Scotland's largest second-hand book shop.
Very large ,comprehensive ,quite good quality stock at reasonable prices. Also stocks new Scottish, mainly local, material. Second Nature 01.04.09
Good quality stock, prices higher than they should be. Nice to browse in. PaulP 02.08.11
I seriously doubt their claim to be "Scotland's largest second-hand bookshop." I can think of at least four larger and with far better and more interesting stock than the tired old offerings presented here. How many runs of 'The Waverley Novels' does it take to claim the record for the most boring titles? I agree that there are good books in this shop, some of which are very rare, but even the completely bored shop assistant admitted that sales this year "are slow." And the prices ... ! Chris Harte 18.06.12
The Bookshop (such modesty!) clearly models itself on Shakespeare & Co in Paris, with its sleeping loft, and written postcards bearing booky quotes and other eccentric features which I will leave you to discover for yourselves, so as not to spoil the fun. The stock is large, with all subjects well represented and a substantial Antiquarian section. Architecture and Art are housed on a splendid staircase to the (private) upper floor. Here I even found a book sold at my own shop well over ten years ago, complete with my pencilled price and code! There is much to browse here and the stock is of good quality, with mid-range prices. Customer service could be improved: the assistant carried on talking to her friend throughout my purchasing and charged me for my plastic carriers, which I thought was pretty stingy considering what I spent. This left a bad taste on an otherwise enjoyable visit. TravellingLibrary 08.08.15
Certainly extensive and with a large stock to look at in characterful premises. Mark V 08.08.15
Seemed quite popular when we visited in June, albeit Wigtown was pretty quiet (midweek). No doubt the owner having written a book about his time owning the shop helps. All that aside, stock was well arranged in an attractive shop with separate rooms heading into the back of the shop. A very old building and I enjoyed having a browse. Came away with a few books at decent prices - shop owner was pleasant and chatty. Didn't have time to browse the other shops in town but as we're moving to nearby Ayrshire shortly, no doubt I'll be back again and again to Wigtown. Very decent cafe just around the corner - Cafe Rendezvous in Agnew Crescent. Flip M 30.08.18
Popular when I went midweek recently. Stock turns over a fair bit - while I was there, the owner was on the phone negotiating to go and visit another collection to purchase. Quite different stock every time I go. Lighting could be better in some areas (really struggled to see the military titles). Owner friendly and happy to chat. If you've never been its definitely worth it - a quite labyrinthine old building (ground floor and 1 staircase only, is the actual shop) containing thousands of books on almost all subjects. Flip M 21.08.19
Comments as per my previous visits really. Caught in a time warp, The Bookshop doesn't really change much. There were quite a few "not priced yet" boxes on the floor in front of some shelves which was awkward. 2 years ago I noticed a TV and film actor's fairly recent biography for a rather ambitious price. On this latest visit, I noted with amusement it was still there, still with the same price. I guess books sit there until someone buys them, or they rot away, whichever comes first. Revisiting old stock and their price might be sensible but with such a large stock and small staff, perhaps not realistic.
On a busy Tuesday in Wigtown, people still mainly kept their distance in the shop - and this isn't really difficult with the layout as it is, split into different rooms and areas from front to back. A "must visit" when in Wigtown. Flip M 29.10.21
Here a year later. Only found one book I wanted this time - a PB copy of Sir Walter Scott's journals. They had 2 copies - 1 rather creased and well used for £8; the other (same edition) unblemished and almost new looking for £4! I took the latter. Quite a few boxes of unpriced stock awaiting unpacking in the front areas blocking several shelves. Prices generally pretty ok (apart from that anomaly above. Well stocked with most areas covered. Almost a whole room on railways stock for those interested in that. No football though. There never really is. Other sports but footy doesn't get a look in in Wigtown. Flip M 09.09.22
Your Wigtown correspondent calling in again...
Visited again a few days ago. Prices not hiked up much from what I could tell but found just the one book to purchase. That same actor's autobiog noted a couple of visits ago is still in the biog section. The pile of boxes of "new unsorted arrivals" now pretty much fills and blocks off the hardback fiction section at the front of the shop - even more so than on my last visit, and with nobody seemingly bothered enough to be working on it (just as nobody was last time). If I was being harsh I might think the owner is trading on his name now, rather than having the best shop in the area, which I don't think it is anymore. Flip M 02.04.23
Called in yesterday and happy to report many of the boxes that were blocking the fiction shelves are no longer there and access all round was much easier. Crime fiction swapped areas with biographies (I guess stock is bigger of crime fiction) but otherwise all is as it was - that actor's autobiog is still there and the WW1 and 2 sections (which are quite large) are not very well lit. Cricket, I noticed, is very well represented in the Sports section. Football is pretty non-existent as usual. There's still a room given over to Railway stuff and there's a big Scottish area.
Generally seem to have staff there working now the last 2 or 3 times I've been, while the owner (and author) Shaun Bythell is either out or upstairs. Yesterday we heard him being called down to meet some German tourists/fans. He was friendly and unassuming as I've always found him; I'm sure he's used to being the main reason many people call in there now.
Prices still reasonable, I find, on the whole. Flip M 23.07.23
First off in Wigtown was the much-hyped 'The Bookshop’ at 17 North Main Street, Wigtown. DG8 9HL. From the outside it looked smaller than I had expected but it soon opens up and goes a long way back.
It is visually quite attractive and the postcards from all over the world are pinned everywhere. It is obviously a popular place, but much like Baggins in Rochester, big does not necessarily equate with best. The shop guide is a list of subject areas with room descriptions and locations. The only one I saw was in the front room. A visual guide / map may have been better but all the shelves seem well signed as to subject. A very large Scottish room will cater well for those with local interest. There was a linguistics section but I could not find it and here, as elsewhere, languages seemed largely absent in the shops.
Crime fiction seemed largely, though not exclusively confined to ‘Golden Age’ titles / authors. Modern fiction - in the front room held little of interest and seemed rather expensive. The children’s section was quite small and not brilliantly organised. I did however eventually find the WE Johns books and another title I did not have.
Mr Bythell belied his in-print grumpy persona and was helpful and polite to all who approached him whilst I was there.
Niggles include boxes in front of shelves and occasionally having to use my phone torch to read titles.
Firedrake 26.10.23
Our first visit this year and The Bookshop is much the same. The owner was there wandering about in his usual t-shirt, shorts and bare feet although for some reason there's a near life size cardboard cut out of him propped up against a bookshelf near the entrance.
It was a bright day and visibility inside in all areas was better than the last couple of visits. Not too much stock lying around in boxes blocking aisles this time but then the annual book festival starts in a few days and the whole town seemed to be getting ready for that - so perhaps he's had a tidy up.
Not convinced about the prices - my wife found 1 or 2 things for less than £4 but most things I picked up were £6.50 and up. The £6.50 was a paperback football book from 2019 which has a £9.99 cover price new. And can be had for pennies on the dreaded Amazon. Not suggesting he can match Amazon but the price for a common enough recent PB seemed steep.
Stock was a mix of very good to "a bit tatty". Most subjects covered - in the Sport section you are more likely to find golf and cricket rather than football but that seems to be the way in Wigtown; very little football - but if cricket and golf are your thing, you will be spoiled for choice. As last time, left without buying anything. Flip M 24.09.24
On first entering this shop you’re greeted with an extensive range of orange Penguins which is always a good start. The hardback fiction section was my main interest but unfortunately there were several boxes on the floor which didn’t make browsing particularly easy. There were signs encouraging use of the steps to reach the top shelves - but this would have required shifting heavy boxes first, then bringing the steps over. All seemed a bit too much of an effort so I confined myself to the shelves within reach. A well-stocked shelf devoted to Dickens on the back wall of this section was good to see, with some unusual titles, one of which I came away with. I think pricing is generally a little steep. A lot of the hardbacks I picked up seemed to be £8.50 which is a few quid more than they might have been elsewhere. Still, I came away with a couple of titles I was really pleased with so it was a worthwhile visit. The author-proprietor was not in the shop on the day I visited but the lady serving was incredibly friendly and showed a genuine interest in everyone who came to the counter. Jon R 07.12.24
Open at advertised times
Phone before travelling
Appointment necessary
Status unknown, update requested
