BARGAINS : PASSION FOR BOOKS LEADS TO DUTTON'S.

Byline: Trisha King & Deborah Newmark

Most of us have a passion for certain things. If yours is books, whether new, used, old or antiquarian, Dutton's Books will feel like paradise.

The bargains start before you enter the store. Hardbacks, many with dust covers intact, such as Colleen McCullough's ``Thorn Birds,'' are priced at 89 cents. Give or take a few dollars, most retailed for around $20. A large, used-everything section has hardbacks in any condition for $2.50.

With several hundred thousand books, allow plenty of time for browsing. Dutton's, started in 1961, is staffed by friendly and devoted book lovers. New hardbacks run 10 percent to 20 percent off retail, and most new books on tape are 30 percent below retail (used audios are discounted up to 80 percent), and don't forget to check out the recycled books no longer in print.

You'll be amazed at the various subjects you can find books about at Dutton's. A 1959 hardback ``The Complete Works of Robert Frost,'' was $5.95, and in the section of ancient to present history, an 1889 hardback, ``History of the Johnstown Flood of 1889,'' was $25.

Not only do the older books feel and smell good, it isn't uncommon to find yellowed notes or newspaper clippings between pages. Books from the 16th and 17th centuries are also available for the asking.

We didn't see any Harlequin romances, but new and used cookbooks filled 43 shelves, and there were more books on the floor. Subjects range from domestic and foreign recipes to an eyebrow-raising cookbook titled ``How to Cook a Wolf'' (the contents match the title).

If you have books you'd like to sell, call for an appointment with Dutton's book buyer. Sellers can get cash or credit toward books - $100 cash equals $170 in store credits.

Dutton's Books is located at 5146 Laurel Canyon Blvd., North Hollywood; [phone]. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. A second store (same hours and policies) is located at 3806 W. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank, [phone]. American Express, MasterCard and Visa are accepted.

Inside info

Here's one of the cheapest places in town to take your date. At Borders Books and Music in Westwood, you can see a movie and enjoy free popcorn every Friday evening. During the month of October they'll be showing scary Halloween movies such as ``Invisible Man'' and ``The Thing.'' The movies start at 8 p.m. every Friday. Call them for future movie titles. Borders Books and Music is located at 1360 Westwood Blvd.; [phone]. Hours are 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.

Your garden will benefit from Daylily Discounters' fall planting inventory clearance, where you'll save up to 50 percent off daylilies. Until Nov. 30 and while supply lasts, they offer over 40 varieties with prices starting at $1.11.

Ask about volume discounts for up to 50 percent off their 1996 catalog prices. Daylily Discounters mail-order company is located at One Daylily Plaza, Alachua, Fla. 32615; [phone]. Hours are 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday.

MEMO: Trisha King and Deborah Newmark are co-authors of ``Buying Retail Is Stupid.'' Bargains appears Saturdays. Please send suggestions of stores to Bargains, Daily News Features Department, P.O. Box 4200, Woodland Hills, Calif. 91365-4200.

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Photo

Photo: Dave Dutton keeps the shelves packed at Dutton's Boo ks in North Hollywood, where both new and used books are discounted.

Tom Mendoza/Daily News