Quite often I find myself wondering where I am going to store the massive book collection I own. I was an English Literature major in college and have always held the
opinion that it is better to purchase a book than it is to rent a book. I like to own what I read and that has left me with a surplus of books that I don’t have much room for. If this happens to you as well, it might be time to start thinking about buying a new bookcase. Might I suggest purchasing a corner bookcase?
Corner bookcases are compact and they fit neatly into most rooms. They go well with any décor and you can usually fit a lot of books in them. The smaller ones are pretty nice to
use as end or night tables and you can get away with putting up some potted plants or something on some of the fancier versions.
The problem is, the corner bookcase is a bit hard to find sometimes. It’s easy to find just any old bookcase but if you want that perfect bookcase you’ll have to dig a little bit. I’ve compiled a sample list of some of the places you can go to buy really nice looking corner bookcases (and other sorts of bookcases) without breaking your wallet in half.
There are three primary paths to take in purchasing a corner bookcase. These are:
1. Online
2. Retail Stores
3. Private Dealers
All three have their own strengths and weaknesses but there are some tricks to finding exactly what you want. Allow me to explain:
Online:
The internet is an infinite marketplace sometimes. You can find just about anything if you’re willing to work hard enough at it and a corner bookcase isn’t that rare of an item to find. There are three main websites that I go to first when shopping for a corner bookcase, they don’t really require a ranking because they are all pretty good:
• Craigslist
Craigslist is a great spot to check out if you’re looking for used furniture. It’s a locally oriented social website where people in your area can post listings about stuff they are trying to sell. My friends and I have had great success finding and selling a ton of furniture through craigslist. I’ve found couches, beds, desks, lamps, bookcases… you name it. If you’re city is big enough, there is probably someone trying to sell what you are looking for.
• Amazon.com
Amazon is a general outlet store. It sells everything from furniture to video games and all of their stuff ranges in quality from top of the line to bottom of the barrel. They have some really nice bookcases on there right now as I’m writing this and you can find some in all different shapes and sizes. The only problem with Amazon is that you have to have the bookcase shipped to you. It might be okay if you’re willing to wait but I’m an impatient person and don’t like my books sitting around in boxes all day.
• Book Cases Galore
Book cases galore is an online specialty store dealing in, you guessed it, bookcases! You can find any type of bookcase you want here, in all shapes and sizes. This site is perfect for you if you’re looking for a particular brand or style because they carry just about every type of bookcase out there. Again, you have to worry about the shipping costs but otherwise this site is great.
Local Retail Furniture Stores:
• Bed Bath and Beyond
If you’re not willing to wait for the bookcase to be shipped to you, stop by a Bed Bath and Beyond and pick one up. The great thing about this store is that they sell corner bookcases preassembled as well as unassembled so you don’t even have to worry about putting it together once you get it. They’ve got some cute ones too.
• Target
Target has a furniture section that is surprisingly good. You’ll be able to find some unassembled bookcases there (though they might just be called bookshelves) and they are decent quality at a reasonable price.
• Wal-Mart
Another one of those general retailers that has a furniture section. I don’t usually recommend Wal-Mart as I don’t agree much with their employment policies but you can find some really cheap bookcases here. You’ll have to assemble them yourself and the quality of them might not be the best, but its probably worth a look if you aren’t really serious about what kind of bookcase you want.
Private Dealer:
• Carpenter
If you’re looking for a custom built bookcase you’re going to have to go and visit your local carpenter or woodsman. He’ll be able to build one for you to your specifications and it will hopefully be great quality. You don’t find furniture like that much anymore so it’s going to be pretty expensive.
• Garage Sale:
If you’re looking for cheap stuff, check out the garage sales in your area. You won’t necessarily find a bookcase there but if you do it will most likely be an incredible bargain. I’ve found some little corner bookcases at garage sales for under $10 sometimes.
There are many other options for purchasing a corner bookcase but these are the few that I would recommend. If you have any suggestions of your own, feel free to drop a comment and let me know.