Barter Books is in an old train station in Alnwick, Northumberland. Along the top of some of the shelves is a model railway as a nod to its history.
As you might expect it is a beautiful building with thousands of secondhand books. In spite of this it never feels overwhelming. All the books are also fairly prices with most paperbacks being less than £5 and most hardbacks being under £15. Some signed hard backs and limited additions are more expensive.
In colder weather there are open fires with lots of comfy seating so it is unbelievably cosy. There is something soul nourishing about reading next to a fire. I don't know if I'm alone in this but sometimes it's nice to go out to read. Away from the distraction of technology and the ever present to do list at home!
One of the best things about Barter Books is if you take in your own good quality books and in return you can get store credit to spend on books instore. So far I have been able to pick up 6 paperback books using store credit. It's a good way to get new books without overwhelming your bookshelves! Especially if you are someone like me who usually only reads a book once.
For this reason I mentioned Barter Books in my post, 10 Simple Ways to be more Eco-Friendly.
Whilst browsing I recommend using the Goodreads App (from Google Play or the App Store) to scan books to read reviews. Obviously this is just a guide but if thousands of people have rated a book two stars it's probably worth a miss! It can help you to discover some hidden gems. Also stops you from buying a book just because the cover is pretty. Though we have all been there!
All that and they also have a café called Station Buffet. It does delicious coffee and cakes. As well as cooked breakfasts and lunches. If you need a break for browsing or in my case when I come with my partner I leave him there with a full English breakfast whilst I explore. If you are sitting there on your own you can distract yourself with a book. It might even help you to decide whether to buy the book or not. And you aren't just sitting on your own staring into space which can be uncomfortable.
I hope from this post you can see Barter Books really is a special place. Whether you visit alone or with others. In some ways its better to go alone as you can browse at your leisure and treat yourself to a slice of cake!
Barter Books is open 7 days a week 9 am till 7pm (only closing on Christmas Day!) so you can visit anytime.
I hope you have inspired you to visit Barter Books if it is local to you. If not what is your favourite book shop?
E x
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This place looks so lovely! Hoping one day I get to travel to the UK to personally check it out. It has all the elements I love in a place to explore. I absolutely love hard copy books and my heart literally skipped a beat seeing how many books are in this store. And helllooo, CAKE! Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThank you, it really is so lovely. I hope you get to visit soon. There are soo many books! Nothing beats cake!
DeleteBarter Books looks incredible! It’s so unique and although it’s one of the largest second hand book shops, it looks so cozy and inviting! I love that there’s seating with open fires, I’d definitely go there to read! Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThank you, it really is a truly unique place. It is cosy but it is so big you can lose hours there. That's not a bad thing though!
DeleteWhat a beautiful bookstore, I can't believe it's in the UK! I'll definitely have to visit Barter Books one day.
ReplyDeleteThank you, it really is a hidden gem! I hope you get to visit soon.
DeleteWhat a great way to use an old train station, this building has some great character! It looks so lovely. Unfortunately it is not close to me. The bookshop I would usually go into is Waterstones or in WHSmiths. I will have to look around at smaller book shops close to me. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteLauren - bournemouthgirl
Thank you, it really is a lovely way to repurpose an old building. It is far away from Bournemouth! If you are ever up north though its worth a visit. Waterstones is lovely but you can beat a small book shop.
DeleteOkay, this place looks like heaven! I had never heard of it and I so love the fact that they have repurposed an old station - just adds to the charm of the books! Will need to visit it soon with my sisters, they would love it!
ReplyDeleteIt really is heavenly! It is one of my favourite places in the world. It really does add to the charm of the books. I hope you and your sisters get to visit soon.
DeleteOh don't mind me, I'm just wishing I could teleport into these photos to explore the bookshop! I'm a sucker for a good bookstore and this one looks divine. Personally, I would recommend StoryGraph vs Goodreads while browsing (but of course, that's preference haha) but I know I'd find so many new and old favorites in a store like this!
ReplyDeleteIt really is lovely! Hopefully you get to visit instore one day. I've not heard StoryGraph so Ill look into it now. Thank you for sharing!
DeleteThis secondhand book shop looks absolutely charming! I like the nod to its history with the model railway. Bringing in your own good quality books for store credit to spend is a fantastic idea!
ReplyDeleteI don't actually have a favourite bookshop, as there are lots of Charity shops in the city centre, close to where I live. I'll have to have a wander around and see if there are any hidden bookshops tucked away.
Thank you for sharing. 😊
Thank you! It really is charming. As you say the model train is a lovely nod to its history. It is fantastic!
DeleteCharity shops are also a great place to find books. I have picked up a few from there as well. You are lucky to have so many charity shops close to you.