Regulator Bookshop

11/07/05

Fills an important niche in Durham's book culture by Kimberly N. at InsiderPages

Contributor at Insider Pages

Part of me wanted to give this bookstore 3 stars. There was a time when I would have loved to pop in this store to buy the latest romance. But you're not going to find romances at the Regulator. However, you will find great academic resources. Local and regional fiction. Detailed special collections. An immense selection of magazines. Fun postcard racks. An atmosphere welcoming to literary types and freethinkers. This place feels like a real bookstore. One that has charted its own path. Definitely worth checking out, especially if you have special interests.

01/04/07

It's been there for 30 years, and there's a good reason for that!

by candybuttons at Citysearch

I love the Regulator--it's one of the things that has always drawn me to Durham. As a Duke student, I loved that I could walk there for author events and just to browse. Now that I live in Durham and work at Duke, I still frequent this place! The staff is friendly and helpful, and going in there is like visiting an old friend. The only reason I didn't give them a full 10 is because the shop makes me feel a little claustrophobic, especially when there are a lot of people there, like for an event or on a Saturday afternoon... They are a dedicated anchor on the changing face of 9th Street, and I would never want them to move, but I wish there were some way to open up their space a little better!

• Pros: Staff, Selection, Atmosphere
• Cons: They've overgrown their space!

Agood selection of quality discount books, bestsellers, off-the-wall books, arts writings, gay and lesbian studies, and cultural studies sections.

by Contributor at Citysearch

In Short
Regulator is a reader's paradise. Lose yourself in stacks of magazines/fanzines and the latest releases. A chatty, knowledgeable staff won't hesitate to make a recommendation or steer you in the right direction. Drop by almost any night of the week and you're bound to find an up-and-coming writer, best-selling author or cult favorite reading.