McDONALD'S BOOKSHOP
48 TURK STREET (NEAR MARKET)
Occupying the same building for decades, the dusty old volumes, winding passageways and shadowy side rooms will not remind you of a Barnes and Noble. Itzhak proudly describes his establishment as "A Dirty, Poorly Lit Place for Books."
Recently reopening after three years of earthquake retrofitting, the construction is still in progress, as the photos plainly show. The storefront has been jazzed up (click here to see how it used to look), and the inside now has huge steel girders installed at various angles. The once-towering bookshelves have been replaced with shorter versions that no longer reach the rafters. "There was concern by some that the floor wouldn’t support the weight of the taller shelves -- even though they’d been there how long?" jokes Itzhak.
The selection is unlike anyplace else: old books, magazines and records of every possible taste and description. There is an organizational method to the madness, although it may not be readily apparent to the uninitiated. Of course, half the fun is just exploring, and finding out what all is in there.
So if you find yourself in downtown San Francisco, drop in and say hello. It’ll be an experience you won’t soon forget!
