<li><p>Anything like Target/Wal-Mart?</p></li>
<li><p>Any chain book stores? If not, how good are the local, smaller stores?</p></li>
<li><p>Video rental places? Again, any chain stores (Hollywood Video, etc.), and if not, how are the local stores?</p></li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><p>There is a Target accessible via BART. Not sure about Wal-Mart, though. But really, Target is better than Wal-Mart, IMO.</p></li>
<li><p>There is a Barnes and Noble on Shattuck, which is very close to campus. There is also a Borders in Emeryville, and that one is accessible via bus (or BART as well). In addition, there is Cody's Books right on Telegraph, as well as various local bookstores.</p></li>
<li><p>There is a Blockbuster, also on Shattuck. Also, I think there are a couple smaller local rental stores on University, but I've never been to any of them.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Hope that helps!</p>
<p>Cody's is an AWESOME bookstore. Really interesting, good selection, and they have great speakers there all the time (Dave Barry, Salman Rushdie, Jonathan Safran Foer, etc.)</p>
<p>Moe's is good too for used books.</p>
<p>When you say Target is accessible via BART, that's not really what I'd call accessibility. It's like a 15 minute walk to the BART station, and something of a journey to get to where you want to go. And if you have to go to Target to buy something, it's probably something pretty big. There are plenty of smaller stores like Walgreens to get everything you need. You're not going to find any really big stores around campus, except for grocery stores like Safeway and Andronico's on Shattuck.</p>
<p>Yeah, that's true, but I personally usually go there for clothes-shopping, so carrying the things back isn't really a problem. I've seen people that buy small- to medium-sized furniture like tables/etc. and have maybe two or three people carry it back, then take the 51 or 7 or 52L back up to dorms after getting off Berkeley station. It's a bit of a trek, but it's still okay if you really need something.</p>
<p>u guys...theres a target by the freeway now..you don't have to go to one in richmond (which IS not as big of a hassle as you made it seem lol its like across the street for gods sake)</p>
<p>and to the guy who posted this topic:forget chain stores! lol berkeley is fulla great local book/rental/clothing stores...</p>
<p>The non-chain book stores are fantastic and far more interesting (albeit sometimes a bit similar) to places like B and N.</p>
<p>I also forgot to ask about groceries, but since you mentioned Safeway (we have Vons down here), it seems fine.</p>
<p>75 cents bananas and oranges! Expensive, so I have a constant supply of fresh fruit from my visits to the DC.</p>
<p>there's also revolution books, thats the radical marxist/lenninist bookstore on telegraph next 2 the parking garage lol. the guy acosted me on sproul and gave me a buncha newspapers on Cal day.</p>
<p>I personally loved the stores near campus. before when I was visiting UCLA i thought Westwood was something, but no, Cal's was so much greater. There are more interesting stores and oh man places to eat...they all seem great. And they're all very close to campus compared to UCLA's distance from Westwood.</p>