Antiquarian Bookstore

I essentially had the exact same experience as everyone else: (1) entering store & strategically maneuvering between stacks of books – reminiscent of the library scene in Ghostbusters, (2) walking straight back and uncovering the «antique» porn stash in the back, (3) immediately turning back around and (3) greeted by weird, rotund character out of a J. R. R. Tolkien novel who pops out and says, «can I help you?» Then, (4) awkward conversation that ends with him asking for $ 5 and me walking off.
However, sans the $ 5 cover charge, it actually hit all of the required elements that we look for in a used book store:
(1) weird, creepy old, dude — likely subscribes to 99% of all conspiracies
(2) a «hoarders paradise» of books
(3) badly lit and weird smell
(4) housed in a place that could cave-​in on top of you or turn into a Great White club show at any moment
Probably won’t be back but I’ve definitely paid more to enter a terrible club/​bar or concert

My brother and I were excited to spot this old bookstore and made a u-​turn to check it out. We walked in and were mesmerized by all the books and narrow aisles… UNTIL a stocky rotund bald man came creeping out from between the stacks to inform us of a «$ 5 entry fee». I laughed because I thought he was kidding. He wasn’t.
Shocked and confused we said «forget it» and started to leave. As we were on our way out the door he snidely remarked «There’s a library downtown». What a jerk. And what a nerve to advertise as a book store and then expect people to pay $ 5 to look around.
And based on the other reviews on here, seems we didn’t get to make it as far as the sleazy «antique» porn section in the back. Damn entry fee.

Went there with my wife last week right away was accosted by the must and mildew smell. Then I was frightened to walk in thought I might cause an avalanche but my wife was a brave soul and ventured further in. Then the strange rotund man came creeping out of his hole asking for a fiver to look around as he was staring at both of us as if we were stealing him blind. My wife made it to the end of the isle found all the old porn made a u-​turn and we left. 1. Don’t try to call your piles of porn rare and out of print 2. Don’t make potential customers creeped out maybe if your driving route 1 and in need of some adventure check it out but don’t bother if you actually want to buy a book or 2 it may even be a hoarders nightmare …

You don’t get to many stores run by old crazy people anymore. At least not on this scale. It’s almost refreshing!
I have a thing for used bookstores and this one has a big old inviting sign. I walked in to see stacks and stacks of books organized in no particular order. A 350 lb bald man then walked in behind me and told me there was a $ 5 entry fee to see his collection. Bookstores make more money when they let people browse with a complimentary cup of coffee, so this was insane. I said I wasn’t willing to put up with a $ 5 fee and he said, «That’s why it’s there.» I asked him what kinds of books he was carrying and he accused me of trying to start an argument. I then left and he stared at me through the glass window the entire time I crossed the parking lot.
This is not a store. This is a hoarders den displayed as a store front because the owner gets off on rudely telling people to leave. The owner is a crazy person.

Wow, just wow. See the pics we took from the street.
You can see the hoarding from there, and you can smell it by the time you make it to the front door. The proprietor will most likely rouse himself from his vehicle out front to greet you there, and attempt to exact a $ 5 entry fee to review his «collection.» This is perfect for you if you hate books, have way, way too much money in your checking account and not enough garbage on your floor. Otherwise, I am guessing there are about one million other bookstores you would rather visit.
The web site at which he attempts to sell the fruit of a lifetime of hoarding debris is also unintentionally hilarious.

If there were zero stars I’d prefer to give it that. I walked in-​mind you sideways-​because the books are stacked outside the door and the aisles are as narrow as can be-​I asked for the art books and was simply told by a very grumpy unpersonable man that «you can’t get to them right now». He totally turned away my business, and knowing me I probably would have spent $ 100 or more.
Simply put-don’t waste your time even stopping here-​something else is going on here besides hoarding, and it’s certainly not selling books!

Highly strange. Highly creepy. The proprietor is impolite to say the least. He has a lot of quantity, but very little quality. The old porn section in the back of the store is downright scary.

I can’t believe how ridiculous this place is. I went out of my way to check out this store, as I’m a big fan of bookstores and tend to drop a lot of money at places like this. Apparently, it’s a warehouse for their online sales though, as they are really rude when you show up.
Despite having a huge sign on Rt. 1, and posting hours online, they don’t welcome visitors they don’t know, and actually tried to charge me $ 5 entry (even though it’s not posted on their website, sign, or building that they do that). I ended up going to a new bookstore in downtown Portsmouth instead, where I spent a lot of money.
The owner (?) was rude about my even wanting to come in to the place. Skip it. I’ve actually ordered things from them online through
before. I won’t do it again because of how silly they are in real life.