Not that the place lacks in the practical: you can choose your weapon from the hunting and fishing collection, scope your prey with a Rhode Island atlas or old map, and conjure a preparation from the cookbook section. Sollenberger knows what sells in her store and what doesn't, so expect tough love rather than a big hug when you come in (by appointment) with books to sell.

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Bibliohead Breaks Ground in San Francisco

bibliohead(tk)

San Francisco's Bibliohead sells "used, new, rare and uncommon" books.

Who in her right mind would open a small used bookstore in an explosively expensive city in 2004? Melissa Richmond, owner of Bibliohead Books, which sells "used, new, rare and uncommon" titles from a spiffy storefront with shelves spilling out onto the sidewalk, near the San Francisco Symphony. As a newish used bookseller, Richmond really wants to see what's overflowing your shelves, and to take the good stuff off your hands. Her inventory is particularly strong on music, dance, philosophy and the occult, but she may follow where you lead. Richmond does make some nice distinctions: romance novels are out, but "vintage pulp novels, especially gay and lesbian" are in.

Ravenna Third Place Books of Seattle
The Third Place Books folks say they like to see all kinds of people mixing it up in their store. They even bring this philosophy to merchandise: if you find a brand-new volume on a shelf, it pays to look just to the left and right to see if they've got a used edition of the same title, at maybe half the price. The Third Place building also mixes it up, offering coffee and Greek cuisine at Vios Café next to the bookstore and grub and grog at The Pub in the basement. Third Place is also big on community events, from discussion groups to readings. What's on the shelves? Staff picks range from "The Joy of Motherhood" to "A Problem from Hell: America in the Age of Genocide." Yup, it's all here.

John Rossheim is a journalist with more than 15 years of experience covering travel, city life, the workplace and employment trends, technology and other topics. He works from his office in Providence, R.I., through his company, Rossheim.com Inc.