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My favourite bookshop is a local one to me:

They have a great selection of books, helpful staff regular run book events and now they run a literary festival once a year.

Does anyone else have a favourite?

I have to admit I love Waterstones. As little ones go, I randomly found a small, independently owned bookshop on a holiday up in the Isle of Whithorn in Scotland. The shop was in nearby Wigtown, which is known as Scotland's book town. The book shop is Reading Lasses, it stocks lots of Women's Studies, and their speciality is books "by sand about women". As if that wasn't enough, their cafe is fantastic :) I've only been once, but I've always wanted to go back.

Toyah wrote: "I have to admit I love Waterstones. As little ones go, I randomly found a small, independently owned bookshop on a holiday up in the Isle of Whithorn in Scotland. The shop was in nearby Wigtown, wh..."

I like the sound of that bookshop. We were in Dumfries and Galloway a couple of years ago but didn't go to Wigtown because I was too busy visiting sites connected with Five Red Herrings and that took up most of our time. There was quite a good little bookshop in Kirkcudbright, though.

I love the area and we're hoping to go back there later this year and this time I'd like to stay either in or near Wigtown.

There is a good bookshop near us
which I love.

My favourite is Barter's Books. One of the largest independent bookshops in the UK, Barter's is built in an old train station in glorious Alnwick, Northumberland. I took a bus up there yesterday as in the summer they're open until 7pm. Dogs are welcome and it's a delight, but wear a warm coat in winter as they don't heat the entire building, although they do have two fireplaces and a warm room. You can trade in your good books for credit to spend there, and if you go on a Saturday, any books they can't accept can be taken to Alnwick's Lion's Club bookshop, with a myriad of choices for very little dosh, all the proceeds going to worthy charities.

The KEEP CALM & CARRY ON signs were first revived from this bookshop.
In 2000, Stuart Manley, co-owner with his wife Mary of Barter Books Ltd. in Alnwick, Northumberland, was sorting through a box of used books bought at auction when he uncovered one of the original "Keep Calm and Carry On" posters. The couple framed it and hung it up by the cash register; and it attracted so much interest that Manley began to produce and sell copies. Other companies followed suit, and the design rapidly began to be used as the theme for a wide range of products. Mary Manley later commented, "I didn't want it trivialised. But of course now it's been trivialised beyond belief." In early 2012, Barter Books debuted an informational short, The Story of Keep Calm and Carry On, providing visual insight into the modernisation and commercialisation of the design and the phrase. Susannah Walker comments that the poster is now seen "not only as a distillation of a crucial moment in Britishness, but also as an inspiring message from the past to the present in a time of crisis". She goes on to point out, however, that such an interpretation overlooks the circumstances of its production, and the relative failure of the campaign of which it formed a part."

What a fantastic book shop

Looks awesome

It is truly an amazing bookshop. Before my husband left us, we went there at least twice a month. It's worth taking a trip to Northumberland for if you don't go anywhere else! There is another wonderful children's bookshop in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA and I will write something about that one too !

Jazzy wrote: "My favourite is Barter's Books. One of the largest independent bookshops in the UK, Barter's is built in an old train station in glorious Alnwick, Northumberland. I took a bus up there yesterday as..."

Well...wow. Talk about a piece of bookshop heaven.

In Minneapolis, Minnesota there is a rather unassuming bookshop with a door within a door, the larger outer one for big people and the smaller inner one for little people. Don't be fooled by it's outward appearance, this is Wild Rumpus, the most famous children's bookshop in the world!



Inside you will find wondrous sights. Many are the animals that live there, the cats sitting on the counter or lazing in the chairs, the curious chickens walking amongst the shelves, the mice under the see-through floorboards in the horror section, the occasional goat or chinchilla. If you happen to go to the toilet you will discover the wall is a fish tank full of tropical fish. It is a friendly place to read with your little ones, books are arranged on shelves and in little suitcases on the floor for little hands. A haunted house holds the books in the horror section. A ladder reaching up to the ceiling disappears, and a canoe sails across the river on the roof. They have a lot of events there, including book swaps. My time at this shop with my children many years ago was something we'll never forget.

There are the charity shops in Worcester, Exeter and Swansea. The second hand bookshop in Barnstaple is great too. So many bookshops, so little time.

That one is even better Jazzy!

Yes, I have to agree, Paul! It would be my dream to have my own Wild Rumpus bookshop. Shall we all go in together and open one? :D

Again great bookstores :)

I love Daunt Books which is a small chain in London of 6 bookstores. The one on Marylebone High St is the one I go to and is a beautiful and original Edwardian bookshop.
In fact the website doesn't have photos on it at the moment which do justice to the inside of the store.

I'm desperate to visit Barter Books, I'm in Tyne and Wear so it's not a million miles away just haven't got round to visiting!

I don't know of any more local book shops other than the high street ones but I get most of my books from charity shops, have found many unread books in there!

I'm with Jen. I love my local charity shop for books. I've found loads of hidden treasures in there. 50p for paperbacks and £1 for hardbacks, can't go wrong!

We have a bookshop nearby that takes in your cast offs and gives you credit. You use your credit to get 50% off the stock. It is great for out of print books and so on. You even get new ones fairly often.

It does feel good, or finding one that you have been looking for, for a while

That sounds great Paul!

Jazzy wrote: "In Minneapolis, Minnesota there is a rather unassuming bookshop with a door within a door, the larger outer one for big people and the smaller inner one for little people. Don't be fooled by it's o..."

Wow thats amazing. so these are real chicken and mice? Take more pictures! Want to see the goldfish tank and haunted house for the horor books (what an idea)

Our bookshop is closing down, so sad. It's such a lovely friendly bookstore and I've been shopping here on a regular basis since we moved here 8 years ago. The owner is retiring and couldn't find a buyer. I'm going to miss it a lot.

That is such a shame Debbie

That's sad, Debbie. Good bookshops seem to be pretty rare.

Boo to that Debbie. Such a shame.

I have just been to my local shop to get The Buried Giant, which I got a signed copy of. They also had a lovely hard back version of The Time Machine for a bargain price of £3.99 and a brand new paperback version of The Rainbow. All in, three brand new books for under £30.

The also have a huge second hand section and give credit for your read books too. Adjoined is a coffee shop and a record shop. It is a wonderful place and the staff are really helpful, knowledgeable and friendly.

Looks like a fantastic bookshop. i have one near me that offers credit, and give you 50% off the stock.

Just been in Foyles on Charing Cross Road (London) this morning and it was wonderful. Ages since I had a chance to browse in a bookshop and it was so joyous to be surrounded by so many tomes. I could have bought half the shop frankly, but settled for one (expensive) one: S by J J Abrams, which I've been after for ages, and my goodness, the book is beautiful. One to treasure.

Just been in Foyles on Charing Cross Road (London) this morning and it was wonderful. Ages since I had a chance to browse in a bookshop and it was so joyous to be surrounded by so many tomes. I could have bought half the shop frankly, but settled for one (expensive) one: S by J J Abrams, which I've been after for ages, and my goodness, the book is beautiful. One to treasure.

I haven't been to the new Foyles yet. Though I have heard it is lovely.

Haven't been in Foyle's for years. Sounds like a good browsing session. My favourite is Daunt books of Marylebone High St. One of my first haunts when I moved to London.

Yes, Daunt is fab. Foyles had a great window display too - an artist had made lots of little origami penguins out of the covers of the new Penguin special editions.

I wouldn't be allowed in with a credit card!

Not sure if I can recommend an entire town but I think Hay-on-Wye might be the exception. Notable general shops are Booths and the Cinema Bookshop but there are many specialist ones and lots of smaller ones. Well worth a day of any bookworm's time.