 This entry refers to a departed business that has closed or left town. All information here is for historical reference only. |
| Location |
| 654 G Street , in the G Street Shopping Center |
| Hours |
| Mon-Thurs 10am-6pm |
| Fri and Sat 10am-8pm |
| Sun noon-5pm |
| Phone |
| (530)750-2665 (750-BOOK) |
Sweetbriar is a small, independent bookseller offering used books, along with some new inventory. Staff are friendly, helpful, and browsing through this store is always a pleasant experience.
Closing Down: Owner Sharon Segal announced in early November 2011 that the store will close before the end of 2011: “I would love to thank all my loyal customers for the encouragement and support over the years,” she said. “And I hope they will have fond memories of Sweet Briar Books.” Liquidations sales start November 11th. UPDATE: 50% off the entire inventory (from already reduced sale prices) starting Friday, December 9th.
Book Buying Hours
Please call SB Books for the most up-to-date book trading hours. You can sell your books for store credit only, not for cash. Books taken in are dependent on the inventory at hand and on the book's condition.
2005-10-13 17:29:01 This is a great place. Many books are absurdly cheap. Worth a stroll if you've eaten at Osaka or just shopped at the Co-Op —MisterProfessor
2005-10-13 19:12:34 Personally, I think the used books in this store are overpriced. $7 for a beat up paperback is ridiculous. —AnnaJones
—In their defense, the beat-up paperback is probably out of print. The UCD library doesn't even have Rick De Marinis' The Burning Women of Far Cry, but for a time you could get it here for 6 or 7 dollars in, admittedly, a beat-up paperback. That seems good to me.
2005-10-13 19:32:38 I think that Sweet Briar's prices are much better than other used bookstores in town. —JackHaskel
2006-06-18 13:01:06 Sweetbriar has a lot of remaindered books too - those are brand new. If you hate to pay full price for a bestseller, try Sweetbriar. Quite a few music CDs too, and children's books. —ValerieVann
2006-10-15 10:56:42 Very good art books at excellent prices. Well worth visiting. The owner is great. —PatKahn
2007-01-12 14:38:10 I used to shop here a lot, but haven't gone in a while. I went in today and they were selling stripped books! While I, like many in davis have been known to get books out of the border dumpsters, selling them is a little much? —KevinMurakoshi
2007-02-06 13:15:00 I think this is one of the best sources of cheap used books in Davis. I always check here first if I'm looking for a novel and their cookbook selection is wonderful. I've purchased way too many beautiful cookbooks here that were too cheap to pass up. —NaomiVoosen
2007-03-06 00:51:09 I always enjoy browsing and buying books at Sweet Briar. It has a small play area where my son always enjoy playing with blocks, puzzles, and dinosaurs. The prices are very reasonable; there is a wide range of books, including children's books. The owner is very nice, accomodating, and knowledgeable. The quality of the books is great. —KarlaMahoney
2007-11-25 18:36:51 Helpful employees. Friendly. Always a curious and wonderfully eclectic selection of books both used and new. Just bought a storybook illustrated by Gorey as a birthday present for a friend. —EliseKane
2007-12-14 22:37:36 I agree with Naomi: one of the best cookbook selections around. Always some interesting finds among the art books and the humor section as well. Comfortable layout, interesting inventory, and nice folks. —DonShor
2008-03-27 21:57:25 I love this store...great knitting books at fantastic prices. You'll have money left over for yarn. The best kept secret though is the ballroom dance music. Best prices on C-D's and since I teach both subjects...this is the place I send all my students. —LizetteHopkins
2008-04-05 18:11:22 So what are their "book buying" rules? Is it a case-by-case basis or are there certain qualifications of what is acceptable? —SunjeetBaadkar
- Edit: I ended up just calling them and asking. Its case-by-case, but they are currently going to not be buying back books for a while as the person that does that is going to be out of town.
2008-05-08 16:40:37 I called a nice lady who looked for a few books for me, but, although they were popular titles, they didn't have them in stock. I was disappointed, but nice service —AnnaF
If you are looking for a specific used book you will do better with Advanced Book Exchange. I don't usually expect to find a particular book at a used bookstore, especially not one without a computer inventory. —NickSchmalenberger
Of course, thats the downside of used bookstores. When something is popular, it is something in demand, and therefore no one sells them back. If more people would sell back popular things instead of things they (and no one else) wants, then it'd be a better system for all. —SunjeetBaadkar
Why not try donating/selling back the more popular books you own, especially if you can go and find them at a library as needed? I try not to buy books unless I really want to give the author a little tangible appreciation for their work. —ZacD
2008-06-18 18:59:53 I love this bookstore! Given, some sections are lacking, but if you like fiction, it is cheap and abundant. The way any bookstore should be. Also, if you like cheap cookbooks, this is the place. —HillaryThomas
2008-08-16 13:16:23 As of August 16th, 2008, still not taking any additional books. Anyone know of a place that does in town? —IDoNotExist
- Currently, no. There is none in this town. We also have a lack of places that sell old school, non-children's board games. That is something I hope to rectify though. —SunjeetBaadkar
- Beers Books in Sacramento buys used books. It's a wonderful bookstore with a very large inventory. (12/26/08) — robinlaughlin
2008-08-16 18:58:37 This bookstore's toy area distracts my small children while I shop for books. The owner is helpful when I'm trying to find something, but never pushy. If I didn't already have a suprfluity of books at home and the office, I would shop here every week. It's a good place to find third prizes. —DrandyJones
2008-11-29 12:44:29 I would not recommend this store, the books are overpriced and the owner is always rude every time I enter the store and browse. She is also not welcoming to children either. This family will not be shopping at Sweet Briar in the future, I am tired of the unfriendly environment and high prices. Anyone else opening up a used book store in Davis??? it is definitely needed. —heidimermis
That has not been my experience of this store. The people have always been friendly and helpful, usually not pushy, and welcoming. Price is price. Market conditions drive what they ask and what they will take for books. If one wants cheaper used books, one may have to open a used bookstore themselves. —Rocksanddirt (1-12-09)
2008-12-11 10:23:47 Contrary to heidimermis, I have always found the owner (or the woman I believe to be the owner) to be very friendly and helpful. Sweet Briar has a great selection of used books at fair prices and is a comfortable place to browse. And I'm glad Davis still has a used bookstore. —britti
2009-01-11 21:33:40 I went for the first time last week to buy a few books for a Jane Austen book club. I was impressed by the quality of the books, and that I purchased 4 books that were new (only one used, and ironically the most expensive - but half price the normal selling price anyway) for only $26. Win! I will definitely come here first for any book needs. —ChristyMarsden
2009-04-21 22:46:24 I love this store! Their books are generally in quite good shape and they have a vast and varied selection. The clerks have always been very polite as well. —CParker
2009-04-21 23:16:36 some decades back, after being confronted at ARC by the evangelical soviets, i cast my net for the like i felt. b_o_r_d_e_r_s and b_a_r_n_e_s&n_o_b_l_e have one trash novell about the importance of chaos in a liber education or some such nonsense, to make a long story short , i found the ample trade of books(A.Crowley) insteadof money(credit cards) on the lower shelves near the left rear.
- I'm afraid I don't understand what you're trying to say. —JoePomidor
- A poetaster, perhaps? :) —ZN
2009-04-23 00:17:07 No. —BlueDot
2010-01-15 17:55:17 pros: great, independent bookstore. Cheap used and - even new - books. cons: store credit for returns only. if you change your mind about your purchases, your money is stuck here regardless.
if you shop here, be prepared for that as well as staff that is hot and cold. The clerk I dealt with today was inept, and had to make two phone calls to discuss the return policy (which is posted on the register as i later found out) and was unfamiliar with some register operations with the customers ahead of me, which made the wait in line a WAIT. On another occasion, my friend was told to leave because he was wearing cologne. They should have prominent signage for both a) fragrance allergies and b) their return policy.
If you wear fragrances or like to change your mind about the books you buy, take your business elsewhere. —ns
2010-01-28 13:33:49 Great books, excellent pricing. The staff has actually read books! and they are adults! If you want to sip coffee and have the clerk compliment you and give you a cookie, this is not the shop for you. If you like BOOKS, go here. —AnnMassey
2011-03-24 17:33:03 I've bought many books from here. It's organized well, has fair prices (same as Amazon), and I always find something to read there. Only wish the older gentleman (the owner-I think) was more friendly. He's not very welcoming and I sometimes feel like I'm intruding on his quiet time. —YogiJen
2011-03-25 11:26:34 Hi, I also work at SB Books and I'm sorry that you had that experience. Actually, the owner is a woman—shoulder length dark brown hair, around 50. Please come in during her shifts (currently M, Tu 3-6 and Th, F and Sa 10-3). She is friendly and welcoming. The owner hires people on the basis of friendliness and book knowledge, and she has always trained her employees to greet each entering customer as well as emphasizing attentiveness. This is how I was trained. I'm sorry that you did not feel welcome the other day, and I hope that your next visit makes up for it. :) —Pooka
2011-05-27 10:09:48 I'm really pleased with the selection here. The cook book section is expansive, and they have many popular titles in the general fiction and classic lit sections as well. Some of the paperbacks they sell are a little beat up for my tastes, but I'm happy that this store allows me to indulge my book obsession while living on a grad student budget. —heatherbreen
2011-11-03 19:33:37 Owner is very rude....IF she looks up, won't say "Hi" or "Can I help you?" despite the store being empty. Overpriced and limited quality selections despite having lots of books there. Not really sure how this place stays in business. Can find books much cheaper on the internet or for those hard to find books there are some outstanding used bookstores an hour away in the Bay Area. —stodd84
2011-11-07 08:23:22 One year ago I tried buying a two editions behind, out of print, never bought or sold book of academic articles on food preservation techniques - $175. Had been on the shelves here for two years. They wouldn't sell it to me for $50, so I never bought it. Gotta keep the titles moving in a book store - as a used book seller, you should get them practically for free, and so should price them to move, at any price. —EdwardNiemand
2011-11-07 19:54:11 Sharon: much grieved by your news. So sorry to be loosing your great bookstore. You always had the classics and the not so classic stuff. My daughter, Maya, loved to go and brouse through your kids section as a youngster and now she likes to find her lit. text readings at your great place. I enjoyed emailing you with needs for book club and you responded so quickly - all the time. As I had many art students over the years, you always had gift art books to recommend for me to give them as they graduated. Thanks for the many hours of service to our community.
Sorry to see you go. Will miss you. cc —carrieceniseroz
2011-11-09 11:04:33 I'm so sad Sweet Briar is closing. I have purchased some AMAZING books here at AMAZINGLY low prices. I love all the different, unique sections of the store and its sweet, peaceful atmosphere. I'm really gonna miss this store. —EliseKane
2011-11-28 10:52:41 I'm very sad to hear that Sweet Briar is closing! I love that place, and I'm horrified to think that Davis, a university town, will now be without a single independent book store (correct me if I'm wrong!). It was always such a pleasant place to visit, and I always managed to find interesting and unusual books at good prices. Sweet Briar, you'll be missed! —JoeMartin
- There are two remaining independent bookstores: Avid Reader and Logos Books. —CovertProfessor
2011-11-28 10:57:05 Is the closing sale getting any better? maybe it was just me, but when I went in there last week, the sale prices didn't seem that great... —jsbmeb
2012-06-26 14:01:57 Man, I still miss this place. I had books from Sweet Briar in my house before I even had furniture. —LizPhillips
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