I've taken this from the Guardian:

Whether you're into cracked leather sofas and piles of first editions or wall-to-wall Peruvian poetry, nothing beats a browse in a truly fine bookshop. But shops like these are becoming hard to find - which is where you come in. We want you to email the name and details of your favourite bookshop, plus 100 words on why you love it, to books.editor@guardianunlimited.co.uk. The result: a database of independent bookshops compiled by bookworms for bookworms.

I am going to write with the name of the bookshop that carried the most literary magazines! Once I decide which one that was....

Ani

Excellent! I'm going to do that. Mine's 'Tales on Moon Lane' in Herne Hill. An independent that caters entirely for children's books (but will order anything else too if you ask). Tamara, who runs it, knows everything. It's a wonderful shop!
Sue

Oh God, Ani! I hate to say this but… my favourite is Borders in Briggate, Leeds. The selection of books is massive. They have more magazines I've ever heard of, a huge music section, staff who KNOW what they’re talking about, sofas where you can spend the whole day browsing through an unlimited selection of books. Great coffee, cheesy ciabattas… I love it!

Dee

A difficult choice the two local independants are great nothing is too much trouble so which do I choose Chepstow Book shop or Forest Books shop what a connundrum

I've mentioned it before, but my favourite bookshop is Red Lion Books in Colchester High Street. It's run by friends of mine, Pete and Sarah Donaldson. They set up in Colchester nearly 30 years ago and have amazingly managed to survive, despite big chain bookshops opening in town and the other deep discounting options of Amazon and the such. One of the reasons they've survived is customer loyalty. And that is earned, mainly because they know books and know what books their customers will like. So if you're in Colchester, drop in - it sells all sorts of books but specialises in sci-fi/fantasy. But it's an uphill battle for them, for example when Bloomsbury charge them more for the new Harry Potter book than what you and I can buy it for from Amazon.

John Calder's bookshop on the Cut, opposite the currently bandaged Young Vic. Small, but every single book is a treasure; the shelves are lined with Calder's own publications - most major European literature and drama from the fifties to the eighties, including anything you could ever want to read on or by Beckett - and an incredibly eclectic selection of world literature; while the table in the centre of the shop is groaning with such well-chosen goodies that you want to by the lot!!! POlitics, History, Philosophy and Literature are all very generously represented and, every Thursday, readings and discussions are held, which cover a vast range of material and authors and which frequently feature, as joint or sole reader, one Mike David...........................


Mike

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buy, buy, buy.........................

..now, this makes me feel a bit guilty because I know I should prefer tiny, quaint places with 'amusingly' grumpy sales staff....but I can't resist a big Waterstones like the one in Camden, London. Borders is good too, I agree with Dee, although I preferred Books Etc (no idea why. Just the feel of them).
Am I horrible disciple of globalisation?
Not sure - just going to put on my Gap jeans and head out for a Frappuccino while I think about it :-)

Foyles, which is both independent and enormous, has great jazz and exhibitions, and even good customer service, all since Christina Foyle went to the great stockroom in the sky. And because Society of Authors members get 15% discount. The Pan Bookshop in the Fulham Road, ditto discount, and feels like my bookshelves at home - chaotic, full to bursting, and entirely comprehensible, honest. My two locals, Dulwich Books and The Village Bookshop, for knowing exactly what's on their shelves, and getting any (well almost) available book for me in 12 hours. Beats Amazon every time.
Emma

The Ceilidh Place in Ullapool has a lovely book shop. On monday evening they held a reading Of John Aberdien's book Armande's Bed which is marvellous if you are into Doric, which I am. I got home at 4am, as is the way of the Ceilidh Place. A more convivial environ I have yet to find & the live music is something else - sheer magic. They often have readings. A couple of months ago the had their 1st book festival & they got wonderful writers - Janis Galloway, Anne MacLeod for Ullapool it is great.

Leaky's in Inverness is the bestest 2nd hand book shop in the world. Housed in an old Kirk with a huge wood burning stove and cafe up in the Gods it's cram-packed with books, maps & prints -the range is huge they also will look out and search for out of print stuff & their coffee & carrot cake is the perfect accompaniment to a bloody good couple of hours rummle through their huge, ever-changing stock, so-there.
Caroline

I like the Rizzoli bookshop in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in Milan. It's full of beautiful book like Italian Splendor by Jack Basehart which I look at whilst pretending to be Claudia Cardinale in the ball scene of The Leopard.

Adele.

Oh look, I can do guilt as well - my local, small independent bookshop isn't that interesting, is run by unfriendly people and has no coffee (and could not possibly survive outside lefty, middle-class ghetto that I live in!) - so I use it if in a hurry but for fun go to Waterstones in centre of Manchester because I can sit on the floor, read several books, think about sewing or gardening in the same visit as poetry or politics or children's stories - can get coffee and spend hours there without anyone bothering me and come away with a head full of colour and ideas. Sounds like some of you can have this experience without giving your money to evil chain - lucky you!

Was very sad to hear from someone that Compendium in Camden Town has gone - used to be a big favourite when I still lived in London before exile to the great north.

good question
Veronica

I love the Trafalgar Bookshop on Station Street in Brighton. It is a rickety little shop, with towering stacks of old books, all musty smelling and looking like they're going to collapse on you at any moment.

In the back there are shelves sagging under the weight of antique tomes, and behind the desk is a cheerful old man whose always happy to discuss anything from the Bible to Hunter S.Thompson.

He doesn't know I'm onto him, but I'm pretty sure he's a wizard. He even has the white beard and these strange blue eyes.

Anyway, it's an ace bookshop, and everything is reasonably priced. It also has a vast collection of ancient magazines.

JB

I have to agree with Dee, my favourite is also Borders in Briggate, Leeds.
Although, I admit I go there just on the off chance of bumping into her, so I could say hello...

Grinder

choille - your mebntion of the Ceilidh PLace made me think of Robert Urquhart, who started it all. Is the place full of photos and memorabilia of him???
I worked with him once, in Tom Fleming's production of Ane Satire Of The Three Estatis; hopeless piss-head, but lovely man; he played Divine Correctioun and could not get the words right...................
I am callit Divine Correctioun,
Whaur I am nocht is nae tranquility.
By me traitors and tyrants are pit doon,
Wha think nae shame o' their iniquity......


braw!


Mike

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that's the gaelic spelling of 'mention'!

Jean Urquhart now runs it alone since her husband died. There is no photos of him that I have seen about the place only local artists work.
My fancy you knowing him. His wife is a great woman & organises all sorts of wonderful evenings there. It's a majic place.
Caroline