Any bibliophile who loves to spend the afternoon rummaging through bookshelves in their local bookshops will love this list of local places in Glasgow. Every one of these Glasgow spots has character, which is, after all, part of what people appreciate about bookshops.
1. Voltaire and Rousseau
Voltaire and Rosseau stock everything from everywhere, at any point in history. If you’ve come to Voltaire and Rousseau then you’re in it for the long haul. There’s no quick browsing here, but there are tons of amazing books. There’s also a cat who lives here, named BB, so that’s also always a bonus!
12–14 Otago Lane, G12 8PB
2. Aye-Aye
If you’re looking for books and magazines on art and photography then Aye-Aye Books is a great place to start. They also stock books on architecture, plus fiction and poetry — and the shop is located within The Centre for Contemporary Arts, which is a brilliant place to explore.
350 Sauchiehall Street, G2 3JD
3. Caledonia Books
Caledonia Books specialise in rare books and books that are out of print. If you are looking for something and they don’t have it, the owners are really helpful and will do their best to find a copy. The highlight of the bookshop is downstairs, where there is a big collection of beautiful folio books.
483 Great Western Road, G12 8HL
4. Hyndland Books
Owned by two former librarians, Hyndland Books is small but still very interesting. They have a huge collection of DVDs here so if you’re a film fanatic then this is perfect for a quick peruse. A black labrador also lives there, so you can comb the shelves whilst cuddling the dog.
143 Hyndland Road, G12 9JA
5. Young’s Interesting Books
They’ve named themselves Young’s Interesting Books and so you might be expecting some interesting books. You won’t be disappointed because, amongst the more conventional and well-known titles, you will find some unusual and often niche ones. It’s worth visiting, even if just for the entertainment of picking out a book with a title such as ‘The Strange Story of Fales Teeth’.
18 Skirving Street, Shawlands, G41 3AB
6. Thistle Books
This cosy book shop, Thistle Books, specialises in Scottish history and Scottish literature. All of the books are second hand and some of them are quite rare, so it’s the perfect place to find something that has been tucked away in the annals of history for too long.
55 Otago Street, G12 8PQ
7. Calton Books
Calton Books is a left-wing, radical and independent bookshop. They stock books from many different genres but this is an excellent place to visit if you are looking for literature on philosophy and history.
159 London Road, G1 5BX
8. Cooper Hay Rare Books
Cooper Hay Rare Books might just be the fanciest-looking bookshop in all of Glasgow, and they specialise in antiquarian books. It’s a fascinating place, due to the incredible wealth of very old books available here. However, it is worth knowing the shop is only open three days a week between Tuesdays and Thursdays.
185A Bath Street, G2 4HU
9. Good Press
Good Press is a place for small and medium publications amongst the independent Glasgow bookshops. The bookshop also runs irregular exhibitions, as well as runs artists’ projects, and produces publications, residencies, external exhibitions, screenings, talks and other events occasionally.
32 St. Andrews St, G1 5PD
10. Waterstones Sauchiehall Street
While Waterstones is a well-known chain, instead of an independent local business, we do love a coffee shop within a bookshop. The five-storey bookshop also has the largest amount of books in Glasgow! What is more, Waterstones Sauchiehall Street hosts not one but TWO cafes within, offering locally-sourced food and drink. The spot also boasts a licensed bar that hosts a monthly book quiz, as well as an array of other cultural events.
153-157 Sauchiehall Street, G2 3EW