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Glasgow West End: Pats Guide: Bookshops

John Smith Bookshop Byres Road closed 2000. Gone but not forgotten

Hyndland Bookshop

Hyndland Book Shop photo by Stewart Ennis, Vagabond Voices

Order online during Pandemic – email us at hyndlandbooks@gmail.com

A small but well stocked independent book shop with good selection of fiction, poetry and travel writing. Also films and gifts.

143 Hyndland Road, Hyndland, Glasgow G12 9JA, 0141-334 5522

Voltaire & Rousseau

(0141 339 1811) has been in business in Otago Lane (Nr. Gibson Street) for many years. It is the longest established secondhand bookshop in Glasgow and is chock full of second hand and antiquarian books on every subject under the sun.

Caledonia Books

Caledonia Books Great Western Road – photo by Jim Byrne (2000)

483 Great Western Road, Kelvinbridge (334 9663)

Caledonia Books specialize in antiquarian books and quality second hand books. They have a very extensive range in stock and this is the place to look if you are a fan of really lovely and interesting old books.

Waterstones, Byres Road

Opened, Autumn, 2015

Waterstones, 351-355 Byres Road, Glasgow G12

The Book Shop is closed due to Coronavirus but you can order online at Waterstones.com

John Smith & Son, Glasgow University Bookshop

The Fraser Building, University Avenue, Glasgow G12 8PP Tel:+44(O)141 339 1463 Fax 339 3690
email: gu@johnsmith.co.uk

The shop very successfully services the needs of the University’s students, courses and staff but offers much more besides. The shop promotes Glasgow University authors and provides information on recent works. They are rightfully proud of the service John Smith provides as the oldest English speaking bookshop in the World and aim to help customers find the books they are after – promptly.

There is a lot of enthusiasm and will to keep the customer satisfied with plenty of good deals and special promotions. The shop is not in the slightest bit stuffy despite its erudite locaton – in fact it has quite a few pleasant and unexpectedly quirky aspects
including a commitment to the promotion of “The Angry Corrie” – the hillwalker’s Fanzine.

OXFAM second hand and new book shop

PRESS RELEASE:

Oxfam will temporarily shut its high street shops from Saturday evening as protecting staff, volunteers and customers from coronavirus is paramount

The books are in lovely condition and the shop is bright, fresh and very well organised.

Useful Links:

What’s On in Glasgow: Books, Talks, Poetry Events

Glasgow Writer

Scottish Writers’ Centre

www.ayewrite.com/

Archived

Books I have read and liked

Archived content: Christine Macrae: The West End Good Book Guide

John Smith & Son Bookshop, Byres Road: gone but fondly remembered

by Jim Byrne

Sadly, this great book shop has now closed so I guess we will have to archive this information as it’s now just a little bit of history However, as Jim wrote up this piece and was a particular fan of the bookshop it doesn’t seem right just to scrap it so I’ll ask him what he thinks. It was sad to see the shop so busy in recent weeks during its closing down sale and it will be a great miss in Byres Road. (21st June, 2000)

The John Smith & Son Bookshop is, for me anyway, a good reason to take a walk down to Byres Road. Though not an especially large bookstore you can find all the latest new publications, old favourites, and every other category you can think of. The outside of the shop is nothing to shout about but inside it is attractive and well laid out and has an ambiance that seems to be tailored to the location. And this store is a little different.

On the top floor ( there are three levels) there is a record store where you can find many ‘underground’ albums and hard to find musical artistes. The person who runs the record store – whose name escapes me for the moment is a noted vinyl geek and the person serving you behind the counter is likely to be a famous member of a long established Scottish band. I have heard stories of Japanese teens visiting the shop just to get a glimpse of this local celebrity – expressing amazement that he works in a bookstore.

On the ground floor there is a childrens section which always looks lively and inviting and on the second floor you will find non-fiction titles with a large selection of ‘alternative lifestyle’ books, maps, guides, books for film buffs, arts and reference books.

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