My 6 Favourite Bookshops Around the World!
What makes a bookshop special for me? The smell of old books, the thrill of new books, bargains, ambiance, good vibes, secret alcoves, cosy reading nooks, and a bonus if there is a resident cat.
Not every shop needs to have all these things, but the little details add touches of magic and each of the shops on my list is a favourite for a different reason.
I may not have been everywhere in the world, but these are the best books shops I’ve come across so far. I’m sure there are many more out there to discover and I look forward to doing so!
The Last Bookstore, Los Angeles, California, US
This is the ultimate bookstore! It is the largest bookstore in California and it sells used books, new books, and it is super magical. There are labyrinths of books complete with secret vaults, a tunnel of books, a rare book annex, and tucked away hidey-holes to read in.
I went to this bookshop on the first day I moved to the United States, and it made me feel right at home. I spent hours wandering through the fantasy and sci-fi sections and checking out the rare books gallery.
I highly recommend going here if you’re ever in LA. It’s even popular with the stars!
Address: 453 South Spring Street Ground Floor, Los Angeles, CA, USA
2. The Piggery, Whangarei, New Zealand
This is my favourite bookshop because it is one I’ve been to hundreds of times to find hidden gems. It’s a nostalgic one for me as it’s in my hometown of Whangarei and it has all the classic second-hand bookshop vibes: the smell of old books, worn cosy chairs scattered around, mismatched shelves, alcoves of books, and even a resident cat!
This will always be my favourite, as it feels like home and you never know what you’ll find when you go there.
Address: 42 Walton Street, Whangarei, Northland, New Zealand
3. Kinokuniya, Bangkok, Thailand
This bookshop was one of my favourite places to visit when I lived in Bangkok. It is modern, bright, and is the sort of place you can stay for hours. This shop is huge and has an amazing range of brand new books in English, as well as Chinese, Japanese, and Thai.
I love the non-fiction sections, especially the ones on art, music, history, and travel. There is also plenty of fiction and a good range of music books and sheet music for music lovers, and a huge range of comics and manga for collectors.
This is a bookstore chain and there are several you can visit, but my favourite is the one at Siam Paragon. There is also a new one at Central World that would be worth checking out.
Address: 3rd Floor, Siam Paragon Mall, 991 Rama I Rd, Pathum Wan, Bangkok, Thailand
Photo credit: Kinokuniya Books Facebook
Photo credit: Kinokuniya Books Facebook
4. Barnes and Noble, Henderson, Nevada, US
Just want to say that all the Barnes and Noble bookstores in America are the most amazing bookshops I have come across anywhere in the world. There is nothing like this is New Zealand, Australia, or Asia, and I think they should expand overseas.
The first one I went to was in Henderson, Nevada, and I didn’t want to leave. I was amazed at the all the hardcover books and just how cheap they were. You don’t get many hardcover books in NZ or Asia, so I was surprised to see so many of them available. It was like being inside Bookstagram in real life. So many pretty books!
The range of books is unbelievable and there weren’t just a few shelves of fantasy books, but entire sections of them. This is how a bookshop should be!
Bonus feature was their awesome range of Harry Potter merch (I wanted to buy all of it!). Instagram reel of HP Merch!
Address: 567 North Stephanie, Henderson, NV, USA
5. Sanlian Taofen Bookstore, Beijing, China
This bookshop is special to me because it was like my bookshop lifeboat when I was living in Mongolia. Back in 2012, Mongolia didn’t have any decent English bookshops and I was seriously deprived of real life read material.
Beijing was just over an hour’s flight away and we used to travel there for work regularly. This bookshop in Sanlitun was my go-to place every time we went to Beijing. It is a beautiful shop with two expansive levels of books, as well as lots of fun stationery and gifts. It is a chain bookstore, but is so well done and bonus points because it is open 24 hours a day and has a cafe.
There wasn’t an enormous selection of English books; most were Chinese, but it was always fun to wander the stacks and see what new books were there every time. The design and layout of this shop is beautiful and has all the good bookshop vibes for drifting around and browsing.
Address: Middle Section of Sanlitun West Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China
Photo credit: Huo Mengtong. visitbeijing.com.cn
Photo credit: Huo Mengtong. visitbeijing.com.cn
6. Bauman Rare Books, Las Vegas, Nevada, US
This is a favorite for different reasons from the others. I never bought any books here, but it is the most spectacular place for book lovers to visit.
This is the first place I ever saw first editions and rare collectible books up close. It is a small store in the Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian, and when you step inside you are transported into a tiny space of quiet reverence, almost like a church, but a church for books.
I was instantly in awe of the shop and the collection of books, not to mention the crazy prices for these rare treasures. It was so tempting to buy something because these books are things you will never find again, but alas, I did not have a spare $8,400 for a first edition set of Lord of the Rings. Maybe one day….
Address: 3327 Las Vegas Blvd South, Suite 2856, Las Vegas, NV, USA. (Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian | Palazzo)
“A bookstore is one of the only pieces of evidence we have that people are still thinking.”
pin it on pinterest!
Leave a comment below with your favourite book shop! Maybe I can visit it one day :)