SYDNEY BOOKSTORES
Ariel Book Sellers, 42 Oxford St, Paddington +61 2 9332 4581
Open ‘til midnight and with a very open “read before you buy” policy, this oasis is full of your usual run-of-the-mill novels & best sellers (albeit with fantastic reviews by staff) but what sets them apart is their second to none selection of art, fashion, design and cookbooks. If you can’t find it anywhere else, chances are you will here.
Berkelouw Books, 70 Norton St, Leichardt + 61 2 9560 3200; 19 Oxford Street, Paddington +61 2 9360 3200; 6-8 O’Connell Street, Newtown +61 2 9557 1777
Home to a great café and wine bar, Berkelouw (in three central locations) has it all. For a new read, visit the ground floor but a journey up the stairs will inspire you to pick from a thousand-strong collection of second hand books with more than their fair share of rare finds.
Gleebooks, 49 Glebe Point Road, Glebe +61 2 9660 2333
One of the few independent bookstores left in Sydney, Gleebooks occupies many quaint terraces in Glebe with their main store, second hand store and even a children’s book store. They also host great launches and events too which provide book worms with opportunities to get close to their favourite authors.
Bookoccino, 37A Old Barrenjoey Road, Avalon+ 61 2 9973 1244
Come on a Saturday and chances are there will be a great jazz band entertaining all in the quaint Avalon village. Bookoccino has a wide variety of food, wine and travel books as well as all the latest releases, and as the name suggests you can enjoy a cuppa whilst you’re there.
Kinokuniya, Level 2, The Galleries, 500 George St, Sydney + 61 2 9262 7996
A niche bookstore at its best, this Japanese gem in the heart of the Sydney CBD is stocked full of manga comics and graphic novels as well as Chinese books and magazines. They also have a Japanese magazine subscription and like all good bookstores these days, a café.
Gertrude & Alice, 46 Hall St, Bondi Beach + 61 2 9130 5155
Like walking into someone’s living room, Gertrude and Alice has a wonderful sense of calm and charm to it. With it’s comfy lounges, fantastic chai tea and wall to wall second hand books, it’s easy to see why Bondi locals love it.
Ampersand Bookstore, 78 Oxford St, Paddington + 61 2 9380 6617
Originally a Gertrude and Alice for the Paddington folk, Ampersand now stands in its place with a decent range of second hand buys but even better coffee.
Galaxy Bookshop, Level 1, 131 York St, Sydney + 61 2 9267 7222
Specialising in Fantasy, Sci-Fi and Horror genres, Galaxy is a mecca for fans of these often hard-to-find reads. Also featuring DVD’s of similar themes, it’s truly one of a kind.
MCA Bookstore, Museum of Contemporary Art, The Rocks, Sydney + 61 2 9245 2458
With a beautiful selection of art and design books, this is a bookstore for lovers of culture and a decent coffee table book.
Dymocks Bookstore, 428 George St, Sydney + 61 2 9235 0155
Sure, it’s a chain but this one is the original and the best. A true Sydney landmark it is full of a vast selection of latest releases, children’s books and even digital books.
By Carla Seeto
