National Book Store Warehouse Sale!

Christmas comes early for book lovers in the metro, as National Book Store holds its warehouse sale at the 4th floor of National Book Store Quezon Avenue from November 15 to 18 (10 am to 7 pm), with up to 80% off on books, supplies and gift items.

If you’re not familiar with the area, it’s only some blocks away from the Quezon Avenue MRT Station. Here’s the google map (where A is the NBS Quezon Ave. branch):

You can take the elevator from the ground floor, or go up National Book Store, exit to Crossings, then take the escalator again until you reach the 4th floor.

Earlier, National Book Store posted a sneak peek of the Books section on their Facebook page:

I caught the invite-only, First Day Exclusive today (I was in a hurry, and no cam!), and I can tell you it’s well worth the effort, even all the way from the South.

The book selection is awesome in terms of value for money, whether you’re buying for yourself (*hee*) or planning to make your way through your Christmas list. The spread is laid out in tables marked by denomination (P30, P50, P100… P500 below), and there’s a fair mix of fiction and non-fiction titles in good condition (some still in shrink wrap!), both in paperback and hardcover in various genres. I saw a good number of titles in picture books, middle reader and YA novels, classics, general fiction, fantasy, graphic novels, hobby books, coffee table books and business books — at bargain prices.

To give you a better idea, I present my loot — nothing over P100!

Classic Caldecott: P50

Roald Dahl for P30!

And another one, also P30

Another Lisbeth Zwerger for my collection — P50

Crossed off my wishlist. P30!

Yay, David! P30

“Meta-detective fiction” – sold! P30.

Because I’ve never read it, and it was only P50.

Because I can never have too many copies, and it was also just P50.

Narnia novelty book, P100.

A beautifully illustrated memoir, P75.

Finally I have a copy — P100!

For the Nancy Drew fan in me — this awesome awesome novelty book for P50!

And foraged from the Supplies section! P100.

Here are my tips for those going to the warehouse sale.

1) Go early in the day. Less people, more space for you to move around in, and more books for you to choose from. And there’s nothing worse than panic-buying near closing time.

2) Bring your own bag. Make that bags. Or a bag with wheels, to cart out all your purchases. If you’re anything like me (e.g. stationery/ art supply nerd) you’ll appreciate the Supplies section too, and you can stock up on supplies: pencils, bags, stationery, art materials, computer peripherals, toys and games, and other gift items.

3) Wear comfy clothes. I’m betting the weekend crush will be crazy, and you’ll be rummaging for books, so keep cool and wear your comfiest bargain book hunting clothes!

4) Tuck in. Have a hearty meal before going in there, especially if you tend to forget time when book shopping (I do!). You don’t know how long you’re going to be in there, or how long the checkout lines will be, so better fuel up before going inside.

5) Dive in! After years of trawling (and crawling!) through bargain bins, I can tell you that the more you want a book, the bigger your chances of finding a bargain copy of it somewhere. And you the books you really really want are often found in the most unexpected places: forgotten corners, under a huge mountain of books, behind ten layers of books, or sometimes even right under your nose!

6) Keep your books close. The bargain table is fair game. What you aren’t holding can be grabbed by someone else, so hold on to the book or secure it inside your cart to stake your claim, and don’t leave your cart unattended.

7) Ask your fellow bookworm. Poaching from another book hunter’s cart is NOT (sorry, NO, hahaha!) fair game, but if their cart has a book you like, you can always ask where they got it. The universe may reward you for resisting the temptation to poach, and there might be just one other copy waiting for you on the shelf.

8) Check your copy. Check the condition of the book you are buying, especially if you’re giving it out as a gift, or if you’re finicky about what goes on your shelf. If there are multiple copies available, select the best-looking of the bunch!

9) One round is not enough, because you may have missed out on something the first time. You might be surprised what books pop up on your next round(s).

10) Do one final look-over. Before checking out, survey the contents of your cart. A book you think you grabbed might not be in there, or books that you didn’t plan to buy may have strayed in there. Or you may need to eliminate some books depending on your budget. Just check to make sure everything you want is in your cart.

I hope this helps! The warehouse sale runs until Sunday, so you guys have plenty of time to visit. Happy book hunting!