ABOUT US

How It All Began

On July 27, 1972, bibliophiles Pat Anderson and Ken Gjemre opened a used-book shop in an old laundromat in the heart of Dallas, Texas. They ran ads in the local paper, declaring “We Buy Books,” and soon found themselves with a few thousand books and so many customers that “You could stir them with a stick,” according to Ken.

Our founders coined the phrase, “We buy and sell everything ever printed or recorded (except yesterday’s newspaper),” and as the shelves grew, so did store locations, leading Half Price Books (HPB) to become America’s largest family-owned retailer for new and used books with a bustling website and more than 100 brick-and-mortar stores nationwide.

With our foundation of keeping books in circulation and helping to make the world a little better in mind, our leadership and employees continue to make tremendous strides to ensure that HPB keeps its top spot. Continuously reviewing our in-store and online shopping experience, partnering with literacy programs and charity organizations nationwide, and implementing green practices in our stores and corporate office are all ways that we make sure our founders’ legacy lives on.