One of the more interesting bookshops here; or in fact on any continent. Quite simply there A LOT…read moreof books here of every topic you can dream of : Australia, Horror, fiction... and random stacks here and there with all sorts of interesting odds and ends in them. Many are used, some are new but if you ask Richard, he'll give you honest answers about books and if he doesn't have it they can order it for you. There are some real treasures tucked away here! You could easily spend all day flipping through pages. Honestly the only other bookstore better is in Portland, Oregon, and it takes up nearly a city block. Follow them on the socials for some interesting insights! A must visit for anyone who likes to read.

This might just be the coolest bookstore ever, anywhere. The staff really know their stuff and are…read moreridiculously helpful. I am currently living in nyc, but my brother is in Hobart. As this is his favorite bookstore there, I called them up for help sending him some books (postage from the USA can be brutal). Not only did they make this whole process incredibly easy and delightful, they also serendipitously managed to procure a signed Garth Nix book as part of the present. Richard is my hero.

I don't want to flash my bias here too much - oh what the hey. I'm not a huge fan of chain…read morebookstores. It's tough to find anything older than a year or two in this kind of place, unless it's something that's been a bestseller forever, in which case you've seen it all before. Dymocks is Hobart's fast-food bookstore: you come here when you're looking for something recent and specific, and you leave when you've got it. Decent History section, doleful Writing section. Good range of picture books and an excellent spread of fiction. I suppose it depends on what you look for in a bookstore: if the answer is simply, "something to read", you'll probably hit paydirt here. But if you enjoy the entire experience of a bookstore: the atmosphere, and the discovery of books that are very old, very beautiful or on very particular and unusual topics, Hobart has far better on offer.

1st stop for books in a new town - Dymocks. Worth it, great service!read more

As I mention in all my reviews of bookstores, I love them. Especially the ones that are locally…read moreowned. Fortunately and unfortunately these are the only types of bookstores still in existence. Oh, I remember the days of Barnes and Nobles and Borders where I would spend hours just looking through and finding things I was looking for and not looking for. We were looking for books about Tasmania flora and fauna and one of our guides on our hike had recommended Fullers. Fullers is a pretty sizeable bookstore with a lot of variety. They have an attached cafe where you can grab something to sip on while you read. We were most interested in the Tasmania section of which they had 3 bookshelves dedicated to. They had Tasmanian cuisine, Tasmanian hikes, Tasmania flora and fauna and much more. I had tried to look for a few of these books on Amazon to avoid having to pack them in my bag but no luck so this is the only place where you're sure to find these books to take home! I brought my giant stack of books to the cashier. After paying for everything, they asked if I wanted them mailed to me. What a wonderful surprise! They said that the owner does this service especially for their overseas customers. Of course I had to add a couple more things to my order just to round things out! This is a great place to stop by if you're in town especially if you're looking for something special about local life to read. Look forward to my next stop here!

Fullers is an incredible bookshop, filled (Fulled?) with incredible things. Every genre is covered…read more(including a "Tasmania" genre, of course), as well as a plentiful stationery section and the all-important book-themed bric-a-brac (think mugs, tea towels, etc). Proudly independent and open seven days a week, this seems to be the place to go for everything reading-related. Once you've made your purchase, you're welcome to get straight into it by settling down for a cup of coffee in Fullers' own Afterword Cafe, located inside the bookshop. I'm so glad I stumbled across this treasure; I have no doubt the girls in here will know me by name very soon.

How does this bookstore have no reviews yet?…read more The State Cinema is one great package. A cinema with harder-to-find films, a lovely cafe AND a great bookshop. I probably shouldn't allocate points for 'proximity to other cool stuff', but you have to admit that a bookshop hugging a cinema and cafe is pretty A+. Having said that, this bookstore is a little small and cramped, an affliction of many a Hobart bookstore - whether you find it quaint or oppressive is probably down to your tastes and how large a bag you're attempting to carry through the aisles. Like many of the other Hobart bookstores it manages to maintain a fair spread of general books while finding a point of difference: this bookstore specialises, appropriately, in nonfiction books on the entertainment (film and music) industry. Here you'll find the best local selection of biographies, 'art of', and 'making of' books, rivalled only by Ellison Hawker. If you're a movie buff you'll find plenty to enjoy. Beyond this, the densely-packed little shop does offer books across all the usual genres: fiction, poetry, travel, cooking, etc etc. Their clasification system can be a head-scratcher - topics are definitely grouped in some way, but you'll edge from table to shelf to bookcase for a while before you find the section you're looking for. Alternately, you could just ask the friendly staff, if you're not as antisocial as I. :) I can't comment personally on the service but I've seen them helping people out and chatting at length; looks good to me. Prices are moderate to exxy, but then big glossy books of this kind generally are when bought in brick-and-mortar shops. You'll find some quality books on sale here and there. Bonus points for a pretty decent selection of books on writing, a topic which some Hobart bookstores completely overlook, ironically. Is that ironic? I don't even know anymore.

Cute comic store in town. They sell mostly books but they also have a few games ie dice games. The…read morestore also sell some items ie mugs and figures.

Welcome to Hobart's geek heaven…read more Area 52 is the place for geeks of all sizes and shapes, hosting an amazing collection of books, comics, card games and board games of all shapes and sizes, puzzles, collectables, you name it! And if you can't see it on the shelves, the lovely staff can likely order it in for you. All of the above is on the first floor, and if you dare to venture up the stairs there's a plethora of gaming tables to take your Area 52 relationship further. They host regular games days (usually on Saturdays) for you to try before you buy, so to speak (or just have a fun day surrounded by those of your ilk). For Christmas last year I was given a gift voucher for Area 52 (my boss knows me well) but I almost couldn't trade it in because the voucher itself was awesome, a little square silver token with a good amount of weight to it. I recommend. (I also recommend trading them in for awesome things; I walked away with a couple of excellent games and a stack of sale books. Yay!)

Deja Vu is a nice second hand (and new) bookstore that packs a lot of literature in a very small…read morespace. And if you look at my picture, the inventory spills out nicely into one of the back alleys of Salamanca. The enthusiastic owner (pictured) was more than happy to find and sell me a book of cartoons by the late Jon Kudelka. His iconic "Tasmania is Awful" tea towel can be seen on the phone booth.

Great little second hand book shop in Salamanca, stock is limited cause the shop is so small but…read moreyou can find gems here. Well worth a visit.

Amazing how much The Hobart Bookstore can cram into such a small space. Unassuming from the outside…read more(and the inside, really), it actually squeezes in a really good range of books. Specialising mostly in new, not used books (which sets it apart from Salamanca's other bookstores), it shines in the area of non-fiction, with plenty of great offerings in science, cooking, gardening, art and history for a starters. The children's section is surprisingly well-populated, there is quite a bit of general fiction too, and the store also offers a couple of sale tables and an interesting secondhand section. The store's point of interest, especially for visitors from out of state, is a well-populated section on Tasmania. Filled with guidebooks, history and the work of local authors, it's well worth a look. The store sometimes runs signings and events for local authors; these are always well worth checking out. I'm not usually a fan of cramped venues, but in this case it works - you never know who you'll strike up a conversation with! Definitely the most hipster-friendly of Hobart's bookstores, and just a lovely independent bookstore in general.

If you like books and your in Salamanca then check it out. Great indie bookshop, good content and…read morecovers the field.

Red Parka is an exceptional place to send people for Tasmanian souvenirs that aren't tacky as hell…read more Local artists creating beautiful keepsakes, jewellery, stuff for the walls, candles and gifts. Good place. Good people. My wallet is not safe here.