices vary, with many used books costing far less than new ones and some current releases sold at a discount.
One happy shopper walked out with six books for about 38 dollars.
Specific accessibility details are not widely published, so give the store a call at 864-286-3000 if you have mobility needs or questions. The staff can tell you what to expect.
Most of all, give yourself time. Reviewers constantly warn that a quick stop turns into hours, and one visitor who arrived 30 minutes before closing ran out of time with a pile still growing.
Bring a tote bag, a snack for later, and zero plans for the rest of the afternoon.