Wonder Book — Local services in Derwood

It still shocks me to walk into a what appears to be a small, local, independently owned store and be treated like both me, and the money I'm about to spend, are not only unwelcome, but a completely annoying inconvenience. I'd read bad reviews touching on the terrible, condescending attitude of the employees on Yelp and Google, and assumed it was just extremely difficult customers and or disgruntled ex-employees, so I went ahead and paid my visit to Wonder books.

So, I have a day off, just got paid, and I just moved to DC. So obviously, I wanted to indulge myself when I found a used book store nearly 7 minutes from my current place of residence. I was ready to spend nearly 40 bucks on grabbing as many items I had found interesting. However, I was with my dog (sweet sweet sweet older female pitbull), and it was just too hot to leave her in the car even with all the windows completely down, and there wasn't anywhere I could tie her up in the shade. At this point, I saw two males exiting the store with their toy dog (no service vest), so I assumed that I could bring my dog in as well.

The response? "Well, MAYBE if your dog is well behaved but she's pulling a lot".

Ummmm, my dog was just smelling the doorway smelling the scent of the other dog that just walked out. At this point, my dog noticed I was going to put her outside, and then just started sitting flat on the floor (this is her form of protest). Poor doggie was sooo hot from being outside, all she wanted to do was sit on the cooooool tiles of the air conditioned book store. WHAT AN OUT OF CONTROL POORLY BEHAVED ANIMAL!!!!! So yes, I was told, in the most rudely sarcastic/disinterested tone, that, while my dog was just sitting on the floor in front of the door, she would have been allowed to browse the store with me if and only if she was "more well behaved".

Also, did this lost-from-Brooklyn-fake-ass-DMV-hipster work at the Dog Behavioral Health Center thats next door? If so, I apologize for insulting her qualified observation that my dog is not well behaved enough to be in a book store, because she likes to smell the ground. However, even her appearance (demeanor goes without saying) is so grossly unprofessional (full sleeve uncreative tattoos, random facial piercings, ironic t-shirt) that I highly highly highly doubt this is the case. Unfortunately, I've worked in customer service for too long, and I rarely am roused to either complain about someone's conduct or write a bad review. However, I've never been treated with more of what seemed like contempt mixed with indifference than when I was briefly dealt with my the cashier.

I found this counter-girl to be so, so, so, so , rude that I walked out, immediately, and will never return. It doesn't sound significant in the long run of things, but I AM an AVID reader. I used to spend nearly 30 bucks a week at the used book store where I used to live. Doesn't sound like much, but, that adds up to 120 bucks a month, which is a decent amount for an industry (such as used books) where the profit margin is RARELY more than a couple of bucks. Essentially ,what she told me is, "In our business, we implement double standards", or "well, in our business, we have no standards and it's all up to my opinion". I wouldn't be so pissed about this if my dog was actually not well behaved; Im not a delusional pet owner that thinks their pet is the best biggest angel that won't can't do no harm in the world. But it was 90* outside, and my dog just wanted to sit inside the store. I didn't think it would be an issue because I had JUST SEEN A SMALL DOG EXIT THE SAME STORE. But apparently, all customers ARE NOT treated THE SAME at this establishment, and according to the other reviews here and on yelp, you can't expect your needs to be even remotely met at Wonder Books. How does such a miserly person work in Customer Service?

Piece of Advice to Counter Person: If you're of the "pocket-book" intellectual types that seems to think reading the synopsis of various works is enough to maintain a...

Visited Wonder Book’s location over the weekend, & being that it was my first time ever there, when I tell you that looks can be deceiving…

From the outside, the store’s appearance looks a little dated & it was incredibly unassuming; it was tucked away near the back of a shopping center, almost as if it wanted to be hidden from prying eyes?... The only way one would know it was there was if somebody was specifically seeking the store out or if you were already a loyal customer of theirs. Simply put, it’s a storefront that you just don’t “pass through”, that’s how hidden it was.

The way the store looks on the outside bellies a vast, big, & dimly-lit cavern full of books, with bookshelves making the space feel like a giant maze. You’re likely to discover something random just sitting there whenever you’d turn a corner (I nearly ran into a golf club caddy while looking around), & there’s books of various genres & sizes EVERYWHERE… on the ground, on chairs, on bookshelves, in crates. There was SO much to see & look at that it honestly felt impossible to decide where to start!

It was fantastic :) It was quite literally the definition of “losing yourself in books / among the bookshelves”... There’s no such thing as a quick trip to Wonder Book, prepare to wander around for a few hours, or maybe even half a day if you have the time?... You’re bound to walk out of the store having learned something new, if you didn’t actually pick up a stack of books to take home (which is what happened to me, haha).

Having frequented a lot of used bookstores in my time, here’s what I thought about my first visit to Wonder Book– I loved exploring the store & it really did feel like a maze w its many bookshelves! It was somehow dim in the store itself, w dust on most books AND bookshelves, & I’ve found most areas to be labeled nicely (esp in the children’s book sections)... the store doesn’t really appear to care about putting on airs (like most modern brick-and-mortar stores do), but that’s what I really liked about it. It’s got character, & you’re bound to find something uncommon & unique among its many nooks & crannies… I guarantee it.

I’d say as a first-time visitor… it’s probably best to pop in when you feel like you’re up for something different in regards to your reading journey… or if you’re stopping in w a very specific thing in mind, I’d encourage you to not set your expectations too, too high that you’ll find it here… not because they won’t have it (maybe they will, maybe they won’t), but because you’ll most likely end up losing yourself in discovering so many new things that you’ll probably lose sight of why you came to Wonder Book in the first place! LOL

All in all, it was a dream for this future-librarian (hopefully) to be able to wander about & take it all in :) Price-wise, w the books that we selected, I didn’t think they were out-of-range or unaffordable, but I did find them to be a little bit higher & kind of inconsistent in comparison to how other used bookstores I’ve frequented before seemed to have theirs set at. They did have good promotions for the children’s section when I went, & I was also able to find some character board books that I haven’t seen in other stores, so A+++ for that!

That first visit had me feeling like it was somehow incomplete or unfinished, so I will MOST definitely be...

Hello , I am Sean Hardman. I am here to tell you of another place That is one of My favorite Bookstores , This is called Wonder Book In Gaithersburg , Maryland. This place is of Shady Grove Road Inside a Small shopping Center which is Behind some Lawyer Firm Buildings and stores near by . You have to turn right Into a Parking Lot ramp Going Down to reach Wonder Book that is somewhat Hidden Off the beaten path from Shady Grove Road Before You reach the traffic Light near it . It has a Hug Parking area you can come to this place to shop at . as soon as You come In Your Greeted By the Front Desk Associates if you need help appraising Books you bring in or records . They decide how much it is for Trade or Cash . I Like coming here to look at Books I Like getting Of Antique Books sets such as Classic Books , To New England History Books , To Sci Fi Books . They even carry DVD's And CD's . This place sometimes can be a maze of madness that You can just want to get lost In and never find Your way out . I also Love History Books On Places Like Scotland , England , Ireland , And Hawaii Based On My Ancestral Heritages . But I do them In secret so no one Knows why I seek them . It's usually My usual Hobbies Collecting Old First To Second Edition Antique Books . This Place has a very helpful staff to point out where you can find the sections You seek to want to look at as You shop . They have great management staff as well very knowledgeable & Helpful . It's been a Long time since I had been back there Not since the Covid Pandemic . I am Hoping to one day go back when I have time too . I want to go back to collect everything I can On Books On Scotland And Its History and Scottish Clans & Tartans Books First Editions . I used to love collecting Classic Records too On Aaron Copeland and Much more at one time . But New England History Books and Those of England , Ireland , & Scotland became My Obsession . If You all Love this Place as I do this place Is for you all . So come On down Once again and show Your patronage and Support to this place , I Know they will Be Greatly Appreciative . We all Look Forward To Seeing You all...