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
A large shop, on two floors, a stone's throw from Lime Street station. The idiosyncratic owner, Michael, seems an interesting character; although he was engaging in voluble conversation with two friends, their discourse - which was confined to the vagaries of the book trade and the film industry - contained nothing at all offensive (in contrast to the unhappy experience of recent reviewer Stive). Outside the door are boxes of bargain books - fairly humdrum, but some priced as low as 10p. Once inside, although some of the stock is a bit tired and dated, there is quite a lot to enthuse about. On the ground floor is a very good range of literary fiction, much of it in hardback. Excellent for poetry and drama. Lots of crime fiction, mostly in paperback, including many 'Golden Age' titles (£2/£3). An outstanding selection of art books, some genuinely rare. Also excellent for British and world history, philosophy and local interest. Quite good for politics and shipping, although many of the science books are old and dull. Upstairs is a good stock of vocal and instrumental scores and books on music; other quite strong categories include travel, theology, literary biography, natural history (especially ornithology), antiques, railways, cookery, film and sport (especially cricket). Very good for books on mountaineering. These include annual Alpine Journals from the 1970s to 2014 (£2 to £5). Also many vintage children's books, reasonably priced, and a good selection of French-language paperback novels, mainly classics but a few modern titles (mostly £2.50). A few shelves of Folio society books (£5 to £7.50). The top shelves throughout the upper floor are lined with runs of hard-to-shift bound volumes of Punch, Strand Magazine, etc. So, although there is some chaff among the wheat, there is enough good stock here - at decent prices - to make a visit worthwhile. Booker T 28.10.24
I'm inclined to forgive Michael, the approaching-80 year old owner of this Liverpool institution for the wonky clock outside and him arriving a full 7 minutes late to open the shop, it added to the sense of theatre that by 1107 there was a queue of bibliophiles waiting to come in, some from Georgia, USA, someone from Blackpool a chap who'd been involved in a fight the night before.
Michael curates a lovely selection of books.
My time was short and I didn't get the time I wanted to look around however what I saw pleased me greatly and my very specific request was met with a long and erudite conversation about the widest and deepest aspects of what I was collecting. The literature selection is one of the best I've seen in ages. I wish I'd had more time. Like all day.
BookerT sums up the entirety of the shop better than I can and in all aspects he's right. misterg 21.06.25
Open at advertised times
Phone before travelling
Appointment necessary
Status unknown, update requested
