Avenue bookstore is my go to place for books. They always have what I'm looking for and if I don't…read morethey order the book that I need and it's there within a week. On top of that the place is always very clean and well organized and they always have cool new books coming in for me to check out. Staff have always been extremely helpful and excepting when you ask him for any kind of book. I recommend Avenue bookstore to any of my friends that asked me about book recommendations.

I'm going to have to suggest that there really wasn't all that much with this bookshop. Basically…read moreit is quite small, and the range is very, very limited. This is probably a bit of a shame because there are things that I really do like about the traditional bookshop. However, this place basically only sold new books, which meant that when it came to finding something that a booknerd like me would want, you will be pretty hard pressed. In the end, this is probably more for somebody with general interests rather than anybody seeking anything specific.

Tim's Bookshop reminds me a bit of a library. Yes, der, it is full of books, but there is an air of…read morerespect for the books and a constant quietness that really gives the library vibe. In a world where bookshops have been transformed in to coffee shops/DVD stores/CD shops, it's always nice to find a classic book store with none of that other nonsense. Tim's stocks all the latest releases and the classics, as well as children's books and travel. I work nearby, so on my lunch break I often sneak in to see what the latest releases are and chat to the friendly, very knowledgeable staff.

Located beneath Glenferrie station is a book shop like no other in the area…read more Behind the glass you feast your eyes upon the novels and bound volumes that await you. Open the door and the smell hits you, the kind of smell that knowledge seeps from. Printed pages a plenty, this book shop is known for it's rare and hard to find pieces, both in quality and in quantity. The staff, when you can find them (often found amongst the books) are helpful and knowledgeable on most questions regarding the shop's contents, though on a few occasions I've discovered a book they didn't know was there. What this really means is it's worth having a good look yourself.

This is a beautiful store, and I adore the fact that it is tucked away and secluded from the busy…read moremain street. The books spill out onto the walkway in boxes on tables and include classics and more contemporary literature. The inside of the store is the perfect balance between antique library and organized and clean shop front. The atmosphere is more on the library side, and you can take as long as you want just walking around and either flipping through beautiful editions of classics or staring into the cabinets at the antique and collectables within. The sales assistants are really helpful and don't make a fuss about you touching the books or taking your time. It is all about enjoying the books and having a read. Alley Tunes is next door and you'll be able to grab a great coffee, then you can browse the book collections outside that are a little less expensive.

There are a couple of things that I have noticed about 2nd Hand bookshops. Firstly if we are…read moredealing with popular books (or authors) then the chances of you finding any of their works in a second hand book shop are going to be slim at best. On the other hand they can be pretty hit or miss, depending one when you go, and also depending on the tastes of the owner - they don't necessarily buy every book that comes their way, not are they prescient enough to know that you want a particular book. This particular one was okay, and as I have mentioned before, there is always something hidden away that is going to catch my attention. While not huge as some are, it still is rather quaint.

This little bookstore is a fantastic place to waste time and pick up a bargain…read more Almost like stepping into a fairy tale the small space is exaggerated by the piles and shelves packed full with books. As you walk between the valleys of winding piles of paperbacks keep your eyes out for some bargains or collectables. Sections have been roughly organised, but the store plan is a bit hard to decipher. Just ask the owner or one of the members of staff to point you in the right direction. They are always friendly and up for a chat. The Merchant of Fairness can also help you track down a book that you haven't been able to locate. This is a service that is free of charge, and that the owner Rod is particularly proud of. The only section that is clearly separated from the rest is the children's. This is a brilliant little corner out the back where you can reminisce and look at copies of books that you may not have seen for 20 or so years. Stocking second hand books and rare first additions from various warehouses there is always a chance to find a copy of a childhood novel you treasured, or to purchase some large anthologies at a fraction of the price as new.

I must warn you. You should not come here if you are saving money. You should not come here if you…read moreare trying to live light. You should not come here if you're about to go overseas, or if you're about to move house. Because as soon as you step through the doors, you will fall into a hypnotic book-trance as over 8000 titles try to lure you over to them, all words and tongues, and you won't leave until you have a brown-paper lunch-bag full of the most delicious literary treats you could hope for! Warren and Kirsty have created the most beautiful inner-city shrine to literature, a land of teak and glass artifacts, tempting sit-spots and a plenty titles that are guaranteed to fill you with a sense of wonderment and inspiration! They also have an array of in-store events and appearances, and are just some of the most lovely people you'll meet! Moving to Melbourne from a small country town, I was warned you'd be hard pressed to come by a sense of community and caring in the big, cold city. But spending a little time in the store you'll see there's a heartbeat and lifeblood flowing though our beautiful Melbourne - and the soulful brain is at Embiggen. Go get lost there for a little while - you'll likely end up finding yourself on the shelves there somewhere!

I LOVE this swanky little book shop. There's a sweet open window front display of the whole store…read morewhich really feasts the eyes. When en-route to a meeting a friend for coffee i received a text that said she was going to be running late and lucky enough i was walking past Embiggen when this happened. Embiggen was actually closed up until mid October due to flooding (I'm sure it had something to do with that massive storm in August), now open Embiggen is a book store to be reckoned with. They have a large range of titles all spread across a wooden interior (both floor and shelving), genres range from anything Art & Design, Sciences, Fiction, Economics, Politics, Poetry, Travel and more, there's a epic range for you to procrastinate through.

Readings is a renowned independent Melbourne book store. They now have six locations around town,…read morebut each has its own intentionally unique character - the Hawthorn store is no exception. These guys know books. But they also 'get' social media and emerging tech; and their range of stocked titles is excellent. In a world of downloadable books and the resultant impact on 'bricks and mortar' stores, they're doing a lot right to keep pace both on and offline. That being said, their in-store staff are incredibly friendly and knowledgeable in a way that I don't feel an online shopping cart could ever be. The store location itself was moved a couple of years ago from across the road to its current, bigger location. There's now a dedicated events space that plays host to several groups (a knitting collective!), and through a door at the back is the delightful 'Bread and Jam for Frances' Cafe. A great place for those of us that occasionally like to indulge in the tactile delight of the bound, printed word. Also the place most responsible for the ever-growing reading pile next to my bed.

Book shops rock. I want to work in one. I spend way too much time in them, buy too many books and…read morecan't keep up with reading between work and study. This Readings is the closest one to my day job and I spend way too much time in here. I still haven't gotten in the Kindle yet. I like flicking through hard copy pages. I sound like Forrest Gump in this review, don't I?

You seriously got to love a shop with it's own pet cat, especially when the cat is really, really…read morefriendly (such as this one). Okay, I don't get to go down to Prahran a huge amount, and it had been a while since I stepped in here (especially since I have way too many books to read anyway), but I decided that when I was here I would duck in and look around. I also remembered that there was a cat here, and I wanted to say hello. Well, like any good second-hand bookshop there are plenty of books to browse through, including my favourites - old and dusty hardcovers. However it is the cat (and the fact that the owner is lovely and more than happy to help you out) that makes me want to give it five stars.

Kindles and Ipads kind of scare me, im what a marketing lecturer would call a "slow technological…read moreadopter". Im not anti technology just happy knowing I can throw a book in my bag and not stress about recharging or breaking it. Sybers Secondhand books has an extensive 'Bernard Black' like collection. There is a large science fiction/fantasy selection as well as general non/fiction. Prices are above op shop prices and vary depending upon the quality/antiquity/rarity of the book. The average price for a book is around $7 though you can pick up some cheaper generic novels. I went through an illustrated bird book phase and Sybers stocked a nice range of old "Australiana" books. If you are wandering along the Windsor end of Chapel and appreciate a pre read book drop in and pat one of the store owners cats while you browse.

The book grocer is the perfect little book shop. They have getting people back reading strongly on…read morethe agenda. With a good range of books spanning from Penguin classics right the way through to self-help books such as 'Sexercise'. But what makes The Book Grocer truly great is the fact that they serve up coffee and muffins and have plenty of couches and seats for the avid browser to sit upon, sip their coffee and ponder what to buy. And perhaps an even better thing is the fact that (bar a few exceptions) every book in the shop costs under $10. I don't know how they manage to be so cheap, but if you ask me $10 is a perfectly great price to pay for an entertaining book.

A visit to The Book Grocer is like falling down a rabbit hole into a bibliophile's heaven…read more A beautifully airy and modern bookshop replete with lots of seating and even a coffee machine, Northcote's Book Grocer sells an incredible range of books ranging from fiction to biography, art to the social sciences and all for incredible prices. Seemingly every time I visit The Book Grocer there are scores of people engrossed in a selection of this gorgeous little shop's tomes and this behaviour isn't just accepted, it's encouraged. The Book Grocer's staff are friendly and welcoming and there are so many incredible books within this awesome book shop's four walls that you can easily spend a good hour here giving each section no more than a cursory glance. Prices tend to be around $6 for paperback fiction and as little as $15 for a gorgeous hardcover, coffee table type book or cookbook. I was looking for some art and design reference books today and the selection was nothing short of intimidating. As a guide to the kind of discounts on offer, I found a beautifully put together book about legendary fashion editor Diana Vreeland for $10 reduced from $40 and all stock is new and in impeccable condition. An incredible shop.

Wonderful shop for vinyl record enthusiasts. Good range of new and used titles with a focus on the…read more70s to 90s. Definitely the record shop I visit more than any other. They do CDs as well.

From the owner: Remastered or "re-stored" sound, original master pressing or recordings. Prices comparible with OS.read more