Bookworm News | Books for Less Warehouse Sale
1:00 AM
I love books so much that I make it a point to buy at least one book per
payday. But since I am not yet a fast reader, I have many pending books that
will last me for months. Still, this does not stop me from buying some every now
and then. For me, it does not matter whether I buy new or secondhand books---as
long as I always have something to read. And because I am expanding my reading
knowledge, I am more excited to buy books now than before.
When my boyfriend told me that Books for Less will have a warehouse sale
from August 1 to 31, I decided to go there last August 2, Sunday. This is
actually my first time to go to a warehouse book sale, so I was really excited
to see what kind of books I can find. :D
We were supposed to be there by morning. But I was very tired from gym
workout and I love to sleep more than anything else, so I woke up late. We
arrived around 4:00 in the afternoon---and THERE
WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE. I think we were already pretty late because the sale
ends at 6:00 in the evening. I knew it will take long for me to find books, so I
started searching the moment I went in.
Observations
As a newbie in book sales, I was surprised to find a big crowd and what
the place looked like. While looking around, I saw why people were there. For
instance, I saw some students looking for textbooks that they can use as
resource materials for their classes. I also heard a couple discussing whether
the books they have will sell or not. There are also those who bought books for
the friends and relatives. Then there are parents who bought their kids for the
children’s books (which, I think, is a bad idea. But more on that later).
While I am happy there are many people who appreciate books, it saddens
me that most of those who were there did not even bother to take care of them.
I saw so many books strewn on the floor and nobody bothered to pick them up. I
did pick up some that I can handle, since I was holding a lot of books already.
Despite the surge of people, the heat, the dust, and the disarray of books,
I was able to buy some that would last me for the next two months.
Buying Books
Unfortunately, coming in late means I did not find the books that I wanted.
However, since I am expanding my reading knowledge, I looked out for books that
I think would interest me. We bought 10
books, seven are mine and three are for Marc. And indeed, they were 20 pesos
each, so I got the 10 books for just 200 pesos. A great deal for someone like
me who is opening up to reading more book genres. Here are some of the books we
bought:
Reminders
Yes, getting great books at affordable prices was one of the great things
in the sale. But since it was first time here, I was not prepared. I did not
expect the crowd, the heat, and the dust. So for those who still plan to go to the
sale, here are some few reminders:
1. Bring water. It was hot
and humid, so not bringing a water was my mistake. It’s a good thing I was able
to take it, but I drank lots of water afterwards.
2. Bring tissue or face towel.
Due to the heat and dust, there is really a big chance that you will perspire and
sneeze a lot.
3. Wear comfortable and breathable clothing
and footwear. Your clothes will get dusty and your feet will be stepped on. Wear
something that will help make your shopping tolerable and comfortable.
3. Be patient. One thing that
I sort of lacked in the sale was patience. I never thought you really have to
be patient in these sales just so you can find books that interest you. I was
partly patient, so I saw some great books. But it was not enough as I saw
others who got better books because they were really very patient in going
through everything.
4. Come to the sale early.
This was also my mistake. Obviously, most of the really great books are gone
because those who went early already bought them. You will still get
interesting ones. But if you went there early, you will get books that you
really want.
5. Keep a cool attitude. Since
the place is very crowded, expect to be shoulder-to-shoulder with various
people. You will also be bumped and stepped on many times, so it is best to
keep your head cool and just enjoy finding books.
6. Bring eco bags or boxes. For
sure, you will be getting a lot of books, so bring an eco bag. Better yet,
bring your own box (yes, I saw a lot of people putting books in their own
boxes). We didn’t bring any of these, so by the time we were carrying around 6
books, our arms were tired already.
7. Do not bring your kids. As
much as you want your children to be exposed to books, I don’t think this is
the place for that. Because of the heat and the crowd, there is a big chance
that your children will grow impatient. They also tend to just get anything
from the book piles and throw it around once they are done. Even others say
that it is not advisable to bring your kids.
8. Allot time in staying. Do
not expect to get there, buy books, and leave immediately. You really need to spend
a lot of time rummaging through book piles and straining your neck just to see
what books are in the shelves. Take your time and you will get books that are
really worth the 20 pesos you are paying.
Final Say
One of the reasons I attended this sale is to find books that will
expand my reading knowledge. So while I was looking for the usual ones, I was
still open to buying other interesting books. I did find good ones that I will
read in the next months, and hopefully, help expand my reading knowledge.
The warehouse sale also surprised me because of the crowd. I know I
should be used to crowded places, since I attend anime and cosplay conventions
that are always jampacked. But I underestimated this sale because I thought
there wouldn’t be a lot of people. After all, we are on a digital age where
almost everyone reads e-books and uses the Internet to get information and
research. But I guess there are still those who love the feeling of holding and
reading an actual book---and I am happy there are a lot.
I know some of those who attended have different intentions as to why
they are buying books. But no matter the intention and how crowded the place
is, I am happy there are people who still love to buy and read books in this
digital age.
After spending more than two hours rummaging through book piles and
braving everything, I think my first time in the Books for Less Warehouse Sale
was a good experience. I would love to do this again next year, but I’ll be
more prepared so I can really get great finds. I was planning to go back again
around end of August, but other plans came in and I’ll be blogging about that
soon (hint: it’s another sale).
Directions
But for those who have not gone to the Books for Less Warehouse Sale, this
weekend is your last chance as it will last until August 31, 2015. Everything
is still 20 pesos. Just remember to keep in mind the reminders I mentioned
above before going.
Also, here are the directions:
(https://www.facebook.com/bflbookstore/posts/10153104902735197)
For more details on the sale, visit the official Facebook page of Books for Less today.
~ Hainrihi
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