New shop within a fantastic venue, who I will certainly be keeping an eye on...........read more

About a week ago I went in here because I collect oddities and also comics (in fact, I used to be a…read morecurator of a comics museum in NYC). After a quick walk through of the store, I noticed that my boyfriend was looking through a selection of books- they were all part of a series, and neither of us had seen them before. As I looked through the titles and flipped through some of the pages, I started to think that some of these books would be good gifts to bring back to my friends in NYC. Naturally, I started looking more carefully at the titles, trying to decide which of these books would be suited for my each of my friends. We were probably there looking at the books for maybe 5-7 minutes (if that) when the owner/proprietor/sales clerk came up, asked if we needed help and then grabbed one of the books from my hands, saying that this is not a library (and I know the difference between a library and a store, since I'm a professor and going to libraries is kind of a thing that I do on a regular basis). It is very hard to determine whether a book is worth buying without skimming through the pages.... I was actually about to buy that book by the way, but I was so shocked at how rudely I was treated that I walked out and continued my way to the National Galleries. This was my first experience in Edinburgh, but thankfully the rest of the city was very warm and kind.

Really pleased to have found this shop while in Edinburgh! Picked up a couple manga and some…read morefigures with my friend, we looked it up later and found out that I guess the Kitagawa he got was a UK exclusive and only £25 so this made it extra special for us given that we are from the US. Didn't interact much with the staff other than the fact that the cashier accidentally put an extra figure in our bag, which we realized and handed back to him before leaving. He seemed very friendly though

Came here looking for Pokemon cards for the kids or possibly a small souvenir. They didn't have any…read morecards and despite a pretty large merchandise section the thing they had the most of was comics. The comics were all retail and all of the merchandise was fairly priced. We didn't have a lot of space for presents but my kid was eyeballing a trade paperback. I liked how they had a curated display of comics but my favorite part was an independent small publisher section from companies I've never heard about before. They had toys, plushies, and funko pops along the right side of the store. Pretty good mix of lots of different items and franchises but not enough if you are a collector of something specific. I think this store started in NY but have expanded globally, there were a steady stream of people coming in and staff was helpful and kind when I asked for Pokemon cards. There were some places that seemed irritated after hearing the same question for the 20th time that day.

This location is not available. Go to the 42 Shandwick Place location which I visited and fell in…read morelove! Awesome store with a pretty good collection of items. The staff were friendly and helpful if you have a question. Film and books are downstairs. CD's are down in and to the right, while the l.p's line the middle to the back and to the left. New releases and specials are in the front of the store. Music lovers, you will not be disappointed! The special prices of some items are like icing on a cake!

Once a thriving independent with a string of shops across the country, Fopp is now a small chain of…read moreeight shops bankrolled by HMV. Whilst this branch is a lot smaller and smarter than the original Edinburgh branch on Cockburn Street, it still stocks a cracking selection of CDs, DVDs, box-sets, graphic novels, books and tee-shirts. There's no listening booths unfortunately, but a lot of the new releases come with written descriptions and the staff are usually willing to play certain album if you ask nicely. As for the stock, we're talking fantastic compilations, back catalogues, re-issues and new releases for bargain basement prices. With great Blondie, Human League, Cocteau Twins, Nick Cave, Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald and Bob Dylan remasters for £3 each, I defy any fanatical music or film fan to come out with less than half a dozen goodies!

Great little bookshop with a great selection of books including the classics,…read more I bought a Robert Louis Stevenson book for £2.49. definitely be visiting again soon for a rummage!

I realise there are a lot of reviews for Till's Bookshop already, but I just wanted to lend my…read moresupported and say how much I enjoy it too. This second hand book store is one of the better known in Edinburgh for a good reason. When I went in the other day I was greeted by the girl behind the desk almost immediately, before I preceded to browse in a relaxed fashion (always important in a book shop) the tall, densely packed shelves. This isn't the largest second hand shop, but it does have a great selection. In the science fiction section for example I was able to find a great number of names of classic authors that I have been meaning to catch up on for some time. They also have a extensive collection of poetry, short stories, classic fiction, screenplays, history and general nonfiction. They also have a small number of comics and (decent) graphic novels. This is a really efficient and friendly book shop that has clearly thought about its stock well. A real pleasure to peruse.

Bobbies, with its jet black fronting, tries so desperately to look inconspicuous on Morrison…read moreStreet...much like a pervert in a Mac. For that reason, I noticed it right away. Not that I seek out weatherproof sex offenders, but I'd like to think that most people would notice a slimy brothel creeper. From the content in the window, you can tell it's going to be a bit on the sleazy side, but it's not as disreputable as its front suggests. It's not so much porntastic than designed for people who flirt with erotica, in particular novels and some cartoons. It's the place to find fetish literature, comic strips called "FREAK", and novels with gay content. I was most impressed with the latter section of the store, since off the top of my head I can't think of anywhere in Scotland that specialise in this genre. Last time I saw a store specialising in gay lit sales I was in New York, so it's cool to see this genre's not sidelined on this side of the Atlantic. So although Bobbie's does its best to blend in with its exterior (staying neutral to be inoffensive, I suppose) on the inside you're met with a mixture of material. Not for everyone, but these kind of shops are good for people who don't want to buy everything online. Sometimes books of a sexual nature are far too veiled in secrecy, so with Bobbies at least people who are interested in such literature can located copies of supplements without having to surrepticiously slip them in a bag under the counter. It offers enough subtlety and privacy so that customers can appease their hobbies in peace.

Not for me...clearly…read more Getting over the fact that they sell gay books, I can imagine finding a specific book in here would be hard. There is no clear display sections in here, it's a bit of a jungle. But, I imagine that alot of them would be about the same thing... So just grab one and see. Staff were great fun.

This oxfam is one of the best charity shops in the areas for books although this comes at a cost as…read moreit is also one of the more expensive charity shops for books in the area. Personally I think the extra money is worth it in the quality of books you get here. Of the book sections you obviously have fiction books and this is a good selection of good fiction books (you often get a lot of rubbish in some charity shops), but the standout sections are the Biographies, Education and Travel section. If you are into books and want specific types of books rather than just wanting a book to pass the time this will be more your shop. If you are the latter then there are cheaper places to go. I would recommend coming here, being more of the former, as the books here are great books - just the other day I got an autobiography and a cook book I'd wanted for ages, both the sort of books that don't come around very often and I was greatful for them even though they did cost a fair bit more than books elsewhere.

This is one of the two Oxfam shops on Clerk Street, which sells books, whilst the other specialises…read morein clothing. I'm always impressed at how organized both shops are, and it's so pleasant to be in there an hour can pass without one really noticing. On a recent visit, the books of the display shelf made me giggle; they were copies of the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer! With the new movie Ecilpse in cinemas, any other book store would have done the same, and you get the feeling Oxfam's attempting to narrow the gap so that shoppers can feel as though they're in a first hand bookshop! I did wish I'd come here when I started my Twilight collection, as I'd have saved a lot of money; most of the books in here are in fantastic condition, and at an average of £2 a copy, any frayed pages will certainly be overlooked by me!

Hands down, Elvis Shakespeare was one of the best (if not, the best) record stores I went to in…read moreScotland. If we're talking second hand, I think it would rank number one. Elvis Shakespeare is extremely well-organized, meaning you can cut to the chase pretty quickly if there are certain genres you're looking for. I know some people are really into crate digging, but I'm not usually one of those. I super appreciated that roll out cabinets used to store all the LPs and 7"s here. In the back of the store was my sweet spot, the 80s indie/alternative section. Being in Scotland, I was hoping to find some artists that I can't normally find in any US stores, and that I did. I was able to pick-up both a Jesse Garon and Motorcycle Boy 12"s. When I got to the counter to pay, I also saw a long-coveted copy of Thee Headcoatees' Have Love Will Travel. I quickly scooped that up, but unfortunately realized (back in the States) that the wrong record was inside! This was a major letdown, but a bit understandable in the way the records are stored. Like many UK stores, Elvis Shakespeare does not keep the actual vinyl in the sleeves out on the floor. So while this was behind the counter, the record was probably taken from wherever those are stored. The record in place of the correct one was from Thee Headcoats, so likely a matter of quickly mis-reading the labels when it was being placed in the sleeve. I wish I had caught this at the time, because now I have the sleeve for a record I really want, without the record. Still, despite that issue, I highly recommend any record collector stop by Elvis Shakespeare while in Edinburgh. Just make sure you do pay close attention to the vinyl that ends up in your purchases.

It was the boxes of records we spotted at the door that prompted my brother and I to cross the road…read moreand have a look in this brilliant literature and music emporium. It was also pretty unusual for us to be walking down Leith Walk in the first place, with it not really being in our normal neck of the woods, but the combination of needing to walk off a huge lunch, plus general curiosity about what Leith Walk retail was up to these days, made us go for the stroll rather than the lazy bus option. Elvis Shakespeare is my favourite kind of specialist dealer for two reasons. The first being, it sells books. I've got a thing about picking up random, older editions of books that are unusual and hard to find, because I love the different designs you can find on the covers, and it's just a bit more interesting than buying a book brand new. The second reason I admire this shop is for its carefully collated A-Z organisation. The records are catalogued alphabetically, with the CDs and books also organised efficiently by category. I realise that there's a certain charm to wandering into other types of dealers and unearthing a gem of an item when everything's just piled up in little mishmash heaps, but I like my shopping somewhere in-between, still with plenty of character, but with some sort of formula to it. It's clear that the bloke that owns this shop has reams of musical knowledge, and is passionate about telling people about it, which is just ideal, specialism plus someone that actually cares about what they're selling can't be beaten. My brother left with a rare Ska CD, and I found the first book I ever reviewed and had since lost, so just had to buy a copy. An excellent afternoon's work.

There are confusingly two Barnados shops on the same street, one on Nicolson Street, then another…read morefurther south on Clerk Street (the day this street maintains the same name throughout, I will be soooo pleased!) I actually came here after a tip-off from my course organiser that they had over ten copies of a novel we required- in brand new condition and £2 each! These charity shops, of which there are many on Clerk street, can certainly be lifesavers and there is a wide variety of books available. It's actually scary to think one could get a healthy book collection so cheaply; a lot of these novels are priced between £1 and £2.50! It's definitely worth a visit if you want to pick up good, cheap books which are surprisingly in great condition most of the time.

Following in the footsteps of Oxfam, childrens charity Barnados have established a series of…read morecharity shops specialising in books and music. As all of the stock is donated, there can be a surplus amount of bad celebrity biographies, true crime, chick lit and real life stories. If you look beyond these however, there's usually some gems to be found. The last time I visited I found copies of novels by Zadie Smith, Lorrie Moore, Alice Walker, Toni Morrison and Joshilyn Jackson nestled between emerging and award winning writers. All were priced £2-£2.50 and in very good to excellent condition. I also spotted some pretty good baking and cookbooks in the food and drink section including the Wagamama and Green and Black cookbooks. Both were marked down to a fiver and the latter was packed with mouthwatering recipes for gooey chocolate brownies, cakes and cookies.

This business is in the road to Edinburgh Castle that so many tourist trek to. There is nothing…read morewrong with this establishment per se. It's one of the many businesses that cater to tourists with Scottish themed merchandise, not locally made. The locals miss the prior local business. The prices were okay, but not great.

Obviously this shop is made for tourists (like me) and has some of the best real estate in…read moreEdinburgh on the Royal Mile. Even though it is touristy, it has an extensive selection of quality scarves and other wool/cashmere products. I purchased a scarf that cost something like £30 and i absolutely love it. The wool is great quality and warm but breathable and the perfect length. There is a wide range of tartan scarves at various price points. I contemplated visiting Johnstons of Elgin but their scarves are more than I'm willing to pay since I don't get to wear it more than a few times a year in Southern California. My little scarf has gone with me to the beautiful Highlands and goes with me on every trip to Scotland or colder climates now and I'm very happy with it. Service was efficient and polite as it tends to be there.