Where to go now Borders is closing

therevelator

For several years I've frequented Borders Book stores in London enjoying the large selection of magazines on any and every topic. My week was simply not complete without a few hours on a Saturday morning going through the magazines with a latte.

Now that they're closing, the question is whether the stores will reopen in a similar capacity albeit under different management...the answer is that no one at Borders seems to know, nor will, until Xmas.

The only alternative I can think of is Waterstones in Picadilly or Gower Street, although they don't hold nearly the same selection as Borders used to. Oh, what am I to do...

jenniewb

Your in London:
Foyals across the road from thr Boarders on Charing X rd.

Further down that road there are a few "antique" and "vintage" (= old) book stores, some art book stores and yes, Trafalgar Sq has a Waterstones.

If you want to find more expensive stuff, Selfridges has a fair amount in- basement floor near to the luggage/electronic stuff they have.

Am sure there are more, I have to admit I rarely shop for books these days so don't know of everywhere!

pinkzebra

therevelator wrote: »

Now that they're closing, the question is whether the stores will reopen in a similar capacity albeit under different management...the answer is that no one at Borders seems to know, nor will, until Xmas.

The London Colney Borders store (which closed down) is now a New Look. I believe New Look have also bought up some of the other Borders stores (some of the other ones that closed in the summer).

mippy

Daunt Books on Marylebone High St is great and also an independent rather than a chain. I agree on the magazines, though - it's hard to get foreign/small press titles often.

tooting_jane

WH Smith in Selfridges on Oxford St has a good selection of magazines with lots of obscure (music, fashion, style) mags and many foreign magazines as well.

There are several little newsagents in Central London that have good magazine selections (e.g. one on Old Crompton St near Patisserie Valerie, one on Elgin Crescent in Notting Hill that has a lots of international titles).

KimYeovil

Did you buy any of the magazines?

KimYeovil

therevelator wrote: »

Oh, what am I to do...

Surely a postal subscription to the magazines would be the same price or cheaper than the shelf price?

Kavanne

WHen I lived in London I always used Selfridges for my obscure sci fi magazines

(they obviously had loads of other stuff as well!!)

jenniewb

Also- several magazine/sweetshop type stores I go to have some of the harder to find magazines- one is just opposite Dean Street on Oxford Street.
Another is opposite Paperchase- or near to M&S on Tottenham Court Road.

Then there are art galleries (if its Art mags your after) such as the Contemporary Applied Arts on a side road off Tottenham Court Road (forgot the name!) just up from Sainsburys/Cinema/Sony store.
The Crafts Council- arts based mags, many many back issues which also has a library where you can happily sit down and read the mags, either the ones you buy or the ones they have in the library, at Angel.

Matt.D

This may fly in the face of money saving, but if you want a good bookshop, try your local independant. Yes you can buy your Top 20 hard back and soft backs from Tesco and Asda for half price, but many independant retailers don't stock these now anyway (usually a special order request) and if there is something a little specialist or hard to track down, I find they usually work out about the same, if not slightly cheaper than Amazon.

As for magazines, try your local Newsagent. I buy a couple of magazines each month that used to cost between £5.50 and £6.50 from WH Smiths. I couldn't get to my local Smiths one week and asked my local 'agent to get them in for me. Both came out at £4.50ea. And I usually get them a couple of days Smiths do...

tooting_jane

This blog post may help.

http://www.stylebubble.co.uk/style_bubble/2009/12/bordered-up.html