Do you have a local curriculum bookstore?

[carlamom2ansnm]

If so, tell me about it! We don't have anything like that around here and I'm curious about what they entail :) Do they have the big name curriculum? Other items? What do you like about it? What do you not? Do you actually SHOP at the store, or do you just browse and find cheaper online?

[frugalmama]

We do, but it doesn't have everything KWIM? It tends to be mostly religious based programs which isn't us. I rarely buy anything there because 1. I can find it cheaper used online, and 2. very little fits our family views.

 

However they have an EXCELLENT used book room with rock bottom prices :D and a far better selection. I go there at least once a month.

[5LittleMonkeys]

We do. It carries mostly Christian based curricula...nothing much that we would use. I did order Notgrass from them, but they weren't cheaper than online, just quicker. Most of the other curricula that I've looked at there can be purchased cheaper online.

[marbel]

I don't anymore, but Exodus Books in Oregon City, Oregon, is a fabulous place. Well, it is a Christian store, so that's not going to help everyone, but their literature selection is wonderful and they often have good deals on used books. They buy books; it's been a while since I lived in that area but as I recall they bought at a pretty good price.

 

The owner was homeschooled. I still order from them; shipping is reasonable and fast.

 

http://www.exodusbooks.com/

[Robin M]

We have Brighter Child Home school Store here in Sacramento which carries everything. So fun to go in and browse, particularly when you know what you are looking for, but just want to check out the other stuff. They also have classes and online store.

[Night Elf]

We do. It's family operated and they are Christian homeschoolers so they carry items like AOP, Rod & Staff, BJU. They also carry secular items as well like Saxon Math and Critical Thinking materials. They carry only items they believe are good quality. They have a large selection, IMHO, for a family operated homeschool store, and cover every subject you can think of. I can literally spend hours sitting at their tables and browsing materials.

 

Yes I have shopped there in the past. Once my kids hit high school, we use an online school so I no longer shop for curriculum. But the reason I shopped there even though their prices were full retail was the service. The Mom would sit and talk with you, help you assess your homeschool and kids, and recommend items that she felt were most beneficial. She hit the mark every single time for my family! She never made me feel obligated to buy anything. I am so impressed with their business that I have donated many materials to them. They sponsor a few families in need.

 

They are open only from 12noon to 6pm. They school in the mornings and the evenings are family time.

 

I also talked with the Mom at a Christian Fine Arts program. Her kids take music lessons and at one point my youngest dd took lessons. She knew other families and had a good reputation.

[Mimm]

We have a Mardel's, which is a Christian teacher's supply store and has a lot of what I would consider classroom educational supplies. Like lots and lots of stuff to decorate large bulletin boards. :confused: They do have a curriculum section and some of it is even classical but all of it is Christian so secular homeschoolers wouldn't find much there for them. (I am a Christian but lean away from using Christian curriculum.) I also found out that a Christian bookstore around here has a curriculum section, which is of course Christian. I went to their website and for beginner homeschoolers they recommend Abeka, Bob Jones, Rod and Staff and ACE. :) They take in used curriculum so I plan to go see what they have on hand but I haven't been there yet.

[Tap]

I don't anymore, but Exodus Books in Oregon City, Oregon, is a fabulous place. Well, it is a Christian store, so that's not going to help everyone, but their literature selection is wonderful and they often have good deals on used books. They buy books; it's been a while since I lived in that area but as I recall they bought at a pretty good price.

 

The owner was homeschooled. I still order from them; shipping is reasonable and fast.

 

http://www.exodusbooks.com/

 

:iagree:

 

I like Exodus....but I really, really miss Kingfisher. :0(

[Dustybug]

Yes! I have a used bookstore 5 minutes from me that is owned by homeschoolers whose children have all graduated. They sell curriculum that is brought to them for trade. A good bit of it is Christian based (Abeka, BJU, etc.), but I have also seen Saxon, MUS, and several others in there as well.

 

About an hour drive away is a huge one that I just went to for the first time a few weeks ago. They were also Christian based, so virtually all of their books were as such (Rod and Staff, Abeka, BJU, Horizons, CLP, CLE, ACE, etc.). The prices were outstanding though!

[Mommy22alyns]

I am so jealous of anyone who has one! I thought it was awesome when I found a big used bookstore that actually had a homeschooling section. It must be so nice to actually see things IRL before buying.

[Dolphin]

I don't anymore, but Exodus Books in Oregon City, Oregon, is a fabulous place. Well, it is a Christian store, so that's not going to help everyone, but their literature selection is wonderful and they often have good deals on used books. They buy books; it's been a while since I lived in that area but as I recall they bought at a pretty good price.

 

The owner was homeschooled. I still order from them; shipping is reasonable and fast.

 

http://www.exodusbooks.com/

 

I go to Exodus. It has a good amount of secular materials. It is really nice being able to browse through books. DS is a member of the TinTin club.

 

We also have a few learning palaces and a lakeshore learning.

 

We do try to buy from them each year as I want them to stay around:001_smile:

[MollyAnn]

I did when we lived in Michigan. It's called The Homeschool Building. It's in old christian church school. It is so very cool. The school library is still set up, they had a curriculum bookstore that carried just as much secular as religious based curriculum, they have band and choir, and offer co-op classes.

DC were only 5 and 7 when we were there so we didn't get to take advantage of most of it, but when I visit my parents I always stop in to browse.

I really wish I had it. DD would love to have regular art and music classes.

[Bear23]

No, we don't and it sure would be nice if we did. I do all my shopping online due to where we live.

[Sharilynn29]

I have an awesome place near my home called SCARCE. It is an environmentally friendly store for FREE teacher materials. This includes curricula (mostly ps curricula but they carry lots of Saxon, Singapore, plus other great hs finds), library type books (I just picked up about 30 classics!), and supplies. Glue, scissors, pens, pencils, protractors, rulers, paper, white boards, folders, binders, etc. This stuff is 100% free! Everything is donated from teachers and schools. I now have the markers that little Johnny's mom bought for him to use (along with the other 50 items on the school supply list) at no cost to me. I'm so happy I found this gem. It's in Glen Ellyn, IL.

[MyThreeSons]

If so, tell me about it! We don't have anything like that around here and I'm curious about what they entail :) Do they have the big name curriculum? Other items? What do you like about it? What do you not? Do you actually SHOP at the store, or do you just browse and find cheaper online?

 

There was a wonderful place near here. It was a huge warehouse with all kinds of curriculum and readers. They also sold online.

 

I say "was" because the family who owned it the past 20 or so years has retired and sold the business. I haven't been there since the change of ownership took place; I know that there were some changes in the works.

[mom24cuties]

They are opening up a homeschool store next month that is about 30 min. from me, I can't wait to go check it out.

[Carrie12345]

Nope.

Dh and I (mostly me, lol) always talk about opening one, and I even have a rough sketch of a business plan somewhere, but every time a lump of cash comes in, we find something else to spend it on. ;)

[The Girls' Mom]

There are two places here that you can buy curriculum, that I know of.

 

Cedar Springs Christian Book store has a branch in Knoxville that has a huge homeschooling section. Not only do they sell new curriculum, they sell used curriculum as well. (and they will buy your old stuff from you for store credit) The prices aren't bad. I do buy stuff from there.

 

The other place is McKays used book store. It is HUGE, and has a homeschooling section. Since it is a used book store, the selection can be hit or miss. I have found some real deals there. They also have a free box out front that I have grabbed a lot of books from.

 

One of the Lifeway's used to have a small homeschool section, but I haven't been there in about 3 years, so I don't know if they still do.

[Onceuponatime]

I used to live near Moore Expressions in Virginia Beach. They have all kinds of curricula and educational materials, new and used. They also take stuff in trade for store credit.

 

There isn't any thing close to me now, but after 18 years I don't need much.

[BlsdMama]

If so, tell me about it! We don't have anything like that around here and I'm curious about what they entail :) Do they have the big name curriculum? Other items? What do you like about it? What do you not? Do you actually SHOP at the store, or do you just browse and find cheaper online?

I'm by Exodus as well. Perhaps not super close, but really it's a scenic drive with one really great coffee/muffin cart 1/2 way there... Ideal isn't it? :)

 

 

Yes on big name... But also things from Doorposts, Melissa & Doug toys/art, Dover coloring books, old books, interesting books, children's books.

 

What do I like about it? I love knowing that we're supporting families, real families, with the same values as ours, not just some anonymous company that means very little to me. I love that everything is THERE and I can see it and touch it and browse through it. I love that I can take ALL of my children and prove to them that homeschooling does exist in numbers bigger than just our community. I love that this area can support a brick and mortar store. I love that I have an instantaneous, one shop place to do Christmas. I love that they carry GREAT board games like Catan.

 

They are usually neck and neck with others, but NO! I do not try to find it cheaper online if I'm buying new, and often, they can offer it used... If I can get it at Exodus, I get it at Exodus. I think we have an obligation to support places like this with our business. More than that, if I buy something and don't like it, I sell it online rather than return it. :P Why? Because I'm from Iowa and we don't really HAVE places like Exodus. And if we don't shop there and families don't shop there, Oregon won't have places like Exodus either. Can you tell I REALLY like their shop? :D When we move back home I will continue to buy from them. If you've ever met the staff and had them help you "work through" curriculum, you are devoted. They truly pour themselves into Exodus, they buy back books, they LOVE books, they are devoted homeschoolers, and I just respect the place and the people.

Edited June 18, 2012 by BlsdMama

[nukeswife]

I used to live near Moore Expressions in Virginia Beach. They have all kinds of curricula and educational materials, new and used. They also take stuff in trade for store credit.

 

There isn't any thing close to me now, but after 18 years I don't need much.

 

This is the one I live near. It's about 20 minutes away by interstate. I don't get much there because it's mostly Abeka, BJUP, AOP and other Christian Curricula, but they do carry all the PHP items and occasionally have some secular texts come through.

[higginszoo]

We have a Christian bookstore that has a big homeschool section, but it is 2-3 hours to bigger cities to go to a true homeschool store, so I only get to go when I am in those cities for other things.

[KarenNC]

We have a great homeschool consignment store here that has both Christian-specific and secular materials (though it tends to be heavier on the Christian-specific which is not at all surprising given our location). Basically, I ignore the heavily proselytizing Christian radio station they play, etc because I prefer to support local business, like to see things hands-on first, like the folks who run the store, it's a lot easier to consign my used materials than to try to sell at a used curriculum sale or online, and I can frequently find something I can use that I pay for with my credit from consigning. The store also has two rooms where they offer classes and testing, but it's far enough away that it's not a place I want to go for regular classes.

 

Consignment seems to be a more sustainable model than a physical new or used curriculum store, given the competition from places like Amazon. We also had a new material homeschool store in the area, but it closed relatively recently. From what I understand, they had a lot of folks coming in to browse the material, but then would actually buy it from other sources because they found a better price, so they couldn't afford to stay open. With the consignment aspect, the owners are limited in their capital investment. Several local used bookstores also carry used homeschool materials and give a homeschool discount, but their selection is very hit or miss and you don't get as much return on selling your items to them (of course, that means you pay less there than at the consignment store, so there are pros and cons to everything).

[KatieJ]

Yes, there is one here. I did shop there and they had most everything in big name curriculum. It was more expensive to shop there.

[Cinder]

We used to. I don't know if it's the same one NightElf mentioned--the family had 2 stores but closed the one nearest me. It was still 45 mins away; the one store they have now is much farther. They had primarily Christian materials but also some regular stuff: ETC, Keys to books, Dover coloring books. It's family-owned; the husband ran this store. Even though it was a long drive and they charged retail I tried to support it as a local family-owned business. But since they closed the store closest to me I now order online. :(

[Citrusheights5]

We have Brighter Child Home school Store here in Sacramento which carries everything. So fun to go in and browse, particularly when you know what you are looking for, but just want to check out the other stuff. They also have classes and online store.

 

This iss the one I go to and who shaped myhomeschooling experience 8 years ago...my DH went in asking for an education that looked like the military boarding school he went too. The look on her face was priceless! She handed him WTM. And said nothing is like that but this is a good education....

 

8 years later I am trying to convince DH that unschooling just won't work for me. But yes... I agree .. Learning for our boys does not take place at a desk..with the yard stick.. But rather as they do..

 

I love this store... Their new local is much bigger and I love the layout.. Great to pick up work books, and manipulatives...

[AmyontheFarm]

Ok, I'll admit it. I'm jealous.

[Night Elf]

We used to. I don't know if it's the same one NightElf mentioned--the family had 2 stores but closed the one nearest me. It was still 45 mins away; the one store they have now is much farther. They had primarily Christian materials but also some regular stuff: ETC, Keys to books, Dover coloring books. It's family-owned; the husband ran this store. Even though it was a long drive and they charged retail I tried to support it as a local family-owned business. But since they closed the store closest to me I now order online. :(

 

Probably. I never visited that location. I live closer to the one that is still open. Maybe I'll go this week just to browse because I miss it. I can buy some Critical Thinking workbooks to make the trip worthwhile. :)

[SunnyDays]

Ok, I'll admit it. I'm jealous.

 

Me too. :( We don't have anything where I live. There's a Christian bookstore in the area that used to have a VERY small section, but now they're down to a book here, a book there, no rhyme or reason either. I really wish we had something, I do order everything online.

 

Even our local B&N only has a shelf or two on homeschooling, aside from the general workbooks, etc.

[KarenNC]

Ok, I'll admit it. I'm jealous.

 

I understand. I find myself a bit jealous when I read the threads about folks who have the option for public funding for homeschooling (what I could do with several hundred a year that didn't have to come out of pocket!) or whose children can participate in extracurriculars at the public schools. Here we have to be totally self-funded for everything. We do have the option for dual enrollment in community college for juniors and seniors (not there yet, so I'm still a bit fuzzy on the details) and the public schools have recently graciously offered us the option to take a few select classes (no core subjects) through the online services they have for public high schools---to the tune of $500-900 a year plus books per class. No extracurriculars, though. Since the vast majority of homeschool class/group activity options here are very Christian-specific and we very much aren't, it would be nice to have alternatives in more ways than one.:)

[Cinder]

Probably. I never visited that location. I live closer to the one that is still open. Maybe I'll go this week just to browse because I miss it. I can buy some Critical Thinking workbooks to make the trip worthwhile. :)

 

I remember my first trip to the store was to get a couple of Keys to books. I was so glad to be able to look at each one in the series so I could figure out which we needed. My dd misses those trips to the store because I always let her choose a Dover coloring book. I don't think she misses the loooooong drive though. I like that the owner was glad to help but mostly just left you to browse.

 

There was another store closer to me that we visited once. I think the owner's son worked there. He was a little too helpful. I think he was just trying to be friendly but it was off-putting. That store didn't have much anyway and I think they closed after a couple of years.

[LifeLovePassion]

I live close to http://www.legacyhomeschool.com/

 

So fun to go browse and Nancy and Brad are fantastic at figuring out what will meet your needs!

[TheApprentice]

We used to have 2, but they both went out of business. I would go into the store to get a "hands on" view of the material I wanted, and then purchase it online. One of the owners told me that she was losing business to online purchasing. I felt really bad. But it really was cheaper online.

[KarenNC]

We used to have 2, but they both went out of business. I would go into the store to get a "hands on" view of the material I wanted, and then purchase it online. One of the owners told me that she was losing business to online purchasing. I felt really bad. But it really was cheaper online.

 

A good lesson in economics. At a local store, you are paying for (and getting) more than just the printed materials. You are also getting the hands-on preview, convenience of not having to wait for (and pay for) shipping, experience of the staff, opportunity to find materials you would not know to have looked for online, etc. I will readily admit that I did as much buying used as I could (and still do) for a variety of reasons---less cost, fits with my philosophy on reducing our environmental footprint by using materials that have already been printed, etc--but I did always try first to buy anything I needed new from our brick and mortar new curricula store. Because I use secular and, often, lesser-known materials, that wasn't always possible, but they were willing to special order things for me if they had a relationship with the publisher. It's a shame ours went out of business for the same reasons as above.

Edited June 19, 2012 by KarenNC

[Heather in OK]

Yes. :)

 

We have Mardel, a Christian bookstore (already been mentioned in this thread). They have an education department which caters to public/private school teachers and home schoolers. Once a year they have a HUGE Back to School teacher sale and do 20% off (almost everything). They also do a sale in January but it's just select publishers at different %s off.

 

The place I always check first though is Bibliomania. It is a consignment homeschool book store (she will ship curriculum). She has just about everything you could quite possibly think of. Most of it is on the shelf but she gets SO much stuff that there are always boxes of curriculum laying around. And she knows what is in every. single. box. lol I have taken in a couple boxes this past year and in turn have been able to get things I needed either with a big chunk taken off or free since my items sold. Sometimes I can find an item cheaper online or a sale/swap board but for the most part, I get great deals there!!

 

Once a month there is Book Benevolence. Everything there is free. It's a take what you need/donate or bring back what you don't need sort of thing.

[hmvaughan4]

 

Nature's Workshop is very close to us.

[Rosy]

We have a great homeschool consignment store here that has both Christian-specific and secular materials (though it tends to be heavier on the Christian-specific which is not at all surprising given our location). Basically, I ignore the heavily proselytizing Christian radio station they play, etc because I prefer to support local business, like to see things hands-on first, like the folks who run the store, it's a lot easier to consign my used materials than to try to sell at a used curriculum sale or online, and I can frequently find something I can use that I pay for with my credit from consigning. The store also has two rooms where they offer classes and testing, but it's far enough away that it's not a place I want to go for regular classes.

 

Consignment seems to be a more sustainable model than a physical new or used curriculum store, given the competition from places like Amazon. We also had a new material homeschool store in the area, but it closed relatively recently. From what I understand, they had a lot of folks coming in to browse the material, but then would actually buy it from other sources because they found a better price, so they couldn't afford to stay open. With the consignment aspect, the owners are limited in their capital investment. Several local used bookstores also carry used homeschool materials and give a homeschool discount, but their selection is very hit or miss and you don't get as much return on selling your items to them (of course, that means you pay less there than at the consignment store, so there are pros and cons to everything).

This so accurately describes my situation in the Seattle area that I thought you must live here until I saw a later post!

 

Like Karen, we have an excellent consignment store that has a terrific selection. It really is an amazing place--think of a strip-mall store with tall shelves that contain pretty much all of the well-known curricula as well as MANY obscure titles, and a huge used children's lit section. I try to go there before I shop online because their prices are good and I do like to see what I'm buying before I buy it. And like Karen, we also had a smaller shop that sold mostly new curric that closed recently--the owner blamed Amazon as well, though the one time I shopped there I vowed I would never go back because the owner followed me around the entire time I was there spouting opinions about YEC and the evil public school partnerships, and her curric was all Christian publishers--VF, AIG, The Light and the Glory, etc...she disapproved of WTM and had no problem saying so. I can't imagine why she didn't stay in business.