Alice’s Bookshop

Quaint little Alice. This gorgeous bookstore fits in perfectly in leafy, terrace-​house lined Rathdowne Village. Specialising in second-​hand books, the range on non-​fiction topics alone is enough to get a nerd of any kind excited.
Instead of a ‘history’ section, for example, you can find the history section split into every country, religion, social movement and period of time. My English-​history-​obsessed Mum was in heaven. Normally she picks up the biggest book on the shelf, gasps in delight at the contents and then gives out a sigh heavier than the hardback she’s holding when she realises the damage she’s about to do to her credit card. I think I may have heard a squeak when on this occasion her ritual was met with a $ 20 price tag.
Filled with everything from well-​preserved childhood nostalgia to piano sheet music, it’s the perfect place for book nerds to come for a long browse to discover some fascinating pre-​loved reads.

I popped into Alice’s Bookshop the other day looking for some specific books. I found the shop lovely and the shop assistant was extremely helpful (and beautiful). She went out of her way to look for the types of books I needed.
The shop has a nice feel to it and is well laid out with lots of room needed for browsing. There is a good wildlife book section (something not so common in second hand bookshops) and other significant sections for various genres.
However I do have one main criticism of the place: there is virtually no travel section!!! A second hand bookshop without a travel section is like a pub with no beer!!! The shop assistant said that she would talk to the owner about a travel section which is a good start though…
All in all its a great bookshop and I really liked it! However I simply can not give a secondhand bookshop without a travel section 4 stars — so Im sticking with 3 stars for now. That said, if/​when they get a decent travel section, I will upgrade it to 4 and maybe even 5 stars.

Last time I was in Alice’s Bookshop, the old guy sitting behind the desk had a tiny puppy stuffed inside is jacket! Aw! He was pretty grumpy for someone in sharing close quarters with something so cute, but I think the grumpy vibe is what I like about Alice’s — it’s like being inside an episode of Black Books, but with less drunkenness.
On this visit, I bought a really lovely 1960’s hard cover edition of Jane Eyre (the recent film has inspired me to re-​read it — as a teenager I didn’t appreciate how foxy Mr Rochester is!), but I often come in here just to browse. Alice’s range is extensive, but a lot of titles are quite niche… Next time you’re lunching or brunching in Rathdowne Village, I recommend going in with friends and see who can find the most bizarre book. Nerdy good times!

The shop itself seems small and the selection of books haphazardly placed around, but on further exploration the smell of the books draws you in like many second hand bookshops do. If you’re after something random and looking to discover, especially a random book of ponies with a birthday message in the front from Grandma and Grandpa, then this is a great place for you.
There is something off-​putting about have the counter of a book shop the very first thing you walk into, especially if the people behind it seem to sigh as you enter, if they look up at all. The latter would have been preferable, as I’m one to peruse on my own for a bit before needing to seek help.
I’m sure this was a one off thing, but it has put me off coming back again. Rathdowne Street itself is far more inviting.

The best thing about going through secondhand bookstores is that you’re usually presented with the types of books you wouldn’t normally see.
Such as my great find: ‘The Book of Church Cats’ by Richard Surman. This book has inane pictures of cats in church locations, along with descriptions of their personality. Looks like I might have won, Internet.
Not only has it sparked a new hobby (collecting terrible coffee table books) but it made me realise that buying second hand books is a great, cheap alternative to the usual run-​of-​the-​mill book stores.
If you want to read a classic, there’s no doubt that Alice’s Bookstore will have it. But they might also have a first edition in hardback — a bookophile’s dream! Or perhaps something completely different and obscure.
I was served by a lovely gentleman who was extremely welcoming and more importantly — well read. If you have any questions, I was left with no doubt that this man would be able to find a book to suit your need.
A huge range of books to suit any needs or perhaps to be inspired by as you have a stroll through. Alice’s is the place.

This isn’t called Alice’s bookshop for just any reason — when you walk in you really feel like you’ve just fallen into Wonderland.
Despite its tiny size, Alice’s is the kind of place you feel like you could get lost in, and also gives the impression that you are about to find something truly remarkable…
Books from every genre line the walls — fiction, non-​fiction, travel and even picture books — so you’re bound to find what you’re looking for, or a surprising new discovery that you didn’t even know you wanted.
The books here are second hand which only increases that gorgeous ‘book smell’, and the friendly gentleman behind the counter (who often has a cat stuffed down his shirt) is incredibly sweet and helpful.
A truly magical book store.