1 stars

I read all the reviews for this bookcase prior to purchasing it. Everything was going well until I went to put the extremely flimsy backing on. Because of the nature of the packaging, the 2 separate backing pieces were folded in half. One piece was okay, though I was concerned with the flimsy quality, the second piece was far worse. Yes, it was taped with white? tape on a dark bookcase. Completely unacceptable! Yes, I took the bookcase back to the store, yes, I had my receipt, but no I left the box next to the recycle container. Several nice spiders had made a home, and I figured Target probably wouldn't want them living in the store.

If you haven't yet had the experience with Target's new return policy, they ask you go get the box with the merchandise bar code on it. Come on guys. This is no way to treat customers who may just as easily go anywhere else. You should know your merchandise better than that. Bad show. I will think twice before shopping again for anything at Target. Too bad, because I really don't like Walmart, you guys use to be a cut above the competition.

4 stars

The bookshelf looks great and is pretty sturdy. It is not, however, top of the line quality, and I went into the transaction knowing this. The side panels are made of some type of plastic which has the appearance of wood. As long as people don't touch the bookshelf, they would have no idea that it is inexpensive. I believe the espresso finish gives it a certain richness that makes it look more expensive than what it really is. The bookshelf is very functional and can accommodate several books, as well as accessories. I had no problem putting the bookshelf together. I'm not handy and I was going to wait for my husband to put it together. I decided, however, to give it a shot myself and it came out great. A couple of suggestions: 1) use the right size Phillips screwdriver otherwise you will strip the screw 2) make sure you connect the pieces on the right side; otherwise, you will have to take it a part and fix it down the line and 3) be careful when inserting the shelves so that you will not scratch the finish.

5 stars

We bought both the 2- and 5-shelf versions of this bookcase this weekend and put them both together in just a few hours. I'm not sure what a previous reviewer was talking about when they said the holes were too large, everything was perfectly pre-drilled to size and both pieces were 100% solid. We are using these in our nursery and I have total confidence in them.

They are very solid and heavy, except the back as another poster pointed out. However, I was very impressed that the space for the backing is routed out, the holes are pre-drilled for the screws, and it screws on as opposed to nailing on with finishing nails as cheaper pieces sometimes use. Yes, it took longer to do, but well worth it. The back is purely decorative and doesn't serve to stabilize the piece at all if you put together the cambolts/locks properly -- it could easily be left off or papered with decorative paper for a modern look.

If I could give these pieces 6 stars, I would.

5 stars

We had originally went to our local Target to look at the Avington Bookshelf we found online, in the Dark Tobacco finish. This shelf was not only bigger (6 ft tall), but the design was nicer and it was on sale.

This took me a couple hours to put together... I'd recommend a clamp of some sort for putting on the front trim piece, or two people with one person holding it would work. I had the same issue as a previous review (I think) where the folded back pieces has bits of the white styrofoam wrapping in their adhesive binding. However, it wasn't a big deal to me to pick them out with an xacto knife.

This shelf looks great, my wife loves it. For less than a hundred bucks, you won't find a better deal on a bookshelf this size.

5 stars

Over the past 2 years, I have purchased three 5-shelf, four 2-shelf, and two 2-drawer file cabinet style units from this collection. I use these as furniture throughout my home, in my home office (bookshelves) and as nightstands (file cabinets) in the bedroom of my smallish bungalow. I have to say, I'm a huge fan of Target and these purchases support my love of the retailer. We purchased an original unit to test quality and loved it so much we bought more and were able to turn a small bedroom into a study using these richly colored components that affordably mimic the look of custom shelving. True, the backings are thin, but you can't see that behind books when used as intended. We had no problems assembling. As for other reviewer complaints, I have returned items to the store a time or two, and really, asking for proof that the item really belongs to them is not too much (i.e. the box or some part of it). Sometimes customers forget that in order for our prices to stay awesome, like this bargain item, we have to play by rules that help the retailer keep costs low. I'd buy another one or 3 if I had the space. Love it! Buy confidently!

4 stars

I bought this bookcase on sale yesterday for [..]. I put it together myself today while my husband was at the office and I have to say it was VERY easy to do. The directions were clear and everything matched up perfectly. I elected to not put the back on it as I like the color of the wall behind it and it seems very sturdy.

For this price...I would DEFINITELY recommend this as an option to someone who wanted a nice bookcase but didn't want to spend a lot of money.

It's a good bookcase.

5 stars

My husband and I just bought this bookcase in espresso, and we are so happy with it!! It took my husband less than 2 hours to put together(he was watching football too). It seems very sturdy and holds all of our about 400 dvd's. I plan to add some baskets later on to hide some of them and make it look less cluttered. It looks fine just the way it is for now. We got it on sale too, which always makes things even better!!

4 stars

I didn't get another store quality, and I didn't expect it either. Assembly is easy and the bookcase should last me 20 years. If I wanted to return it, though, I wouldn't expect to return it without the packaging. Seems like a no brainer to me. We bought 4 and made a wall of shelving-- looks great.

5 stars

I love these bookcases. We bought three for a wall in our family room and they look great. They are nicer than the more expensive bookcases at the furniture store. While the back is cardboard, we did not have problems with it being taped with white tape. Also, they are so dark in color you can't tell that they aren't real wood, plus ours are covered by books.