There are two types of bookstores. Firsthand and secondhand…read more This is the latter. There are two types of secondhand bookstores. Dirt cheap and kinda cheap. This is the latter. There are two types of kinda cheap secondhand bookstores. Sucky ones and nice ones. This is the latter. Why is this a nice, kinda cheap secondhand bookstore? Because, for the most part, I'm not reluctant to put out a few extra dollars for some dusty, cobweb-ridden tomes.

This bookstore is absolutely divine! I love walking in and being able to see a vast variety of…read morecollectable hard cover novels, classics, children's favourites and to be able to smell that delicious smell of old books (I'm not weird, I swear!). This is a second hand bookshop and considering the quality of the books it's quite inexpensive. Most books start at around $10 (give or take). Now if you're like me and you regularly visit OP shops and second hand bookstores then you know that it's rare to buy a book over $5, in fact it's rare to even pay $5 for a book. If you're in the market for something that cheap then I wouldn't suggest visiting this cottage because once you walk in you'll fall in love and will find that it's incredibly easy to rack up a hefty bill. That being said, you really should go! Hard covers and classic favourites are so much better than paperbacks and brand new books. Give me old and vintage any day please! It's also a great bookshop to find rare copies of your favourites that you haven't been able to track down. These books will still be cheaper than going to your local bookshop and I assure you that they will be prettier than the books you already own.

Now it is a shame that most people walk straight past this store when going walking down Twin…read moreStreet. I was a culprit for many years, but one day I was in search for something new to read. One of my good friends recommended that I go check out this store. This store is actually a lot bigger than I expected. There is also an amazing selection here in all different genres. It is almost like a mini library. What I was particularly impressed with was the collection of well-priced classics and rare books. My mum read to me a lot when I was little, it always excites me when I find the books that she had read to me. I generally end up buying those books and giving them to my friends with children. Like the Magic Faraway Tree and the Wishing Chair - you will find a lot of Enid Blyton books here. And the older versions too! Check out the glass cabinet display at the back, you will see some very rare books. Including a couple of very limited edition JRR Tolkien classics! Damn I wish I could afford those! I should also mention that the staff here are ever so friendly. I got into an amazing conversation about the books my mum used to read to me as a child with one of the storeowners. If you are looking for a gift or just something different to read, I really do recommend you have a look at some of the books in this store. You will be sure to find something. Also, if you cannot find what you are after, speak to the owner and they will try and help you source it. Now that is great customer services!

Mary and Colin love books, particularly antiquarian books, that's old books basically; and if you…read morelike books you'll love their store in the city. It's large, full of old books and easy to spend a great deal of time browsing down there. If you don't like stairs there is an elevator to take you down the one flight/floor so it is accessible for folk in a wheelchair and the aisles are wide enough to negotiate same. The range of books is extensive and they are mostly in very good condition. There really are some great books to look at as well; everything from old annuals that will set off memories for some and guffaws for others, through to history books that are written in a way that will make you cringe, and appreciate how the times were once a changing, and my aren't we glad they did! They are proudly linked in with The Australian and New Zealand Association of Antiquarian Booksellers Limited; so if you are looking for other booksellers who may have what you are searching for - they can offer you some insights and introductions. One thing to keep in mind is that they also buy out of print, second hand and rare books - so if you are dealing with a deceased estate and a lot of books it may be worth having a chat with them before you get rid of stuff that could be worth more than you realise - just a thought.

The first thing I spotted upon entering this store was the Candace Bushnell novel 'One Fifth…read moreAvenue' sitting smugly in the literature section. This was quite a blow and I staggered backwards in horror, smashing my elbow on the rear shelving in the process. Seeing this sort of absolute rubbish languishing in between William S. Burroughs and A.S Byatt made the bile rise in my gullet, but I swallowed and attempted to give this store a fair trial. Booked has an excellent non fiction range, the very latest children's picture books and a nice long bench in the corner for kids to sit and browse on. I also noticed staff calling kids coming in by name, and allowing them to hang and paw through numerous books at their leisure. This sort of relaxed and encouraging attitude to kids in book stores is excellent. But I do have to note that the books weren't cheap, with Julian Barnes's sense of an Ending (150 pages mind you) costing $30. I was heartened by the $9.99 book shelf at the front but was sad to see a number of them were quite damaged. Nice store, good range, but dear God if I find the author of 'Trading Up' in the literature section again, I'll go all cuckoo like Burroughs in the London Years.

Booked at North Adelaide is a well-stocked bookshop catering to its middle to upper-middle class…read moredemographic. It has a great range of genres, including home deco and gardening, travel, politics, biographies, health and well-being, cooking, teenage fictions, children's fiction and plenty of new release fiction. It has a wider selection than standard independent bookstores, and has some uncommon pieces that I haven't seen anyway else. I was caught by the large hardcover of the complete works of Jane Austen, a beautiful piece for collection or a gift for only $50. As the only bookshop in the vicinity, it caters well to most needs. It is not overly cheap, but it's no more expensive than other independent bookshops.

A secondhand bookstore ought to be every booklovers paradise. Sure, it's nice to have your…read morebookshelf filled with a nice, neat and consistent assembly of Penguin Classics, but there's something charming about the motley assortment of books new and old, tall and short, and of different colour variation, all jigsawed in together. However. Sometimes we booklovers must remain wary. Let not the bliss cloud your senses, my friends. One must remember that there are two types of secondhand bookstores: cheap ones and expensive ones. I picked up a tiny volume expecting to exchange two or three dollars for it. Imagine my surprise when the man looked inside the cover (a general peruse I might've done myself before I strutted so confidently to the counter) and demanded I give him fourteen of my dollars. It's not an excessive sum, but I'm trying very hard to watch my money, and books are the main culprit - in my line of business - of bankruptcy. Suffice it to say, the expression my face took on at the announced price remained affixed to that place between forehead and chin for many minutes afterward. I was so shocked I gave the man all my money (having scarcely more than that on my person), and floated, as if in a dream, out of the store. You see, that fourteen dollars had been for my lunch that day. And as I looked mournfully down, filled with a consumer's remorse, at the volume, I considered the irony of my situation. Camus' 'The Myth of Sisyphus' is a philosophical text that discusses the topic of suicide. However, in the hands of a man faced with starvation, the novel attained new heights of uselessness.

This third generation family business feels like what a true secondhand bookshop should be. It is…read morecrammed with books and their wonderful smell, and never empty of people wading through its various sections. The strength of O'Connell's is in its literature. The owners have a nose and knowledge for all kinds of literature so its a great place to go looking for classics or academic books. That's not to say that they don't have a great range of fiction of all sorts, but it's definitely less a hobby bookstore and more a booky bookstore, if that makes sense to anyone... They're also reasonably priced, and really vary their pricings according to size and condition. They range from $4 to $12 for standard books, then more for rarer or older pieces. You never know what you'll come across in here, and I always have to drag myself out because I keep finding more hidden behind the piles. The owners are also happy to come to your house, if you have a reasonable collection of books you're wanting to sell. They were happy to visit us and our 70 or so books, though they only took the good stuff - as expected. And as evidenced by the amount of books in the store, they're only interested in good quality books they can sell. So go in and help them out!

Despite the fact his opening hours are about as consistent as politician's election promises and…read morethat you are eagled eyed if you walk in and are either female or freshly shaven, the collection of records and signed album covers at Porthole Records is one of the best in Adelaide. You will have to get your library geek on though, records (although neatly lined up in shelves) are all over the place here. Either that or I'm not up on my music genres - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds is "new wave"? I was tempted to just buy a box of 50c or $1 records by the door and see what happened at home, but I didn't have my gumption boots on today. The variety of genres is impressive and I'm sure you'd end up with some pretty top quality albums here for $20. And for those really dedicated collectors, yes the $150 Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Aboittoir Blues record is here for you too. CDs and cassette tapes, signed band posters and album covers are all on display here, but you too will need your gumption boots on to ask the owner re: price. Good luck!

The world of music has gone digital and iTunes has taken off in a big way. Music is available at…read morethe click of a button and instantly available on your computer with no additional hardware required. There is however a collection of people who like to have something tangible, something to hold on to. I'm one of those people. I like to SEE my music collection sitting on the shelf. I like to have visible CDs, tapes, vinyl and collectables. Porthole Records is a dying breed of music store that offers people like me the chance to expand their collection. Sadly it's only open a few days a week, but it's worth a trip down to Port Adelaide to check it out. It's full of LPs and that's what they primarily deal in. There's also a section for cassettes and CDs, but we're mainly talking old school vinyl here. Make sure you look everywhere, including all over the walls. I found a rare autographed copy of the Split Enz biography "Stranger Than Fiction" hanging on the wall and I had to have it. I rarely walk away from the store without having bought something. It may take a bit of digging through the copious amounts of stock, but it really is worth the trip if you find that one treasure you've been searching for years for. If you're a fan of any type of music you owe it to yourself to visit this store. It really is one of the last great music stores in South Australia.