Bookstore Guide

The Story Behind Books and Records

2013-05-12T18:13:00.002+02:00

In 2009 we started a series of articles (mostly by guest bloggers) entitled "An Insight into the Current State of Independent Bookselling". We've decided to follow up with several interviews with people from different countries involved in various sectors of the bookselling business (booksellers, publishers, authors etc.). It is with great pleasure that we introduce the first of these interviews with Bob Evans, the owner of Books and Records.

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Could you briefly introduce yourself and your online shop Books and Records?

My name is Bob Evans, based in Wiltshire in the south west of England, and I own and manage an online store specialising in used hardback books and vinyl records.

How did the idea of Books and Records come up and how long did it take you to turn the idea into an actual shop?

Since the late 1990’s I had been trying to get a small business off the ground. I tried selling How-To reports by mail order and had some moderate success but found the niche to be overcrowded with other sellers all promoting similar products so I changed my focus to building web sites for other people, but that again was an area that was a bit swamped and there was only so much I could do – my skills were somewhat limited. I more or less stumbled on the idea to start selling books and then later I added vinyl records to the inventory. Neither niche seemed too crowded, so I made a start. My wife helped with site building and adding products. We launched in April 2008 and it has steadily developed since then.

How did you come up with such a unique combination of products that you offer?

This is an easy one to answer – I love books and I love vinyl records. I wanted to start a business selling tangible products as opposed to digital stuff and as I had a keen interest in both books and records, it seemed an obvious choice to start selling them.

What were your biggest fears when launching this online project? Have any of them materialized?

My biggest fear, I suppose, was that I couldn’t hope to compete with the likes of Amazon, Abebooks and Alibris and that my little online store would be swamped and outranked in the search engines. But I was wrong. I quickly realized that the internet is set up in such a way that the little guy can not only compete with the big guns, but can also outperform them. It is not difficult to rank well in the search engines, no matter what a lot of so-called gurus tell you. It really is all down to content, and how often you update your site.

Have you had any prior experience from the bookselling business?

No, none at all. In fact I did not even know how to identify a first edition, or which authors were collectable, or anything beyond the fact that I could never walk past a bookshop without going in.

How big is the team behind Books and Records?

Technically, it’s just me – I’m a sole trader, but my wife has had a large input in terms of preparing product listings and also had a hand in the design of the site.

How have the site and the whole project developed and changed over the years?

The basic structure of the site has remained unchanged since the beginning. I have added new categories, and of course new products on a regular basis, and most recently I added the Customer Review system, Trust Certificate and Buyer Protection function to bring the site up to full compliance with data protection and other legal requirements. This is great for the buyer, as it offers them a money-back guarantee that is overseen by an independent company – Trusted Shops. I have also added an extension to the main site for other sellers who might be interested in listing their own products. It’s kind of at the development stage, but once I have ironed out a few creases, it’s something I’d like to promote a bit more heavily and see where it leads.

The usual problem with this type of business is the discrepancy between the time and effort invested by the founder(s) and the financial outcome. Many people either give up after some time or focus more on their ‘real’ job while keeping their side-project running as their hobby. Where do you stand in this struggle?

This is an excellent question! I think that in general people either give up too easily or struggle to maintain focus on any one business project. I had the same problem when I first started out. I wanted to be the next internet marketing guru. I soon found out that it wasn’t going to be easy. There were almost as many people promoting their new ebook as there were customers to buy them – and unfortunately, a lot of the material was old-hat. I lost interest and focus, and pulled out of the niche, but still wanted to try and make a go of something. I had a full time job at the time, so any income I earned from the business was invested mainly in new stock. I’m not quite at the stage where I can earn a living from it but perhaps if I concentrated more on advertising in other areas it might lead to a more solid income, who knows?
To date, almost all of the traffic to the site comes through the search engines, predominantly from Google and Bing. I have to say that I’m a bit reluctant to spend money on advertising. It’s so hit and miss. You can have all the traffic you want, but if they’re not interested in your product, they won’t buy.
But to answer the second part of your question – giving up a full time job in pursuit of financial independence through an online (or for that matter offline) business takes a lot of courage. For anyone wanting to take the plunge I would say: do your research first. Identify a niche you are comfortable with. Find a platform from which you can sell your product(s) – after a great deal of research I went with a free shopping cart called Storesprite, which serves my purpose extremely well. I would say give it at least a year before you make any decision to quit regular employment. It may even take five years to get to that stage. It really depends on a number of factors – how much effort you put into it, whether there is enough demand for the products (or services) you are offering and whether there is a vibrant market.

“Competition“ is always an easy-to-use argument and can even be an excuse not to risk it with your own project. In the book business, the question it all melts down to is “What can you do better than Amazon?“. So how can small businesses like yours compete and survive in a market controlled by big players? What specifically has worked for Books and Records?

Another excellent question! Books and Records has survived, I think, mainly because of the effort I put in right at the very beginning of the project, when I made sure that at least one new item was listed every day. I prepared templates and I stuck to the same format for every product listed, so that it showed a kind of uniformity throughout the site. There is a main title, a short description or summary and a full description for every single item. I always post at least one image with alt tags. Every page is a just a click away from the Home Page. There are no broken links. All of this is fodder for the search engines! Consequently, the site is indexed several times a day and features on the first page of Google, Bing, Yahoo and many others because of this approach. It is frequently even in the number one spot, ahead of all the big guns and I have done nothing more nor less than followed the exact same procedure when listing new products.
As to what I do better than Amazon – I don’t think I can do anything better than them. But I do try to match them. I think I have first rate customer service. I think I am open and transparent in my product descriptions – if a book has spinal lean and age spotting then I say so, if a record has a dozen clicks on Track Two then I say so. Some sellers try to get away with skimping over some of the facts regarding the products they sell. I couldn’t do that. Attention to detail and emphasis on customer service are two of the factors, I think, that have enabled the project to keep going for so long.

Do you have any specific goals set for Books and Records? Would you like to keep it as an online shop or is a brick and mortar bookshop also a future possibility?

A brick and mortar establishment is not a conceivable goal for the near future – the stock volume does not warrant it at this time. But who knows what the long term future holds? Having said that, I think it would be too expensive to maintain a shop in the real world.

Based on your experience, what kind of advice would you give to people who are thinking of starting an online bookshop or a small online business in general?

As mentioned above, do your research first. Find a niche that really appeals to you. If possible, build and maintain your own website. Update it on a daily basis with fresh content. Always put the customer first. You can do this by replying to emails in a timely manner. Nothing puts a potential customer off more than an unanswered enquiry. Just in the last couple of weeks I have emailed three different companies more than once and have received no reply from any of them. The result is that I will not be buying their products or services. It is their loss, not mine. Also, I think transparency is paramount.

What are you personally like as a customer when it comes to buying books? Online or offline.

I tend to buy more books offline than online. I am quite fussy when it comes to buying on the internet – I want as much information about the product as possible. Some sellers seem to think they can just put a couple of words together and leave out important details because they know that if they mention that the book is in bad condition no one will buy it. I’ve had a few arguments with sellers over the years because they skim over the facts. Having said that, I have bought a number of books online and been perfectly happy with the purchases.

Do you have any favorite bookshops you visit often?

Yes, there are one or two in my local area, although these are starting to disappear. Most of the ones I used to frequent have either taken their business completely online or they have ceased trading altogether.

How do you see the future of bookselling, both in the traditional brick-and-mortar form and in the virtual online space?

I think the future of bookselling is a healthy one, even though many titles are becoming digitalised. Fortunately, there is a vibrant community of book collectors, so that is very encouraging. I do think that a lot more traditional establishments will disappear from the High Street and take the Amazon route. I have customers who buy all their gifts online – not just books – so it looks very much as though the internet will take over in that respect. Even for those businesses who maintain an offline presence there is one thing they absolutely must have and that is an online store. A lot of companies realise this, but there are still quite a few that have not made the transition, or else have not made a good job of it.

Livraria Centesima Pagina, Braga

2013-04-27T16:51:00.000+02:00

Where? Braga, Portugal

Recommended by Teresa Pêgo

Teresa said: "This wonderful bookshop is situated in the North of Portugal, in a town named Braga, the archbishop’s city, known by its high religious mentality. Walking through the historical center of the city, we just bump into this magnificent and cosy house from the XVIII century, named Casa Rolão, where we can run through some book’s pages, where we can have lunch or just relax in the beautiful interior garden, drinking some coffee or tea and reading the book you just bought!

I can say that my favourite place there is the children’s corner! A very cheerful and comfortable room enlightened by the two big windows that sometimes are open to the exterior garden. A very silent and bright place, indeed!

They always have cultural events like art exhibitions, book’s presentations, workshops and the special days where kids and their parents have the possibility to hear a story in this enchanted place! We can also buy some Portuguese crafts and other creative items."

Livraria Centesima Pagina translates to bookstore of page 100 and it opened to the public in November 1999. It was primarily located near the Faculty of Philosophy only to find its permanent residence in the beautiful 18th century building called Casa Rolão in the heart of the city of Braga in 2005. Livraria Centesima Pagina is an independent bookstore which mostly carries books in Portuguese but also in English, Spanish and French. The English books section contains some 300 books covering everything from art, literature, comics, social sciences, to children books, English learning, or Portuguese authors. It often hosts exhibitions, book presentations, debates, workshops, etc. It is accompanied by a cafe and a garden where you can relax with your favorite book in your hands.

Livraria Centesima Pagina
Address:
Avenida Central 118-120
Braga, Portugal

Website: http://centesima.com

Phone and Email:
+351 253 267 647
livraria@centesima.com

Working Hours:
Mon-Sat 9-19:30
Sun 10-19:30

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Pequod Books, Berlin

2013-03-27T17:15:00.002+01:00

Where? Berlin, Germany

Recommended by Alvaro and Amanda

Amanda said: "Pequod stocks used books in English, French, Italian, Spanish, German, Dutch, Swedish, Turkish, Polish, Norwegian, Romanian and Danish, along with a handful of books in other languages. The bright, orderly shop is small-ish, but a second room will be opened in the coming months, nearly doubling the size of the store. The selection leans strongly toward traditional classics, in part because owner Álvaro Sendra González does not speak all of the languages he offers, but also because, an artist by trade, he is still learning about the book business, and is building his stock up from a solid foundation. González is candid about this learning process and the experimentation involved. He’s been disappointed by sales of Turkish books — Czech books sell better — and says that French books haven’t done as well as he expected, even though his selection is good and it’s clearly an under-served population. González wanted to “do something good for Berlin” by setting up Pequod and, in the spirit of our low-cost city, no book in the shop costs more than €6. Pequod will buy used books."

Named after the ship in Melville's Moby Dick, Pequod books opened in the summer of 2012, after Alvaro, the owner, moved to Berlin a couple of years back and realized that it was almost impossible for him to find books in his native, Spanish language. So he decided to do something perhaps a bit unusual but something every large city should have - an international bookstore. And Pequod Books truly is this because Alvaro has books in 25+ languages and it is still expanding. His English language section consists of some 900 books but you should also check out other sections as well. There is also a German section of the store.

Pequod Books
Address: Selchower Str.33
12049 Berlin-Neukölln

Website: http://www.facebook.com/pequodbooks

Email: info@pequodbooks.de

Working Hours:
Mon-Sat 14-19

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Beerwolf Books Freehouse, Falmouth

2013-03-05T22:08:00.002+01:00

Where? Falmouth, Cornwall, UK

Recommended by Joan Smith

Joan said: "There is a new bookshop in Falmouth, Cornwall, specializing in good literature and non-fiction. What’s really special about it, though, is that it’s in the middle of the owners’ pub, Beerwolf Books Free House, with excellent real ales, coffee and a warm atmosphere in which to browse.

They sell good quality 2nd hand and remaindered books. The fiction tends to the literary and they have graphic novels, kids’ stuff and non-fiction specialisms include, law, politics, history, art, music, sociology, psychology, philosophy, literature.

They were also featured on a local news item dealing mainly with the closing and opening of pubs, but it gives a flavour of the place, if you can access it."

Beer and books - sounds like heaven to many, right? Well, this is probably the favorite combination of the people behind Beerwolf Books Freehouse. The store started out in a garage in the Suffolk countryside only to move to Cornwall recently. The store is, according to many, almost something of a secret, tucked away in a small alley between the shops on Market Street. Inside, on one side, you have the pub, on the other, the bookstore.

Beerwolf Books Freehouse opened just recently on December 13th 2012 but they've already managed to build a respectable fan base not only in Falmouth but also beyond. They also organize various literary events - check out their Facebook page for more info.

Beerwolf Books Freehouse
3 Bells Court
TR11 3AZ Falmouth
Cornwall, UK

Website: http://www.beerwolfbooks.com/

Phone and Email:
01326-618474
books@beerwolfbooks.com

Working Hours:
Mon-Sat 10:30-00
Sun 12-23

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My 5 Favorite Bookstores in Salzburg, Austria

2013-03-02T11:50:00.000+01:00

By guest blogger Elisabeth Crane

What are the first things that come to mind when you hear Salzburg? The obvious answer is Mozart, closely followed by the famous sweet treat Mozart Kugeln, which can now be found all over Europe and beyond. The historical city of Salzburg is also home to one world's fastest growing brands with a very original marketing strategy - Red Bull. The city attracts many tourists thanks to its charming steep streets with nice coffee shops and pastry shops. Thanks to Elisabeth, you can now also read about the local bookstore scene, which is also reacting to the growing number of tourists by enlarging the English section of their stock.

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Elisabeth loves world travel, and is a frequent visitor to Austria. When not traveling, Elisabeth enjoys writing for The First to Know. And here's her report from Salzburg:

Upon a visit to Salzburg, Austria, you may be interested in checking out some of the city's finest bookstores. Whether you happen to be looking for interesting material pertaining to the history of Salzburg, are interested in old newspaper clippings or are simply looking for a good book to read during your journey, there are a few spots that you will not want to miss. These 5 book stores within Salzburg, Austria have easily made the list of my favorite shops to find everything from historic books to classics and newer literature. They have become some of my favorites while visiting Austria, and I hope that you will fall in love as well!

Höllrigl Eduard vorm Hermann Kerber

Höllrigl Eduard vorm Hermann Kerber can be found at Sigmund-Haffner-Gasse 10 in Salzburg. This is the perfect place to check out where you will find books on musical instruments, historic and new newspapers, as well as books of all kinds. Make your way around the store, conveniently located near the University of Salzburg Church to find everything that you may be looking for. Foreign language books are also kept in stock for those interested in broadening their literary horizons. During my first summer in Salzburg, I frequently visited this bookstore to find English books.

Xenex Verlags-und

Located at Festungsgasse 4 is Xenex Verlags-und. This small, but fully stocked bookstore is the ideal spot to browse for that book that you've been searching for. You never know what you may find around every corner. Xenex Verlags-und is a favorite among locals and city visitors. If you are looking for a bookstore that is less "tourist-heavy" during the summer months, this is your best bet. Situated near the famous Mozarteum, it is a popular hangout for students from all over the world. The bookstore accommodates books in many different languages, offering a wide variety for people of various language backgrounds.

Hintermayer

Hintermayer carries books, CDs, minerals and calenders for all shoppers' interests. This art store offers parking garages just minutes away for a quick and convenient walk to the shop. Open Monday through Saturday, visitors will find bestsellers as well as books in a variety of genres such as travel, nature, entertainment, children, guides and history. Special sales up to 50% off are held at Hintermayer on a regular basis, providing you with some of the best deals on books in the city. If you are studying music in Salzburg, this store can be a one-stop shop for you because of its wide variety and selection of items. Check out the basement for some harder to find items. Books are available in multiple languages with the primary being German.

Heimold D. Koppitsch

Make your way to Bergstr. 16 to find one of my favorite shops in Salzburg, Heimold D. Koppitsch. Cards, stationary and books are hiding around every turn within this modern shop. Whether you're looking for the perfect birthday card or a new book, here you will find it all. Their book selection is slightly limited and tends to only have German-language books. I loved this shop, but frequented it more for the stationary.

Müry Salzmann Verlags

For fine literary selections, there's no better place to browse than Müry Salzmann Verlags. In addition to popular literature, this store also carries fine architectural pieces, art work, photography and is home to
theater performances. The vast majority of selections sold here will be in German. For me, visiting this store was a great way to improve my conversational German. Müry Salzmann Verlags is truly one of a kind.

source: http://luxuryplaces.blogspot.sk/2012/12/salzburg-largest-city-in-austria.html

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Bookstores in New York City

2013-02-01T20:15:00.002+01:00

(Report from New York)

Bookstore Guide still remains “a guide to European bookstores” but upon returning from our recent US trip we were inspired to write a report about our impressions of the bookstore scene in New York City and Boston, the two cities we had a chance to visit. This is its first part, which describes our bookstore discoveries from NYC.

We have tried to visit many bookstores during our stay - this is just a selection of the ones we found the most interesting. We know we have missed many great ones but perhaps we’ll get to visit those some other time. In general, we were a little disappointed by the small number of secondhand bookstores. Also, the used books were quite expensive for our liking, usually around half of the cover price, except for the occasional selection in a thrift store. We really liked the fact that independent bookstores and independent local businesses in general are something that defines the neighborhoods, something that the local people are proud of.

We loved reading on the subway. It was a great experience to see firsthand the atmosphere we have known only from the great pictures posted at Underground New York Public Library. The energy, the atmosphere of the city, the people, all that and much more make NYC a place that can’t be compared to any other city we have visited so far. But instead of getting sentimental let’s just move on to the bookstores:

The Strand

Our bookstore tour started at The Strand, located at 828 Broadway, at the corner of E 12th St., New York’s biggest bookstore which famously carries 18 miles of books. The Strand is a true legend in NYC and it has been in business since 1927. The bookstore is huge and was full of people browsing even way past 8PM. We liked the discounted bookshelves which lined the store’s walls outside where browsers were not discouraged neither by the darkness nor the chilly weather. The overall impression from The Strand was that of a huge library, which doesn’t really need to care about the looks so much, as its reputation speaks for itself. It’s one of those rare bookstores where you can go for a stroll and realize that you’ve just spent 2 hours browsing and have a whole new to-read-list in your head. That is probably the only “disadvantage” of The Strand, as its sheer size and the number of books can make you feel a little overwhelmed as well.

828 Broadway (at the corner of East 12th St.)
http://www.strandbooks.com

Shakespeare and Co.

Another bookstore bearing the name of the famous English playwright (very popular among European English-language bookstores). This is a local chain of independent stores with 4 locations throughout the City. The location we visited is at 716 Broadway.
http://shop.shakeandco.com/
It is a truly beautiful bookstore, decorated and set up in the traditional fashion (tall wooden shelves with ladders), the books are spread over the ground floor and basement. They only carry new books, and have an exceptionally good selection of dramas and plays, movie scripts and literary non-fiction.

716 Broadway (212) 529-1330
http://shop.shakeandco.com/

Housing Works

The third bookstore we visited turned out to be our favorite of the whole trip. Housing Works is a healing community of people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. They have a bookstore/café and about a dozen thrift shops throughout the city (in which you can also find a small selection of books – usually cheaper than in the bookstore itself). Their bookstore in SoHo has a great location, atmosphere and selection of titles. It’s very spacey and there are tables set up right among the shelves, so you can enjoy a cake or coffee from the café. The selection was just the right size, not too huge and not too small and for some reason, we’ve enjoyed this place the most. Many people were just sitting and sipping coffee, leafing through the books they’ve picked, before deciding whether they’ll purchase them or not. We also really liked their idea of pre-made book packages as Christmas gifts (two to four books which had something in common, with a short funny note explaining the connection).

126 Crosby St.
http://www.housingworks.org/bookstore/

Mercer Street Books

You can't miss Mercer Street Books because of the large neon sign "BOOKS" which lures you in. We were more than glad to enter as the bookstore offered a great shelter from the pouring rain.It is a large, solely secondhand store, but our expectations of low prices in New York weren’t met even here, with the prices of books mostly around half the cover price (ranging from 6 to 9 dollars). It was in Mercer Street Books that we finally accepted that the pricing of secondhand books in NYC is what it is. This bookstore fulfills everything you expect from a neighborhood secondhand bookstore. A mish mash, greatly stocked sections and some poorly stocked ones, rather random, but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing – sometimes best things can be found when not looking for them.

206 Mercer Street, NY
http://mercerstreetbooks.com/

Unoppressive Non-Imperialist Bargain Books

It was the name of this bookstore that caught our attention and made us enter although we were hungry and in search of some place to eat. This peculiar specialist bookstore is certainly a place you should drop in if in West Village (Greenwich Village). The owner not only stocks ‘unopressive non-imperialist and bargain books’ but also a huge selection of books on Bob Dylan. The Dylan books are displayed in the very center of the store and we have no reason to doubt that it is the biggest selection of Dylan books in NYC. Of course, Bob Dylan's tunes were also playing in the background. The whole selection of the store was very interesting with lots of books by the Beat Generation authors, a shelf full of Noam Chomsky, many titles on Eastern philosophy and especially Buddhism. What’s more, most of the books were bargain priced. The store doesn’t even have a proper website, but a blogspot blog, which hasn’t been updated in over 2 years – that’s how nonconformist the owner of this store is.

34 Carmine Street, NY
http://unoppressivebooks.blogspot.sk/

Word

Located in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, this is the best example of a local independent bookstore, greatly appreciated by the whole neighborhood. The sense of community and the friendly atmosphere is really obvious in this place. Word is a small bookstore which carries a carefully selected stock – it’s one of those places where you can safely ask the bookseller for a recommendation and you can also be sure that they’ll be able to tell you something about each of the titles they stock.

126 Franklin St., Brooklyn, NYC
http://www.wordbrooklyn.com/

Spoonbill & Sugartown Books

Another Brooklyn store, in the hip part of Williamsburg – the “hip” word seems to define this store, perhaps it even accentuates (or exaggerates) its appearance. Both new and used books find their place in this tad overpriced store beaming with coolness. Don’t get us wrong, it’s a really nice bookstore with a quality selection of titles, but it just seemed to us that some of coolness is a bit calculated. This creates an atmosphere where you feel that even the customers are doing their best the look the right way, act the right way and even pick the right books... But the same thing can be said about any other store in Williamsburg, so maybe it’s just the initial impression that wears out with time.

218 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY
http://www.spoonbillbooks.com/

We also visited some other bookstores which we haven't mentioned in this short report. In case you've been to a New York bookstore and you feel it deserves a mention, please feel free to leave a comment below. We are definitely planning on going back to the Big Apple some day and checking out many other things which we missed during our first visit.

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Cami-Li Books & Tea, Avignon

2012-11-26T12:25:00.000+01:00

Where? Avignon, France

Recommended by Florence Merlenghi

Florence said: "This place is a heaven for all book lovers and anglophiles. There, you can find all kinds of used books, not only literature and novels, but there are well-stocked shelves dedicated to travels, history, science, language learning courses, arts, architecture, psychology or anthropology. Students will find all the books on the syllabus. And as far as the literature shelves are concerned, we’re not talking here only about the latest fads or best sellers but quality literature and classics, something that unfortunately tends to disappear from the shelves of more fashionable bookshops. The main bulk of the stock is composed of paperbacks, but there is also vast choice of hardbacks, sometimes first editions and vintage collections, such as the delightful orange Penguin classics or the colourful Everyman collection! Camille will buy or trade the books you want to get rid of. Of course she will order any new book you may not find in the shop (highly unlikely!)

The children’s corner is lovely, with colourful rugs and stools, and children will have a lot of fun browsing the many picture books. This is a charming place, the atmosphere made hushed thanks to the presence of so many old books, the beamed ceiling, the stone walls and the vintage tile floor; and to the silence! It is also a wonderful tearoom with several tables in the bookshop or the outdoor patio where you’ll be able to leaf through your purchase while sipping a cup of tea or coffee and tasting the delicious muffins and cookies made by Camille herself. And Camille is a dynamic young woman with many interests. As soon as the bookshop reopened, she started her Thursday evenings, beginning with “Stitch 'n Bitch” (7-10pm), for all those fond of wool and knitting! And she started a book club and English / French conversation evenings as well (on Thursdays too), together with various workshops (such as children storytelling, Japanese cooking, calligraphy...)"

Cami-Li Books & Tea seems like a truly special place and certainly inhabitants and visitors to Avignon must appreciate having such a wonderful store. Around 80% of the stock comprises of secondhand books, while the rest are new.

Cami-Li Books & Tea
Address: 155 rue Carreterie
84000 Avignon

Website: www.camili-booksandtea.com

Phone and Email:
+33 (0)4.90.27.38.50
camili.avignon@gmail.com

Working Hours:
Tue-Fri 9.30-12.30 and 14-18.30
Sat 10-16

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Panta Rhei, Madrid

2012-10-17T22:34:00.001+02:00

Where? Madrid, Spain

Recommended by Ingrid

Panta Rhei is a specialized bookstore dedicated to the visual arts with emphasis on contemporary culture, graphic design, digital advertising, latest exhibition catalogs, fashion books, special editions, and illustrated children's books along with a gallery specializing in drawing and illustration.

This bookstore is owned by two sisters, Lilo and Ingrid, and their two little four-legged companions, their dogs Frola and Gruby. It started off as a dream of Lilo and Ingrid - for quite some time they had been toying with the idea of opening a bookstore. Not many people are lucky or bold enough to realize their dreams but to these two sisters, the dream came true when in the year 2000 they opened their bookstore (located in Pelayo Street at the time). As it usually happens with small spaces and books, the latter outgrow the former and thus Panta Rhei needed to move to new premises in 2005. And that is their current location, in Calle Hernan Cortes at the very heart of Madrid (in Chueca neighborhood).

So, over the span of just a little over a decade, Panta Rhei has managed to establish itself in Madrid (and the whole of Spain) and it should certainly be the spot when in need of an artsy book. Lilo and Ingrid take very good care of their books and they make sure you find what you are looking for. After all, in today's conditions, with huge chains taking over, independent bookselling is exactly about this - taking care of your customers and going the extra mile for them.

Panta Rhei

Address:
c/ Hernán Cortés 7
28004 Madrid,

Spain

Website: www.panta-rhei.es/

Phone and Email:
+34 91 319 8902
info@panta-rhei.es

Working Hours:
Mon-Fri 10:30-20:30
Sat 11-20:30

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Bookstore Guide Turns 5...

2012-09-30T22:40:00.001+02:00

Bookstore Guide has been around for exactly five years... When we started the blog back in 2007 we had little idea if there were more people out there who enjoyed visiting local bookstores when traveling and who were eager to refill their backpacks with some fresh reading material. During the past five years you've made it perfectly clear that Bookstore Guide has found its own audience and thanks to you, we have discovered many great bookstores all over Europe.

We've also gotten in touch with many interesting people and started several online friendships with fellow booklovers. Working on Bookstore Guide also helped us find the inspiration and courage to start our own bookstore in Bratislava, 11th Floor Books.

This period has been quite difficult for independent bookstores and we also hope that a mention in the Guide has helped some of them spread the word about their existence and has brought in new customers. Initially, many of the bookstores didn't even have their own website and the post on Bookstore Guide was pretty much their only online presence.

Here's a quick test if you belong to newer visitors or if you're familiar with the Guide for some time. If you remember this picture (it was on the site up to September 2008) than you're a part of the old gang...

Over the years the Guide has grown from post number one (The American Book Center in Amsterdam) to include 243 bookstores in 103 European cities. According to data from Google Analytics, the site has attracted almost half a million visitors who logged in from all the countries in the world except for five countries in central Africa and North Korea. Besides regular posts about bookstores, we've also added some new sections. We started off with writing Reports from our bookstore hunting trips to bigger European cities and followed with Top 5s, our personal compilations of the best bookstores from the Guide in selected categories. Later on we also added the Articles section, which holds a series of articles on the current state of independent bookselling, several of them were written by guest bloggers. We also send out a monthly newsletter to which you can subscribe by filling your email address in the box in the left sidebar.

Five years is a long period of time and a lot has changed in our personal lives as well. When we started the blog, we were both students living in two different countries, while today we live together and we both have full-time jobs and also several other projects. As some of you have probably noticed, we used to add bookstores much more often in the past. Yes, this is partly due to the fact that our database has grown in size, but we know best that this situation is mostly caused by our lack of time...

Writing this post made us think not only about the past but also about the future of Bookstore Guide and although we are not happy about the present state of the site, it is a good opportunity for us to realistically evaluate where we'd like to see Bookstore Guide in the upcoming years and how to achieve it. We have several scenarios in our minds but before implementing any major changes we simply need to focus on some maintenance work - updating information about the existing bookstores and patching some errors on the website. The main goal would be to dedicate more time to the Guide, which will not be easy. As this Guide only serves some purpose if it has its audience, we'd also like to turn to you. If you have any comments, questions, recommendations or ideas about where you'd like to see this project heading in the near future, we would love to read them.

Thanks for sticking with us for so long,

Yours, Sonja and Ivan

Tackle and Books, Tobermory

2012-09-28T21:11:00.000+02:00

Where? Tobermory, Scotland, UK

Recommended by Cristina Cona

"Are you going to spend some time on the island of Mull, and wondering whether you’ll have to bring books from the mainland for those long summer nights when you can read by natural light until ten o’clock? Don’t worry: you can get your reading matter from Tackle and Books, in the gorgeous village of Tobermory. The shop is located on the seafront (its red and dark-grey façade appears on a number of postcards) and caters to all kinds of needs. There is first of all the book section, which has a very satisfying choice of both fiction and various aspects of nonfiction (nature guides, local and Scottish interest, children’s books, language – both Scots and Gaelic); there is a stationery and business services section; some CDs and DVDs; an area where you can buy fishing and outdoor tackle, and last but not least, a really invaluable stock of midge machines. At least some BSG readers will regard this as a surprising item for a bookstore, but you must know that midges are a real plague in most parts of Scotland and can make life impossible to walkers, fishermen, nature lovers, and generally anybody who likes to venture out in soft, moist weather. No reading under a tree when the little so-and-so’s are around! So it makes perfect sense to sell these machines alongside the books.”

If choosing a specific area of interest you feel passionate about and specializing in it is the way to go for a bookstore in a competitive metropolitan market, it's most likely not so when your business is located in a small village on an island... So what to do then? Judging by the example of Tackle and Books, if you wish to succeed in an environment like this, you should select the widest range of topics and things you feel passionate about and then get them all under one roof. The common link is clear, as long as there's passion behind it, you have a good chance of surviving.

Besides the incredibly wide offer of this shop it is also quite famous for its location. Tackle and Books was established some 30 years ago in premises which previously housed a butcher, a baker, a chemist and a grocer and they kept some of the original furniture. As the shop is among the colorful houses lining the harbor, it can be spotted on most photographs of the town of Tobermory.

Tackle and Books
Address:
7 Main Street
Tobermory
Isle of Mull
Scotland

United Kingdom

Website: http://www.tackleandbooks.co.uk

Phone and Email:
01688 302 336.
info@tackleandbooks.co.uk

Working Hours: unknown

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Bókin, Reykjavik

2012-08-29T15:32:00.007+02:00

Where? Reykjavik, Iceland

Visited: July 2012

Although several guides do mention Bókin as one of many Reykjavik's used bookshops, Bókin certainly took us by surprise. The air of old books, stale yet alluring, invites you to browse through this antique book heaven. The name of the bookstore translates to, simply, 'the book' and it's located on the corner of Klapparstig and Hverfisgata, just one turn off Laugavegur, Reykjavik's busiest shopping/tourist street.

At first sight, the bookstore doesn't seem as big, as it's windows are stuffed with books, not allowing you a good glimpse inside. Once in, you will probably be amazed at how many books can fit in - although, mind you, the premises of the store are not small at all. The first room is occupied by, mostly, English and foreign language literature (other languages being Italian or French here and there) while the second, bigger one, carries Icelandic books (together with some Danish or other Scandinavian languages). These are then further sorted by categories, although you can find quite a few English books in these categories as well. So, as you see, the whole stock is not as neatly as organized as you'd expect (languages mingle, books lie on top of one another, are still stored in boxes - but you're free to browse) so you're very much likely to spend hours in the store. An interesting section, worth of a mention, is the Norse mythology section in which some books in Old Norse can be found. The owner, an elderly gentleman, sits behind the till minding his own business but is likely to help you out if you ask. As for the prices, the English books were within a very acceptable 2-6 EUR range.

Bókin's whole ambiance is also very interesting. Besides the books all sorts of mysterious items abide. So you'll find anything from old newspaper clippings that date even to pre-WW2, peculiar looking ceramic clowns, portraits of movie stars and all sorts of antique-looking objects which befit a store of such caliber.

Bókin was founded in Reykjavik in 1964 by Gudmundur Egil but throughout the years it changed many owners only to be bought by Gisli Ari Bragason in 1997, who has owned it ever since. Perhaps an interesting fact from Bókin's history is that it was Bobby Fischer's favorite bookstore ever since his 1972 victory in Iceland over Boris Spassky. Bókin is the place where he would spend hours, just sitting in the back of the store. It is also said that in the last years of his life, when Bobby became paranoid and refused to have his mail delivered to his home, he picked it up at no place other than the store. The last time Bobby Fischer visited Bókin was October 2005.

Bókin
Address:
Klapparstíg 25-27
101 Reykjavík

Website: http://www.bokin.is/

Phone and Email:
+354 - 552 1710
bokin@simnet.is

Working Hours:
Mon-Fri 11-18
Sat 12-17

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English Books, Berlin

2012-07-23T14:08:00.005+02:00

Where? Berlin, Germany

Recommended by Michaela

Michaela said: "The southwest of Berlin may seem a little removed from the hustle and bustle, but very conveniently located on the ground floor of an international hostel Residenz 2000."

Berlin is quite a literary city and very very friendly towards the English speaking reader. With many bookstores in the very city center, there certainly a lack of books in the wider part of the city - this is where English Books steps in. This bookstore has indeed done some “intersection hopping” at the Unter den Eichen/ Drakestrasse/ Habelschwerdter Allee crossroads in the past 35 years. Originally under the name of Buchexpress and located next door to the English Institute of the Free University, it was founded by two students in 1977, when obtaining books meant driving your station wagon across to the UK and back again, this time jam-packed with books to sell. It thrived at a time when studying literature and languages was popular and reading lists were long, when you still needed printed dictionaries, when the allied forces ordered books for libraries, and when public and scientific libraries still had a decent budget. Importing new books from the UK as well as the US was a highly specialized business, and the original founder and owner Peter Michael Schuer has been nothing short of an expert. He has great knowledge of literature, and knows exactly which language guides, grammar books and dictionaries are of good quality, and he has a great knack for finding suitable educational titles as well as bargains.

About two thirds of the shop floor are new books, and one third, the “used book chamber”, are second-hand. English Books in Berlin stocks both fiction and non-fiction books, children’s books and young adults’ books, learning and teaching English, literary and linguistic theory and history. They also provide books and educational material for a quite large English-speaking community in Berlin’s southwest. Recently they have even started offering English language courses and book chats in the Book Chamber with university docent Terence Oldani. Plus, you can get coffee anywhere, but at our shop you can get a real cup of tea and a biscuit.

English Books has to move several times during its long history. Currently, they are located at the bottom of a hostel, just three minutes walk from S1 S-Bahn, which will take you the the city center in 20 minutes. English Books also have a Facebook page, so make sure you check it out as well.

English Books
Address:
Unter den Eichen 96
12205 Berlin

Website: http://english-books.net16.net/

Phone and Email:
(030) 831 4004
books22@gmx.de

Working Hours:
Mon-Fri 10-18
Sat 10-13

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MiCamera, Milan

2012-06-30T13:44:00.009+02:00

Where? Milan, Italy

Recommended by Giulia Zorzi

Giulia said: "I would like to mention a bookstore, specialized in photography and based in Milan, in the ISOLA neighbourhood - near the Garibaldi Railway Station. [There is also] a little gallery, also dedicated to photography."

Bookstore Guide always welcomes additions that are 'out of the ordinary' - well, MiCamera is certainly a bookstore of such kind. It specializes solely in photography and lens-based arts. It is the first of such kind in Italy and, as such, it is very unique and precious to photography-loving people not just from Italy but from all around the globe. The stock of MiCamera comprises of thousands of titles (some claim there there are over 5.000), most of which are in Italian but also many English and other international editions (such as French and German, for example). The bookstore is also accompanied by a gallery in which various exhibitions (of course, photography) are held on a regular basis.

In their stock you'll find almost anything you're looking for as long as it has to do at least something with photography. Therefore you may encounter for example, Italian photography, rare and out-of-print editions, books on landscapes, photojournalism, fashion and celebrities, collections by various authors and also various books signed by the authors/artists, just to name a few. The whole list of categories to browse through can be found on the bookstore's website.

MiCamera also ships worldwide so you don't have to go to Milan if you happen to find a book you want. Although, the experience of browsing through your favorite pastime (or perhaps obsession?) is something that is certainly not to be missed. For those who are not likely to stop in this bookstore in the near future but would still like to be surrounded by these gems, here's a little YouTube video / tour guide of the store. Photography paradise some might say.

MiCamera
Address
Via Medardo Rosso, 19
Milano

Website: http://www.micamera.com/

Phone and Email:
+39245481569
info@micamera.com

Working Hours:
Wed-Sat 10-19

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Librairie des Archives, Paris

2012-05-28T13:12:00.003+02:00

Where? Paris, France

Recommended by Olivia Farkas

Olivia said: "Concerning Paris you should check out this link: librairiedesarchives.com/ It is really a great bookstore, specialized in XX Century Art, Design, Fashion...They have books from all around the world and most of them are out of print. They are no always cheap (although they also have some remainders) but they really have one of Paris's greatest selection. Concerning the books, apparently about 550 of them are in English on the site (more in the store I guess). If you go on the home page and type "anglais" that means English in the search engine (down right) all the English Books will pop up."

It's common knowledge that French people are usually stereotyped for being ignorant when it comes to English, sometimes going as far as to even refusing to speak the language even though they understand it. Well, the number of recommendations, together with our own "French" experience certainly deny this stereotype, for Paris, at least, is a very diverse and English-language 'librarie' rich city. The new addition, although its French to English language books ratio is considerably different, gains in value due to its specialization: Librairie des Archives is completely devoted to 20th Century Art (fine arts, decorative arts, etc) and is accompanied by various books on 20th century fashion and jewelry. The stock of the bookstore covers the new releases, but also remainders at more favorable prices as well as rare and out of print titles.

This bookstore, established in 2002, is an independent one and it's located in what seems to be an old (no longer in use, of course) hat factory in the heart of the historic district of the Marais right next to the Musée Picasso, the Centre Georges Pompidou and many art galleries. Its location makes it a perfect stop on your way to or from an art exhibition. Librairie des Archives is certainly a good place to find inspiration, learn something new, something useful as well as trivial in the field of art.

Librairie des Archives
Address:
83, rue Vieille du Temple
75003 Paris

Website: http://www.librairiedesarchives.com/

Phone and Email:
+33 (0)1 42 72 13 58
info@librairiedesarchives.com

Working Hours:
Tue-Sat 13-19
N.B. Closed during 1 month in the summer
(usually last week of July and first 3 weeks of August
and also between Christmas and the New Year's Eve)

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Automatic Style Generator for Blurbs

2012-05-21T10:46:00.001+02:00

By guest blogger Cristina Cona

Cristina is Italian, lives in Brussels, and has been an enthusiastic reader since the age of three. She likes to combine books and travelling, and would find any city trip incomplete without a visit to one or (preferably) more local bookshops. What else could she do but contribute to Bookstore Guide?

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It's been a while since we've added an article and we have to say that we've been especially looking forward to this one. The whole idea came from our friend and Bookstore Guide contributor Cristina Cona who sent us a link to this great article about the history of blurbs which appeared in The Millions back in February.

Since this is not a typical article, as it wasn't written as such, instead of a proper introduction we offer you an excerpt from our email exchange:

Cristina to BSG: "Now, blurbs: I don’t know how you feel about them, but if there is ONE thing that puts me off buying a book it’s seeing, on its cover, the kind of gushing tripe that publishers feel they have to provide by way of a recommendation. You know, things like “magnificent”, “exquisite”, “dazzlingly evocative”, “utterly haunting”, when all they mean is “this book is OK”. My pet hates are “a tour de force” and “s/he writes like an angel”: oh PUH-LEEZ !!!"

In case you were wondering - we feel just the same... After a few funny emails we found out that Cristina's interest in this topic motivated her to create her very own Automatic Style Generator for Blurbs (ASGB) which will surely put many professional blurb writers out of work. So without further ado, we proudly present the utterly dazzling Automatic Style Generator for Blurbs in world premiere right here on Bookstore Guide! Does this sound too pompous? Well it should, this is an article about blurbs after all!

Automatic Style Generator for Blurbs

By combining any one of the six cells in the first column with any one of the six cells in each of the columns 2,3,4,5 and 6, you can generate the perfect blurb, time and time again. No need to read the books!

Exquisite, riveting, awesome. A masterpiece.	An author of such monumental storytelling prowess, the only meaningful comparison we can draw is one with	Tolstoy. Like him, X (insert name of author) is one of those (increasinglyrare) writers who manage	to convey all the bewildering complexity of the world as we find it, with	enviable poise, an unfailing ear for dialogue,and an unequalled lyric touch.	This is the novel of the century. It will change your life in more ways than one.
An utterly dazzling page- turner.	Faced with such a phenomenal accomplishment, one is irresistibly reminded of	Proust. The same unerring touch, wealth of imaginative detail and seductive narrative impulse combine	to fashion an indelible portrait of our times with	an insider’s knowledge of what it really means to be alive.	Nobody could write this stuff without a degree of awareness that borders on the divine.
Heart-stoppingly beautiful.	X (insert name of author) writes like an angel. Reading this luscious, unputdownable book is akin to revisiting the best of	Joyce. Both authors bring to the page a rare, lucid, gracious wisdom and a sharpness of textual exploration that enable them to a unique degree	to handle (and celebrate) the most intractable challenges and existential concerns with	a quiet power of description, an instinctive apprehension of the most finite nuances of behaviour, a sensitivity to compositional values, that literally bowl you over.	This is one of contemporary literature’s most dazzling works ofgenius, staggering in its relentless focus on the postmodern Zeitgeist, yet intensely readable.
A stunning tour de force. Self-evidently a modern classic.	It made me laugh and cry by turns until I could laugh and cry no more – a reaction I’d only ever had before when reading (or should I say: conversing with?)	Nabokov. Such giants of literature never fail to conjure up a tirelessly magical atmosphere where the music of perfectly articulated rhythms and cadences unfolds	to shed new and memorable light on life as a quest and on literature as a testament to the power of memory, with	a mystically suffused, compassionate, in-depth exploration of what goes into the heart of human relationships.	If you read only one book this year, do yourself a favour and make sure it is (insert title).
Brilliantly evocative, powerfully atmospheric.	An amazing combination of richly multilayered texture and sublime delicacy - we hadn’t seen anything like it since	George Eliot. You can feel her hand in the sheer narrative drive, the dazzling fluidity of style, the seemingly effortless ability	to conjure up a feast of epiphanies that instantly enlighten, disturb and enthrall with	astounding turns of phrase such as will inevitably resonate with the reader as infinitely precious verbal dreamscapes.	I could truthfully say that I hadn’t enjoyed a novel so much in years. But then, this is more than just a novel: it is the place where heaven and earth meet. Or collide.
Compelling to a nail-biting degree, and almost unbearably moving.	So masterfully written, so rich and vibrant a tale; such an unerring gift for characterisation; such astonishing insights into what it means to construct an ethos for the 21st century – a talent to match the mindset of	Musil, in whose footsteps X (insert name of author) follows, not last in his/her magnificent knack for dialogue and uncanny power	to weave a seamless texture of images that engage the reader’s emotions to an almost supernatural degree, spinning a wistful, consistent parable with	a refreshing mixture of lightness and meaning, zest and impish humour, elegance and meticulous crafting.	Reading these miraculous pages, you’ll have to remind yourself to keep breathing.

Elephant Bookstore, Sofia

2012-04-29T23:11:00.004+02:00

Where? Sofia, Bulgaria

Recommended by Kris from Sofia

Kris said: "Elephant Bookstore (no relation to Barcelona's Elephant Books, apparently - which I sadly never managed to visit) is a newly opened second-hand English bookstore in Sofia. Located in the arty Tea House on Georgi Benkovsky Str. 11, this small bookstore is charm itself. You have to go through the actual tea house, past the bar and into a blue corridor. And there it is: a single tiny room, overflowing with books and warmth. Immediately the urge to dive in is irresistible and you are almost always certain to come out with an unexpected treasure in your grasp. What it lacks in floor space it makes up in height, with books climbing and shoring up the ceiling itself. The books are strictly second-hand and strictly in English. This means that prices on offer are very friendly (generally between the 2-4 € range). Despite its humble size, the bookstore has admirable diversity, including some quality non-fiction and modern literature books, which are otherwise nearly impossible to find in Sofia (and even if you do, they would be at least three times the price)."

The services of The Elephant Bookstore are not limited to Sofia. They engage all their fans on their Facebook site and more importantly, also offer the possibility to order books online through their website, which are delivered all over Bulgaria at a very reasonable shipping price. The bookstore is run by two people, Max Breeds, an English expat in Bulgaria since 2005 and Antonia Tosheva, a local enthusiast of the English literature and language, which seems to be just the right combination. They opened The Elephant Bookstore in Sofia in December of 2011, after already having acquired some experience with running the first Elephant Bookstore in the town of Yablanitsa, 80 km east of Sofia.

Although this bookstore is far from huge, the stock of ca. 10 thousand books makes it the undisputed top source of books in English in Bulgaria and perhaps even beyond. The bookstore seems to fit perfectly within the Tea House and will surely make the visitors stay longer. Another advantage of this combination is the long working hours, so you can drop by after work for a cup of tea and some browsing without any rush. Judging by the enthusiastic online reactions a bookstore of this kind is what many people in Sofia have been longing for and the fact that The Elephant Bookstore provides a quality selection of titles in English at accessible prices in a very charming location proves that good things are really worth waiting for.

Address:
Elephant Bookstore
11 Georgi Benkovski Street
Sofia 1000
Bulgaria

Website: http://elephantbookstore.com

Phone and Email:
Max +359 (0)885 902 913
Antonina +359 (0)887 607 471
Matt +359 (0)886 373 851
elephantbookshop@gmail.com

Working Hours:
Tue-Fri 12-21
Sat-Sun 11-20

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Travel Bookstore, Athens

2012-03-31T21:03:00.009+02:00

Where? Athens, Greece

Recommended by Artemis Blatsi

Artemis said: "I was going through your amazingly helpful site on bookstores around Europe and reading the section on Athens I thought that maybe you would find our store to be of interest to your readers.

We are a bookshop specialised in travel guides and maps of Greece as well as of all international destinations. We have a great variety of editions in Greek, English, French, German, Spanish from companies such as Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, DK, Insight, Michelin, Hachette, Baedeker, Jana Seta, Cicerone, Hallwag, Marco Polo and many others."

Although Greece has been hitting the headlines for completely different reasons in the recent past, the current crisis is just a small dark spot in the history of a country which is the cradle of European civilization. Travel Bookstore (or formerly known as Road Travel Bookstore) has been on the Greek bookstore scene for the past 12 years or so, having been established in 2000. It is also a part of a publishing house that has been in business since 2001. During this period, the bookstore has developed and grown into an establishment well-known and respected throughout the country. In 2011, they have expanded by opening another Travel Bookstore in eastern Attica.

Travel Bookstore holds books in Greek and English, and not only maps and travel guides but also a huge range of travel literature as well as travel DVDs and various accessories and gadgets. It's been praised for its very much affordable prices, friendly atmosphere and, if you shop via their online store, you get an additional 10% discount!

Travel Bookstore
Address:
71 Solonos str
10679 Athens

Website: www.travelbookstore.gr

Phone and Email:
+30210 3616943
info@travelbookstore.gr

Working Hours:
Mon-Wed-Sat 8:30-16:30
Tue-Thu-Fri 8:30-20:30

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My Back Pages, London

2012-02-29T21:44:00.011+01:00

Where? London, England, UK

Recommended by Jodie from London

Jodie said: "You MUST visit 'My Back Pages' in Balham, opposite the station. It's my favourite bookshop, I spend at least an hour a week in there and I live round the corner."

Located in what is known as 'Greater London', My Back Pages is definitely worth taking the trip with "the tube". Get off at Balham Station (located less than 100 meters away) or Tooting Bec Station (some 200m) and you certainly won't regret it. The neighborhood is also known for its small restaurants, grocery stores and cafes. But apart from them all, there is this little singular bookstore - a perfect hide-away for all book lovers.

My Back Pages is an independent store and mostly holds secondhand books but you can also find some new ones and even those rare and out-of-print antiques. Make sure you check out the shelves thoroughly as sometimes there are several rows of books stacked on one shelf. Used fiction is divided into different geographic areas, together with travel writing, while new books have their own space right near the entrance. New stock comes in almost every day and apparently, the prices are more than fair (favorable even), as the owner always makes sure to compare the prices of the books online. With categories ranging from history, social science, art, and even an extensive selection of cook books, you'll surely be bound to find something that interests you. We only managed to find one tiny drawback to this almost-perfect book haven: considering that the store has an online book service where a book can be ordered for you, it makes it kind of strange for My Back Pages not to have a website of its own (do let us know if we're wrong).

My Back Pages
Address:
8-10 Balham Station Road
London SW12 9SG

Website: none
FaceBook page:http://www.facebook.com/mybackpagesbookshop

Phone and Email:
020 8675 9346
douglasjeffers@aol.com

Working Hours:
Mon-Sat 10-19
Sun 11-18

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The Book Exchange, Amsterdam

2012-02-20T20:44:00.011+01:00

Where? Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Recommended by Kasper Nijsen

Kasper: "Located just off Dam Square and close to the famous red lights district, The Book Exchange is undoubtedly Amsterdam’s best second-hand store for English books. The owner has packed his small grachtenpand (‘canal residence’) with a widely varied range of English titles: up front there is an excellent (if rather pricey) selection of hard back novels, as well as a considerable collection of poetry and literary criticism. The fiction section continues in the back, where the walls are lined with affordable paperbacks of all sorts. Below there are some more specialized sections, including many psychology books, some biographies, travel books, and lots of fantasy stuff. Apparently as a side-thought, some French and German books are on offer as well.

Add to this the welcoming owner, some intriguing literary photographs behind the cash desk (including one of Henry Miller), and it is clear that there’s no better place to go in Amsterdam to buy English used books – or to sell your own. And last but not least: as of today (January 2012), The Book Exchange also has the best selection of Bob Dylan books you will find in a long while – sold in one batch by one of his biggest fans…"

We have to say that our first reaction after reading this recommendation was huge disappointment - disappointment for having missed this bookstore during our visit of Amsterdam. The Book Exchange has been in business since 1978, which is even more impressive and inspiring since, as the website states, it's a one-man business. Although its history counts more than three decades, it not only has a website but also a lively Facebook page where the owner posts recommendations from his stock on daily basis. Thousands of books are neatly arranged into categories and you can even check the the different sections of the bookstore on their website along with photos. Considering the number of books on stock and the fact that they're spread over three floors, the level of organization and the neatness of the interior are really amazing. All in all, it's a place we definitely want to see when we get a chance to be in Amsterdam again.

Address:
The Book Exchange
Kloveniersburgwal 58
1012 CX Amsterdam

Website: http://www.bookexchange.nl/

Phone and Email:
0206266266
sales@bookexchange.nl

Working Hours:
Mon-Sat 10-18
Sun 11:30-16

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Hurlingham Books, London

2012-02-01T16:37:00.011+01:00

Where? London, England, UK

Recommended by Claudio Sansone

Claudio said: "Hurlingham books is my latest discovery in London bookshops and in one visit it has easily outweighed the long travel (long story, don't ask) I had to undertake to reach it. It is situated in Fulham right next to Putney Bridge tube stop, and is generally (read: when not being stupid like I was) very accessible from anywhere in the center of London in less than 20 minutes. The shopping starts outside the store with stacks and stacks of wonderful paperbacks being placed in 10foot piles with their spine showing against the window! Inside, the amount of books in a relatively small space is staggering, and the loosely organized feel actually makes shopping more of a pleasure because of the constant surprises (the presentation of the books is done in such a way as to somehow be intuitively clear...). The shop has a whole host of fiction, poetry and general interest books but unlike most London bookshops the shopping doesn't end there!

By request/arrangement one can ask to be taken to the warehouse (I was actually picked up and driven by the kind owner, Ray, but the walk would have been brief and pleasant through Fulham). Once there you are escorted below ground to 5 or 6 rooms stacked (walls and center, creating interesting labyrinthine shopping patterns) with the widest selection of books I have ever seen -- perhaps rivaled in quality/quantity only by Skoob. And these are not just rooms, a few of them are veritable halls! There are huge selections of everything; just to name the most impressive sections; modern firsts, classical lit, poetry, psychology/sociology, painting, 18thc/19thc novels...I could go on and on...essentially a huge treat of a trip. There's even the possibility of having your own "box" in the warehouse where you can keep books you're not entirely sure you want to purchase for a future visit! Highly recommended!"

It is difficult to add anything to the wonderful and most informative recommendation by Claudio, so we'll just stick to the bare facts. Hurlingham Books has been a part of the Fulham bookshop scene for almost four decades and their stock counts more than a million books! Currently, they are working on updating their website which should soon feature a full database of their stock (an based on Claudio's description, this is not an easy task...). They have a special 'book finder' so in case your looking for something specific, and hard to find, this might be the right place. Also, this is very likely the only bookshop where you can spend an hour browsing without actually entering - just check their window display...

Address:
Hurlingham Books
91 Fulham High Street
London, SW6 3JS

Website: http://www.hurlinghambooks.com/

Phone and Email:
+44(0)777 553 1590
+44(0)207 736 4363
Warehouse: +44(0)207 371 5426
ray@hurlinghambooks.com
hurlinghambooks@gmail.com

Working Hours:
to be added

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Alta Via, Antwerp

2012-01-11T20:15:00.007+01:00

Where? Antwerp, Belgium

Recommended by Dirk Van Den Berghe

Dirk said: "I would like to recommend a new travelbookstore in Antwerp, Belgium. An international range of travelbooks in Dutch, English, French and German. Lots of maps for walking and cycling. In a cosy atmosphere with hard wood shelves and chairs where you can talk to other people with a cup of coffee..."

Alta Via is an independent travel bookstore with an ecological vision - it offers a wide range of guidebooks, maps and all sorts of things one might possibly need during a trip. These come in a variety of languages: Dutch, French, German and, of course, English. Here you can find publishers such as the classics Lonely Planet, Time Out, Eyewitness, Frommer but also the less known ones such as Moon, Jonglez, Cadogan, and many many more. And the ecological part? Alta Via donates 5% of their earnings to CompenCO2, a non-profit environmental organization. Furthermore, the shop is decorated with recycled wood scaffolding, painted with ecological paint, does not give away any plastic bags and, needless to add, uses energy efficient appliances and light bulbs. The owners, reportedly, always take the bus or bike to get to work.

The good people of Alta Via have based their bookstore on the principles of contemporary philosopher Alain de Botton, which he explored in his book The Art of Travel. De Botton argues that people travel in order to find out "why", to explore their own curiosity - and Alta Via can certainly help you in this exploration.

The owners of Alta Via are definitely no newbies. Xavier has been a cyclist for years and he even cycled several continents on his bike, while Dirk's passion towards flora and fauna has led him to his trekking adventures in Europe. Therefore, be certain that, if you ever wander into this store, you won't leave disappointed. They take pride in their store because it's not only a place to get quality resources for your travels but also a place where you can meet different people, exchange ideas and travel experience (even over a cup of coffee, Oxfam fair trade organic, of course). Alta Via is indeed a bookstore with a consciousness. Also, check out the bookstore's promo on YouTube.

Alta Via
Address
Nassaustraat 29
2000 Antwerpen, Belgium

Website: http://www.altaviatravelbooks.be

Phone and Email:
03/293 87 33
info@altaviatravelbooks.be

Working Hours:
Mon-Sat 10-17:30
Thur 10-13 and 14-19.30

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The Secret Book & Record Store, Dublin

2011-12-26T11:01:00.006+01:00

Where? Dublin, Ireland

Recommended by Claudio Sansone

Claudio said: "Set in the very centre of Dublin this wonderful shop has both a large and high quality range. You can find near-all genres but the fiction section is very very abundant. Philosophy and History also promise something interesting for any visitor. The prices are as low as you are going to get in Dublin, or lower across the board. It's a must-visit for any keen book-buyer as this store is all that's best in book buying also through the wonderful atmosphere created by the illusion that it might actually be a secret store -- and by the wonderfully helpful and friendly staff. They also buy books at reasonable prices or offer an excellent value in-store credit alternative (better than Chapters by far)."

Books and music is a combination we appreciate in any setting. Since you're reading about this store here on Bookstore Guide, it's obvious that it's not the best kept secret in Dublin, but read on and you'll probably agree with us, that it's for the better. So what about the secretive aspect of this bookstore? The store is not easy to find as it's hidden in Wicklow street where it shares an entrance with a yoga center. According to our research, it's very easy to miss it even when you walk right by it. Another interesting piece of information mentions that they used to (perhaps they still do) pay a man to sit in front of the store with a sign in his hand. Surely an interesting marketing strategy. Another thing that adds to the secrecy is the fact that The Secret Book & Record Store has no website, although they do have a Facebook page (see link below).

Those who do find their way in are rewarded by discovering a great secondhand bookstore which shares the premises with a used record store. A combination which is described as the best browse in Dublin. A great offer, friendly prices and the welcoming atmosphere have all attracted a faithful clientele which is not put off by the store's motto: "Abandon hope all ye who enter". We ourselves would be more than willing to accept this condition as The Secret Book & Record Store is the kind of place where we'd surely spend several hours...

The Secret Book & Record Store
Address:
15a Wicklow Street
Dublin

Website:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Secret-Book-and-Record-Store/124706510933587

Phone and Email:
016 797272
no email

Working Hours:
Mon-Wed 11-18:30
Thu 11-19:30
Fri-Sun 11-18:30

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Sweny, Dublin

2011-11-27T21:16:00.010+01:00

Where? Dublin, Ireland

Recommended by Cristina Cona

Cristina said: "Located in the heart of literary Dublin, Sweny’s pharmacy is known to Ulysses aficionados as the place where Leopold Bloom goes to have a lotion made, admires the wares displayed on the shelves and buys a bar of lemon soap. The pharmacy had opened for business in 1853; it kept going until 2009, when it would have closed for good and probably gone the same way as other shops nearby, most of which seem to have turned into rather soulless coffee- or juice-bars. Fortunately, a group of volunteers decided to keep it and its spirit alive, and now the premises double as a small bookshop, a venue for cultural events, particularly readings from Joyce’s works on several days a week, and a place where one can buy both vintage jewellery and the famous soap.

The stock is not large, consisting mainly of second-hand books: Irish literature, history and politics. However the shop, which apparently has not changed since Bloomsday 1904, has a charming interior, the volumes for sale are interesting, and you can find very unusual and rarely-seen volumes there. As for the soap, I can confirm it’s got a beautiful scent and feels smooth and delicious!”

There's not much to add to the wonderful recommendation by our friend Cristina. It's very nice to see that special places immortalized in the work of fiction do survive over time and in fact pay their debt back to the author, by serving as some kind of a very lively and cheerful monument to his work and life. And all that thanks to a bar of soap...
"Mr. Bloom raised a cake to his nostrils. Sweet lemony wax. I'll take this one, he said." Ulysses, James Joyce

Sweny
Address:
1 Lincoln Place
Dublin 2

Website: http://www.sweny.ie

Phone and Email:
swenyspharmacy@gmail.com

Working Hours:
Mon-Sat 10-17

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Mint Vinetu, Vilnius

2011-11-13T15:21:00.010+01:00

Where? Vilnius, Lithuania

Recommended by Natalia from Bratislava

Natalia said: "Being on a cycling trip visiting many places in Lithuania and exploring Vilnius made me visit several shops and small stores in the capital. This beautiful and cozy place, where the city center belongs to the UNESCO, is full of timeless shops. One of it was MINT VINETU - a bookstore which made me stop for a while. The store was divided into two sections, one offering Lithuanian books, other English books. Friendly atmosphere was also created by comfortable seating and an English speaking young fan of second hand books watching 'How I Met Your Mother'."

Mint Vinetu is certainly a specific bookstore, with specific crowd, stock and services. The name also reveals that Mint is also about tea, which you can sip while reading your books, even if it is cinnamon over mint that you prefer. We haven't, however, been able to solve the mystery behind the presence of Vinetu (Winnetou), the legendary last chief of the Mescalero Apaches tribe immortalized in the books of Karl May, in the name of the bookstore. Yet he is there, also embellishing the logo of the store.

"Mint Vinetu is a bookshop of used books, where good people meet", as is stated on their website. This bookstore specializes in secondhand books in both English and Lithuanian. but they offer a selection of titles in Russian, German, French, Italian, Spanish or Polish as well. The selection, people argue, may be small but it's "best anybody's managed to do so far" is what one review said. The prices of English books usually range from 3 to 5 EUR, though some more expensive pieces can be found. The friendly staff will also buy books from you, if you are willing to sell, that is - travelers passing through Vilnius can use this opportunity to exchange the books they've read and get a 50% discount in Mint Vinetu. What is also interesting about Mint Vinetu is that several months ago they launched a campaign, titled Become Someone Else, which became ubiquitously known for its originality. You can check it out HERE.

Mint Vinetu
Address:
Šv. Ignoto 16/10
Vilnius, Lithuania

Website: http://mintvinetu.com/

Phone and Email:
+370 618 20 347
info@mintvinetu.com

Working Hours:
Monday-Sunday 11-20

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The Publisher’s Role in the Emerging eBook Market

2011-10-30T10:38:00.005+01:00

By guest blogger Abigail Rhodes

In the second and final part of her article focused on the changes occurring in the publishing business with the expansion of eBooks, our friend Abi Rhodes takes a closer look at the questions and challenges related to publishing eBooks from the financial point of view, as she considers the pros and cons from the perspective of the author as well as the small publisher. In case you have missed the first part which dealt with the profile of eBook readers, eBooks market penetration and the potential of eBooks on the book market in general, you can find it HERE.

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The idea of an eBook isn’t new to the book trade and, as noted, they presently only represent a small percentage of the market. According to market research and general opinion there is no fear that paperback/hardback books are about to disappear overnight, but it seems that the new generation of consumers are enjoying digital editions of books and feel that they complement traditional formats.

However, the digital environment is different to the paper and ink environment for many reasons, not least the new source of revenue/income it can generate. For example, an eBook is a digital file that requires no physical storage and it can be reused infinitely to supply as many customers as possible. For specialist publishers there is the added advantage of being able to supply individual chapters of a title for a low price. This would generate income and provide the consumer with the exact section they want, which is particularly attractive to students.

But where to start! It is worth thinking about how/where you will make your eBooks. For example, will you outsource it and ask an established printer with eBook making facilities to make your electronic books for you or are you willing to spend time and resources making them yourself? Do your authors want their books making into eBooks? What changes would need to be made to contracts with authors? And, if you do decide to make them how are you going to price/distribute them? And, will these new editions need new ISBNs?

I shall try to answer these questions one by one. The process of making an eBook is quite a complex one that requires a working knowledge of HTML. It is a technical process – which can be learnt, but perhaps for some this is not desirable. There is the option of outsourcing your eBook creation to a printer who already has this working knowledge and simply pay for their time. On average, for a simple 200page text only book with minimal footnotes it would take an experienced person 8 hours to create a validated eBook. So, depending on the hourly rate it might be ideal for some publishers to outsource this, but of course this eats into any profit that might be made. However, the beauty of an eBook is that this charge would be a one off – you need only create one file and that file can be distributed infinitely with no reprinting costs, which means the profit in the long run would be all yours, or the authors’.

If you publish many different authors’ titles it would be a good idea to find out their opinion on eBooks and whether they would like to see their work digitized. By communicating with your authors in this way you can begin to find out if you should be making steps towards a digital front list and start to put in to place any new sections that might need to be added to contracts.

Now, I am not a legal person, and I am certainly not the authority on contracts, plus this is a very new field but I will try to explain the information I have come across. To enable eBooks to be distributed, further negotiations are required with regard to the right to distribute an author’s work. In many cases publishers only have the rights for printed and audio content and so, according to PwC most of the big publishing houses are deciding to digitize most of their front list, including current bestsellers and, to the extent that they own the rights, are also opening up parts of their backlist for electronic sales. It might be advisable to ensure that any future contract with an author contains a clause about electronic rights.

It is possible that authors may decide to go it alone with their e-content and, for those of you amongst us, here are a couple of pros and cons of this. Firstly, the main reason to publish your own eBooks is that it is possible you would receive more money in the long run if you make, market and distribute your own content. The cons are that you would be unable to access publishers’ editing, marketing and distribution services, plus all fees would need to be stumped up personally and not by your publishing house! And, finally distributing content yourself is a lot easier if you are someone like Stephen King!

What kind of return can be expected from your eBooks? Well, since the advent of the iPad the industry seems to be following the Agency Pricing Model, which means if you decide to sell with an online retailer such as the iBookstore or Amazon (I will later tell you how to get on to these major retailers) then you, as the publisher fix the price and will receive up to 70% of the net revenue. But what does this actually mean? How much is an eBook retailing for?

At present there is no set price for an eBook but it seems the industry is generally choosing a price of 20-30% less than that of the paperback edition. Both consumers and publishers agree that an eBook should be priced lower than its physical counterpart, because it is a virtual product and consumers believe the costs involved in producing one is/should be small. As I have mentioned already, the cost of creating an eBook is a one off cost as there are no reprint, shipping and storage costs, but I have not yet reached the moment when I tell you there is an added cost to your eBooks and it is a Value Added cost! Yes, you have to pay VAT on all eBook sales! The reason for the different taxation is that tax law treats the digital book at the point at which it is downloaded or read online as a service that is rendered electronically and not as a cultural asset. So, it would seem tax law is based on the type of distribution (downloaded/online) and not on the product to be taxed. As the eBook industry becomes more prolific it might be possible, with some petitions, that tax law could be changed! Another cost is that of supplying ISBNs. It is required that each eBook has its own ISBN, which means you would need to provide up to three ISBNs for the one title – hardback, paperback and eBook.

I now turn to just the pricing and distribution of eBooks. So far I have outlined some costs: creating the eBook, pricing it at around 20-30% lower than its paperback counterpart, giving it a new ISBN, writing new contracts and paying VAT, which is all beside the usual costs of paying your authors and marketing the book. If you then add to these the hefty discount of 60% demanded by big online retailers the profit gained from an eBook starts to seem small.
However, over the longer term the profit will rise due to no reprinting/shipping/storage costs and I have already mentioned some returns – namely the 70% royalty you will get if you decide to sell with a major eBook distributor.

The future

After reading some of the latest reports about the future of the eBook market and keeping up to date with newspaper reports on the subject I’ve found the general consensus to be that eBooks are NOT about to replace traditional bound books. If radio, cinema and vinyl collecting have survived the digital television and music revolution, so too will the book. Old habits die-hard and people continue to enjoy books – the look of them on their shelves, the feel of them in their hands and this is not about to change anytime soon. However, the latest developments in technology, such as smartphones, eReaders, tablets and the prolific use of the internet will change the landscape within which books are situated. There is a new digital territory being built and the traditional book industry would be well advised to explore it and its potential.

From a publisher’s perspective, eBooks can be considered as a nice addition to a title list and will provide customers with a choice. As customers are becoming increasingly more aware of eReaders and their potential uses they are more inclined to read on them and, as a consequence, customer’s shopping-habits are evolving to embrace online shopping more readily. With this in mind, eReader developers have designed their products to include WiFi and 3G, which makes it easier for people to purchase books directly onto their devices from almost anywhere!

The eBook market is now getting stronger. eBooks are being discussed more frequently and by more people, which inevitably means a growth in the number of people who a) know about them and b) are willing to purchase them. In the report I read by PricewaterhouseCoopers, it was suggested that the projected growth of the eBook market in the US will be 22.5% of all sales by the year 2015 with 14.5% being the figure for the UK market.

With this predicted change in the book market how should the small publisher respond? Do we want to join the digital revolution? Personally, I believe it can’t hurt the small publisher to get involved with this new aspect of the book industry – to provide an electronic copy of a future or existing title won’t cost a huge amount and might actually benefit a business. The digital transformation is underway and it would be good to be a part of it. It might seem a little risky at first to develop eBooks alongside physical stock – after all it will incur extra expense if you cannot digitise your books in house or have the facilities to sell them once they have been created – but the cost of converting titles are relatively low compared to printing a book and usually represent a one-off cost. Perhaps an experiment with a strong selling title would be a good way of gauging your entry into the digital world of eBooks.

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Images used:
1: http://cac.ophony.org/2011/10/28/how-disruptive-is-digital-publishing/
2: http://institutechildrenslit.net/Writers-First-Aid-blog/2011/01/
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