Any second hand bookshop addicts here?
Discussion
cherie171 said:
I was the model of restraint in the Book Barn yesterday, I only bought one book!
I'm not going mention the 6 new books I picked up whilst we were in Birmingham, bought mostly using a combination of vouchers and in sales.
You were in the Astley Book Barn? I got there about 2pm, it was rather busy. I remembered why I usually try to go in the week! I've never managed to only buy one in there - I think the least has been 4 I'm not going mention the 6 new books I picked up whilst we were in Birmingham, bought mostly using a combination of vouchers and in sales.
Edited by Flip Martian on Sunday 26th February 22:15
cherie171 said:
We were there from about 3pm, had a spot of late lunch, and left around 5pm when they were closing up. It's the first time I've been there at a weekend, and I was surprised how busy it was.
I finally got in the cafe for my late lunch about 3.15 so I broke up my browsing a bit. Finally left about 4.45. Just as well they'd expanded the car park. I think many go for the cafe - food is always decent in there. I much prefer it a bit quieter though.mrtwisty said:
If any of you ever find yourselves in Buxton, make time to visit this place:
http://www.scrivenersbooks.co.uk/
Eclectic, eccentric, a tad chaotic (in a good way) and very friendly. My favourite bookshop in the country. Easy to spend an hour or so in there (and a fair few £'s) threading yourself through the shelves and up the many winding staircases. A great place.
That sounds like I might need to take a trip up the M1 one day soon. Thanks for that http://www.scrivenersbooks.co.uk/
Eclectic, eccentric, a tad chaotic (in a good way) and very friendly. My favourite bookshop in the country. Easy to spend an hour or so in there (and a fair few £'s) threading yourself through the shelves and up the many winding staircases. A great place.
cherie171 said:
How bizarre, if only we'd known other PHers were there! We were sitting on the right as you face the counter. Our Audi A2 was in the corner in the car park, private plate & PH smiley on the back.
Indeed! I was sat on the right too - nearest table to the counter, I was sat on my own. I went in the Focus - when I arrived there was just the one space on the side on the way in. Small world! Just sorry you only found the one this time droopsnoot said:
mrtwisty said:
If any of you ever find yourselves in Buxton, make time to visit this place:
http://www.scrivenersbooks.co.uk/
Eclectic, eccentric, a tad chaotic (in a good way) and very friendly. My favourite bookshop in the country. Easy to spend an hour or so in there (and a fair few £'s) threading yourself through the shelves and up the many winding staircases. A great place.
I had a look in there on the way back from visiting the one in Brierlow Bar. Very interesting shop. There used to be a shop of a similar layout in Shrewsbury, but it closed down. There is (or was, last year) a similar one still there.http://www.scrivenersbooks.co.uk/
Eclectic, eccentric, a tad chaotic (in a good way) and very friendly. My favourite bookshop in the country. Easy to spend an hour or so in there (and a fair few £'s) threading yourself through the shelves and up the many winding staircases. A great place.
cherie171 said:
A whole day in Hay-on-Wye, and only 5 books bought. I could have bought many, many more, but I limited myself to some older hardbacks, one signed hardback, and a slightly more random old scifi paperback.
Sounds very restrained! I would like to spend a full day there (rather than the couple of hours I ended up last year doing), just to see if my experience of it would be more positive. The large, well organised shop with the initials RB (ahem) rather put me off with the snotty attitude but plenty of other shops there I didn't get to last time.I've not been able to get out as much in recent months but did visit Harrowden in Finedon and The Old Hall in Brackley again last week and came back with a few things. 3 hardbacks totalling £11.50 in Finedon - only charged a tenner, which was very generous. Astley Book Farm tend to offer a discount of about 10% if you spend over 40 quid I think. The Brackley shop I don't think does (unless I just haven't spent enough in there).
Found a new shop, which promises a lot - used books, new books and local authors featured. They're The Booksmith, who have opened a branch in Weedon Bec, just off the A5 in Northants, north of Towcester. http://www.thebooksmith.co.uk/?page=shop/disp&...
They're in the Napoleonic era former Royal Ordnance depot in Building 1 - a reasonable selection now despite being only recently opened but plan to expand over the next few months across the whole of the 1st floor and stock over 80000 books, according to the owner when I visited recently. A big room with high ceilings and sofas. Reasonable coffee and cake too (with expansion on the refreshments due too). Prices not bad on the whole on the used stuff - I spent 22 quid on 5 or 6 books I think, after receiving about a 10% discount without asking.
Open 7 days a week but be aware the lift doesn't work currently so accessibility might be an issue for some. There's also a separate "antiques and collectibles" shop downstairs and the area itself is rather cool to have a wander around - the buildings are really impressive. Worth a visit if you're anywhere nearby.
They're in the Napoleonic era former Royal Ordnance depot in Building 1 - a reasonable selection now despite being only recently opened but plan to expand over the next few months across the whole of the 1st floor and stock over 80000 books, according to the owner when I visited recently. A big room with high ceilings and sofas. Reasonable coffee and cake too (with expansion on the refreshments due too). Prices not bad on the whole on the used stuff - I spent 22 quid on 5 or 6 books I think, after receiving about a 10% discount without asking.
Open 7 days a week but be aware the lift doesn't work currently so accessibility might be an issue for some. There's also a separate "antiques and collectibles" shop downstairs and the area itself is rather cool to have a wander around - the buildings are really impressive. Worth a visit if you're anywhere nearby.
bobski1 said:
Any good second hand shops around Oxfordshire area?
I've not visited any yet but this site has a list with reviews: http://www.inprint.co.uk/thebookguide/shops/county...
p1doc said:
any good bookshops in Edinburgh as going for a course next month
thanks
I use this website all the time - http://www.inprint.co.uk/thebookguide/shops/county...thanks
A new shop, for those around Northants/north Bucks. The Booksmith are moving/have moved (from Solihull I think) into Weedon Bec at the old Napoleonic Ordnance Depot (a set of fascinating buildings).
http://www.thebooksmith.co.uk/
They occupy the upstairs at building number 1. Parking outside. Mostly used books but also some recent/new ones - fiction on 1 side of the central stairs; non fiction on the other (which is shared by a gallery displaying local art (which is very good). Thousands of books to peruse. The owner is a very friendly chap and has been on a quest to find the perfect coffee - they have a coffee/refreshments area too, with leather sofas etc. Prices are usually reasonable (and the coffee is very good). Not on a par with Astley Book Barn but certainly worth a drive if anywhere nearby.
There's an antiques/collectables place as well downstairs which is often worth a browse (a few books sometimes appear in there too).
http://www.thebooksmith.co.uk/
They occupy the upstairs at building number 1. Parking outside. Mostly used books but also some recent/new ones - fiction on 1 side of the central stairs; non fiction on the other (which is shared by a gallery displaying local art (which is very good). Thousands of books to peruse. The owner is a very friendly chap and has been on a quest to find the perfect coffee - they have a coffee/refreshments area too, with leather sofas etc. Prices are usually reasonable (and the coffee is very good). Not on a par with Astley Book Barn but certainly worth a drive if anywhere nearby.
There's an antiques/collectables place as well downstairs which is often worth a browse (a few books sometimes appear in there too).
p1doc said:
that is great
thanks
No worries. If you like finding such shops, you might think about what I did - I used the map links in the listings to go to google maps and save the ones I wanted to visit - that way I can just open my phone and see any nearby.thanks
Although it can lead to you spending money quite a bit...
p1doc said:
like you read my mind lol-found out Westport with quite a few bookshops with interesting reviews as well...pretty close to where course is so ideal
thanks for advice and increased spending on books!
No probs - and unfortunately that IS the side effect... Just wait until you need more bookcases... thanks for advice and increased spending on books!
Perseverant said:
We're in the throes of moving house for the first time in 34 years, so are getting rid of quite a few books as well as packing up lots. I'd forgotten how heavy masses of books can be. Thankfully the new crib is plenty big enough for books so I look forward to indulging in secondhand books again to make the numbers up again. I got into the habit as a kid over 50 years ago and had "Biggles" and "William" stories which I picked up for pennies, not to mention some old comic annuals. I was saddened to discover after leaving home that my mother gave the lot to a church sale! Both my wife and I read a lot and as English teachers could have the excuse that it was all for work when in-laws muttered about the "library". Both retired now so have plenty of time to read! (Not to mention me fixing cars and so on as the new house has a garage, though not as good as the one I've got.)
My Mum did likewise with some of mine - or they got recycled to my younger siblings after I left home. I did find a few things in the loft though, after she passed. I think my hoarding of books was for plenty to read when I have the time. But although I took redundancy this year and might not actually be well enough to work again, it has also meant I can't actually ready for long periods at the moment which is a bit ironic, really...Gary29 said:
We visited a delightful little place in Callander in Scotland, was enchanting, little old lady sitting in there with a cat asleep on her lap, floor to ceiling second hand books, she even fell asleep as we were browsing and my good lady had to gently wake her to buy what she'd picked.
Can't remember the name of the place but it's on the high street and easy to spot, lovely!
That sounds a cool little place. Perhaps King's Bookshop listed here:Can't remember the name of the place but it's on the high street and easy to spot, lovely!
http://www.inprint.co.uk/thebookguide/shops/county...
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