8 Best Bookstores in Melbourne [2024]

Bookstore Melbourne

Looking for a bookstore in Melbourne? Look no further! We have compiled a list of the 8 best bookstores in Melbourne. These stores are sure to satisfy your need for books, whether you are looking for new releases or classic titles. So, what are you waiting for? Start exploring these great bookstores today!

1. Hill of Content

Key Services	Bookstore Melbourne
Website	https://hillofcontentbookshop.com/
Address	86 Bourke Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000
Phone	(03) 9662 9472
Email	melbourne@hillofcontentbookshop.com
Operating Hours	10am-6pm Saturday to Thursday, 10am-7pm Friday, 11am-5pm Sunday

The oldest bookshop in Melbourne is The Hill of Content, which has been trading for 100 years. During the recession, when gangsters were known to prowl the area’s laneways, it opened and is still located at the same address today. Visitors can explore thousands of titles, new and old, from philosophy to travel and literature on two floors. A real local treasure that is well worth a trip for the building’s history alone.

2. Paperback Bookshop

Key Services	Bookstore Melbourne
Website	http://www.paperbackbooks.com.au/
Address	60 Bourke St, Melbourne 3000
Phone	03 9662 1396
Email	enquiries@paperbackbooks.com.au
Operating Hours	9:30am-9pm Monday to Thursday, 9:30am-10pm Friday, 11am-10pm Saturday, 12pm-7pm Sunday

The Paperback is one of Melbourne’s most prominent bookshops, dating back to the 1960s and continuing to promote independent culture long after the dead chain stores are gone. With a great selection of Australian non-fiction and one of the best fiction libraries in the world, the Paperback pulls some impressive numbers that aren’t available on these shores. It is a light for book lovers who suffer from sleeplessness, staying open late at night.

3. Metropolis Bookshop

Key Services	Bookstore Melbourne
Website	http://www.metropolisbookshop.com.au/
Address	Level 3, Curtin House, 252 Swanston Street, Melbourne, 3000 VIC
Phone	03 9663 2015
Email	books@metropolisbookshop.com.au
Operating Hours	11am-6pm Monday to Saturday

Metropolis Bookshop is a dream for writers. It’s located on the top floor of Melbourne’s famous Curtin House and features a variety of niche publications, including popular culture, graphic design, fashion, music, and drama. For art aficionados, it’s a rabbit hole where you might lose hours exploring all of its delights.

4. Avenue Bookstore

Key Services	Bookstore Melbourne
Website	https://avenuebookstore.com.au/
Address	127 Dundas Pl, Albert Park VIC 3206
Phone	(03) 9690 2227
Email	info@avenuebookstore.com.au
Operating Hours	9am-6pm daily

It’s all brand new books at Avenue Bookstore, and they have that distinct “new book smell” as you enter. A twisting labyrinth of shelves houses a diverse range of genres organized into categories for easy reference. The atmosphere is friendly and inviting, with a lovely courtyard. They have three locations throughout Melbourne for you to visit and explore, as well as their own book clubs and in-store author talks.

5. The Sun Bookshop

Key Services	Bookstore Melbourne
Website	https://sunbookshop.com/
Address	10 Ballarat St, Yarraville VIC 3013
Phone	+61 (03) 9689 0661
Email	info@sunbookshop.com
Operating Hours	10:30am-5:30pm Monday to Friday, 9:30am-4:30pm Saturday, 12:30pm-4:30pm Sunday

The Sun Bookshop, which has been open since 1988, is a well-known feature of Yarraville’s village-style community. This charming old store has a broad range of fiction, art, science, and crime novels as well as a modest selection of unusual artistic cards and puzzles in the timeless art deco ‘Sun Theatre’ building.

6. Perimeter Books

Key Services	Bookstore Melbourne
Website	https://www.perimeterbooks.com/
Address	734 High Street, Thornbury, Melbourne, Victoria, 3071, Australia
Phone	+61 3 9484 8101
Email	hello@perimeterbooks.com
Operating Hours	11am-6pm Tuesday to Friday, 11am-5pm Saturday

At Perimeter Books, you’ll discover a variety of intriguing art and photography books. The majority of the books here are small-press publications, zines, and design tomes. It’s a tiny, stark space bathed in natural light with sharp clean white walls and lots of right angles that must appeal to designers.

7. Coventry Bookstore

Key Services	Bookstore Melbourne
Website	https://coventrybookstore.literaryglobe.com/#home
Address	265 Coventry St, South Melbourne VIC 3205, Australia
Phone	+61 3 9686 8200
Email	books@coventrybookstore.com.au
Operating Hours	10am-5pm Monday to Saturday, 10am-4:30pm Sunday

Coventry Bookstore has a unique atmosphere, like stepping back in time to an earlier era’s bookshop. It is not owned by a corporation and offers both fiction and nonfiction titles. Its massive shelves packed with books and sturdy wooden tables make it a fantastic spot to search for memoirs, history, or anything else. There’s even a kids’-only area that is styled like the inside of a fun children’s book.

8. Readings

Key Services	Bookstore Melbourne
Website	https://www.readings.com.au/
Address	309 Lygon St, Carlton VIC 3053
Phone	+61 (03) 9347 6633
Email	Visit their website for more details
Operating Hours	9am-9pm Monday to Thursday, 9am-10pm Friday and Saturday, 10am-9pm Sunday

Readings is one of Melbourne’s oldest and most well-known bookshops, with seven locations around the city. Readings has a dedicated children’s bookstore that includes music and games as well as a huge mural painted by a local children’s book artist — an excellent place to bring the kids!

Bookstore Melbourne

Melbourne is home to some of the best bookstores in the world. Whether you’re looking for a place to find new and interesting titles, or you’re just looking for a quiet place to read, these eight bookstores are sure to please. With everything from independent stores to large chains, Melbourne has something for everyone when it comes to books.

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