One of my favourite books is Jen Campbell’s Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops. Jen is a University of Edinburgh graduate who worked as a bookseller for several years, and the volume is a compilation of all the weird, wonderful, and bonkers comments offered by customers. The book’s first half is set in The Edinburgh Bookshop on Bruntsfield Place, where Jen worked for two years.
Months after reading the book, when my parents and I were visiting Edinburgh, I was desperate to show them this shop, given its literary claim to fame. Upon arrival, it both surprised and delighted us in equal measure. For a shop that confidently (and perhaps unimaginatively) claims to be the definitive “Edinburgh Bookshop”, you would expect it to be a towering, monumental paradise that dominates the streets. Not quite. A paradise, definitely, but towering, monumental, and dominant, not so. The shop is a one-room building run by just two members of staff. However, you won’t have it any other way after visiting; one discovers quickly that it still absolutely lives up to its name. The Edinburgh Bookshop is a delightful, characterful, and welcoming literary haven run by fantastic people and not unreasonably priced! I have always walked out looking forward to my next trip.
Any bibliophile will tell you that the atmosphere of a bookshop is one of, if not the most crucial thing about book buying. The Edinburgh Bookshop gets atmosphere-factor down to a T. The unique one-room setup is the prime reason the ambience is so brilliant! Not only does it feel homely and un-intimidating, but all the books are there the moment you walk in. I am far more excited to see shelves upon shelves of
books at my fingertips instead of searching in various alleyways of a bigger-sized shop’s shelves. You walk in, are instantly surrounded by books, and can immerse yourself without delay. The interior design is beautiful and brilliantly unique (complete with cushioned seats!), making it doubly attractive for an afternoon of gleeful browsing. Their supply is very extensive (ranging from classics to recent releases), and on the rare occasion that they don’t have a book you’re looking for, their ordering systems are very speedy. I had one book come in within 24 hours!
You will also find them fantastically reasonably priced. Despite the ethical boost one receives from buying a book from an independent seller, price and accumulated value for money remain undeniable advantages for retailers such as Amazon. The Edinburgh Bookshop has the combined satisfaction of an independent seller’s personality – and a bookseller that doesn’t empty your wallet!
It is one of the few bookshops you will loyally return to and eagerly await your next visit to, rather than just passing it in the street and going in on a whim (as I do with most other bookshops). I have gone twice during stressful times and have always left feeling happier and lighter. (And not just lighter in the wallet; as said, the prices are not too bad!)
It was deservedly nominated Scottish Independent Bookshop of the Year by the 2022 British Book Awards, so don’t just take my word for it. If you have a spare moment, hop on a bus and step inside. You won’t want to leave.
(One final bonus is that they give you an Edinburgh bookmark with a fancy quotation after each purchase! One of mine read, “A person’s a person, no matter how small” by Dr Seuss. Totally charming.)
Image Credit: “Edinburgh Bookshop” by byronv2 is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.