Open 7 days a week- two huge locations

Welcome to Bay Books
The largest Independent bookseller in Contra Costa County 

Our selection of books is unmatched; it changes daily as we buy their books from our customers.  Half of our books are new for personal, gift, children's,  and holiday shopping.  The other half are used and rare. Bestsellers in trade paperback size (larger than "pocket books")  are our specialty.  Our friendly staff always has suggestions for those who are looking for new authors.  Drop by and browse a while in our delightful world of books. 

Concord Bay Books is Closing!

After a 22-year run, most of the last half of which have been under our (the Van Tassell family) ownership, Bay Books in Concord will close on or about August 15th. It is Contra Costa County's largest independent bookstore, but it is located in a center that is no longer adequate to sustaining a bookstore. We are looking for a suitable alternate location, so far without success. We have not given up entirely, at this writing, on an alternate location. But, candidly, sometimes we think this is foolhardy in view of the threat to our livelihood imposed by electronic books.

If we close the store without moving it, this is what will happen: the stock of used books in Concord will be offered at ever-increasing discounts from July 1 until about August 15. You might consider visiting Bay Books Concord during this period to take advantage of some amazing bargains. Of whatever books do not sell, some will be moved to the San Ramon store and some donated. We will discontinue buying used books over the counter in Concord on July 1. Gift certificates and trade credits issued in Concord will be honored in both stores until Concord closes, and thereafter will be honored in San Ramon.

There have been signs up in all of our stores for years that say "support your independent bookstore". Now we all get to witness (again) what happens when the public succumbs to the lure of cheap book prices at Amazon and Costco. If Bay Books at any given time had half as many customers as are browsing the book dumps at Costco, we would be a roaring success. Does anyone think Costco's employees want to talk to customers about books? Or do they just slash open the cartons and load up the dumps?  Do they care whether you read, as opposed to buying TV's and pizza?

Our heartfelt thanks to all our loyal Concord customers over the years. Bay Books Concord joins Bonanza Street Books, Diablo Books, Lafayette Bookstore, Clayton Books, our own former location in Pleasanton, and many other independent bookstores in going down in flames. We know we are "preaching to the choir" here, because if you weren't supporting us you would not be receiving this newsletter. We very much appreciate your support, and we hope and pray you will continue to support our San Ramon location sufficiently to keep it open.

To get to our "Online Warehouse" (online sales of new books, audio books, music CDs and movie DVDs, Click here