Independent Bookshops to Visit in Manchester

Paramount Books is a family-run bookshop that has been running since 1965. They stock second hand and rare books. They have large collections of thousands of comics and magazines and also shelve records and CD’s. A slightly unusual bookshop, as it only opens on weekends and remains shut throughout the week.

Alexandria Library, named after the largest Egyptian library, is a small second-hand bookshop, with tables and chairs to sit and read inside. This is a multilingual library, stocking books in Urdi, Arabic, Farsi, Kudish, Hindi & many more! They also offer English language classes and bible studies in both English and Arabic.

Didsbury Village Bookshop is a unique bookshop that is entered through the back of a small café. The bookshop sells a large collection of second-hand books, in both fiction and non-fiction. They have sofas, chairs and tables to sit down and read before buying. To buy, you pay at the café.

Catalog Bookshop is a mobile bookshop on wheels, driven by a man and his bike. A pandemic-born creation, the bookshop was set up by a community crowd fund to promote a more sustainable business model and promote Manchester’s Bee Network to connect local communities. The mobile bookshop specialises in periodical non-fiction books, magazines and zines.

Anywhere Out of the World is a slightly hidden bookshop, where you have to go up a staircase to find it. The bookshop sells mainly first-hand new release books. Whilst they sell all kinds of literature, they particularly specialise in poetry and philosophy.

House of Books and Friends is a bookshop and café combined. Opened after the pandemic, its purpose is to combat loneliness and social isolation. They re-invest their profits back into wellbeing projects and local charities. They host book clubs and spotlight local counselling services.

Chorlton Bookshop, set up in 1983, sells a range of fiction, non-fiction, and children’s books. They sell first-hand fiction and operate an online ordering service, delivered on bicycle. They often have a large sale collection, of first-hand fiction with over 50% off.