Bookshops are an integral part our culture and this is a guide that aims to promote some of the best unique and specialised bookshops in London.
Koenig Books
80 Charing Cross Rd,
Koenig Books is a German-owned independent bookshop specialising in art, architecture, design and photography. Koenig Books is a branch of Walther Koenig Books Ltd, Europe’s largest independent bookshop specialising in modern and contemporary art, architecture, design and photography. With the neatest bookshelves in London, the Charing Cross branch, designed by David Chipperfield, displays its books with their covers rather than spines facing customers. It stocks the best recently published titles and downstairs there is a whole floor of amazing special offers and discounts.
Southbank Book Market
Under Waterloo Bridge, Queen’s Walk, Southbank
Southbank Centre's Book Market is tucked under the Waterloo Bridge on Queen's Walk. It is one of the only outdoor markets dedicated to second-hand and antique book in southern England. It also includes classics, contemporary titles, maps and prints. It is a great spot to browse and is open daily, rain or shine.
Lutyens & Rubinstein
21 Kensington Park Road
Lutyens & Rubinstein was founded in 2009 and sells fiction and general non-fiction with sections for children’s books, poetry and art books. The emphasis is on excellence in writing and narrative across a broad range of genres. Every book has its place in the shop because somebody loves it and has recommended it. Architects, De Rosee & Sa and ContainerPlus, designed the shop.
Daunt Books
83 Marylebone High Street
Daunt Books flagship store on Marylebone High Street is located in an original Edwardian bookshop with long oak galleries, a balconied rear room and full of light from the elegant skylights. Daunt Books is now a more general bookseller but is best know for its wonderfully extensive and particularly strong travel section. It also has shops in Chelsea, Holland Park, Hampstead, Belsize Park and Cheapside.
Gosh!
1 Berwick St
Gosh! Comics is an extremely well regarded and swanky comic bookshop in Soho. With 25 year of experience and knowledgeable staff, their range of graphic novels is second to none. From “translated European albums to mainstream superhero antics; vintage children’s books to contemporary graphic fiction; compulsively readable manga to cutting edge small press.”
Persephone Books
59 Lamb’s Conduit Street,
Persephone Books is a small and independent publisher that specialises is reprinting lost and forgotten classics by “women, for women and about women” of the twentieth century. The books are beautifully crafted and are all carefully designed with a clear typeface, a dove-grey jacket, a ‘fabric’ endpaper and bookmark, and a preface by writers such as Jane Brocket, Jilly Cooper and Frances Spalding.
Claire De Rouen Books
First Level, 125 Charring Cross Road
Claire De Rouen Books is a sanctuary for anyone who appreciates photography and fashion books. It is in fact, the only independent bookshop in London specialising in fashion and photography. Hidden away on the first floor above a betting shop on Charing Cross Road, they stock a beautiful collection of photo books, magazines, fashion monographs, rare, signed and limited editions. The shop, now co-owned by Lucy Moore and Lily Cole, maintain the relationships that Claire established with photographers such as David Bailey, Bruce Weber, Don McCullin, Nadav Kander, Pieter Hugo, Ed and Deanna Templeton, Valerie Phillips and Antoine d’ Agata.
Claire De Rouen Books
First Level, 125 Charring Cross Road
Claire De Rouen Books is a sanctuary for anyone who appreciates photography and fashion books. It is in fact, the only independent bookshop in London specialising in fashion and photography. Hidden away on the first floor above a betting shop on Charing Cross Road, they stock a beautiful collection of photo books, magazines, fashion monographs, rare, signed and limited editions. The shop, now co-owned by Lucy Moore and Lily Cole, maintain the relationships that Claire established with photographers such as David Bailey, Bruce Weber, Don McCullin, Nadav Kander, Pieter Hugo, Ed and Deanna Templeton, Valerie Phillips and Antoine d’ Agata.
John Sandoe
10 Blacklands Terrace,
John Sandoe is a truly unique and much loved independent bookshop that was started in 1957, located just of the Kings Road in a small eighteenth century building that used to be half poodle parlour and half junk shop. It is packed floor to celling with about 25, 000 books. Their stock is fairly general with influences of art, architecture, history, travel, drama, biography and reference. You have to be careful not to knock over the piles of books, which is all part of its charm. They have just completed refurbishment works following expansion.
Taschen
12 Duke of York square
Taschen is one of the best art book publishers in the world and was founded in 1980 by Benedikt Taschen in Cologne, Germany. Their specialty bookshop in Chelsea, located just off the Kings Road opposite The Saatchi Gallery, is a browser’s heaven with all you could what in glossy, beautiful, art books. From art to architecture, film to fashion, every glamorous topic is covered in this amazing shop.
Gay’s The Word
66 Marchmont Street
Gay's The Word is the UK's pioneering first and now, the last surviving lesbian and gay bookshop. Established in 1979 and located in Bloomsbury, they stock a wide range of books covering issues such as “cutting-edge queer theory through to how to tell your mother you are gay.” This is a great independent bookshop with a great sense of community and very friendly staff. “We are a straight-friendly gay-family business!”
The School of Life
70 Marchmont Street
The School of Life is a social enterprise founded in 2008 to develop emotional intelligence through humanities such as philosophy to literature, psychology to the visual arts. They run a small shop, which sells a great selection of their own published books and a range of objects and tools that will assist you in the quest for a more fulfilled life. The School offers a variety of programmes and services concerned with how to live wisely and well such as psychotherapy and bibliotherapy, which looks at your reading habits and 'prescribe' books which relate to your interests or concerns.
RIBA Bookshop Royal Institute of British Architects
66 Portland Place
The RIBA Bookshop is located at the Head Quarters of the Royal Institute of British Architects and is Europe’s leading specialist architectural bookshop supplying books, forms, regulations and contracts to all those with a passion for the built environment. This is an inspiring place to browse with a huge selection of publications covering architecture, design, interiors, landscape, construction, law, practice management and more.
The Society Club
12 Ingestre Place
The Society Club is a unique independent bookshop in Soho. It is a very elegant and welcoming place that’s dog friendly with a bar/café. ‘Come in for a peaceful tea or a classic cocktail and browse the books and pet the dogs.’ They stocks an eclectic range of books, from rare signed first editions to the latest publications. There are specialist sections for Soho literature, 20th Century Modern 1st Editions, Charles Bukowski, Rupert Brooke and pulp fiction. They have regular events scheduled and every Friday night they host ‘Flash Poetry’. ‘Bring your own poems and get ready to read.’
Tales on Moon Lane
25 Half Moon Lane
Tales on Moon Lane is an award winning Children’s Independent Bookshop in Herne Hill. The family centred bookshop has children at the heart of everything they do. It is very much part of the community with 10 schools within a one-mile radius. They have a wall covered in illustrations and autographs from visiting authors.