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EXPLORE
Used Books


To explore our store, please scroll down and read the descriptions below. Alternatively, you can watch the video if you would rather listen to Cheese Puff cover some of the information listed below.

For a map of all of the locations and selections:

MAIN BARN | ELLIS ISLAND | THE ANNEX | HADES | THE HAUNTED | THE LAST PAGE | DOWNTOWN | CHAPTER THREE

Our Locations:

 

The Book Barn has three locations in the seaside town of Niantic, CT. 

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The Main Barn, at 41 West Main Street, is home to our largest selection of genres spread throughout several themed buildings, as well as gardens, goats, and of course our cats.

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The Downtown store, at 269 Main Street, is in the heart of Niantic Village on the same block as the movie theater.

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Chapter Three, at 55 West Main Street, is a mere three hundred feet from the Main Barn.

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All three shops are within a mile of each other and can easily be visited in a single day. 

 

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The story behind the Barn...

 

In April 1988, The Book Barn opened for business in what is now called “The Main Barn.” At that time, the used bookstore consisted of a mere three bookcases, 800 books, and a yard sale couch.

 

An unfortunate fire in the antique store above the bookstore in 1990 destroyed nearly everything. With support from family and friends, we were able to reopen for business, new and improved, in April 1991.

 

In 1992, The Book Barn expanded into the upstairs of the Main Barn, and it seemed hard to believe we would ever fill all that space! That Christmas, we actually had a Christmas tree on the balcony.

 

When you are paying for your books, you can go to the Main Barn, where our cash register is located and where we accept all four major credit cards as well as cash and personal checks. There is another register down at the buying area, where you may pay for books using cash or a check but not credit cards.

Used Books

​BASEMENT

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  • American & World History

  • American Biography*

  • Arthurian Legends

  • Black History

  • Classical Studies

  • Native American History

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*Biographies & memoirs are split by subject. General & Political biographies are kept in the Basement.

​MAIN FLOOR

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  • Architecture

  • Art/Art History

  • Children's Chapter Books (on porch)

  • Children's Picture Books (outside porch)

  • Fine Bindings

  • Local Authors

  • Military History

  • Photography

  • World Politics

  • Staff Recommendations

Used Books

2ND FLOOR

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  • Addiction & Recovery

  • Astrology

  • Death & Grieving

  • Gender Studies

  • Holistic Health

  • LGBTQ+ Studies

  • Medicine

  • Neuroscience

  • New Age/Spirituality

  • Occult & Wicca

  • Psychology

  • Relationships

  • Self-Help

  • Sex & Sexuality

  • Sociology

  • Young Adult/Teen

Used Books

ELLIS ISLAND

 

Mr. Book Barn and his cohorts buy books here seven days a week, 363 days a year.

 

Named after the American landmark, Ellis Island is our book immigration station, where we buy and sort new arrivals. During the summer months, we take in an estimated ten to fourteen thousand books a week.

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This is where our new arrivals are stored before being sorted.  Feel free to browse the books, you never know what you may find.

THE ANNEX

 

It wasn’t long before we had books packed wall to wall and floor to rafters in The Main Barn.

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  • General Fiction

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Used Books

HADES

 

Hades is the makeshift building beneath the white awning on the way to the back of the property.

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In Hades, you will find assorted books of every size, shape, and category.  Everything just $1.00.  It's not organized in any fashion...book Hades indeed. 

 

In the free-standing bookcase near Hades are books on American politics. 

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THE HAUNTED

 

This wonderful two-story building started out as Mrs. Book Barn’s Halloween Party Spot.

 

One bright spring day, Mr. Book Barn approached the beautiful Mrs. Book Barn and said; “ My beautiful wife, would it be okay if I were to store some boxes of books in your Halloween Barn, just until more shelves can be built?” The charming and yes, we dare say again, beautiful Mrs. Book Barn looked lovingly at her husband and said; “Of course my tired and overworked husband, you may store your boxes there!”

 

---Flash forward to today ---

 

The Haunted Book Barn is located way back behind the gardens.

 

There is some debate as to whether The Haunted is really Haunted. There have been a number of people who believe they felt or saw something in The Haunted. Others, however, have left The Haunted with nary a paranormal twinge, we invite you to come see for yourself.

  • Astronomy

  • Books on Books

  • Computer Science

  • Construction: Home & Sustainable

  • Engineering

  • Essays & Anthologies

  • Furniture

  • Literary Criticism

  • Mathematics

  • Physical Sciences

  • Physics

  • Poetry

  • Woodworking

THE LAST PAGE

 

The Last Page is located to the left of the Annex next to the goat pen. 

 

But it was too good a spot, so we added a porch, started using it for sports books and earth and animal sciences, and then attached the property's original outhouse.

 

Then we filled the outhouse with shelves and books. Book Barn Business as usual...

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  • Animals & Pets

  • Anthropology

  • Archeology

  • Biology

  • Earth Sciences

  • Farming

  • Gardening

  • Genealogy

  • Green Living

  • Hiking

  • Landscaping

  • Law

  • Mountain & Rock Climbing

  • Nature Writing

  • Rural Living

  • True Crime

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OUTHOUSE ON THE DECK:

  • Bicycling

  • Canoeing & Kayaking

  • Field Guides

  • Hiking

  • Survival

  • Walking

BOOK BARN DOWNTOWN

 

Even with all the buildings we have on the main campus, we eventually ran out of space. Books, books, books...everywhere. Piled on the floors. Piled between the bookcases. Jammed sideways on the shelves. It was getting ugly.

 

So we cast far and wide, and were lucky enough to find a place less than a mile from the Main Barn, and BOOK BARN DOWNTOWN was created.

 

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  • Children's

  • Comics & Graphic Novels

  • Cookbooks & Food Writing

  • Diet & Nutrition

  • DVDs

  • Education

  • Games & Gambling

  • Ghost Stories & Paranormal 

  • Homeschooling

  • Horror

  • Humor

  • Manga

  • Mythology & Folklore

  • Parenting

  • Philosophy (Eastern & Western)

  • Religion & Theology

  • RPG & Gaming

  • Science Fiction & Fantasy

  • Secret Societies & Conspiracies

  • Trivia

  • UFOs & Aliens

CHAPTER THREE

 

As is our nature, we've evolved once again! Our third location in Niantic, Ct., Chapter Three, is conveniently located a stone's throw from our Main Barn, at 55 West Main. This cozy new addition to the Book Barn family joined us in May 2014.

 

Fun Fact: Chapter Three used to be called "Store Four" when we had four stores between May 2014 and April 2017.  So if you recall the space, but not the name, you may have visited us then.

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BOOK BARN SWAG STORE

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Sweatshirts, t-shirts, mugs, etc. are available at our Downtown and Chapter Three locations.  Due to Covid-19 they are being kept behind the counter.  Please feel free to ask to see.

  • ​​Antiques and Collectables

  • Audio Books

  • Business

  • Cartography

  • Crafts & Artisans

  • Emergency Services

  • Erotica

  • Exploration

  • Fashion

  • Fiber Arts & Sewing

  • Film & Television

  • Interior Design

  • Large Print

  • Linguistics

  • Music

  • Mystery/Thrillers

  • Nautical

  • Paranormal Romance

  • Plays & Theater

  • Public Amusement

  • Reference

  • Romance

  • Sports

  • Transportation

  • Travel

  • Westerns

  • Writing Guides

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