There are rumours that Jared, owner of OK Comics, hatched from an egg from atop a volcano. I cannot…read moreconfirm this, but I can say that a world without OK Comics would be a a world without joy. Everything a comic book lover needs is nestled in this cosy little store. Downstairs you have the latest releases (as I like to call it, the Wednesday Wall) plus back issues from some of the bigger publishers. You also have graphic novels, trades, and manga - often some of it at a discounted price. - perfect for people just getting into comics. Upstairs is like a comic museum. 50p back issues in classic cardboard boxes and even more trades to whet your whistle. This is a great place if you're looking for that one issue to complete a story arc. Back to Jared and co. The staff are some of the friendliest and most knowledgeable that you could ever come across. I've been in other comic book stores around the country (and world) and very few can compare to the awesomess of the OK staff. If you're a comic book fan, get your fleshy behind to OK Comics. If your interest in comics has been piqued by recent box office smashes, then let your legs escort you to OK. Is that enough gushing? You want something negative? Ok, well, I heard that at the stroke of midnight the comics in the store come alive and contribute to 60% of the grafitti in the city centre.

OK comics is a valuable addition to the independent shops in Thornton's arcade, providing a broad…read moremix of genres from the predictable sci-fi to a hardback Moomin book nestled in the window. The shop has a clean, light feel and is tidy and organised enabling enjoyable browsing through their many high quality comics and unusual books. The staff are friendly and welcoming, even if, like me, you are a bit clueless about the world of comics, having ventured in there looking for a present for my dad! This is a shop with a real sense of identity adding to the buzzing scene of quirky shops in Leeds'city centre, and having won the Leeds Guide retail legend award, it clearly offers a quality range of products and offers excellent customer service.

I don't know about you, but the Candyman for me conjures up images of the horror film made in 1992…read more Not really appropriate for the type of shop that it is but hey ho. It does actually sell sweets, so it kind of makes sense. The shop itself is essentially a large newsagent which sells tobacco products, sweets, biscuits, juice, fizzy drinks, newspapers etc but it also sells quite a large amount of stationary products. Biros, pencils, note pads, envelopes and the like are all available at wallet friendly prices. Plus, they do sell some really random ornaments, just in case you are visiting your granny and you want to pick up something for her mantle piece and also good old discounted Christmas decorations if you are one of those people who can't refuse a discount when they see one and plan for Christmas extremely early.

Emmaus is a charity shop specialising in second-hand furniture and books. The charity supports…read morehomeless people to "move on from homelessness, providing work and a home in a supportive, family environment. Companions, as residents are known, work full time collecting renovating and reselling donated furniture. This work supports the Community financially and enables residents to develop skills and rebuild their self-respect." (www.emmaus.org.uk). The furniture is generally of a high quality and very reasonably priced with some quite charming vintage-style cupboards and shelves. The books are very cheap at 50p for paper backs and £1 for hard backs. Although there isn't a huge amount of books, what they do have covers a wide variety of types and genres. I would definitely recommend checking out Emmaus if you're looking for decent furniture at an affordable price, especially if you want something with a bit of character. It's great to know you would be giving unwanted furniture a new appreciative home while supporting a very worthwhile cause.

This branch of Emmaus is great. It sells second hand furniture and a few books in support of this…read morecharity helping people out of homelessness. There is a larger branch on the edge of the town centre but it is a bit out of the way. This one provides cheap, good quality furniture whilst making people aware of the cause. They have tables, shelves, sofas and lamps. The staff are pretty friendly and if you can't find what you want here, are happy to point you in the right direction of the larger shop.

I came here recently to fulfill another passion of mine; reading. Well, obviously, it's a book…read moreshop. But I'll get to the point. This store is certainly a handy locale for the many students that Leeds houses, and has a huge collection of virtually every specialty, it seems. With the exception of feminism and gender studies. Imagine my disappointment when browsing the various obscure specialty subjects on offer here, only to find a distinct lack of books surrounding my particular subject of interest. There was barely a book in relation to the subject, and I was directed to try and seek out material in psychology, of all categories! So, some of you may chirp in that it's neither a particularly popular subject, nor a common one, which is as may be. However, since I know that both the Universities offer courses in Gender Studies, and the various surrounding elements (of which there are many tangents), I thought this was a little disappointing. They aren't out on a limb though, it seems the only place I've found which actually caters to this subject has been the Oxfam books in Headingley. Even Borders, when it was still around, went from having a Gender Studies section to a smattering of books lumped in with Social Studies and lesbian writing. I shan't give up my search in any case! However, in spite of the lack of material in that particular area it has to be said that the store has a lot to offer. With many other specialty subjects catered for, a wealth of popular and classic fiction, and some interesting gift style items (see the Leeds pubs posters and similar) this shop would satisfy most of the general custom it supplies. Staff have always been as friendly and helpful as I've needed too, so all in all, one can't complain too much. If you're looking to expand your mind thoughts, this place is certainly somewhere to start. With the exception, of course, in gender studies.

A relic to what it was like to be a student in the days before Amazon, a visit to Blackwell's makes…read moreyou feel like proper student even if the closest you've ever been to higher education is getting caught in an Otley run trying to walk home on a Friday night. The shelves are packed high with textbooks and academic tomes on every subject imaginable, and there's a good selection of non-academic works too. Books are both new and second hand, and you can get money in exchange for bringing your old books in for resale. The only downside is the price, and many students seem to use it as a venue to preview books before ordering them for cheaper online.

This second hand book shop is really interesting. They have converted an old saltaire village house…read moreinto a book shop which makes it really cosy to visit. The staff are friendly and really helpful. Second hand shops can obviously be hit and miss as to what stock they have but you'll have fun looking for what you want here anyway.

I've always thought that what central Leeds is really lacking is a decent second hand bookshop,…read moresomething to counteract the spread of 'super' book stores like Waterstone's and Borders and instead offer a place to immerse yourself in the wonderful atmosphere of old, musty books. Happily, Chevin Books in Otley more than makes up for this, with a stock of over 20,000 antique, second hand and rare titles covering most subjects. Prices are reasonable too, and the owner seems to know pretty much everything about everything - something which I'm sure is a prerequisite for second hand bookshop owners. Plus, it's an excuse to have a day out in Otley, rather than yet another traipse into the centre of Leeds.

I've used this shop many times as the prices of books are so cheap you can usually come away with a…read moregood few to read, it has a good wide selection of childrens books too so they make good little gifts and presents, they also gave some educational books too for children which are good are for anyone who wants extra help with a particular subject. They sometimes have special offers on too so you can save even more money, i'd usually choose this shop ove some of the more expensive highstreet book stores if you looking for something i would try this shop first it's pretty well stocked.

A small local bookstore located in the centre of town. I've been using this shop since I was a…read morechild and it's a great place to go for a quick browse or to grab a bargain. Often they have books in which are three times the price in chain stores so you can find some amazing deals. Their classics book section is great, especially for students who may be studying them as recommended texts. They do some brilliant offers on these as well. The sales assistants are very friendly and helpful and its very easy to browse as it is laid out simply.

This is a cute little book shop on the main street in Brighouse. It is jam packed with every book…read moreyou could imagine, from cooking to sports to novels to autobiographies. Half of the shop is packed with children's books for all ages. Baby books to teenage books. There are educational books too like the Letts maths and English ones. They also sell wall charts, maps and calendars. The women who work there are very friendly and helpful. I wouldn't attempt to get in the shop with a double buggy! The prices are very reasonable and they do some good offers such as 3 for £5 on children's books.

This is a really good book store with many bargains to be had. It is deep in the heart of kirkgate…read moremarket and seems to have been there for years. The assistant is usually an elderly lady who is very polite and helpful and treats you like her best customer. The books range from colouring books for little ones to encyclopedias to lots of fiction and horror books. There is a vast choice and the prices arent too dear either. They also sell second hand books at a cheap price too. You can also take back any book you have bought from the shop and get money off your next book which is a good idea too and saves you lots of money. Well worth a visit.