At McKay's Books
Mebane, NC
So far this summer the heat has been stifling,with temps at or over 95 degrees F° most days. So, last month, given a forecast of a break in the heat, I decided to take a 4 hour drive down south through Lynchburg and Danville to Mebane, North Carolina, and the newest location in the McKay's Books franchise.
McKay's is a chain of used bookstores, all of which are located either in Tennessee or North Carolina. It took me a while to realize this, but the McKay used books in Manassas, Virginia, is not part of the McKay's chain, even though McKay used books has the same shelving system and the same inventory scheme as McKay's.
The newest McKay's store opened only last April (it previously was in Greensboro). It's at 4053 Wilson Blvd. in Mebane, North Carolina, 27302, on a frontage road that runs parallel to interstate 40.
The interior is quite spacious and airy.
I would say that only about a third of the store's interior is set aside for books; the rest is dedicated to toys (lots of action figures), video games and gaming accessories, a large section for DVDs, and even a collection of secondhand audio equipment:
They have a decent section of used vinyl and CDs.
They have a decent section of used vinyl and CDs.
As far as books go, the sections are clearly noted and labeled, so finding books in a particular category is not difficult. Compared to the inventory in the Knoxville, TN branch, the Mebane location is less expansive, with a rather limited selection of paperbacks. They did have a good inventory of graphic novels, comic books, and even bins filled with trading cards for things like 'Magic, The Gathering.'
While at McKay's I submitted a collection of video and PC games; old vinyl; graphic novels; and hardcovers and paperbacks, for consideration for 'store credit,' and was pleasantly surprised to receive over $80 in said store credit. That sum certainly was more than I expected, and more than I would get from other used book outlets.
Summing up, the Mebane McKay's is a pleasant place to shop at, but not the greatest place for paperback fanatics. To be fair, the store hasn't been that long in operation, so it could be that with the passage of time, the inventory will increase. I'm planning on a return visit, perhaps next year, to see what develops.
McKay's stores lack the coziness of a good used bookstore. I used to shop at the one in Raleigh, NC, back when I began Too Much Horror Fiction and found a few interesting horror paperbacks, but subsequent visits were never successful. Disorganized and most of the books they had in stock you could find at any thrift store or garage sale.
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