No Alibis

Just don't go in- you'll never leave!!…read more This quietly unassuming second-hand bookshop halfway up North Street will steal your time, but in a great way. From the outside it doesn't look that big, but step inside and you find yourself in a tardis, with books piled from floor to ceiling, winding backwards and sideways and crammed into every possible place. While it can initially be a little intimidating by the sheer volume, everything is organised into genres and between fiction and non-fiction so finding things is easier than you initially think. The fact that the books are second hand means you might find little gems that you wouldn't see piled neatly in the chain stores because publishers tell them too, and you might stumble across a book or author you'd never even considered. If you can't find what you are looking for, don't be afraid to ask, these guys are super friendly, and at the prices they charge who would bother with a kindle! I'll be back, when I've a couple of hours to spare. :-)

This place is AMAZING!!! Books behind books, on top of books. Could easily spend days here. And the…read moreprices are amazing. Tons of Irish authors, classics, sci-fi, and everything in between.

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Waterstones

4.0(20 reviews)

0.8 mi•City Centre

I'm actually in Waterstones a lot without every buying a book. You see Waterstones houses one of my…read morefavourite coffee shops in the city, Ground Espresso Bar. The bookshop itself is always busy but don't worry there's also plenty of staff although sometimes I find it hard to distinguish between staff and browsers as they don't appear to have a clear uniform. The shop displays are always excellent - they often have featured books highlighted on a table and then related works nearby. I really like this concept as it makes it a really easy shopping experience. Waterstones has a really nice relaxed feeling about it - you won't get told off for having a good rummage and likewise if you want to contemplate your next novel choice the upstairs coffee shop is the perfect place to do that. I know this review wasn't exactly a thriller but hopefully it's a good non-fiction.

Waterstones does not strike me as 'mainstream' as Easons or WH Smith. There is more of a homely,…read moresort of old fashioned atmosphere at Waterstones which takes the shabby bookshop feel but invests lots of money and time into it to make it into a great store. It is a great mix of old and new. The shop gives you a feel of being a bit like going to your gran's house, but instead of old photo albums, you have the latest bestsellers dotted around instead. They have some great offers, particularly on children's books. I went in with a friend to buy books for primary school teaching and they had some great ones for very cheap. The shop also has some travel guides, a great section on irish history, and is a perfect stop if you need to get someone a Christmas present and you've already exhausted the CD and DVD route one too many times. The staff are really nice and smile and do everything you want from a bookshop member of staff. Remarkable how some shops not too far away have the most ignorant members of staff you can find, yet a quaint little bookshop has the most polite and pleasent people you will ever find. Although I don't like buying books and not ever getting round to reading them, I do like to browse bookshops and Waterstones is one of my favourite in all of Belfast.

Waterstones

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Autumn of sport- ALL MEN :(

Bookfinders

4.3(8 reviews)

0.2 mi•Queen Quarter

Stepping into Bookfinders is like stepping back in time 30 years. It's a proper old fashioned,…read morebohemian book shop and café located in the Queen's Quarter of Belfast. I love it but it won't be to everyone's taste - it's definitely a place you'll either love or hate. Other reviewers have mentioned this and the vibe is definitely like stepping into a Harry Potter movie or an episode of Black Books. It's full of second hand books, plants, candles, ornaments and paintings. The floors are uneven, the walls are crammed with paintings, posters and newspaper cut outs and a lovely peaceful, charming atmosphere prevails. They serve sandwiches, toasties, soups, stews, pastas, salads, teas and coffees - I can vouch for the cheese and tomato toasty being extremely tasty. Queen's University English Society hold monthly poetry events in Bookfinders (Poetry and Pints) and drama groups meet here too. Bookfinders is open from 11am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday and later during the light evenings of the summer months. A big plus is there's free Wi-Fi and you can BYOB of wine for lunch, an afternoon meal or to an event. This little bookshop and cafe is the true definition of a hidden gem. I love it and would highly recommend a visit.

I really adore this little place. It's old, the books tend to be tattered, the floor is a bit…read moreuneven and the place looks like it would be freezing in the winter. However, it is as traditional as a bookshop can ever get. It's like some old Victorian bookshop that you might see in the movies. I've had lunch here which is so cheap and quite nice but its the 'get-away-from-it-all' atmosphere which you cannot pay for. I've also had a few classes and meetings in here and its always really quiet so you feel a bit out of place making noise. It's like a library where you can have lunch. Combines my two favourite things... food and words. Perfect! Definately a must if you ever fancy a book and somewhere to read it undisturbed

Bookfinders

Art in Bookfinders

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Bookfinders

War On Want

3.0(6 reviews)

0.1 mi•City Centre

I prefer this shop to the Oxfam across the road, which, although certainly better looking with a…read morebetter selection of books, is a bit pricier than the War on Want one. Plus, this is beside Rusty Zip and the Marie Curie charity shop, meaning that trafficphobic me can shop for my books without having to cross the road. Yes, I'm that pathetic. The fiction section is quite extensive for such a little shop, and arranged alphabetically so you can quickly find what you want if you already have a title in mind. Non-fiction is a little less so, but I've bought a few old textbooks here in my time (I'll read anything). There's usually a box or two of books near the front in a small 'bargain' section, as well as a separate Irish section for both fiction and non-fiction. Given that I write teen fiction, I always browse the kids' section (well, that's my excuse), and almost always come away with a battered Enid Blyton or yet another Chalet School story. Then I take my life in my hands and dash across the street to Oxfam to buy some more tomes.

Compared to Oxfam books, just across the street, this place is a real let down. I don't know what…read moreit is. Maybe the people who donate to War on Want just have really bad taste in books? I have been in here once to have a nosey, a regular thing for me when it comes to book stores. But all I found was the biggest bunch of dull, B-list books and I can completely understand why people wouldn't want them in their house. I know it's for a good cause and all that, but no ones going to buy just anything, so a little more effort wouldn't go a miss.

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Eason

3.5(11 reviews)

0.8 mi•City Centre

There are not many Eason's stores around these days but this one seems to be thriving, set in a…read morecentral location they've given the interior a real facelift - it's bright and vibrant and seems to be doing the trick when it comes to drawing the Belfast punters in. Eason's are specialist's in stationery and magazines, especially niche ones. I popped in here last week to grab a birthday card and to be honest I was a little disappointed with their selection but I suppose there's dedicated card shops for that sort of thing. One thing I noticed is that Eason's seems to have moved with the times, selling electronic goods and essential office supplies such as printer cartridges. On the lower floor there's a huge book selection that would rival Waterstones. Belfast actually doesn't have that many big book shops so if you still haven't succumb to a Kindle this will be your idea of heaven. This Eason is really well staffed so if you're looking for something in particular I would just ask one of the many attentive assistants (who are also pretty quick on the checkouts). All in all it's nice to see a familiar name in the city centre, I'm sure at some point the majority of Northern Ireland picked up their school stationery and chose that all important pencil case from an Eason's branch.

Easons claims to be a bookstore, but it is not a bookstore in the traditional sense of the word. It…read moreis a corporate store than sells art supplies, stationary, newspapers, chocolate, fizzy drinks etc. I am a fan of old rickety bookshops which you have to bump into people to get past. This is not one of them. Though they do have cheaper priced books than old bookshops, they can still be gotten on the internet so again if all you need is a book, try the internet. If you want the experience, go to an oldfashioned book shop. Not a fan

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Art supplies at Eason

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Art supplies at Eason

The Old Abbey Bookshop

4.5(2 reviews)

1.0 mi

There are not many of these old fashioned, independent bookshops left anymore and so when I find…read moreone I like to spend a bit of time browsing around. I spent about twenty minutes in here the other day as the place is very small and quite intimate which made me feel I couldn't really use the place as a library. There is an extensive of first editions as well as a surprisingly large collection of old children's books - many of which I recognized from my own childhood such as Jemima Puddle duck and Thomas the tank engine. Because of the uniqueness of some of the books and the extraordinary condition they have been kept in some cost over £40. Obviously there are other books you can pick up for a fraction of the recommended retail price and I was able to find a book on painting on glass for a mere £6.00 - let my new hobby commence!

An antiquarian/second hand book shop of the best sort with an interesting selection of books…read moreincluding first editions on history, literature, art and cookery. There's also a rich selection of children's titles from days gone by from old authors like GA Henty and Alison Uttley, as well as early editions of Enid Blyton and Biggles. The shop is small but well laid out, kept well and cosy. I could have spent ages in here looking at the fascinating titles as there were so many boosk that I'd like to read though it does also cater for the serious book collector/antiquarian enthusiast.

Living Oasis

4.0(1 review)

0.6 mi•City Centre

Replacing 'Wesley Owen' Christian bookshop, which was a particularly favourite haunt of mine, is…read morethe new 'Living Oasis' bookshop. I was surprised to see that the layout was basically entirely the same, though this is no bad thing, but the shop has undergone a paint job, with yellow and blue tones appropriately reflecting its name. The store is well laid out, everything is tidy and well-organised, with suitable sections for new titles, most popular books etc. It's not a huge shop, but there is a good amount of stock, which mainly consists of...yep, you guessed it...books. There are Christian CDs and DVDs, as well as cards and gifts, and interestingly, an Irish / Northern Irish souvenir section which I thought was quite novel. Amongst the fridge magnets featuring Belfast murals, and books about the Orange Order, were shamrock keyrings and Irish flags. Nice touch...got to keep everyone happy! Very much a calm and tranquil shop, Living Oasis is definitely one I'll be returning to. Even if it is only to dream of sun, sandy beaches and the glistening sea...

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Oxfam Books

5.0(1 review)

0.9 mi•City Centre

Great collection of books, loads of Sci-fi, fantasy, fiction, local, food, business etc. Most books…read moreare about £2.50 The staff are pretty nice and it's very well stocked given its small size. In the good weather they have mobile shelves that sit outside to draw more customers.

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Oxfam Books

3.7(7 reviews)

0.1 mi•City Centre

I love Oxfam Books. It's so well laid out and stocked that on walking in you wouldn't even…read moreinitially realise it's a second hand bookstore. There's a huge selection of books spread over two large rooms and everything is shelved by theme e.g. art, history, cookery, fiction, graphic novels etc. I could spend a couple of hours looking through this shop and have picked up a quite a few great bargains over the years. Would definitely recommend to anyone who loves books.

As I have said in a number of different reviews, I am a big fan of charity shops. I always enjoy…read morethe laid back, chilled out atmosphere and you can usually get an absolute bargain if you have a good look around. I have called in here on a number of occassions and have picked up a few t-shirts and pairs of old jeans. The quality is always assured and you always know that you are doing a good thing and not giving your hard earned dollar to a big corporation. The staff in this particular store have always been helpful and friendly anytime I have called in. They're always willing to help you have a good look around and they'll hold stuff over for you if you need to pop out to get some money out or whatever. Well worth checking out.

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Octopus's Garden

5.0(2 reviews)

0.7 mi•City Centre

I was cutting through Wellington Street on my way to Upper Queens Street yesterday when I stumbled…read moreacross Octopus's Garden. Belfast used to be a wash with Vintage stores but over the years these have slowly become extinct so it's always good to see a new one rise from the bottom of the ocean - much like an Octopus. Octopus's Garden has many strands or arms/tentacles (may as well continue down pun street). It sells vintage clothing for both males and females, old school vinyl and various other retro artifacts. The main thing I liked about Octopus Garden was that their was a varied choice - the rails were jam packed with everything from flannel shirts, band T's to leather jackets and potentially bum cheek exposing denim hot pants. The prices were reasonable too - you often find that vintage stores inflate the prices of their stock but it seems that Octopus Garden have made a concerted effort not to extort their clientele. I was only going in for a browse but I ended up walking out with a loud shirt that has already proved a controversial choice - but that's the beauty of buying vintage items - they always divide opinion and create a talking point. I recommend popping in here for a wee duke round - you never know you might come out with your (not everyone's) new favourite shirt.

If I was trapped in the Garden of The Octo I would never have a time of misery or boredom. This is…read morethe slickest place so far and I would tell anyone who visits this city that loves music and old clothes to begin their journey here. I love this place!