We have been serving bloomington’s bibliophiles since 1971.

Caveat Emptor has long been the home of treasures new and old for every reader. Known for its large selection of academic subjects, from folklore to art to foreign languages, to philosophy, the store is richer than it looks from the street. Smart shoppers know that our store also the largest civil war selection in the area, a treasure trove of kids books, amazing sci-fi finds and so much more. You truly never know what treasures you will find on our shelves.

So Many Ways to Shop

Browse our tens of thousands of books. Grab a chair in a quiet corner and spend some time with us.
We also have merchandise made by local artists and other small businesses as well as Caveat Emptor and IU Merchandise!
Shop in our on-line bookshop to find some rare treats.
PRO TIP- We keep these books locked up at our store, but if you ask, we are happy to let you browse them!
Our Private Bookstore Experience makes a great gift for a favorite person - or yourself. Spend 1 hour alone in our shop or bring up to 10 friends. You can roll on our iconic ladders, browse our rare book room, listen to the music of your choice and leave with $100 of books and merch. Learn more and purchase here.
Ditch Audible and Amazon. When you shop from Libro.fm, you support independent bookshops. Make the switch and get two free audiobooks. Learn more and support us here.
Select Merch, Gift Certificates and Private Bookstore Experiences are available at your fingertips. Browse here.

About Our Store

We have been serving bloomington’s bibliophiles since 1971.

So Many Ways to Shop

In-Store Book Browsing

Rare and Upscale Items on-Line

Private Browsing

Audibooks from Libro.fm

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