Southampton doesn't have many bookstores but luckily both of it's city center Waterstones are well…read morestocked and friendly. This one is inside the West Quay on the lower floor with an entrance inside and another that lets out onto the Esplanade by the outside facing restaurants. Upstairs has fiction, new releases, and other general interest categories while the downstairs has genre fiction, YA and children's, arts, and so on plus the cafe. Service is always friendly and usually there is no wait.

This is quite a big W H Smith store. It is on two levels. They sell a large selection of magazines,…read morebooks, stationery, games, cds, dvds and craft items. They also sell newspapers, drinks and chocolate bars. The prices are reasonable and they often give out money off vouchers for when you spend over a certain amount. The shop does get quite busy and so you can be queuing for a fairly long time. There is now a post office upstairs in the shop so the shop gets even busier. I have found on a few occasions that things I have bought have had the wrong price on. I have found the staff helpful most of the time and I always find what I am looking for.

W H Smith is brilliant for everything, books, magazines, stationary. But Southamptons main Post…read moreOffice has just closed down and moved itself in to W H Smith. And oh my god, you cannot move in this shop anymore because the queue from the Post Office takes up 60% of the room upstairs where the stationary is. They also sell ciggarettes in here now so everyones queueing up for fags and a paper now so it gets quite hectic in this shop.

This place is certainly worth a browse if you are interested in the world around you. They stock an…read moreamazing selection of books on a wide variety of subjects but specialise in social, political and environmental issues. Most of which you will not find in other book shops. They also sell a range of fair-trade goodies and alternative magazines.

British Bookshops and Sussex Stationers is the best place in Southampton to get all your stationery…read morerequirements. It has a bigger, better and more attractively displayed selection than any other shop. Also, this store is really great for book-buying and browsing. They always have money-saving special deals on offer. Their friendly and very helpful staff really know their stuff and make excellent recommendations. Author Philip Pullman supports independent bookshops and has presented this branch of BB/SS with a signed Oxford Literary Festival photograph of himself with the message, `best wishes to British Bookshops and Sussex Stationers`. You can see this photo displayed on the wall behind the main counter at the back of the shop. Nicely done !!!!!!

Sussex Stationers (aka British Bookshops) is always a good place to come and find new release books…read moreat a cheaper than main bookstore price. On a recent visit into Southampton I was looking for the latest rew release from James Patterson and popped into Sussex Stationers in the precinct after looking in Waterstones and Borders. True to form, SS had it cheaper than both of them. The only other place to get books as cheap as this in my opinion are the supermarkets but they don't often have them in so quickly. While I was browsing an assistant offered an opinion on a book I was looking at (Twilight) and recommended this so I purchased it along with my James Patterson one. After reading it and realising she was indeed correct and it was a really good read I went straight back, thanked her and bought the following 3 sequels. I'm always really impressed with the service in SS/BB and this is usually my first port of call when looking for a new book.

Visited, got insulted by the man at the desk. He was obnoxious and unhelpful, seemed incredulous…read morethat not everyone uses facebook and that people have to work during the daytime. Would suggest you avoid and look online instead.