Insider Pages Reviews for Olssons Books & Records

5 Stars: A wonderful browsing experience (by Chad L.)

Chad L. — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 15:26:00 GMT

Aside from its great selection and staff, Olsson's has its displays set up in very helpful ways so the average customer will discover new books and music -- exactly the thing you want in your shopping experience. This is why a locally owned store is such a treasure.

5 Stars: Nice Gems (by Jennifer Z.)

Jennifer Z. — Fri, 25 Nov 2005 09:28:00 GMT

This is a great bookstore located near Dupont Circle. The staff is amazing - they're so friendly and pick high quality books. Although small, there are rare gems I wouldn't have found had I not come here. They also book authors for signings, which is always a cool treat. Overall, a very neat bookstore, with music, too!

5 Stars: best bookstores in the DC area (by Jenny K.)

Jenny K. — Sun, 02 Oct 2005 13:57:00 GMT

Olsson's near Dupont Circle is a quality bookstore where you can browse for hours. Their sections aren't huge, but the material in them is very well-chosen. They also have a music section with a similarly small but quality selection. I particularly like that they host authors for readings/book signings. Buy your books here instead of one of the big chain bookstores, and support a great local institution!

5 Stars: great selection (by Chris S.)

Chris S. — Fri, 15 Jul 2005 16:17:00 GMT

With the many options for books and cds in the area, this is one of the better stores. I wandered in while waiting for the Blue Bus one day and ended up staying much longer then expected after discovering the great selection of both books and music.

4 Stars: Good feel at Olssons (by Jon R.)

Jon R. — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 15:01:00 GMT

Quieter and roomier than nearby Kramer Books, Olssons has an independent-bookstore feel and generally has some cool music playing in the background. Entering Olssons is an easy way to spend a couple hours looking at the new releases, or browsing through the stacks of classics on the shelves.

3 Stars: Olssons Books & Records (by Lori T.)

Lori T. — Mon, 20 Jun 2005 14:36:00 GMT

Olssons is a small, intimate bookstore with a great staff, but a small selection of books. What they have going for them is a club where after you make so many purchases, you earn gift certificates for their store. This is why we return to shop here.

They have a few best sellers up front, but this is mainly where you go to look for older releases. For instance, they have a nice selection of Pratchett's Disc World series in their Sci-Fi/Fantasy aisle.

If you're looking for a roomate or local business, Olssons has a wall where folks can post personal ads or their business cards. Nice little neighborhood touch, that.

Not a bad place to check, but not the greatest selection available in the area. Still, if you like to support the little guy, do stop in.

PROS: Each purchase earns bonus points
CONS: Limited selection