Strolling along Park Rd a friend and I came across this charming book store. The word charming is…read moremost often synonymous with smaller shops, but this respectably sized store somehow masters the concept while managing to offer plenty of merchandise. Meg Ryan would be proud. When you step inside you are greeted by shelves full of books of all genres, shapes and sizes, an internal coffee shop with a line of customers and a smattering of other bits and pieces such as quirky felt handbags and soft toys. We amused ourselves wandering about and picking up random books. We found some of the sections to be a bit oddly named - the 'recovery' section was full of diet books and the like, which struck us as a bit bizarre. There's a chance they were undergoing a bit of a restructure, but I didn't get that impression. I suppose someone in there just has a bit of a strange concept of dieting. Other than that, this is a great bookstore that I highly recommend.

My parent's live around Milton and we frequently meet up here for a coffee and a catch up every…read moremonth or so. It's promising to see that some of the local, Australian, book chains are still going strong. Especially in time where hard copy novel sales have been in a steady decline. This Mary Ryan's, as mention above also has a little coffee shop inside that serves a great drop, provides some yummy toasted sandwiches and moorish deserts. Perhaps it's because of its locality, every time in at Mary Ryan's there's a good crowd, milling amongst the shelves that contain a popular selection of genre fiction and non-fiction literature. There's also a section dedicated to magazines and newspapers. The Milton store has a ABC feel to it because it also sells a selection of DVDs and CD, that I would say is more for the adult contemporary listener rather than the youth market. I would also suggest that more than often the clients of Mary Ryan's Milton are of the baby boomers and beyond. Non-the-less, if you're going to meet up with your family, this is a pretty good place to do it. If you can go on a weekday afternoon, it's a little quieter and is almost like a library.

Since the demise of Rocking horse records and the doom and gloom over internet piracy,…read moreIt seemed that Independent music retailers were a dying breed. Thankfully we have a new little store to pin our hopes to, What used to be a market stall Jet Black Cat has evolved into a small store oh so handily located on vulture st. Some parts rock and all parts indie Jet Black Cat sticks it to the man (or the internet) and specialises in hand picked music, CD's and Vinyl music goodness. This store has a lot of heart and won't disappoint music lovers. The owner is very friendly and you most likely will not leave empty handed. (Local tip. Watch out for their collaborations with the End bar down the road!)

To me, record stores never quite understood how they could survive in this new digital era of music…read moredistribution. Personally, I found that the record stores could benefit from a customer-orientated methodology of bringing their knowledge and taste to their often clueless but enthusiastic clientele. Jet Black Cat is an exceptional little store that caters for the vinyl lover of modern indie music. Their range is not terrible but they've foregone having a deep catalogue for having the latest albums, both major and indie stuff, on vinyl. Shannon, who typically runs the store, is very friendly and will offer her recommendations openly without seeming pretentious. Music is her business and she knows it very well. You get the sense that she wants you to enjoy what she enjoys and I think that's why Jet Black Cat will survive the digital revolution. They're closed on Monday but open from 10am from Tuesday through to Sunday.

Handmade High Street throws together some really great local crafters and creators of all things…read morepretty and fun. The first things that caught my eye was a crocheted rose-shaped brooch with quite a few other similar ones to keep it company. I found delight in the handmade jewellery and recycled accessories including hairpins made out of old buttons and old teacups being transformed into candle holders, which is something I would never have thought to do. They also had one of the very lovely dresses that is so identifiable as one of Rachel Burke's I Make My Day projects, which is surrounded by a mountain of handmade things to choose from like tin earrings and very flamboyant floral hairbands that are just gorgeous. I was most impressed with earrings that were fashioned out of origami designs. Some of the things in here are so original and it's so nice to see support for local crafters. One of the back shelves advertises renting a space in the store so other artists can sell their wares. As I was walking out I laughed out loud at the cute new spin on bottle top jewellery when I saw bottle tops printed with vintage pictures and resold as necklaces. I think that's a really cute and unique idea. Another item Handmade High Street currently sells is a product by Reclaimed Records, who make old records into new products like notepads and use only recycled paper. A recycled record notepad will set you back $45 but hey, you are paying for an old record. I like what this place has going on. They've got some really great pieces and I see a lot of potential for the artists who showcase their wares here.

Kath Chownston, one of three brains behind Handmade High Street, said that she wanted to provide a…read morespace for artists and craftspeople to easily sell their wares. Markets are often exhausting, subject to the elements, and aren't a very reliable way to get the money coming in if you're selling your goods in this fashion. The internet is a great way to get your stuff out there, but still, she went one further and opened a store- for the good of everyone! For her, for the people who rent space in her store, for the person who happens to pop in for a look and take away something local and unique. For the interested artist or craftsperson- the way the rent system works at Handmade High Street works is that there are small 'cubes' (shelving space) that are $20 per month. If you do larger scale work, clothing for example, and you have a rack that you'd like to have in store, it might cost you around $200 per month. The rental price is subject to how big and how much of the work there is, and whereabouts you want it placed in the store. There's some great stuff there too. The beads by Patti Pennisi made me want for the ocean, the glass work of Cairo Made That was gorgeous, and I couldn't help but want to take home some scented soy wax melts by Lisa Macnab. There's not the tired repeat of like works in there either; there's great diversity. Go in and support a new local business that supports it's locals. Handmade High Street. Remember that name.

I'm a bit of a greenie and if you are too, this is your one stop shop. Raw cakes/slices and…read morebrownies are lined in the cabinets of this gorgeous vintage scene. It is very close to the bus station and the Mater Hospital. It is surrounded by competitors but still produces the best darn coffee you'll ever taste. Malaney Dairy is used in all of their coffee, served to you in a bio-degradable cup! All ice coffee's and raw unsweetended cacao are bottled by the staff themselves. Most treats are made by the lovely Toni and all salads are her own glorious creations. Keep your eye out in store for upcoming events. Various gigs are held throughout the year for a small door charge (approx $10) with a yummy $8 dinner. There are so many good things going for Clarence Corner Bookshop. It continues to grow and flourish through the journey of the owners. Go in and say hi.

When you walk into Clarence Corner Book Shop, you could be forgiven for thinking it sells new…read morebooks, not second-hand. This is how orderly and neat the place is. They do sell some new books, particularly in the children's section where there are more new than old, but for the most part, the books in here are used. The other thing that hits you upon entering the store is the smell. Sharing almost half its floor space with a cafe, the scent of freshly brewed coffee fills the store. When I was in there, around 9.30am, I struggled to get to some book shelves because there were so many people milling around, waiting for their takeaways. It's obviously a popular place to buy coffee at the Gabba. A desk near the front of the store seats a very helpful lady, ready to assist people in the bookshop side of things. Books did seem a little pricey there, but it's well-organised and you'll find what you're looking for without too much hassle.

I am one of those people who have trouble turning the gas oven on,…read morelet alone being able to combine food stuffs to resemble a home cooked meal. ...Needless to say me and cookbooks don't get along. The ones I grew up with were always to damn smarmy for their own good. ("By now your Cherry Fondant should resemble MY photoshopped one on page 3.") Thankfully Scrumptious Reads is here to tempt me out of my food hibernation. This concept store in Southbank has already turned a few heads with its beautiful and unique shop display. The whole store is constructed with brown paper cups, but don't let the fragility fool you these shelves hold almighty tomes of foodie heaven. This is the perfect space to peruse all manner of cookbooks from Heston to Momofuku, the owner Julie is lovely and more than able to recommend the perfect book for any occasion. This concept store will last a while, but be sure to check them out before their move to more permanent Southbank lodgings.

What can I say? If you love to cook, love to browse, and love a good book then be prepared my…read morefriend....your credit card is about to start smoking! Scrumptious reads is a gorgeous little bookshop that specialises in all things food and booze related. I particularly loved their range of classics, well complemented by a range of cookbooks published from all around the world. There are books on food history, ingredients, cooking and cutting techniques, food cultures and spices. Hitting upon newly printed Elizabeth David classic hardbacks had my head spinning in delight.....how could I choose what to buy? Couple this range with foodie journals, books all things mixology & brewing, and food themed diaries, cards & nick nacks and it's easy to see how I almost needed a trolley on departure. Whilst you can surely find the books cheaper online what you don't get on the inter web is the awesome service, the ability to browse to your hearts content or someone prepared to hunt down that obscure book that you've been looking for forever. If you're a foodie in Brisbane you need to treat yourself and head over to scrumptious reads for an hour or too.....and don't forget to bring your wallet!

I go to this newsagency often as I'm in the area a lot. Here, I like to get magazines, scratchies…read moreand candy. As far as I could tell this is a family run newsagency because on school holidays, I see their kids hanging around the shop. They're such nice people who work here. They don't tell me off for browsing magazines, even though I take longer than a browse should take. Don't worry, I do end up buying it- out of guilt. But I'm happy to support their newsagency. They've got a healthy range of magazines towards the back of the shop and lots of candy and drinks at the front. With the fashion and gossip magazines, I can tell you all the current magazines are always on display. I have not yet caught them selling last issues, unless you specifically ask for one. The shop is always tidy and they've got a really strong aircon pumping through the shop. It makes for a nice pit stop if you're in the area just to cool down. Really nice shop, filled by a great family who run it.

I come here a fair bit as I live nearby and it's very handy - a full newsagent, with the added…read moreconvenience of an Australia Post outlet, which allows you to carry out your banking and post needs in one spot, and out of business hours. You can also purchase Go Cards here but you can't' top them up. They stock your usual newsagent and post shop wares, with some snacks, cold drinks and milk, and the prices are average for this kind of business. Very friendly customer service.

I can't say I buy a lot of adult books from here (unless the Brisbane Writers Festival is on when…read morethe Library Shop spills out into the Breezeway selling all the books of the festival) but I do really enjoy the range of children's books on offer. I came here to do my Christmas shopping for my niece and nephew last year and found so many lovely, original kids books that I wanted to buy. I also like their range of wrapping paper, which could be cut up nicely to make cards, however, it's very expensive! I took a piece up to the counter with another purchase recently and had to tell the cashier I didn't want it when the price came up on the scanner. I can't remember exactly how much it was, but it was enough to stop me from buying it and the cashier agreed that it was very expensive. If you want to splash out on wrapping and cards here, do so with monetary caution. I'll be sticking to buying books here.

Oh how I love this bookstore. It's beautifully laid out, the range is extremely carefully curated…read more(which you'd expect considering it's the State Library) and the range of add on products are just enchanting. You can grab a takeaway coffee from the adjoining cafe and wander through the stacks to your hearts content. I usually find something I just can't do without, and as my husband is a writer it's a great place to pick up a new Moleskin for him. This place definitely doesn't rest on any State Library laurels, it's a thriving business and destination in its own right and well worth visiting.

Walked past here during a tour and circled back after the tour ended…read more Well laid out bookstore. Books are new condition but not necessarily new books. Prices are the same as the other bookstores. Didn't interact with staff and I browsed to see what they had. Love the large selection but prices a bit higher for me.

The best Bookstore in Brisbane !! If you want any book just ask the helpful staff will find it for…read moreyou !