Independent Bookshop
Supporters Page
Independent Bookshop |
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On this page I would like to list 100 Independent Bookshops that we'd like to support.
The list is not in order of greatness or sorted, logically, by geography.
Instead the shops are listed purely in the order in which they have been sent in.
If you would like to nominate a bookshop - please send me the following information:
- Shop name, contact details,and
why you like it in one or two lines.
Their website details or phone number if they don't have an email.
| 1 | Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights |
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"I love this bookshop because; |
www.mrbsemporium.co.uk | |
Recommended by: |
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2. |
Daunt Boooks, 193, Haverstock Hill, Belsize Park, London |
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| It can be argued that Daunt Books isn't strictly an independent, as they have four brances. But they are, all four of them run as indpendent bookshops with a distictly individual feel about them. My favourite is the shop in Haverstock Hill almost opposite Belsize Park Station. Staff there have been to extraordinary lengths to find books for me. | ||
| Website: www.dauntbooks.co.uk | Recommended by - Isabel Losada | |
| 3. | West End Lane Books, West Hampstead, London | Recommended by - |
| Nina Finburgh | ||
| "Utterly charming staff - if you order a book it arrives and they ring and let you know and if it doesen't they still communicate and let you know.." | Website: www.welbooks.co.uk |
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44 |
nPageant Books, New York. |
| Website: http://www.pageantbooks.com/ | ||
"This is the bookshop where, in 'Hannah and Her Sisters,' Michael Caine buys Barbara Hershey a book of e.e.cummings. It's a total delight to browse in." |
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| Recommended by - Luise Finan | ||
| Luise - I'm sorry to tell you that this shop now only exists in cyberspace. It opened in 1946 and closed its physical shop in 1999. Now it can only be browsed in from the comfort of your own home... x isabel | ||
| 5. | Aldeburgh Bookshop, 43 High Street, Aldeburgh, Suffolk. | Recommended by - |
| Frances Fox | ||
| "Fantastic Atmosphere and Fabulous Selection of books. Voted Independent Bookshop of the year for 2005." They also organise the Aldeburgh Literary Festival; provide launches for local authors, and have published some books too . They're a very busy bookshop! |
Website: www.aldeburghbookshop.co.uk | |
| Managers - Johnny and Mary James. | ||
| 6. Crockatt & Powell, 119- 120 Lower Marsh Street, London. (Five minutes from Waterloo Station) |
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| "Small two roomed bookshop set up in an area of Waterloo where you wouldn't expect to find a bookshop. Elegantly and imaginately run by a dedicated team of booksellers, it also has events and a determination to get involved in the local community. The shop is new and deserves to thrive." | ||
| Website: www.crockattpowell.co.uk | Managers - Adam and Matthew | |
| Recommended by Isabel Losada. | ||
| 7. | Voltaire and Rousseau, Otago Lane, Glasgow. | Recommended by - |
| Amy Nicoll | ||
| Fabulously charming and chaotic shop where you may not find what you're looking for but will ALWAYS find something, all the more appealing as it has a room devoted to books for £1 AND the added incentive to visit for me is the cat that lives there! | No website: Tel: 0141 339 1811 |
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| 8. | Word Power, 43 West Nicolson Street - Edinburgh | Recommended by - |
| Amy Nicoll | ||
| Great selection of books, lovely shop and friendly staff. Also runs a lot of interesting events and talks. | Website: www.word-power.co.uk | |
| 9. | The Guisborough Bookshop, Chaloner Street, Cleveland |  |
| Website: www.guisboroughbookshop.com | ||
| The largest independent bookshop in the North East of England opened in 1981; my family moved to the town in 1988; I was 11. I would not love books so much or probably not have been a bookseller if it was not for this place . | Recommended by - |
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| Mark Farley | ||
| 10. | Biography Bookshop, 400 Bleecker at 12th, New York, USA |
Recommended by |
| Mark Farley | ||
| Shelves crammed with remaindered, out of print and a selection of new books. About their new books, one poster says, "Nice store, but try the Strand first--this place is way overpriced." Opposite the world famous Magnolia Cake Shop, made famous by the TV show, Sex and the City. Watch city bankers and tourists queue for hours for an overpriced cupcake while you browse. | Tel: 212-807-8655 | |
| 11. | City Lights, 261 Columbus Ave,San Francisco, USA |
Recommended by |
| Mark Farley | ||
| Founded in 1953 by poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Peter D. Martin, City Lights is one of the few truly great independent bookstores in the United States.A place where booklovers from across the country and around the world come to browse, read, and just soak in the ambiance of alternative culture's only "Literary Landmark." |
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| 12 | The Haslemere Bookshop, 2 Causeway, High Street Haslemere, Surrey |  |
| "I love the fact that they have second-hand books as well as new books and they are very good at letting you browse without pestering you." | ||
| No website. Phone 01428 652952 | ||
| Recommended by Nigel Forde | ||
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413 |
The Speaking Tree Bookshop, 5 High Street, Glastonbury, Somerset. |
| Website: http://www.speakingtree.co.uk | ||
"A specialist esoteric bookshop with books on spirituality, world religion, healing, new age, underground culture, ecology, alternative fiction and childrens' titles. And they have a friendly and helpful staff and lots of discounted book. Long may they survive." |
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| Recommended by - Laura Lian | ||
| 14. | Topping & Company, 9 High Street, Ely CB7 4LJ | Recommended by - |
| Adrian Roberts | ||
It is the nearest that the real world has spawned, that matches to my ideal bookshop - a couple of little nooks and crannies upstairs to hide in (especially while you read a few illicit chapters), a noticeboard with cuttings of the staff's favourite book reviews, a lovely children's section at the back and really helpful staff who are pretty understanding when your 3 year old sneezes into a book they are browsing. They provide free tea & coffee during the weekend, which multiplies the risk that my family has to drag me out, because they need somebody to drive them home before dusk.
They are really supportive of local authors, and have some really innovative author events -
Long may it thrive and hold back the tide of the big chainstores.
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Phone 01353 645005 |
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| 15 | Nonsuch Bookshop, Market Street, Nailsworth, Gloucestershire |  |
| "From outside it looks a bit small, and it appears you will be almost
face to
face with the shop assistants every second of your visit. Once in, however, there turns out to be several passageways leading into rooms and corridors stuffed full of interesting books, many of which are discounted, plus a decent classical CD section. As the last bookshop on that street came and went in a couple of years, its a brave venture and needs supporting!" |
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| website: www.nailsworthbookshop.co.uk | Recommended by Jim Cheseldine | |
| 16. | Bookends, 9-12 Peach Street, Wokingham Berks. |
Recommended by |
| Jennie Mew | ||
| "I use a truly special independent book shop in my local town who, whilst not offering coffee (!) do offer a wide range of books, easily displayed with helpful, smiley staff. They are always happy to get a book for you if they don't have it, will search the web for a title/author with little info from me and go to extraordinary lenghts to be helpful." | Tel: 01189 786202 | |
| 17. | Era Nova Bookshop Kasarminkatu 2, 00140, Helsinki, Finland. |
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| Website: www.eranova.fi | ||
| "This if my favourite independent and biggest esoteric book shop in Finland; opened in 1983.
It is very cosy inside and they also have a very large collection of English books.
You can find many contacts through the activities they sponsor.
The atmosphere is cosy and you almost always meet some one you know there.
The owners are charming." |
Recommended by - |
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| Marjaana Beddard | ||
| 18. | Bookends, 26 Westgate Street, Gloucester. | Recommended by |
| Samantha Ettle | ||
| "This place is amazing - it just goes on and on for miles. Keep walking out through to the very back for crinkly faded dust jackets, and the types of hardback editions which have wax paper sheets to protect author photographs in the front!! Marvellous! It's got both new and old books, all at very reasonable prices." | Tel: 01452 331011 | |
| 19. | The Book Shop, High Street, Cranleigh, Surrey. | Recommended by - |
| Ginny Fraser | ||
| "Very small, sweet, jumbled; old ladies serving." | No website: 01483 274265 | |
| 20. | Beacon Books, 23 Worcester Road, Malvern | Recommended by - |
| Chris Kelly | ||
| The owners are friendly and helpful and they can usually get the book you want if they haven't got it in stock; it has a good children's section - it's my nearest independent and I do use it |
Website: www.beaconbooksmalvern.co.uk |
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| 21. | Parnassus Book Service |
Recommended by - |
| Sal Shuel | ||
| A totally wild and wonderful shambles, filled with every book you ever wanted from everywhere. It's on old house and they are trying to update it a bit but the flavour should always be the same. This is a place in which to spend a great deal of time - which might otherwise be spent whale watching. | e-mail bmuse@parnassusbook.com | |
| 22. | 'books@Hoddesdon', 79, High Street, Hoddesdon |
Recommended by - |
| Sharon Free | ||
| I'd like to recommend this as a great independent to visit. The shop is owned by Stephen Poulter and Alan Jeffrey. They do a nice little flyer that trumpets, 'support your local bookstore,' and I think I will just so I can sample their mood music and comfy chairs! |
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| Phone: 01992 442290 Website - www.booksat.com | ||
| 23. | The Abbey Bookshop, 29 Rue de la Parcheminerie, 76005 Paris. (In the 5th Arrondissement) |
Recommended by - |
| Emily Losada | ||
| This is an Alladin's cave. There are more books here than is humanly possible to fit into this impossibly small and typically Parisian space... you can't look for a book but you stumble on one.. or many, quite often. And he serves coffee with syprup or wine becuase he's Canadian. Go there. | Website: www.abbeybookshop.net | |
| 24. | Daunt Books, 51 South End Road, Hampstead, NW3. London |
Recommended by - |
| Sarah Vetter | ||
| This is a very cute bookshop and friendly too. I left knowing where they were and who they were because they put a business bookmark in every book they sold to us. Very smart and very handy! | Website: www.dauntbooks.co.uk | |
| Phone: 020 7794 8206 | ||
| 25. | The Browsers Bookshop, 26 Allandale Road, Stonygate, Leicester LE2 2DA | Recommended by - |
| Catherine Playfair | ||
| I love browsing in here as it is very friendly and the staff are extremely helpful. As well as ordering any book under the sun, the staff all have a genuine interest and passion for books. | Phone: 0116 270 1684 Website: www.browsers.org.uk |
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| 26 | Johannes, Alfons Smetsplein 10, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. (25 Km from Brussels) | Recommended by - |
| Heidi Lowet | ||
Johannes is a bookshop selling about everything re esoterism, life principles, spirituality, etc. The staff is very friendly & will do the utmost to help you. They're very good in finding rare English books: they will search for you in their extensive database & order from the UK or the US.
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Website. www.johannes.be | |
| 27 | Applebaums Advantage Book Co. 190-192, Whitham Rd, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S10 |
Recommended by - |
| Diane Shipley | ||
| Telephone: 0114 2661113 | ||
| 28. | Newham Bookshop, 45-747 Barking Road, London E13 9ER | Recommended by - |
| Vivienne Mair | ||
"Just round the corner from upton park football ground on the very busy barking road. Iin two halves; one is a children's bookshop; nice and cool on what was a very hot day. The interior is like a woodland glade, with a tree trunk (not real) coming up from the middle of the shop with its branches spreading across the ceiling. looked very inviting.
The other half is the adults side; absolutely choker with books everywhere, no neat rows of books here or artificial discounts.
The tittles are very eclectic, not run of the mill titles that you get in smiths et al. Very friendly staff that obviously love books."
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No website. Phone: 020 8552 9993 | |
| 29. | Totnes Bookshop, 42 High Street, Totnes, South Devon. |
Recommended by - |
| Virginia Compton | ||
| The Totnes Bookshop is independent and stcks unusual and informative books on all subjects, with a twist. It was also where I first discovered 'For Tibet with Love'. I would say it is a very 'holistic' shop, with a sideways rather that standard view of the world. |
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| Phone: 01803 863273 | ||
| 30 | Devaney Doak & Garrett Booksellers Inc. 193 Broadway Farmington Maine 04938, USA | Recommended by - |
| Melinda Blair | ||
I went to college in this town and I loved browsing in this bookstore.
They were always very helpful and friendly when I came in and if I couldn't find what I was looking for they usually offered to order it. I haven't been there for years but your blog got me thinking of it and I had to look it up!
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Website: http://www.ddgbooks.com/ |
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| DD&G is owned by Kenny Brechner | ||
31 - Tattered Cover Book Store, Cherry Creek, Colorado, USA. |
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| Recommended by - Peggy and Albert Dolan | ||
| Ph: 303-322-7727 | Website: www.tatteredcover.com | |
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Firstly, the Tattered has wonderful ambiance in both of it's central locations with funky chairs scattered throughout so you can pull a book off the shelf and sit there and read. They don't care if you read the entire book there and never buy it. Probably because they know you will buy something because the selection (secondly) is unparalleled in Denver. Thirdly, the people are knowledgeable and helpful. Fourthly, yes you may gag, part of our First Date was very memorably at the Tattered. ;o) |
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32 - nNomad Books, 781 Fulham Road, London SW6 |
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| Telephone: 0207 736 4000 | ||
| Friendly manager : Andrew. | ||
| Helpful, friendly and a coffee house within it. Top marks! |
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| Recommended by Laura Sykes |
| 33. |
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Recommended by - |
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| Awak Bior | ||||||
| This is a great shop. It's big, it's in a very fabulous area and it's the only independant bookshop I know in town...this isn't a very bookish city but this is a great bookshop. | Phone: 01482 444677 | |||||
| 34. | CB2 5-7 Norfolk Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB1 | Recommended by - |
| Awak Bior | ||
| Absolutely wonderful though I'm not sure if it'd qualify as an independant bookshop. It's a cafe/bar with hundreds of books for browsing while you eat and/or drink and for buying. It's a lovely atmosphere with fabulous staff too. | Phone: 01223 508503 | |
| 35 | SALTS MILL BOOKSHOP, Salts Mill, Saltaire, West Yorkshire - 4 miles north of Bradford |
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'This has to be one of the nicest settings for a bookshop! Light and spacious, (talking up almost a whole floor of this former salt mill) with a great selection and some unusual and specialist stuff you wouldn't find in your average high-street chain. Plus, there's a restaurant at the opposite end which serves delicious food, and a permanent David Hockney exhibition downstairs. |
Tel: 01274 531185 www.saltsmill.org.uk (info only) | |
| Recommended by Diane Shipley | ||
| 36. | Camden Lock Books, 73 Camden Lock Place, West Yard, London NW1 8AF. Telephone:. 020 725 30666. |
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| Website: www.camdenlockbooks.co.uk | ||
"Although their service can sometimes be a little hit and miss. There are always some really interesting non-fiction books to browse over and they have lots of special offers and sales." |
Recommended by - |
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| Beth Wickenden | ||
| 37. | Landers Bookshop. Hall Street, Long Melford. CO10 9HZ. 01787 378957 Landers_bookshop@btconnect.com |
Recommended by - |
| Sarah Wilson | ||
| Website: www.landersbookshop.co.uk |  |
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| Situated in the heart of the Suffolk countryside Long Melford is a delightful village to visit with many small independent shops, a beautiful church, 2 large stately homes, pubs and restaurants and some stunning local walks. Landers Bookshop can be found right in the centre of the village and is just the most cosy shop to visit. | ||
| 38. | Red Lion Books, 125 High St, Colchester, Essex, CO1 1SZ. |
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| Telephone: 01206 578584 | Recommended by: Goose | |
"This is my favourite indie bookshop in my home town, it is run my a couple who have been there for as long as I can remember. they have book signings and other events and they are right in the centre of the High Street, opposite The Red Lion Hotel. They have an excellent range of books and will order for you too. They have a cellar with a lovely cool in the summer warm in the winter feel where they keep alot of the health and wellbeing type books, with comfy chairs.... the hours I've spent there when I should have been doing other things." |
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| 39. | TThe Bookshelf, North Street, Ashburton, Devon |
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| "I've never walked past without seeing a book in the window that I want.' | ||
| Recommended by Anna Peachey | ||
