A few months back a decision was taken to encorporate the post office into the WH Smiths in…read moreGalashiels and this has really reduced the level of service you get in the store. Any music, DVD or game which you want which is not in the top ten has to be ordered and their stock levels are minimal. The store is now always full of people trying to post letters or collect benefits and ther is very little space to stand and browse. Would far rather travel to Edinburgh or buy on-line than waste my time here!

Kesley's is a wonderful little gem, which is very lucky not to have any competition nearby from the…read morelikes of Waterstones and WHSmith. And the Tesco in Haddington doesn't sell books and stationery, so Kesley's is the place to come if you are looking for that sort of stuff. The shop is divided up by the counter, and on the left side there is fiction books, and a selection of gifts and stationery, while on the right lies the non fiction section. The books that they sell are very good and the last time I was here I managed to get my hands on a limited edition copy of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - and at a price that was much cheaper than what you would pay in Waterstones. The staff here are very nice and take the time to chat to you about which books you are picking. And they are ever so helpful too. I enquired about a paperback edition of a book once and the man went through the back and found one! There is a lovely coffee shop through the back which is worthy of its own review. I'm really glad that I have found a new favourite bookshop. Move over Waterstones, because Kesley's will be the king of bookstores soon!

The Forest Bookstore is a beautiful shop that has now been open for about five years in the Market…read morePlace in the centre of the Borders town, Selkirk. They stock a real range of books, the staff are very knowledgeable and it's a lovely space in which to browse and discover worlds of fiction and non-fiction, both! They have a great children's section (including reads for young adults) and you can get cards, maps, poetry and Reviews of Books magazines, diaries and notebooks, and copies of Reforesting Scotland too. They specialise in Literature, Art and the Environment, but they have sections of new fiction, classics (Everyman editions), cookery, gardening and craft, poetry, Scottish lit., second-hand and art and architecture. If they don't have what you're looking for they can order the book for you free of charge, and if you don't know what you're looking for, they can advise. Exhibitions of art grace the walls (usually showcasing talented local contemporary artists), and there's a strong following of the shop amongst Borders locals.

An excellent bookshop that provides a really intriguing selection of books; from everyday…read moregardening, children's and cooking books, to books that offer radical insights into art, culture, philosophy and politics. A great place to buy a specific book or browse and find a new treasure.

Love this place! Whether you are walking and need lunch or…read morehanging out and need a book, or cruising and are ready for tea, this is a superb stop. Combination bookstore and café but with excellence in both. What a delight this was. I wish I had been staying in the area instead of merely passing through. This could become a local haunt, a fascination, an enchantment. It was charming. Our lunch was splendid, a surprise for hikers who take what comes but are serious foodies too. I remember boar sausage on my sandwich!

The best bookshop in at least the Scottish Borders! Winner of UK Independent Bookshop of the Year…read more2012 and Best Bookshop in the Telegraph Small Shops Awards 2012. The best coffee in 50 miles, and soup and sandwiches made from home-made ingredients. The cakes are delicious as well.

This is by far the best bookshop in the borders for children. Lesslie is attentive, caring and…read moreextremely knowledgeable about the latest books and authors but not forgetting the classics and more traditional local stories. The bookworm offers a extensive range of books for children of all ages, young and old. The bookworm can get any book you require, I would highly recommend a visit for any little bookworms and big bookworms.

From the owner: Children's Books. Fiction. Non -Fiction. New Born, Nursery, Primary and Young Adultread more

Ahhhh LOVED this bookstore. As an avid reader, I was drawn to literature like any woman who lives…read morein Booktok would be. The store is cute, cramped and smells like old books. It was perfect. I even overheard a women say the first edition Hobbit was £925!!! We weren't greeted, but who is when you walk into a quiet, moody bookshop. I for one, don't want anyone talking to me when I am browsing. The books were an array of prices- ranging from high to low.

I completely forgot to review this place! It's one of the nicest used books store I've seen in my…read morelife. Edinburgh is filled with all these lovely stores and shops I just can't. This little book store is what I imagine other used bookstores wish they could be. I don't even want to buy a book there because then it would disturb the order of things. It's small but perfect for a bookworm to read a book in the corner and enjoy being surrounded by books.

This place is a global treasure. One of us had been here 11(!) years ago with friends who live in…read moreNewcastle who brought her here, and she loved it so much that she insisted we all go again--so we did. After spending the morning at Alnwick Castle, we came to Barter Books for lunch and browsing. The cafe is adorable and cozy, and our party of seven was promptly seated. You order at the register and you do not want to sleep on the rarebit--it's so good! While it had just a tad too much mustard than remembered, it was still so gooey and heart-warming (and certainly more impressive than the pile of gloop that was our daughter's mac-n-cheese...let's just pretend that never happened). The beans on toast was also comforting and perfect in such a setting. Fries (chips!) are well-made, and the accompanying salad has a tangy vinaigrette. The whole bookstore is a converted train station and it's massive and we would have perused the titles for several more hours had we not had four children in our party. It was still a lovely time exploring the store, roaming the aisles, and getting lost in old books. We bought a few to bring home, as well as some other swag. And obviously you don't want to miss seeing the famed original "Keep Calm and Carry On" poster. This is just one of those magical places that you really can't describe, but once you go, you'll get it. Five unequivocal stars.

Love this place! Neat rooms to explore, fun model train, lots of used books a nice selection of…read morenew gifts AND a great and reasonable cafe. Their chips are so good I went back the next day for a snack.

Excellent old-school bookseller in a beautiful area staffed by warm and inviting personnel. Love…read morethis place! Very easy to walk here from the Royal Mile and easy to get to the shopping areas nearby as well as restaurants.

They have a very good selection of books of different genres. The ambience is pleasant and there…read moreare nice places to sit down and peruse the books and even lose yourself in thought on a rainy day. The staff, however, can be indifferent and, on occasion, rude. I don't know why. It seems like a rather nice job to have. Still, a great bookshop.

I was saying, searching a particular book and was so incredibly pleased to find that it was one of…read morea series of money. I ended up purchasing six books in total. This bookstore is an incredible find, and the gentleman who runs it is so kind. I found the books to be recently priced and highly recommend popping in.

This bookstore has such a great selection of fantasy and sci fi books and a very helpful owner. It…read morewas such a great time to review the book options and figure out what to buy.