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Secondhand and Antiquarian Bookshops in the UK and Republic of Ireland

News:
The Liscard Book Exchange added
Richards Collectables and Books has closed
Bluecoat Books & Arts is closed
New shop Still Out of Print
Aldous Books has taken over Kernaghan Books Liverpool
Passionate About Books Wallasey has closed
Broadhursts of Southport has closed

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69A Intandane/LIVERPOOL/75 Renshaw Street
69A Intandane  Open at advertised times
75 Renshaw Street   LIVERPOOL   L1 2SJ
map
tel: 0151 7088873  e-mail  web 
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What a fabulous place. Antiques, curios, vintage clothes and thousands of books, all on two cluttered floors. This place is a carry over from the Liverpool of the 1960s and the book holdings reflect what was still easily available in those times. I was told they have a warehouse of unsorted books so I left them my list and wait to see what eventuates. Even so, I picked up eight scarce volumes so came away contented.  Chris Harte 28.08.12
Extraordinary antiques/ageing hippy place that took me back to my 60s student days! Worth a look for some decent s/h stock at reasonable prices.  Norman Davies 10.11.12
Indeed, a relic of the past. But the stock must barely have changed since those glory days and, except for quite a good range of fiction, is apparently a bedraggled residue of house clearances.  James Mackay 19.04.14
I half expected to find Little Nell in this old curiosity shop. Only a few bookcases amongst a wide range of antiques and curios. Mostly vintage books as befits the rest of the stock. I came away empty-handed but it was worth a visit just for the experience.   Jon R 07.10.23

Aldous Books/LIVERPOOL/The BluecoatSchool Lane
Aldous Books   Open at advertised times
The Bluecoat  School Lane    LIVERPOOL  L1 3BX
map
tel:  0151 703 9077  e-mail   web  
Open: Monday - Saturday 10.00 - 17.30, check Instagram for late changes
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Aldous Books has taken over Kernaghan Books. Large general stock of collectible, fine and unusual books with particular interest in Irish, Private Press, Natural history, local history and travel.

Upstairs in the Wayfarers Arcade and it is like walking into a treasure trove. Very knowledgable assistant who knew exactly where to take me for my wants. Spent far too much but am loving my newly purchased books. Excellent quality stock.  Chris Harte 14.04.09
Welcoming staff, clean good stock, and a easily visitable "back room" make this a top notch shop. All on one floor, and well lit. Well worth a visit.  Robert Brown (Bookdealer) 29.06.09
Another excellent shop in Southport (see Broadhursts). A little pricey but extensive quality selection and bookseller make this a worthwhile detour. Note is is upstairs in the Wayfarers Arcade off Lord Street.  Norman Davies 12.07.12
Visited yesterday and was disappointed to find the shop closed, with a sign on the window stating that it is moving to Liverpool.  Stuart T 22.10.12
Top quality bookshop in an excellent setting. Very pleasant, friendly staff and while they had little of what I collect , there were other books to buy.  CB 06.04.13
First class location and premises, quality stock at reasonable prices, helpful and friendly owners.  Howard Walters 08.10.13
Some of the earlier comments have been superseded, the shop has moved from Southport to Liverpool. Forget the Wayfarer's Arcade, it is now in the Bluecoat School, a haven in the overbearing Liverpool One shopping centre. A wide-ranging serious stock, sensibly priced.  James Mackay 19.04.14
Visited them in their delightful new premises within the old Bluecoat School. The standard of holdings has, if anything, increased from their previous existence in Southport. As always, helpful, chatty and very fair pricing. Best bookshop on Merseyside by a long way.  Chris Harte 17.06.14
A great shop with very helpful owners, I came away with some gems.  Richard Ransome 29.05.15
Another of my favourite bookshops, I visit regularly, and always find some great books   Archive61 04.10.21
This place is a gem. Somewhere to browse and a place to talk books, shops and dealers. I had placed in front of me a run of titles I didn't even realise existed. My car did not have enough room for them. The courier will deliver next week. Never leave Liverpool without visiting the superb bookshop.  Chris 13.11.22
Several shelves of books at £1 just inside the entrance to whet your appetite. Lots of folios, orange penguins and vintage classics with a wide range of prices but generally seemed fair. Strong on poetry and military. Everything nicely arranged to make for a very enjoyable browsing experience. The owners are friendly and helpful. Definitely worth a visit.  Jon R 07.10.23
We the owners of Kernaghan Books at the Bluecoat, Liverpool are no longer operating as a shop, but will be involved in occasional book fairs and hopefully online in the future.

The shop is continuing under new ownership and with a new name - Aldous Books - and will be open six days a week.

Bryan & Alwyn Kernaghan   Kernaghan Books 07.05.24
The new owners have retained almost all of the existing stock. The £1 bargain section outside is no more and the former reference section has now opened up into a reading nook. Remains to be seen in what direction the shop will develop as more stock arrives. We did notice that most of the new stock on display could be categorised as "local interest".   Stive 17.05.24

Henry Bohn Books/LIVERPOOL/12 London Rd
Henry Bohn Books  Open at advertised times
12 London Rd   LIVERPOOL   L3 5NF
map
tel: 0151 709 4501   web 
Open:  Monday - Saturday 11.00 - 6.00.
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In the process of reopening the shop at the side of Lime Street Station. Unfortunately they were just putting the stock out, but I couldn't get in!  Robert Brown 02.04.09
Huge improvement on old Lime Street, shop-stock is better and easy to navigate. It has the ambience of Cecil Court. Not much for the collector but always find something. Reasonable prices.  Loyola 24.04.10
Good atmosphere, vast selection, well worth visiting.  jduester 30.09.10
Wonderful, great selection, first floor is open and also packed floor to ceiling, prices are really fair.  The Wanderer 16.03.11
Superb place. Slightly shambolic, reminder of an old fashioned floor to ceiling bookshop. Condition varies, but some excellent bargains to be found. Dont miss the first floor. Also splendid classical CD s/h collections.  Norman Davies 30.07.11
Like the other reviewers I found this a fascinating place to search. You don't find many shops like this nowadays nor do you find customers being given a quiz question to answer while browsing the quality holdings. Very much a place to visit with car parking very easy. (My question was : 'When were shoelaces first used? Answer : 1790. I was nowhere near being correct).  Chris Harte 28.08.12
Finally made it inside! Large, interesting stock, generally really sensibly priced. Friendly staff. Came away with a bag of books, so regard this visit as a success. Will be back. (Trade)  Robert Brown 29.09.12
Thoroughly good, from the premises, solid as befits a former jeweller's shop, to the stock, very extensive and a bit towards the academic, at reasonable prices.  James Mackay 19.04.14
A packed shop full of surprises and bargains of which I got a few.  Richard Ransome 29.05.15
A fascinating place with books on shelves and on the floor. Very close to Lime Street station.  Steve 19.01.17
This is my favourite bookshop in Liverpool, and I am never disappointed by what I find in here. Indeed, my bookshelves have a fair smattering of what I have bought in Henry Bohn over two decades. Packed almost floor to ceiling with books over two floors with a fair number of Folio editions, the shop also sells a large number of good quality classical CDs. I have spent happy hours perfusing the shelves, often coming away with absolute gems of books (and CDs) for a fair price.

The owner is a pleasant and knowledgable fellow. An article in a local newspaper gives a nice bit of history behind the origins of this bookshop

May the place long thrive!  Chekman 02.02.22
Dear old Michael. Still doing crosswords with his friends to pass the time between selling books from his huge stock. It's just a wonderful bookshop.  Chris 13.11.22
Two floors packed floor to ceiling with books. Strong on history, art, politics, literature, theology and music. Browsing can be a bit of a challenge as a lot of shelves have books stacked horizontally in front of books stacked vertically so you have to pull a pile out to see what’s behind. And crates of books on the floor completely hide what’s on the bottom shelves. Having said that, if you are willing to persevere then there are some good quality titles at fair prices. There is so much stock you’re bound to find something of interest.  Jon R 07.10.23
The owner was talking rather loudly with a friend/staff when we arrived as is his wont. Unfortunately, what we heard coming out of his mouth while we were browsing was more than enough to ensure that this would be our last ever visit to this shop. I just wish I could unbuy every purchase I have ever made here.   Stive 17.05.24

Liscard Book Exchange/WALLASEY/226 Liscard Road
The Liscard Book Exchange  Open at advertised times
226 Liscard Road  WALLASEY  CH44 5TN
map
Open: Monday - Friday 9.00 - 5.00, Saturday 9.30 - 4.00
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We are a small book shop in Wallasey, Wirral. We have a mixture of all-sorts of books and game-books in many varied conditions, some common/uncommon and rare, some new and some old and very old!


Literally A Bookshop/NEW BRIGHTON/6 Atherton Street
Literally A Bookshop  Open at advertised times
6 Atherton Street   NEW BRIGHTON   CH45 2NY
map
tel: 07914 737887  web 
Open:  Monday - Sunday 10.00 - 5.00.
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Varied stock, organised enough so you can find things, chaotic enough to make in interesting. Opened by Ken Dodd, who declares himself a Patron of the shop, readings by owner Cathy as well as guests, regular book launches and book signings, even though it is almost exclusively second hand books.

Opposite New Brighton Railway station, this is a delightful little shop, wonderful owners, who understand the current needs of a good second hand bookshop. Great condition stock, very reasonable prices, I love it.  The Wanderer 21.09.13
Went to this shop for a reading of A Christmas Carol, by Ken Dodd. It was a great night, good fun and the shop owners made the evening with such generous hospitality. Thank you Cathy and Peter.  lynn mc 19.12.13
Very friendly and generous with their time. I managed to pick up some interesting hypnosis materials at a good price.  Bryan 03.06.17

Oxfam Original/LIVERPOOL/35-37 Bold Street
Oxfam Original  Phone before travelling
35-37 Bold Street   LIVERPOOL   L1 4DN
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tel: 0151 709 6739  web 
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This being Liverpool it is pleasantly chaotic compared with Oxfam's usual tedious corporate branding - they seem to have given up actually organising the books and just shove them on to shelves marked "new arrivals". There is a high percentage of decent books with large sections on academic topics and history.  George Marshall 15.12.09
Definitely the most disorganised Oxfam book shop I have ever seen, books just stuffed on "new stock" or "new arrivals" shelves with no attempt at putting into categories. No time to sort them out but they still found time to overprice them I notice. Nice to see what they consider the priorities.  The Wanderer 15.03.11
Still little organised, but a big stock worth scanning through.  James Mackay 19.04.14
About half of this shop is dedicated to books and CDs. Large selection of both paperback and hardback modern fiction. There is a double bookcase of new arrivals in the middle with a random assortment of titles but otherwise the shop seems well organised. A couple of comfy armchairs are available if you need a rest - unusual in a charity shop (I don’t think they were for sale). I did put a few titles back on the shelves once I’d seen the prices. However, the queue of people clutching books waiting to be served at the counter was five deep so maybe they know what they are doing. My browsing experience was somewhat marred by a customer with a questionable standard of hygiene but I can’t blame the shop for that.  Jon R 07.10.23
Interesting shop in terms of content and layout. Books tend to be on bookshelves in the middle of the floor rather than against the wall. On my last visit, I left empty handed. Today, I left with several books. It's that sort of a branch.

Something I noticed in all the bookshops in Liverpool is a plethora of Amazon produced print-on-demand titles, even including one Oxford University Press academic work. Hopefully not a sign of things to come as the print quality of these is very much lacking.   Stive 17.05.24

Oxton Village Books/BIRKENHEAD/Nettle Café 2 Cleveland Street
Oxton Village Books    Open at advertised times
Nettle Café 2 Cleveland Street  BIRKENHEAD  CH41 6ND
map
tel:  07922 651241  e-mail
Open:  Monday - Friday 9.00 - 4.30, Saturday 10.00 - 3.30
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What a surprising find. Village post office with s/h bookshop. Decent cheap modern p/backs but the older hardbacks upstairs well worth a peruse. I came away with a bagful at decent prices.  Norman Davies 04.07.13
After nine years at the Williamson Art Gallery, Oxton Village Books had to leave at the end of 2023, following the implementation of a "new artistic policy" that sought to dispense with its presence there. But in February 2024, it reopened at the Nettle Café on Cleveland Street, right in the centre of Birkenhead.  Booker T 24.04.24

Parkinsons/SOUTHPORT/Parkinsons Ginnel359-363 Lord Street
Parkinsons    Phone before travelling
Parkinsons Ginnel  359-363 Lord Street    SOUTHPORT  PR8 1NH
map
tel:  01704 547016  e-mail
Open: Thursday - Saturday, ring first
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Large general book stock on three floors in a characterful building, with leaning towards the academic -- along with tropical shells, minerals, fossils, crystals, coins and prehistoric, ancient & mediaeval antiquities etc. etc. Curious? If so, see the "Virtual tour of our shop" link on our website.

Rambling old shop on several floors. Friendly helpful proprietor. Some good antiquarian stock, and a lot of interesting Victorian stock.  Robert Brown (Bookdealer) 29.06.09
Situated on three floors there are some very interesting titles scattered about. Books are fairly well categorised but you can find the odd surprise anywhere. My visit was only half an hour which was not long enough.  Chris Harte 01.08.09
Marmite shop - love or dislike. I love the somewhat untidy nature and various rambling rooms and book piles with the odd genuine surprise. The shells are worth a visit on their own.  Norman Davies 12.07.12
Echo the previous comments. Characterful, with large stock in numerous rooms,and a few good finds possible.  Mark V 28.05.16
Hadn't been to Southport for years so was glad to see this Alladin's cave, at the end of an inconspicuous alleyway off Lord Street, still trading. Broad cross section of real books on all three floors (How many have any maths and science these days?). Owner very friendly and helpful with reasonable prices. This and Broadhursts makes Southport WAD (not a lot else does).  John Allen 28.03.18
Still a joy to visit. Owner chatty and helpful. Three floors of books and I endorse John Allen's comments about maths and science. Some of the runs of ex-library bound volumes are brilliant.  Chris Harte 14.06.18
The whole upstairs floors have been tidied. Everything well marked. Wonderful stock of old bound volumes purchased from City of Liverpool libraries. As always cheerful owners and willing to assist.  Chris Harte 22.09.19
Opening has been sporadic for some years since the death of one of the owners, and it has not been open since lockdowns ended.  Martin R 29.07.21
Have heard that this is now open Thu-Sat per owner of Broadhursts.   Stive 30.05.22
Have made a couple of visits since reopening. The stock is old and dusty and there seems to be little to no signs of replenishment. Prices are discouraging. Downstairs near the entrance, the owner seems to be more interested in crystals and New Age paraphernalia. NWAD but if you happen to be in the area you might just find something you were after.   Stive 18.05.24

Reid of Liverpool/LIVERPOOL/105 Mount Pleasant
Reid of Liverpool  Open at advertised times
105 Mount Pleasant   LIVERPOOL   L3 5TB
map
tel: 0151 709 2312 
Open:  Monday - Saturday 10.30 - 5.30.
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Very large general stock that leans towards the unusual.

Still worth visiting. Lots of paperbacks, but a nice clean tidy shop, with some very interesting stock at the back.  Robert Brown 02.04.09
Fairly priced general stock. Not much of interest to collectors but great if you just want to find a good read at the right price.  Loyola 24.04.10
Absolutely delightful and tidy bookshop, moderate prices. Great selection of books on espionage  jduester 30.09.10
Friendly shop. Mr Reid always give you a good deal, a few quid off when you buy a handful of books.  Funklein 25.08.12
First appearances did not hold out much hope for me until I started my second tour of the shelves. Then I started to find quite a number of interesting titles. Look carefully when visiting and you could be surprised.  Chris Harte 28.08.12
Agree with all the above comments. Have visited twice in the last six months and will be back. Unusual if I don't find something to buy.  Robert Brown 29.09.12
Agree above. Excellent shop for a lengthy browse and a chat, I usually find something worthwhile. Note of caution, may only be open after noon Saturdays.  Norman Davies 10.11.12
Easy parking and a knowledgeable assistant in the shop to guide me to my interests. Everything well stacked and categorised. Nothing too ancient but plenty to see and pick over. Worth a visit.  Chris 15.11.22
Few shelves of 50p tempters outside. Good to see the stock in the window was all clearly labelled with prices - it seems the norm elsewhere to have to ask the price of anything that catches your eye in the window. Sadly the labelling didn’t extend to the bookcases inside so you have no idea of categories, you just have to browse the titles. Although the arrangement of stock seemed a bit haphazard anyway - a book on karate nestling alongside a George Eliot biography, for example. But despite this, there’s a good range of stock and prices seem fair so definitely worth a visit.  Jon R 07.10.23

Still Out of Print/LIVERPOOL/282 Smithdown Road
Still Out of Print  Open at advertised times
282 Smithdown Road  LIVERPOOL  L15 5AJ
map
tel:  07440501099  e-mail
Open: Monday - Friday 12.00 - 6.00, Saturday 11.00 - 6.00, Sunday 2.00 - 5.00
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Small shop, lots of books! Local history Liverpool Cheshire Lancashire Merseyside. Art, music, poetry, cinema. Irish history and literature. Black writers, Feminist authors. Sci-fi, modern firsts, Folio Society editions. Science and NOT science.

We organise two-day book-fairs at the Bluecoat every month.  Naomi Frisch, Still Out of Print 22.05.24