Armchair Books, Edinburgh - Bookshop Review
Located in West Port, above Edinburgh’s colourful Grassmarket, Armchair Books is one of the city’s most beloved secondhand bookshops.
Of course, there’s huge competition in Edinburgh when it comes to bookshops.
The city has more than 20, spanning books used, new and antiquarian, with some shops specialising in specific genres such as science fiction and romance. I like to think that there’s room for all of them, and I never leave the city without a new (to me) book in hand.
Armchair Books opened its doors more than 15 years ago. A relatively small shop that’s packed to the rafters with books of all genres, you’ll notice that it has a wonderful second hand book smell.
Lined with yellowing pages, cracked spines and a smattering of dust, it’s the sort of place that you could spend hours rummaging through in search of something obscure, and leave with something completely unexpected.
During my last visit I picked up copies of Microserfs and Generation X by Douglas Coupland - an author that I’d been meaning to read for ages but never quite got around to. I think that the bookshop was speaking to me!
While they don’t take online orders, you can also support Armchair Books by purchasing a digital gift voucher for yourself or an Edinburgh loving friend.
How to find Armchair Books
You’ll find Armchair Books in West Port, just above the Grassmarket. It is up quite a steep hill, but hey, what isn’t in Edinburgh.
It’s easy to find, just pop the full address into the maps app on your phone:
72-74 West Port
Edinburgh
EH1 2LE
Opening Times
Armchair Books is open every day from 10am until 6:30pm. Make sure to check their website as this may change during the festive season and on bank holidays.
They have also assured that they will be open from now until the sun swallows the Earth, which is good to know.
Is Armchair Books accessible?
As explained on their website, Armchair Books is a small shop that is not yet fully accessible, but this is something that they are working towards. In March 2024 they had work completed to widen corridors in the shop, and they hope to add a permanent ramp at the shop’s entrance (although they do have a folding ramp and can open their street level entrance upon request).
It’s also worth remembering that the shop is dimly lit and often tightly packed, with overlapping rugs covering the floor. While some seating is available, they are neighboured by a number of lovely coffee shops and cafes should you need a rest.
For more information about the accessibility at Armchair Books take a look at their website here and feel free to drop them an email if you have any questions.
I absolutely love Armchair Books, and feel that this is a must visit bookshop for any book lover visiting the city.
For plenty more ideas of further bookshops to explore, make sure that you take a look at my complete guide to the city’s best bookshops here.
Happy book buying!
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