We buy and sell books,  specializing in  South Florida. This includes Miami, Key West through Palm Beach, the Lake, and the Everglades.

         We are always interested in purchasing important individual items or specific collections, even if they are outside our specialty.  We also do appraisals of books.

         We are an internet mail order business,  but if you are going to be in our area, our stock can be seen by appointment.  Please email first or call. Our telephone number is:    305-856-4861.   If you are looking for an open store in the Miami area we recommend Mary Ann's place, Dunbar Old Books.  They have over 15,000 books in all different categories with an emphasis on non-fiction.  See their website for hours and location.

         Grove Antiquarian was established in 1989. We first began selling books by quoting in AB.  In 1990 we opened a store in Coconut Grove with 10,000 titles.   We began selling on-line in 1994.  The internet changed our business so much that having an open store became uneconomical; we closed the store in  1999. The Miami New Times had this article about our store's closing. Click here to read more about our online experience.

         We have been a member of the Florida Antiquarian Booksellers Association   since 1990.  In the past we have held the offices of Director and Treasurer in our association.

         Ward Arrington, the president of Grove Antiquarian, is a graduate of the University of Miami (1967) with a major in English and a minor in Art.   In years past we enjoyed selling our books at bookfairs - notably the annual Florida Antiquarian Book Fair in St. Petersburg and the Miami International Book Fair.   At the Miami International Book Fair Grove Antiquarian was in charge of the Antiquarian Annex from 1991 to 1993.   Several of our customers were featured in Estelle Ellis' At Home with Books published in 1995.   Of the rare book dealers in Florida that Ellis recommended only Grove Antiquarian is still in business selling used books.   In October 2007 we were the sole exhibitor of rare Florida books at the 25 year tribute to Books & Books hosted by the Miami Dade Public Library.

         Discussing the book The Sand Pebbles with a customer last year led to an interesting discovery. Also, in 2009 Ward was the winner of the Historical Museum of Southern Florida's Fifth Annual History Challenge. And the prize? Three books about Florida history. Sounds like bringing coal to New Castle. Sometimes when I go out to buy books the question of donations comes up in the conversation.

         I saw a quote I'd like to share: "Yes, it’s true that when you go into this business it's more like entering some screwy religion than it is about making money." This was said by Susan Halas in her article A Personal View of 2010 in the February 2011 issue of the AE Monthly magazine. She is referring, of course, to the business of selling used books.   Another puzzle has caught my attention. Has anyone ever seen a first edition copy of Twelve O'Clock High?