Now widely acknowledged as Northern Ireland's premiere secondhand bookshop, Bookends - situated…read moreright near the bus and train station in Bangor - carries over 70,000 books in stock. Bookends has gone from strength to strength since they first opened our doors back in 2003. Regular customers will have noticed that the main retail premises has moved two doors up from its original location, thus increasing space (and books!) by almost fifty per cent. The first shop continues to be maintained as a store, and as a result Bookends has an enormous reservoir of stock to draw upon. But we're not just any secondhand bookshop! Most of our stock is 'nearly new', and the surroundings are clean and bright, just as they would be in a 'normal' bookshop. Even our store is so well organised that if you're looking for one particular thing, chances are they'll be able to lay our hands on it! And when you're done, almost all of our books can be returned to us for half price exchange, allowing your cash to go further in these difficult times. Books are, after all, a necessity of life. A really, really good bookshop in the heart of town with friendly and helpful staff, an absolute must for book fans.

I could (and have) literally spent well over an hour just browsing in this wee shop…read more There is not a great deal more I can say than what the other reviewer has said - especially since he has just copied and pasted their 'about us' directly from their website! All I can offer is personal experience. They are literally wall to wall and floor to ceiling with books. You will pretty much find anything you are looking for here, and things you aren't looking for but discover once you get here, and just have to have! When I was studying, I managed to find every single reference book I needed here, and I paid less than a quarter of what I would have had to shell out if I'd got them brand new. I also just happened upon some books from a series of pony books I had when I was younger. I was able to get the three books missing from my collection, all ready to take home for a little bit of nostalgia.

I'm actually in Waterstones a lot without every buying a book. You see Waterstones houses one of my…read morefavourite coffee shops in the city, Ground Espresso Bar. The bookshop itself is always busy but don't worry there's also plenty of staff although sometimes I find it hard to distinguish between staff and browsers as they don't appear to have a clear uniform. The shop displays are always excellent - they often have featured books highlighted on a table and then related works nearby. I really like this concept as it makes it a really easy shopping experience. Waterstones has a really nice relaxed feeling about it - you won't get told off for having a good rummage and likewise if you want to contemplate your next novel choice the upstairs coffee shop is the perfect place to do that. I know this review wasn't exactly a thriller but hopefully it's a good non-fiction.

Waterstones does not strike me as 'mainstream' as Easons or WH Smith. There is more of a homely,…read moresort of old fashioned atmosphere at Waterstones which takes the shabby bookshop feel but invests lots of money and time into it to make it into a great store. It is a great mix of old and new. The shop gives you a feel of being a bit like going to your gran's house, but instead of old photo albums, you have the latest bestsellers dotted around instead. They have some great offers, particularly on children's books. I went in with a friend to buy books for primary school teaching and they had some great ones for very cheap. The shop also has some travel guides, a great section on irish history, and is a perfect stop if you need to get someone a Christmas present and you've already exhausted the CD and DVD route one too many times. The staff are really nice and smile and do everything you want from a bookshop member of staff. Remarkable how some shops not too far away have the most ignorant members of staff you can find, yet a quaint little bookshop has the most polite and pleasent people you will ever find. Although I don't like buying books and not ever getting round to reading them, I do like to browse bookshops and Waterstones is one of my favourite in all of Belfast.

Just don't go in- you'll never leave!!…read more This quietly unassuming second-hand bookshop halfway up North Street will steal your time, but in a great way. From the outside it doesn't look that big, but step inside and you find yourself in a tardis, with books piled from floor to ceiling, winding backwards and sideways and crammed into every possible place. While it can initially be a little intimidating by the sheer volume, everything is organised into genres and between fiction and non-fiction so finding things is easier than you initially think. The fact that the books are second hand means you might find little gems that you wouldn't see piled neatly in the chain stores because publishers tell them too, and you might stumble across a book or author you'd never even considered. If you can't find what you are looking for, don't be afraid to ask, these guys are super friendly, and at the prices they charge who would bother with a kindle! I'll be back, when I've a couple of hours to spare. :-)

This place is AMAZING!!! Books behind books, on top of books. Could easily spend days here. And the…read moreprices are amazing. Tons of Irish authors, classics, sci-fi, and everything in between.

I must admit, I don't usually go in to book stores, when I am going to buy a book I usually head…read morestraight to Amazon but today after having breakfast in the Botanic area I was walking back to my car and I thought I would call in to No Alibis to see if I could pick up a book I had been recommended by numerous colleagues. On entrance No Alibis seemed cluttered and I couldn't immediately locate the section I thought the book I was looking for would be in. It certainly wasn't as clear as the Amazon search results. Anyway I struggled on and eventually came across the 'business' section at the back of the store. After having a quick sift through the books it became clear that they didn't stock the title I was looking for. With that I was about to leave but then I thought I'd ask the lad working there if she had seen/heard of the book. It was then my experience took an amazing turn for the positive. The helpful lady immediately consulted her 'book database' on the computer and immediately found the book. Unfortunately she didn't have it in store but she was able to reserve it for me and have it ready to be collected on Monday - plus it was cheaper that it was on Amazon. What a result! It was look old meets new! If you're looking for a book for study or leisure definitely pop in here - even if they don't have it they can source it for you. I also noticed they sold some unique pieces of local art. Hopefully this main stay of Botanic will be around for years to come!

I'm an English student so any bookstore is a good bookstore as far as I'm concerned. This one…read morehowever is independent of Queen's but has a very close relationship with the students and the staff. Despite there already being a bookshop owned by Queen's, many would recommend you try here first as if they don't have it, they will guarantee you it with their next delievery. It could be either that or the fact the people (whose names escape me yet again) are exceptionally friendly and have a real passion for their job. I have been in browsing before and soon i was sitting down with some friends having coffee and discussing books... pretentious possibly, but it's almost certainly the bookstore that makes me want to sit and drink coffee and talk about books. I dont even like coffee either. Very very very helpful, very friendly and a must for anyone who requires a good book

I love this shop! As…read morethe name suggests, every book in here really is just a pound! They have such a wide variety of books that they would leave Easons quaking in their boots! Yes it's second hand, but if you go through books the way I do, then the best way to buy is second hand! I normally stick to charity shops as you're also helping a good cause, but I couldn't resist this place! I managed to get the final two books from a new favourite author and it cost me, yup, two pound! Seriously worth checking this wee gem out!

I love this place...I could lose myself in it for hours, buried amidst books, cards, gifts and CDs…read more As the name would suggest, this bookshop is a Christian one, so if you need a new Bible, a CD by the latest Christian artist, teaching material etc, this is a really great place to have a look. They stock a huge variety of all of the above, and continually get new products in. I love the organisation of the shop - it's clearly laid out and you can easily find what you're looking for. If you do need a hand, the staff are really friendly and won't mind helping. There's a good sized children's department, with lovely gifts for babies right up to teenagers, as well as bargain room which currently stocks a few half-price books. Every so often, the store holds a magnificient sale, so don't miss those! I do love a bargain, and have had to restrain myself from nearly purchasing the entire shop. Nearly. Do check it out, even if its only to satisfy those niggly questions you've always had about the Christian faith, you won't regret it.

I have driven past this shop so many times and never thought to pay it a visit . I was so…read morepleasantly surprised when I called into it the other day looking for a book. You don't realise how big it is from the outside. The staff are so pleasant and helpful and I procured my book in no time which gave me time to browse round the shelves and stands. The name of the store definitely doesn't do it justice because it isn't just a book shop. I could have spent hours looking around and I now no where to go when I'm looking for that very special gift. There really is something for every occasion. I certainly will be back even just for a look around as I have still to explore the upstairs department which I'm sure will be as well presented as downstairs.

Love books and love a bargain? Then Stacs is for you. And you can get a pastie supper in the…read morechippie next door when you're done. Fab. Stacs looks just how you would expect a secondhand book store to look - quite small and packed with shelves and shelves of every kind of book. To name a few genres (well I am writing about a bookshop so I thought I'd thow that word in), you can get children's books, military books, popular fiction (sounds better than chick lit), and reference and academic type books which I try not to look at. The owner is super friendly and really goes out of his way to help. When I decided to jump on the 'Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' bandwagon (I know, I'm such a follower) and he didn't have a copy, he offerred to take my number and ring me as soon as one came in. I love that kind of actual customer service which is so elusive these days. If you like a bargain and have a spare half an hour, give it a try.

Great variety of books all at a great price. Would highly recommend, only downside is you are not…read moregaranteed to find the book your looking for especially if its new.

Called in here yesterday to see if they had a particular book I was looking for. Although they…read moredidn't, the man who was serving behind the counter, and the female assistant, were both very helpful and friendly. I had a look round and bought a few other things instead. It's a well laid out store with the usual great range of stationery, greetings cards, magazines and newspapers that you'd expect from this chain. Plenty of books as well, even if they didn't have the one I wanted!

Lovely example of a WHSmith with a superb selection of goods and a terrific choice. As with all…read moreshops we visited in Stranraer this one too was tidy, nicely arranged and much bigger and nicer than the initial view and assumption from the outside. Some very good offers too

There are not many of these old fashioned, independent bookshops left anymore and so when I find…read moreone I like to spend a bit of time browsing around. I spent about twenty minutes in here the other day as the place is very small and quite intimate which made me feel I couldn't really use the place as a library. There is an extensive of first editions as well as a surprisingly large collection of old children's books - many of which I recognized from my own childhood such as Jemima Puddle duck and Thomas the tank engine. Because of the uniqueness of some of the books and the extraordinary condition they have been kept in some cost over £40. Obviously there are other books you can pick up for a fraction of the recommended retail price and I was able to find a book on painting on glass for a mere £6.00 - let my new hobby commence!

An antiquarian/second hand book shop of the best sort with an interesting selection of books…read moreincluding first editions on history, literature, art and cookery. There's also a rich selection of children's titles from days gone by from old authors like GA Henty and Alison Uttley, as well as early editions of Enid Blyton and Biggles. The shop is small but well laid out, kept well and cosy. I could have spent ages in here looking at the fascinating titles as there were so many boosk that I'd like to read though it does also cater for the serious book collector/antiquarian enthusiast.

I love Oxfam Books. It's so well laid out and stocked that on walking in you wouldn't even…read moreinitially realise it's a second hand bookstore. There's a huge selection of books spread over two large rooms and everything is shelved by theme e.g. art, history, cookery, fiction, graphic novels etc. I could spend a couple of hours looking through this shop and have picked up a quite a few great bargains over the years. Would definitely recommend to anyone who loves books.

As I have said in a number of different reviews, I am a big fan of charity shops. I always enjoy…read morethe laid back, chilled out atmosphere and you can usually get an absolute bargain if you have a good look around. I have called in here on a number of occassions and have picked up a few t-shirts and pairs of old jeans. The quality is always assured and you always know that you are doing a good thing and not giving your hard earned dollar to a big corporation. The staff in this particular store have always been helpful and friendly anytime I have called in. They're always willing to help you have a good look around and they'll hold stuff over for you if you need to pop out to get some money out or whatever. Well worth checking out.