Staying on the subject of love, peace and understanding, News From Nowhere is Liverpool's longest…read morerunning community bookshop. A not-for-profit organisation run by a workers co-operative, it's a welcoming environment with friendly staff committed to social change. As you'd expect from their window displays, the emphasis is firmly on books that inspire and empower people to make positive change to the world. There's a decent section of fiction along one wall of the shop but really, News From Nowhere is the place to go if you're looking for books on politics, activism, the environment, human rights, animal rights, peace, global equality, feminism, sexuality, gay, lesbian and queer culture, spirituality, Jewish diaspora, health and well being or world fiction. They also stock roots and world music CDs and have a notice-board advertising community events, meetings and demonstrations. In a world that's becoming more corporate and generic by the minute, News From Nowhere offers genuine and life-affirming food for thought.

News From Nowhere is a radical bookshop situated at the top end of the trendy Bold Street. It has a…read morewide variety of books, in many genres including fiction, gay and lesbian, feminism and women, masculinity and men, politics, philosophy, spirituality, sexuality, Liverpool, media and culture, arts and photography and so many more! The staff really helpful and knowledgeable about what they stock - which makes a change, as so many of the big chain bookshops don't have a clue. I recommend checking out the website as you can also order from there, but then you miss out on the dusty smell of the shop. It appeals a lot more to the average consumer now with a wider range of popular goods. There's all sorts of little pieces such as some funky postcards.

City News is a local newsagents, opposite Newz on Water Street. It has the usual products that all…read morenewsagents stock including magazines, newspapers, drinks, chocolate etc. The staff and really helpful and friendly and were more than able to help me with what I was looking for. The prices are competitive and if anything a little cheaper than other newsagents in the city. Thumbs up to City News.

It's something of a given that many businesses in the area directly around Mathew Street will…read moreattempt to cash in on their proximity to the place where The Beatles played many of their early gigs so it's no surprise really that a newsagent, a good five or six minute walk away from the site of the actual Cavern club, decided to use the name above their door. Once you're through the door though, there is very little Beatles-y about what you'll find in here - just the standard array of newspapers, magazines, sweets and crisps. Maybe the Fab Four would have approved though; I have heard that George Harrison liked very much to pick up a copy of Take-a-Break magazine and a king size Twix and that you couldn't keep John Lennon away from the scratchcards. They do a decent selection of pick-and-mix here too, and that's not to be sniffed at. They even have my favourite, fizzy strawberries. There's been no attempt to market them as fizzy strawberry fields forever though, which I feel they've missed a trick with really.

Shelley's News and Food is a little food newsagents/food stand inside James Street train station…read more Its' really handy if you want a chocolate bar, a cold drink, or a newspaper for your train journey. And I always find it really handy when I'm heading toward the Albert Dock and I have a craving for chocolate. Heh heh. If you want lunch, you're better off heading up the street toward L1, but this stand is certainly handy for those chocolate and sugar cravings, and great on a super hot day when you really need a drink.

Aleef Newsagents is a mini newsagents in St. John's Precinct. It is usually a place where you would…read morego in a rush whether you wish to buy some sweets, newspaper or some tobacco. For a newsagents of this size, it does well to stock all the essentials you would expect a typical newsagents to have. In addition, they have a variety of Liverpool postcards and few items of memorabilia such as sketches of familiar faces all at reasonable prices. This is by far the tiniest newsagents I have been to but Aleef News is a smart and well presented shop where there is efficient service and hardly any queues. The only thing I would say, is that they don't have a lottery machine!

Useful little shop crammed with greetings cards, stationery, confectionery, magazines, snacks and…read moredrinks and so much more. A good range of postcards as well and cheaper than in some other shops. The man who served me the other day was very friendly and helpful - he also went out of his way to help with directions on my street map as I'd got lost!

Oh right, so that's its name. To be honest despite years of this being my local newsagents I've…read morenever had a reason, nay the downright tenacity to glance up and get to know this place as anything other than that shop by mine that has everything. An outsider venturing here would fail to be impressed as it bears little difference to a billion little newsagents up and down the high streets of Britain but, for the most part, they're all equally brilliant. Where else can you burst in five minutes to closing time on a Christmas Eve demanding medium-slice bread and be answered with what you asked for, as opposed to a smack in the mouth? I'm just gutted I wasn't alive in 1905, when the building was used as a 'chronometer manufactory'. What the hell do either of those two words mean? Answers on a postcard.

As you would expect from a city that boasts about its musical heritage and contribution to pop…read moreculture as much as Liverpool, there a few independent music shops that can be found around the city centre. Music Notes is one of the smaller music stores that I have come across and placed in an odd area of town, in my opinion, to find it. Being small seems to encourage this place to stock mainly small musical instruments. I'm not entirely sure if they offer more online but you wont find any pianos or drum kits although there are plenty of half size guitars, eukeles, bongos and harmonicas. However they do stock a wide range of sheet music and song books. Good for those looking to take up a new hobby or dwarves in folk bands.

A nice and friendly music shop on North John Street. Very helpful staff which meant I didn't have…read moreto hunt through all the books in their well stocked music shop. The shop has been open for over eight years and really know what they are doing. The stock includes music for all abilities and tastes from the beginner to the professional musician. If you want to find the right music to learn to sing or play your chosen instrument be it piano, guitar, saxophone, drums, trumpet, violin, recorder, penny whistle, banjo etc. then you have come to the right place. There is a noticeboard in the entrance of the shop where you advertise concerts and gigs.