Grey Matter Books — Local services in Hadley

Truly bizarre, uncomfortable, and rude experience with the person checking us out at the counter. While checking out, we presented the book we were buying, along with another we’d brought with us to donate or trade. The employee very curtly declined to accept a brand new copy of Vinegar Hill for trade, saying it was better to do such things when first coming in, rather than while checking out. When we asked why, they told us it was because they were not in the mood and there was no other reason, leaving a palpable discomfort and hostility hanging in the air. It is hard to stress how unsettling and dark this felt. I hope the owners of this shop are okay with the success of their store hinging the moods of their employees.

Note: This review does not reflect the quality of the books or the vast assortment in the shop. We’ve consistently driven over an hour to visit Grey Matter and have had...

Gosh, I can’t say enough good things about this place. In the top 2 two best book stores in all of New England. My husband and I come here EVERY chance we get.

In fact, the only criticism I have is that it’s because of Grey Matter that we can’t find enough shelf space for our books now 😆. The prices are just unbeatable. The staff is always helpful and friendly. My husband has found dozens of rare books he’s been looking for, for a very long time. They have a gargantuan selection of books for every person, in every genre. If you are not from the area and just passing through…just…don’t pass this place up. You’d regret it if you knew what awaits you.

If this place was a person I...

I agree with all of the five star reviews here: This place is probably the best used bookstore and one of my absolute favorite places to spend time. To prove my point: When we want a weekend getaway, we visit Pioneer Valley and build our schedule around visiting Grey Matter.

They have interesting and hard-to-find books at reasonable prices in a tucked-away spot that goes on for (seemingly) miles. If you love books — please plan on carving out at least two hours to spend wandering through the winding rooms full of well-kept books in every...