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Which bookstores do you prefer?

denny

denny

New Member
Since I've lived here in the US, I much prefer Borders. I find Books-a-Million to be a 'browsers's bookstore' and not so much a 'reader's bookstore'.

In England, I found that W H Smiths had the best selection of fiction.
 
Hi Denny, I'm afraid I tend to stick with Amazon, or the two 2nd hand book stores we have here. Its rare that I cannot find what I want on Amazon, and the prices are better. Although there really is nothing like holding the book in ones hand before purchase. :) I don't care for Books A Million either. I hear Borders is quite nice though. And they have pretty good coffee.:)
 
Thanks Pontalba. As you say, it's much nicer to be able to really look through a book before purchasing. I have used Amazon too and must say I'm very impressed with their speed of service.

With Borders, it's not only the volume of fiction that they carry that I find impressive, but they have sofas liberally dotted around, so you can just curl up with a book and give it a try for a few pages to see if you like it.
 
WHSmith doesn't really have that wide a selection. At least not now.

Ottakars and Waterstones are the two main ones, though we are starting to have massive Borders opening up everywhere, complete with Starbucks or Costa or whatever coffee shops.
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Oh yeah! Normally at Retail Parks next to supermarkets. They're open until strange hours :rolleyes: :D
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There's been a Borders in the centre of Glasgow for about six or seven years.

Here it is.

283.jpg



The photo they are using is it's arse end and not the entrance. It's four floors, though.


EDIT: Here's the front.

%20Borders%20Bookshop.JPG
 
Glasgow? Safe? :eek: :eek: :eek:

Coventry has one, it's fairly new. Opened when the new Tescnads opened, the biggest in Europe apparently, but then they all say that...

Birmingham has had one at least three years too.

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I like Ottakars and Waterstones and really Love going to Borders Another New Book with a Starbucks iced coffee, utter Bliss :D
 
steffee said:
Glasgow? Safe? :eek: :eek: :eek:​
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Oh, do you not remember this news article?

Birmingham has had one at least three years too.
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That's interesting. It seems Glasgow and Birmingham are leading the UK in a few things. Borders first, of course, and they are the only two cities in the UK to be members of the Lighting Urban Community International Association, an initiative to light up cities so that their landmarks are accented. I see Philadelphia is the only US city.

A few examples, from Glasgow:

The Gallery Of Modern Art:
img2_5.jpg


Bridge
img4_5.jpg

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Another bridge:

0000112.jpg
 
I keep saying this everywhere I go... honestly, I don't work for them, but Fopp are really good. They're new (I'm pretty sure anyway) and they change their stock weekly, but all books are [FONT=verdana, arial, helvetica][SIZE=-1] £3 each.


[/SIZE][/FONT]​
 
Oh wow Stewart!!! Those pictures are amazing!!

As for the safe city thing, I apologise (again - do you want a permanent apology subscription or something) but I've been to Glasgow (on match day, omg that was a scary time), and I've heard lots of "stories" about it's "roughness".

I know it's changed a good deal in the past few years though.

Wow that bridge just became my desktop background :eek: :D

Edit: Did you edit? I meant the first bridge, although both are brilliant!
 
steffee said:
Oh wow Stewart!!! Those pictures are amazing!!
Click to expand...

There's plenty of great photos here.

I've been to Glasgow (on match day, omg that was a scary time), and I've heard lots of "stories" about it's "roughness".
Click to expand...

It was rough in the 30s through 70s but it's going through a complete rejuvenation as it tries to become a "24hr city" - all the old tenement blocks, which made it rough, are disappearing and new homes are being built. Match Days can be hectic though and the drunks spill onto the streets. :p
 
Really? Oh well, back in the nineteenth century NE England there is no Fopp. There is no Borders either. :cool:

Damn Stewart, you made me blush. :eek: :eek: :eek:

Still, Fopp isn't new but they're ace anyway.
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Stewart said:
It was rough in the 30s through 70s but it's going through a complete rejuvenation as it tries to become a "24hr city" - all the old tenement blocks, which made it rough, are disappearing and new homes are being built. Match Days can be hectic though and the drunks spill onto the streets. :p
Click to expand...

I was like, 6 or 7 when I went there, and we were in this street, in a car, with millions of people with green shirts on walking along the road. We couldn't move. They were everywhere, shouting and stuff, and it was scary. I may have been even younger than that because it's one of my earliest memories, I think.

As for the roughness, my mum and her side of the family are from Fife. I don't know if there's a bit of clan bitching (or whatever it's called) between you two, but there you go...

I agree, now, it looks very pretty (in parts). I passed through last in August and it was much different to the last time I visited about ten years or so ago.
 
Wow, vending machines. Glasgow must be safe then... they would last maybe two hours down here.

How've they taken off then?
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steffee said:
How've they taken off then?
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I don't know, to be honest, as I get into Glasgow from work at 18:02 and Fopp, out of the other end of the station and down the street, closes at 18:00. I'm rarely in the City Centre during the daytime, anyway, unless I'm wanting to buy something or need to renew my train pass. Or getting pissed, of course. :p

The funny site, Glasgow Survival, might highlight our current "roughness". :D
 
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