The Top 10 Second Hand Bookshops in Dublin

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Whether its feeling of picking up something pre-read and pre-loved or the low cost, sometimes there’s no greater refuge from the hustle and bustle of city life than browsing around a second hand book shops.

As a city of such literary prestige, it’s no surprise that Dublin has some wonderful places to pick up a used book. To make matters easier for you, we’ve decided to make a list of the ten best still going in the city!

10. Mojo Bookshop

You’ve probably walked through Merchants Arch for years without really noticing this place – I know I have! This is the type of place where you have to get a bit hands-on and root around the shelves to stumble across that special book; a fun place to pop into when ambling through Temple Bar.

9. Oxfam Books Rathmines

Oxfam second hand bookstores are a great asset in any community. A lovely supply of good quality, cheap books, a nice range of texts and the knowledge that you’re contributing to a good cause make this place a great place to pick up a book.

8. Stokes Books

Like George’s Street Arcade as a whole, this shop has a lovely old world feel to it. If you’re looking for Irish interest books, this place is definitely one of your best bets in the city. A lot of their second hand books wouldn’t be the cheapest, but you’ll find ones here that you wouldn’t see anywhere else.

7. Allan Hanna’s Bookshop

A handy spot for anyone living in D6, this Rathmines Road bookshop has a wonderful atmosphere. While it doesn’t have a devoted second hand section, you’ll find plenty of used titles among the books on the shelves. The adjoining cafe accessible through the shop is a particularly inviting feature.

6. The Village Bookshop

This Terenure spot is a very enticing family-run bookshop with a superb range of used and rare books and a very pleasant interior design to top it all off. Keeping an eye on this place is worthwhile – they also run a fantastic range of readings and coffee mornings.

5. The Winding Stair

Though the second hand section here isn’t really that big, this is made up for by virtue of the appealing decor and homey atmosphere that this place provides. A sign will inform you that those cups on the shelf are for drinking tea and coffee – sit down, ask for one, and have a nice chat with the staff – you’ll get some great recommendations!

4. Temple Bar Book Market

This market runs every Saturday and Sunday from 11am – 6pm in Temple Bar Square. You’ll find a plentiful selection of good, cheap titles and there’s a superb outdoor food vendors in the vicinity too. A great little place to amble by on a weekend stroll around town.

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3. Oxfam Books Temple Bar

Parliament Street‘s Oxfam Books is easily one of the best second hand spots in the city. Their friendly staff, comfy couch and superbly low prices are some of main convincing reasons to stop in here. Their fiction books are kept well stocked and popular titles from the 20th century are regularly refreshed.

2. The Secret Book and Record Store

This place is neatly tucked away down a snaking corridor halfway down Wicklow Street. It has a plentiful supply of books organised by section and the staff are both knowledgeable and engaging. As a nice touch, there’s a pretty decent record store down the back too!

1. Chapters

Holy moly. This place is immense by comparison to other places on this list. Upstairs in Chapters on Parnell Street contains almost any title you’d need except with a lower price. Their books are high quality too, many of them seem as fresh as a brand new one. Hats off, Chapters!