About The Guide

Hello! We are Sonja and Ivan. And this is our Bookstore Guide - an amateur guide to book shopping throughout Europe. We hope this Guide will help you find the book(stores) you are looking for. Unfortunately, the bookstores are no longer uploaded and may be out of date

Shakespeare & Company, Vienna

Shakespeare and Company logo

Where? Vienna, Austria




Visited
in November 2009

Although the primary goal of our recent trip to Vienna has been the Vienna Book Fair (Buchmesse), we were equally looking forward to paying a visit to a local independent English bookstore by the name of Shakespeare & Company, which was yet to be added to our Guide. We were contacted by the bookstore's owners a while ago, and instead of seeking recommendations from their regular visitors, we used this opportunity to see it for ourselves. And after a short stroll from the crowded Stephansplatz and a retreat to surprisingly silent side streets, we found ourselves in front of a bookstore bearing the famous name Shakespeare & Co. completely submerged in a world of its own.

As we were informed, this is actually the oldest part of the Austrian capital, called the Ruprechtsviertel and it has been inhabited since the year 14BC. The silent legacy of different times and different cultures this place has witnessed is a great setting for Shakespeare & Co. One of the first questions we've asked its owners was related to the tradition associated with this name, and we were told, that although there are no direct links between this bookstore and the notorious Shakespeare & Co in Paris, they share the same ideals and philosophy. However, the peaceful atmosphere of the bookstore and its location are in striking difference to its French counterpart.

It's kind of symbolic that during the time of our visit the bookstore was undergoing a rather important alteration - the sign hanging above its entrance was being changed (photo documentation of this event in Report from Vienna). However, you can't really call it a modernization, as the owners actually decided to put back an older picture of the booktsore's patron - William Shakespeare. On the other hand, Shakespeare & Company is surely not stuck in the past, as the modern open minded approach of its owners is reflected in the bookstore's stock and interior, but also in a touch of eccentricity, usually associated with all the true independent bookstores. We could mention that the books lack price tags (so in order to find out the price you need to ask) or that smoking in the bookstore is permitted (at least for the owners).

The selection of books in Shakespeare & Company turned out to be a most pleasant surprise. The stock, neatly divided into numerous sections (some of them with great names such as 'funky literature'), spreads over two rooms and it covers pretty much everything. All in all, Shakespeare & Company in Vienna is a unique place where indeed it is very likely that 'you'll let yourself be found by a book' as the bookstores motto suggests.

Shakespeare and Company bookstore ViennaShakespeare & Company
Address:
Sterngasse 2
1010 Vienna
Shakespeare and Co Wien











Website:
http://www.shakespeare.co.at

Phone and Email:
0043 1 535 50 53
booksellers@shakespeare.co.at

Working Hours:
Mon-Sat 9-21




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The Bookcase, Lowdham

The Bookcase logo

Where?
Lowdham, Nottingham, UK



Recommended by: Abigail Rhodes

Abi said: "I notice there is nothing on bookshops in Nottingham, not surprising as most of them are big business ones! There is a lovely little shop called The Bookcase, which is in Lowdham, and here is my recommendation for that too: The Bookcase in the small village of Lowdham is a beautiful little independent book shop on the outskirts of Nottingham. They have books by local Nottingham authors, a wide range of gifts (such as cards and candle holders - I bought a candle holder from there years ago and it still looks lovely on my bookshelf!), supply schools with resources and have a partnership with the Lowdham Festival held every year."

The Bookcase is a very nice example of how an independent bookshop can become an integral part of the social life of the community and for the village of Lowdham near Nottingham, it definitely stood up to its slogan - "more than a bookshop". The owner of this bookstore is Jane Streeter who has been the key figure in The Bookcase since its opening in September of 1996. Along with a team of dedicated employees, she managed to bring the bookshop of her dreams into life. In its 13-year existence, The Bookcase has profiled as a respected independent bookshop and also as a steady pillar of the local community.

When it comes to the stock, the main ambition of the owner is to keep it as varied and attractive as possible and it reflects both the taste of their customers and the staff. A wide range of other products (cards, stationary, gifts) can also be found at the bookshop. The Bookcase also has its own publishing branch called the Bookcase Editions. Although it has published only six titles so far, we recommend that you check their selection, as we really appreciated their very wide and open-minded scope and their decision to publish local authors.

The bookshop's special activities include supplying books at discounted prices to over fifty schools. Authors' readings and other book-related events are held throughout the year at the bookshop's premises. Besides bringing authors with an international reputation to the small village of Lowdham, the Bookscase closely cooperates with the local Nottingham writers. For a decade now the bookshop has held annual book and film festivals which enjoy a high popularity among the locals.

The Bookcase bookshop Nottingham
The Bookcase
Address:
50 Main Street
Lowdham
Nottingham, NG14 7BE
The Bookcase Bookshop Lowdham

Phone and Email:
0115 9664143
janestreeter@thebookcase.co.uk

Working Hours:
Mon-Wed 9-17
Thu 9-19:30
Fri 9-17
Sat 9-16




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Okian, Brasov & Bucharest

Okian logo

Where?
Brasov & Bucharest, Romania




Recommended by
Alexandra Craciun

The following bookstore makes for another addition to an area of South-Eastern Europe already rich in bookstores with English titles on stock - Romania, namely Bucharest. Operating for around 15 years, Okian is a Brasov based bookstore (these being their main premises), although they do have another location in the country's capital (opened in 2008). The Brasov based Okian can be found in the historical part of the town, in an old, sophisticated building, reconstructed for the bookstore's needs: large spacious rooms for various conferences, cultural activities, reading corners and even galleries where regular exhibitions are held.

Among the bookstore's large stock of some 6000 books (out of which one third is in the English language), various categories of books can be found. These are mainly psychology, law, marketing and management, biographies as well as books on various school subjects such as physics, chemistry or geography. Okian has been the exclusive distributor of Pearson Longman ELT in Romania, thus it isn't a surprise that many of Longman's publications can be found within their walls. Thus, Okian makes a perfect resource for those who want to study English. However, the scope of this bookstore reaches way past quality study materials for the students of English, as Okian is generally considered as a great option whether you're looking for non-fiction academic titles or you feel like browsing through a selection of British and American fiction literature. What's more, if Okian doesn't have a book that you need in their stock, they are most likely going to be able to order it for you via their on-demand service.

Okian is truly a great mixture of a local bookstore, an art gallery and a cultural institution which is definitely greatly appreciated by the growing number of expats in Romania but also by all the locals, as it grants them unrestricted access to English language titles.

Website: http://okian.ro

Phone and Email:
0268.547.367
email via form on website

Libraria Okian BrasovOkian (Brasov)
Address:
Str. Muresenilor 1
(in Piata Sfatului)
Brasov
Okian Brasov









Working Hours:

Mon-Fri 10-18
Sat 9-13

Okian (Bucharest)
Address:
Str. Vasile Lucaciu 2,
Sector 3, Bucuresti

Working Hours:
Mon-Fri 10-18






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The Watermill Bookshop, Aberfeldy

The Watermill Bookshop logo

Where
? Aberfeldy, Scotland, UK




Recommended by
: Karey Shane

Karey said: "I just spent a lot of time on your website and realized that The Watermill, in Aberfeldy, Scotland has the same feel as the bookstores you show pictures of. The basement has a delightful café. I just went to their website and noticed they were voted the best independent bookshop in Scotland. The owners are Jayne and Kevin Ramage. My husband and I were there in 2008 and had a wonderful time there. We purchased To Kill a Mockingbird from Mary and read it out loud to each other in the nearby B & B, Aillean Chraggan."

There are so many aspects which make the Watermill Bookshop special and well worth all the praise and recognition it has received that it's difficult to choose which one to start with. Beginning from the name - this independent bookshop is housed in a former watermill in Abefeldy in the Pertshire Highlands of Scotland. The transformation of the watermill into The Watermill wasn't an easy task and it hasn't gone unnoticed as it received appreciation from the architectural and design community.

The Watermill's rise to stardom was a fast one - opened in May 2005, it was recognized as the Scottish Independent Bookshop of the year for 2006 and in 2008 it was selected as the best Independent Bookshop in the entire UK. The bold decision to start a project like this in a less populated location has obviously paid off. The stock of the bookshop comprises about 5000 titles and is of highest quality as well. The children's section is one of its highlights, books on Scotland, but also on art and design belong to its other strong points. Books for the youngest occupy a special room and reading groups for kids are also held in the bookshop on regular basis.

However, the old mill houses more than the bookshop - the underground floor was turned into a fairtrade cafe which offers the finest coffee far around, quality tea and even some pastry, organic sandwiches and soups. As if all this wasn't enough, there is an art gallery at the top floor which offers a collection of prints and a program of contemporary art exhibitions which you can follow on their website, and you can also browse through a small collection of music CDs. To get a better idea, we recommend a personal visit, however if you're too far away and don't feel like waiting, take a virtual tour on their website.

Watermill aberfeldy ScotlandThe Watermill Bookshop
Address:
Mill Street
Aberfeldy, Perthshire, PH15 2BG
The Watermill Aberfeldy









 

Website: http://www.aberfeldywatermill.com

Phone and Email:
01887 822896
info@aberfeldywatermill.com
bookshop@aberfeldywatermill.com

Working Hours:
Mon-Sat 10-17
Sun 11-17




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