Edward McKay Used Books & More

Wow. Now THIS is a used book store! While you can also buy used music (LPs and CDs), games and audio books here too, WOW on the massive inventory of used books! I'll definitely be bringing some of my no-longer-wanted/needed books here for sale or credit!

If you need a book, I'd say give Ed McKay's a try first. If you can't find it here (after all, you're limited to what they have on hand...), I'd say try Mr. Mike's Used Books second. Ed McKay's volume of books makes Mr. Mike's pale in comparison, and therefore more likely to find it -- or something close. I was looking for the MLA 7th edition -- Ed McKay had the 6th edition. That'll do for the beginning of grad school until someone brings in the 7th edition (which is practically brand new anyway, and not as likely to be in a used book store yet). I also found two other books that I wanted...at $3 each, can't beat that!

I'm unsure if there's a rhyme or reason to the organization of books at Ed McKay, but there are signs posted at the beginning of each row. Problem is, the section you're looking for may be farther down the row, past the next cross-aisle. That was a bit confusing.

I agree with another reviewer to mind what time of day you visit Ed McKay: if you're traveling south on Capital Bd, you'll have to do a U-turn and come back. When you leave...well...depending on the time of day, good luck with that! The money you save here will be worth it, though.

Closed Permanently.


Edward McKay Used Books & More, which has been a been a regular stop for many Raleigh book lovers for nearly two decades, shut down for good this week without any warning.

Customers who drove to the store at 3514 Capital Boulevard, across the street from Chuck E. Cheese's, as well as employees of other stores in the same small strip mall were puzzled to find the doors locked this week - and no sign explaining why.

"Nobody knows what's going on," Elizabeth Phillips, a cashier at Trade It!, a nearby store that sells pre-owned electronics and other merchandise, said Thursday afternoon.



But late Friday afternoon the regional chain's head of retail operations, Janet Elliott, confirmed that the store's final chapter has been written.

"It is with much regret that we announce the closing of our Edward McKay Used Books & More Raleigh location," she wrote. "Thank you to all of the customers who have shopped with us in Raleigh for almost 20 years."


Elliott didn't provide any explanation for the decision to close the store, which was unusually large for a used bookstore - more than 10,000 square feet, according to the retailer's website.

Customers who have "trade credit" from trading in used books, music or movies do have an option for redeeming that credit, although it's not a convenient one. Elliott wrote that customers can redeem their trade credit at the Edward McKay store in Winston-Salem, at 115 Oakwood Drive, or the Greensboro store at 1607 Battleground Avenue.

Last year the regional chain closed a store in Fayetteville.

David Ranii: 919-829-4877, @dranii

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article146051099.html#storylink=cpy

I have been to this business on a weekly, and I'm not kidding here, weekly basis. At least once a week. You never know what gem you will find at this place. Just the other day I picked up a hardcover novel of a book that will be at least another 8 months until it gets released in paperback. It made my day seeing it in the back row of the shelf (which also should remind folks to pull the front row of books aside to see what might be hidden behind!).

My movie collection has nearly doubled due to Edward McKay's. I have bought blu-rays to replace DVDs and used the DVDs to earn store credit towards the purchase of even more movies. A review placed earlier was spot on about making sure and checking Amazon.com and Best Buy amongst other places to make sure you can't get the same movie new for the same price. I always have my phone in hand scanning bar codes and checking prices.

Books.... say what you might about digital books, nothing to me is better than the feel and smell of an actual book. The prices are usually so good on these gently used books. Because of this I have at LEAST 6 months worth of books waiting for me to read them.

Do yourself a favor and check it out. Just make sure if you have items you wish to sell to make it there before 8 p.m. (Mon-Sat) because their buy counter closes. If you come in at 8:05 p.m. (2005hrs for you like-minded folks), you will be out of luck.

See you at the Ed!

Dear McKay's,

I like your style.

As Donna B. pointed out, "THIS is a used book store!!".

Wall to wall, crate to crate, row by row, book by book this place reeks of amazingness!

After what felt like 5 minutes I checked my watch to see that an entire hour had passed -- that's my kind of bookstore. While they don't have EVERYTHING (based on their current inventory and what people are selling at that time), they do have a lot! With a friendly staff to boot I've got to give this store props!

I had been meaning to stop in for months and one day, whilst driving up Capital, I pulled over and took a gander.

After rummaging through crate after crate of books and shelf after shelf of DVDs I walked out with a used DVD and a free copy of Wally Lamb's "I Know This Much Is True" (my favorite book, I picked up the extra copy for loaning out).

I highly recommend checking out the "Free Books" in the back, right hand side of the store. There was surprisingly a good amount of decent book back there up for grabs!!

I also recommend the rare finds up on the front right of the store by the DVDs -- some real doozies up there.

As a side note, they run a promotion on Tuesdays if you wear an Edward McKay's shirt you get 10% off your purchase. Clever advertising and great savings, oh McKay's....

I recently passed Edward McKay and noticed they were closed. Ding Dong the Witch is Dead! (though I do feel bad for the employees that lost their jobs as a result!)

I suspect that the reason they closed is because they are owned by Mini City Media (I have reviewed them as well) which sells everything online via eBay and Amazon.

So a brick and mortar store (regardless of how much they gauged their customers and people who tried to sell stuff to them) simply didn't make sense.

As I say, I do feel bad for the employees that last their jobs. I also feel bad that eventually, the only way we may be able to purchase ANYTHING other than perishable food is via online outlets.

Oh, Ed McKay! I like your type. You're a local indie bookstore that buys and sells music, DVDs, video games and books. And you do a pretty good job of it.

I've only been able to find a few of the books I actually want there, but that's probably due to my odd tastes than anything. They have a good-sized section for graphic novels and I've found some cheap PS2 and PS3 games there.

I've actually sold more here than I've bought, though I wish they explained their buying prices better. You go up to the counter, give them the stack you're selling and they'll price them while you browse the store. When they're done, they write your name on a board so just check ever so often. Up at the register they make you an offer, return anything they don't want and give you a choice between cash and a credit. I'm not sure it makes a huge deal either way, but you can't use credit on video games.

This place is massive - stacks and stacks and stacks! So, bring a list or you may get lost! They have seating too if you need to chill with a book before buying. Not too shabby!

What in the world? I thought I had already professed my undying love for this place!

Best book store, hands down, or up, for a high five.
Aisles and aisles of all sorts of selections. Staff was friendly, helpful and insightful. Except for our differences on cell phones. But hey, that's irrelevant to our great in commons.

They also have more than books. They have Cd's, video games, and textbooks. Also trade and buy back books. This store is a small section in my personal moment of Beauty and the Beast. All in all, this place is too legit. They should incorporate a small coffee shop. Just sayin'

I came here looking for a used car repair manual. This is a little treasure trove of literature here. I didn't find what I was looking for, but I will come back to search for other stuff. You can also call them and they will check the shelves for you before you come. When I asked for assistance, they were happy to walk me to the area and help me search.
They also have video games of every vintage, movies on DVD and BluRay. I didn't see any VHS or Betamax. Their Movie section appeared as if it larger than Best Buy, or F.Y.E. They also have a vast music library. It is on CD, and a huge selection of vinyl for those that are into the pure unadulterated sound, not that MP3 crap you download from Amazon, iTunes, or Google.
I recommend them for a good inexpensive book, game, movie, or music. Plus they will buy all of the stuff you are not interested in anymore. It is a win-win.
#270

This bookstore is "just OK". For its size, I expected a lot more.

The pros:
* Large selection of used graphic novels, including a lot of manga.

* Movies and games appear to have large selections, although I didn't really dig through them.

* Large selection of young adults books.

* Wide variety of books available, from car repair manuals to erotica.

The cons:
* Shelves are very disorganized. Books are only sorted by the first letter of the author's name, so, for example, all the "D" books will be together, but they won't be alphabetized within the five or six "shelves" (fruit crates) that are labeled "D".

* In the books, records and CDs, I found many misfiled items. Sometimes just in the wrong alphabetical section, sometimes in a completely different genre (e.g. they have an "R&B/Soul" section, but I found Stevie Wonder and similar artists in "Rock"). There are occasional dividers in among the CDs and records, but they seldom bear very much relation to which CDs or records they were adjacent to.

* Since the bookshelves are stocked two books deep, you have to spend a lot of time digging through the shelves to see if they have anything worth buying. This will inevitably involve digging through multiple copies of volumes from various crappy series that nobody wanted to buy in the first place and (evidently), nobody wants to buy now (although I was very impressed to see a complete hardcover set of L. Ron Hubbard's magnum opus, "Mission Earth").

* The music sections were similar. Multiple copies of ZZ Top's "Afterburner", but none of their other albums. Multiple copies of Neil Young's 90s CDs but nothing recorded before 1992 (not counting one overpriced LP copy of his debut album that will probably still be there when the zombies attack).

Overall, the number of duplicates seems to indicate that that there's no back stock and everything they own is out on the shelves. It doesn't seem to be turning over very quickly, so I don't see myself making a special trip over here again, although I might stop in if I'm in the area.

Finally, prices are not that great (as others have mentioned) and if their pricing policy was posted anywhere, I sure couldn't find it. Some books are marked and some aren't, and I couldn't find any description in the store of how to price the unmarked books. I'm sure it's posted somewhere but they don't go out of their way to point out that you will be paying cover price for some 30-year-old books.

The biggest used book store in the Raleigh area, this location of Edward McKay has a reasonable selection of books and video games. (The selection and prices aren't nearly as good as the Greensboro store)

Parking can be an issue. They're in a mini strip mall with an awful used/pawn shop store and a Golden Corral. The organization of some of the sections leaves a lot to be desired, as does the friendliness of some of the staff.