Store Information

By email: Contact Us
By phone: 612-822-4611 or Toll Free: 1-866-912-6657

Our retail store is in the Uptown area of Minneapolis, just south of the intersection of Lake Street and Hennepin Avenue. It is a few blocks east of Bde Mka Ska (formerly Lake Calhoun) and Lake of the Isles.

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We hope you will visit us in person! The continued support of our customers--whether from around the block or around the country--keeps us going, and we are so grateful for every one of our visitors.

Getting here is easy:
• By bus - We are just a few blocks south of the Uptown Transit Station, which is serviced by these routes: 6, 12, 17, 21, 23, 53, 114, 115, and 612. In particular, the 6 and 23 stop just feet from our door, on the corner of 31st St. and Hennepin Ave.
• By bike - A bike lane runs on Hennepin Ave. from Lake St. to 36th St. We are also located just south of the Midtown Greenway. Customers are welcome to bring bikes into the store if bike rack space is unavailable outside.
• By foot - In the neighborhood? We hope you stop in! We are a pet-friendly store, so bring your animal companions along too.
• By car - After finding your way to our store, street parking can be found on the streets west of Hennepin Avenue, or in the Calhoun Square parking ramp. See below for maps and hints.

Driving directions:
From the southern suburbs (I-35W traveling north): Take I-35W North toward downtown Minneapolis. Take the I-94 West exit and keep right. Take the first exit (Hennepin/Lyndale, before the Lowry tunnel). At the exit, Hennepin and Lyndale Avenues split. Keep left for Hennepin Ave. Go south on Hennepin Ave past Lake Street, about 1 mile. The store will be on your right.

From the northern suburbs (I-35W traveling south): Take I-35W south toward downtown Minneapolis, past signs for the University of Minnesota. Follow signs for I-94 West. Take I-94 west about 1/2 mile, staying to the right. Take the Hennepin/Lyndale exit (before the Lowry tunnel). At the exit, Hennepin and Lyndale Avenues split. Keep left for Hennepin Ave. Go south on Hennepin Ave past Lake Street, about 1 mile. The store will be on your right.

From St. Paul (I-94 traveling west): Take I-94 West toward downtown Minneapolis. After passing downtown, take the Hennepin/Lyndale exit (before the Lowry tunnel). At the exit, Hennepin and Lyndale Avenues split. Keep left for Hennepin Ave. Go south on Hennepin Ave past Lake Street, about 1 mile. The store will be on your right.

From the north and northwest suburbs (I-94 traveling east): Take I-94 to the Hennepin/Lyndale exit (before the Lowry tunnel). Stay heading south, following signs for Hennepin Ave. Go south on Hennepin Ave past Lake Street, about 1 mile. The store will be on your right.

From the west (I-394 traveling east): Take I-394 east toward downtown Minneapolis. Exit at Hennepin/Dunwoody. Stay in the right lane. Turn right (south) onto Hennepin Ave. Go south on Hennepin Ave past Lake Street. The store will be on your right.

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Parking Tip: Those "in the know" (like M&Q employees) most often park south of 31st St. on Holmes, Humboldt, or Irving Ave.

There is usually ample street parking within a few blocks of the store on these streets. (See yellow square on the parking map.)

Please note that this map is for reference only. Parking key is approximate and subject to change at any time due to City of Minneapolis regulations, special neighborhood events, construction activity, etc.

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Gift cards purchased online consist of a code that may be redeemed online. Gift cards purchased in store are physical cards that may be redeemed in store. Each type of gift certificate may be converted into the other by a member of store staff. To convert a gift card, please bring a printout of the email with the online code or the physical card into the store. Conversions may only be done in store.

Gift cards purchased on our website will be sent to the email address you specify containing the dollar amount, the sender's name, an optional personalized message, and instructions for redeeming the gift card. No physical gift card will be sent. As the sender you will also receive a receipt via email after the transaction is completed. Please keep this receipt in the event that the intended recipient does not receive it (because of an invalid email address, spam filter, etc.).

Buy a gift card now >>>

For instructions on how to make a purchase with a gift card, see our help section on paying with a gift card.

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Yes, we buy books! Whether you’re selling 1 or 1000, bring them in anytime during our used book buying hours (below). No appointment is necessary, and we have a convenient drop off point in the alley behind the store (accessible from W 31st St). We pay cash or store credit. Choosing store credit earns 50% more value for your books.

There’s no need to stick around while we review your books. We’ll call you when we’re finished, so enjoy a coffee across the street or see a movie. If you prefer not to return that day, we can mail a check or apply store credit to your account. Whatever works best for you. Any books we cannot use for the store, we can either hold them for up to 24 hours or we can take care of them if you don’t want any back.

Used Book Buying Hours:
Mon-Fri: 10am-7pm
Sat-Sun: 10am-5pm

Please note: It's difficult to say over the phone what titles we may or may not be interested in at any given time. Generally, books must be clean and in good shape, but it is necessary to see books in person to determine their salability and value.

Large collections (800+ books):
For selling substantial collections of quality books in the vicinity of the Twin Cities, we may be willing to send a book buyer to your home. Please contact us, and tell us roughly the number of books and their subject matter. (To quickly calculate a rough number, simply count the books on two shelves and divide by 2 to get an average number per shelf. Then multiply the average by the number of shelves you have to get a rough total.) We may be interested in seeing photos of your bookshelves, giving a general idea of the size, nature, and condition of the collection (no need for lists or photos of individual books). If we are able to send someone, it may be necessary to schedule in advance.

Our alleyway drop off point for your books:


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Now Hiring: Events Intern

Are you an avid reader and organizational champion? Do you aspire to work in the book industry, event planning, or independent business? Apply to be our Events Intern!

Magers & Quinn Booksellers is one of the largest and oldest independent bookstores in the Twin Cities. This position offers the opportunity to work with local and national authors as well as other organizations in the Twin Cities literary community.

Job Description:
The Events Intern will get first-hand experience with bookstore event planning, promotion, and management. This is a perfect opportunity for anyone interested in the inner workings of the book industry, bookstores, or small business operations. The majority of weekly hours are devoted to the set-up and management of events, but interns will also assist in behind-the-scenes tasks such as marketing, publicity, social media, and sales reporting, and would have the opportunity to meet with store department heads for informational interviews.

By the end of the internship, the candidate will independently run 1-2 events a week from set-up to tear-down, including introducing speakers and authors, managing the reading, discussion, or signing, and interacting with customers and clients.

Mobility requirements:
This position requires lifting, carrying and moving books, setting up and taking down chairs, pushing carts, and occasionally standing for long periods. Driver’s license and clean driving record required. Access to a vehicle is also very helpful but not a requirement.

Shift Availability: Please note that due to the nature of the events schedule, evening availability is a requirement for this position.
Start date: January 2020
Duration: Up to 6 months
Time: 5-15 hours per week (varies depending on our events calendar)
Compensation: Paid internship, hourly rate

The intern may be asked to:
Assist with event publicity, e-newsletter, and social media content
Manage upcoming event display and in-store promotion, including signage, windows, and book displays
Independently run in-store and offsite events, including public speaking and physical set-up and tear-down
Organize and manage event sales data
Track and record marketing data

Position requirements:
A flexible schedule with evening availability
Ability to work alone and on a team
Ability to lift and transport 25-50 pounds
Comfort with public speaking
Adaptability and flexibility
Resourcefulness and problem-solving skills
Ability to work efficiently under pressure
Working knowledge of computers and common programs (such as Google Drive)
Driver’s license and clean driving record

The ideal candidate has:
Experience in marketing and social media
Enthusiasm for books
Keen attention to detail
Exceptional customer service and interpersonal skills
Excellent written communication and organizational skills
Tolerance for repetition

Benefits:
Opportunity to work with local and national authors and publishers
Opportunity to learn about the publishing, bookselling, and retail industries at a long-standing local business
Employee discount

Applicants with diverse backgrounds, experiences, abilities, and perspectives are strongly encouraged to apply.

Please submit resume and cover letter to Annie Metcalf at events@magersandquinn.com.


Other Employment:

We are not currently hiring for other positions, but we're always accepting applications. We will keep them on file should a position become available. Please fill out an application and send it to books@magersandquinn.com or drop it off at our store in Uptown. You may include a resume and cover letter.

Job Application

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Your Account

You may add to your shopping cart at any time, but to complete a purchase, you will need to create an account. If purchasing from us for the first time, you will be asked to set up your account by clicking the "My Account" tab at the top of any page and following the instructions. If you try to checkout without already having an account, you will automatically be taken to the account setup page.

Your user name must be a valid email address, as this will be our primary means of contacting you if any problems arise. We will not share your email address or personal information with any third party. (See our privacy policy.)

The password you choose must be at least 5 characters long and may contain only letters and numerals.

Create an account now >>>

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Your password can be any combination of at least 5 letters and/or numerals. For greater security you should avoid using words that may be found in a dictionary. If after creating an account you forget your password, click the link below the password field on the login page and enter your email address. An email containing a new password will be sent to the email account you entered.

Your user ID will be the email address you provide when creating an account. You will be prompted to enter your email address every time you log in to our site.

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Once logged into your account, you may view the status of your orders from the main account management page. For a short time after you complete a purchase, your order will be listed as pending while we locate the books and prepare them for shipment. Once all the books have been located and shipped, the status of your order will change to "Completed." Tracking information will be emailed after an order ships. Orders containing more than one item may ship in more than one package.

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All your previous orders will be listed by date of purchase and will show the total amount of the purchase. To see more details about each order, click the "View" button.

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The information you enter when you create an account will be kept as the default information for any future purchases. You may change this information at any time by logging into your account and following the link to the item you wish to modify. Any changes you make will be set as the new default information for future use. During the checkout process, you may also edit any of the fields which are already filled in from your default account information.

At this time, the Address Book is limited to 10 saved addresses (for billing and shipping). Once the limit has been reached, a saved address will need to be deleted before another can be added. Delete an address from your Address Book by clicking the encircled “x” to the right of the address name.

Change my account info now >>>

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Magers and Quinn Booksellers will never sell or give your e-mail address or personal address to a third party, except as necessary to complete the services you have requested, such as to shipping carriers. If you supply us with your e-mail address, you can choose to receive news and information from us via email, and can unsubscribe from the mailing list at any time.

Credit card and billing information is transmitted securely via TLS encryption. TLS protects your personal information while it is in transit via the internet and also while temporarily stored in our database.

If any unauthorized charges are made to your credit card as a result of shopping with Magers and Quinn online, you will pay nothing. If such charges do occur, please contact your credit card company first and follow their reporting procedures. By federal law, your bank or credit institution cannot charge you more than $50 for fraudulent charges. If you are held liable for any amount, Magers and Quinn will reimburse you up to $50 (provided that the charges occured at no fault of your own while your account information was held by our secure server).

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Shopping the Site

Inventory on our site is stored at more than one location. Not all titles shown are immediately available in store. Please see the section on Book Status and Availability below. If you are at our store and are unable to find a title that our website shows as On Our Shelves Now, store staff will gladly help locate a copy.

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From every page on our site, there is a search box at the top. The default search is by book title, but this can be changed to author, subject, or ISBN by clicking on “Title” and selecting from the drop down menu. Click on “MORE...” to visit the advanced search page with additional search options.

Helpful Hints
• Search terms are not case-sensitive.
• Correct spelling gives the best results.
• Words must be complete but can be in any order.

Title: Entering part of the title may get your result, but the more complete your input, the greater the chances of success. Words such as "a", "an", and "the" may be omitted.

Author: The author's first and last name may be entered in any order. Note: if you are searching for a biography of a particular author, try entering his or her name in the keyword field of the advanced search page.

ISBN: To locate a precise edition of a book, we recommend searching the ISBN field. An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is a 10 or 13-digit number assigned to most books published since 1970. In addition to appearing on the copyright page (usually the reverse side of the title page), this number is commonly printed on the back cover, near the barcode.

Subject: If you don’t have anything specific in mind, search by subject (such as C++, chapter books, Japanese, etc). To search for books related to a specific person, such as a biography, please use the Keyword search in Advanced Search.

Advanced Search adds a few more options:

Keyword: Can't remember the exact title or author for a particular book? Try searching by keyword. A keyword can be virtually any word or combination of words: quilting, folk music, golf, Picasso, etc. The more specific you are, the better your chances of finding just what you're looking for.

Binding: This allows you to search by hardcover, paperback, compact disc (for audiobooks), and other formats.

Condition: We sell both new and used books, and this allows you to target just new or just used inventory.

Exact Title: Checking this box results in a shorter list of results that more closely match the searched title. Different books can have the same or similar titles, so there will likely be more than one book in the results.

Rare/Collectible: Checking this box will only search our collection of antique and collectible books. Many of these books will not show an image, but we are happy to email photos by request.

New Arrival: This will show only titles received within the last 60 days.

Don’t have anything specific in mind? You may also browse departments. If you wish to find a range of books by subject, follow the department and category to your choice. See a complete list by clicking on "All Categories" located under the Browse menu.

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You may also want to use the "Browse Departments" menu on our home page. This will allow you to virtually walk through the aisles of our bookstore. You can start by selecting a broader department and narrow your search along the way. For example, scrolling down and selecting "Animals" will allow you to view all our categories in this department: Dogs, Birds, Insects, you name it.

In some cases there may even be subcategories, for example;
   Department: Travel
   Category: Travel guides
   Subcategories: Australia, Eastern Europe, United States, Midwest, etc.

"Advanced Search" will provide additional fields for a more refined search.

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If you wish to find a range of books by subject, follow the department and category to your choice.  See a complete list by clicking on "Full Category List" located under the Browse Departments menu.
You can also see a list of all categories within all departments by clicking on the "Full Category List" tab under the department pulldown menu or by clicking here.

If our department or category options don't quite fit the topic you are looking for, try typing the name of your subject into the key word field in the "Search" box or the subject field on the advance search page.This may give you a larger list that includes books that mention the subject word in the title or in the publisher’s comments.

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Our retail store features over 170,000 new and used books. Our offsite fulfillment warehouse increases that total to almost 1 million available titles.

On Our Shelves Now: The item should be on our store shelves right now. These products are available for In-Store Pickup.

Ships From Warehouse: This item is in stock at our distribution warehouse but not in our store. It can be shipped direct to you. Please call us at 612-822-4611 for in-store pickup of warehouse titles.

Coming [DATE]: This item is not yet published and should be available on or around the mentioned date.

Call for Availability: Please call us at 612-822-4611 to place an order for this title. This item is temporarily out of stock at our store and our distributor, but we may be able to get it from an alternative distributor or the publisher.

Out of Stock: This item is not in stock and may be out-of-print. Please check back at a later time or click the Notify Me button to be notified of its availability.

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If a particular book is not On Our Shelves Now or in our warehouse, click the “Notify Me” button to receive an email alert when the item is back in stock. This button is where you would normally see the "Add to Cart" button. While logged into your account, clicking the "Notify Me" button will add that item to your notification list. This list can be accessed at any time from the My Account account menu, by clicking Product Notifications. To remove an item from the list, simply uncheck the box next to the title which you wish to remove and click the "Update" button at the bottom of the list.

View your notification list now >>>

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New: A book in its original condition, as released by the publisher.
Used - Like New: A book in almost new condition, but not quite perfect. It may have remainder marks or minor shelf wear. Not as crisp as New.
Used - Very Good: A book which has been read and shows some use. It could show marks or shelfware. The dust jacket could show wear or minor tears.
Used - Acceptable: A book which shows more wear than an average used book. May have minor physical damage, underlining, highlighting, or library markings. We only allow this condition in a title that is in high demand or difficult to find.
Used - No Dust Jacket: A hardcover book originally issued with a dust jacket, but the jacket is either missing or well worn. The book itself is in very good or better condition.

We make a great effort to accurately describe our books. If you'd like to learn more about the condition of a particular title, feel free to contact us. If after receiving a book from us, you feel the book is not as described, please contact us.

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Conditions appear in two parts separated by a slash, referring to the condition of the book and the condition of the dust jacket. Condition codes on collectible and rare books are defined broadly. The older a book, the more subjective the condition code. All defects are noted in the description.

AS or As New: A book in original condition, as it was released from the publisher. Text is clean; binding is tight; the book is in unread condition.
F or Fine: Slightly less crisp condition then As New, but with little to no defects. Text is clean, and the binding is tight, but the book may have some minor shelfwear. Any defects are noted in the description.
NF or Near Fine: Shows some signs of having been read, but which is approaching Fine condition. The book is clean with a solid binding. Any defects are noted in the description.
VG or Very Good: Shows general wear, as expected with its age. It may have shelfwear or minor defects. Any defects are noted in the description.
G or Good: Shows significant wear. It may have water damage, a shaken or cracked binding, or minor defects. Any defects are noted in the description.
P or Poor: A very worn copy, with contents possibly loose, but complete unless otherwise noted.

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Placing an Order

Add an available item to your cart by clicking the "Add to Cart" button for that item. Adding an item to your cart will take you to your "Cart Contents" page, where you can make adjustments to the quantity of each item, remove items, and calculate the shipping costs.

Adding items to your cart does not reserve books. Items in your cart are still available for sale to other people, so if there's just one copy of a book, another customer may purchase it first. Your shopping cart will remain active for your entire shopping session.

To remove an item from your cart, check the box next to the appropriate title and click the "Update Cart" button at the bottom of your cart contents list. To change the quantity of each title you wish to order, enter a new number in the quantity field and click "Update Cart."

If you have an account and are logged on, your cart items will remain listed in your cart until you remove them. However, they will not be reserved for you until you check out.

To place an order for the items in your cart, click on Check Out in the top bar. Follow the prompts from there, beginning with either logging into an existing account or creating a new account.

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Credit Card: Our website accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. The billing address must exactly match the billing address on file with your credit card company. In the physical store, we also accept Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay via mobile NFC.

Gift Card: Magersandquinn.com gift cards may be redeemed on this website. Enter the gift card code into the "Gift Certificate" field on the Billing page during checkout. The amount will be applied against the total. Any remaining balance is saved for your next purchase. Website gift cards may be converted to retail store gift cards, in-store only. Please call ahead to make sure someone who can perform this action is on duty when you plan to arrive.

Check/Money Order: We accept checks and money orders in US dollars for domestic orders only. When submitting your order, you will be asked to mail payment. Our confirmation email will also request payment. Your order will be held for seven days awaiting payment.

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• Business Days are weekdays (excluding holidays), after the order is processed.
• Items shipping to an address within Minnesota may arrive faster.

• Prices are for shipping only and apply to an average-sized, single book.
• Import taxes and duties are the responsibility of the recipient.

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For products advertised as "On Our Shelves Now", we offer in-store pickup as a shipping option. Everything in your cart must be advertised as On Our Shelves Now to qualify. Once submitted, we will prepare your order as quickly as possible and send an email when it's ready. A state-issued photo ID matching the name on the order is required for pickup.

For your convenience, you may pick up your order from our alleyway door behind the store (10am to 6pm). There's no need to park. Simply drive up and either ring the doorbell or give us a call (612-822-4611).

Our alleyway pickup door for your order:


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If you would like to ask about the condition, edition, or availability of any of the books you see on our website, please don't hesitate to contact us via email or telephone.

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We guarantee that every book offered on magersandquinn.com is at minimum a good reading copy. We make every effort to ensure books arrive in the advertised condition. If you are unsatisfied with your order, please let us know.

Items may be returned for a refund, provided they are returned in their advertised condition within 14 days after receiving them. (Any packaging unique to the item, such as shrink wrap or decorative packaging must be intact and unopened.) Returns may either be shipped back or returned to our store in person during business hours. This packing slip must be included with the return, and please provide a reason for the return. The lowest cost way to ship books is Media Mail at your post office, and this service includes a free tracking number. Shipping charges (including Media Mail return shipping) will also be refunded if the return is a result of an error made by Magers & Quinn Booksellers. Our returns address is:

Please address returns to:
Magers and Quinn Booksellers
Attn: Returns
3038 Hennepin Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55408

Returns are processed within 48 hours of the item arriving back to our store. Refunds are provided in the same form of payment used for the original purchase. Money order refunds will be issued by check. Refunds to credit cards may take 1-3 business days to fully process at the bank of issue.

Please Contact Us with any questions you have on returns.

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To order by phone, please call us at (612) 822-4611 during our store's business hours.

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If you see a book we have On Our Shelves Now that you would like to pick up in person, please give us a call so we can hold it for you. Books can be held for up to 3 days, after which they will be returned to the shelves and are subject to prior sale.

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Please email us from the Contact Us form to cancel an order and we will respond as quickly as possible. Orders that have already shipped cannot be cancelled.

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