About Us  

Our used bookstore started as a venture of love for our son, Alden, who died at the age of 19. He had difficulty growing up as an adolescent. His mother died when he was only 17. Our family misses him dearly. So, in honor of his memory we started a used bookstore to sell books. Books were one of Alden's loves.

We sell all types of books. You name it, we probably have it or can get it. Instead of making donations to charitable causes to help troubled teenagers, we thought it would be a better idea to sell books and donate the profits to charitable causes in Alden's name. I saw Alden talking to homeless people and giving them money to spend when he lived in Oak Park with his mother. He had a streak of compassion for others less fortunate than himself. We're proud of that streak and we want to do what we can to continue that benificence.

Alden was a voracious reader. He would read anything under the sun, and he would read it quickly. He tackled the J. R. Tolkien books with a passion and read each book within a day or two. He devoured shows on the History and Discovery Channels on cable television. When he viewed them he would discuss what he learned with us. As parents we could actually see his mental and emotional development. He was also fond of blurting out his infamous question, "Hey, what's the big idea?" He was always looking for ways to improve on things. He was always looking for big ideas!

We took his passion for reading, his innate curiousity for the world around him, and rephrased his question. Then we created this website in honor of his memory. Join us in reliving his memories by becoming one of our customers. We donate profits to help others in the very same manner Alden did: helping others less fortunate than himself.

We thank you for visiting our website. We're located at 2819 N. Clybourn Ave., Chicago, IL. 60618. Our store is in a converted two-flat building. On our first floor we have our bookstore and the rest of the building houses our storage and processing areas. Our store hours are by appointment only. We open on weekends, again by appointment only, for the purchasing of your books and accepting your book donations. 

We are located in a very central location. Kiddy corner from us is the Chicagoland Costco Warehouse store at 2746 N. Clybourn Avenue. Yes, it's hard to believe, but our prices are even less than Costco's. Neighboring grocery stores abound, e.g. Aldi's, Dominick's and Jewel's. OfficMax is nearby. Golfsmith, a few Subway's, and Chucky Cheese are within walking distance of our bookstore. If you're in the neighborhood doing your weekly shopping, drop by when we're open and visit with us.

We're right off the Kennedy Expressway with an exit going north at Damen Avenue (Exit 47A, please note on the map there are two 47A's); no exits for southeast bound. The Fullerton Avenue exit and entrance ramps (Exit 47A and Exit 47B) to the Kennedy Expressway are less than a mile away from our bookstore. See the map below of our location as marked by the letter A (for "A"lden, of course) in a red colored star. There is plenty of offstreet parking.

We have over 100,000 books in inventory, which is one of the largest in the city of Chicago and the surrounding area. Our prices are very reasonable, and oftentimes are bargains. Please feel free to check our current online inventory. If we don't have a book you want online yet, it will be soon. You'll be pleased to browse our huge, and continually expanding inventory of selections for the well read person.

We are not Barnes & Nobles, nor Border's, nor Waldenbooks. We're Alden's Books! And we have the biggest collections of "Big Ideas" around!

Hey, what's the big idea? The Big Ideas are here!