Second hand/Antique bookstore in London?

[Veronica]

Hi there,

Heading to London in a couple of weeks and wonder if you could recommend a good or fun second hand/antique bookstore? Mainly thinking of any ones close to Portobello road and Oxford street.

Thank you.

[sweetpotatoboy]

Hi Veronica
There's a cluster of secondhand/antique bookshops on Charing Cross Road, on the stretch north of Leicester Square tube. If you're walking northwards from Leicester Square tube, they're on the right-hand side of the road before you hit Shaftesbury Avenue. If you continue on Charing Cross Road north of Shaftesbury Avenue, you hit a couple of major (not secondhand) bookstores (Blackwells and Foyles), so it's a bit of a booklover's haven.

Your other best shot for secondhand books in that area is the branch of Waterstones that's situated on Gower Street where it intersects with Torrington Place. I think the extensive secondhand department is on the second floor and well worth a visit. They also have an interesting display of remainders around the central staircases on the ground and first floors. (Gower Street is parallel with Tottenham Court Road, to the east of it. You can walk from Tottenham Court Road tube or take the tube to Goodge Street which is somewhat closer to the store.)

All of these roads are in relatively easy walking distance of the east side of Oxford Street but you can also tube it.

[sweetpotatoboy]

PS. Just south of Leicester Square tube, on the east side of Charing Cross Road, there's a series of little shopping alleys that house a variety of antique specialist stores that may be of interest too, though not all are bookstores.

[Madeleine]

Thanks for the info on Waterstone's, SPB - I work near the Gower Street branch and have already been there a couple of times, and must check out the second-hand section. They have a good selection of book-related gifts, too.

[Veronica]

Oh that is brilliant! Thank you for the help!