Till’s Bookshop Edinburgh

Till’s Bookshop is an independent bookseller that deals exclusively in buying and selling second-hand books. It is one of the city's longest-running bookshops, having first opened in 1986. The shop’s future was a little uncertain when the couple who founded the bookshop announced they were retiring in 2019, but happily the shop has recently been taken over by another family.

Located opposite to the Meadows park, the distinctive green shopfront is hard to miss. Walking inside is like stepping into a bookish Aladdin’s cave. The walls are covered from floor to ceiling with bookshelves and there are books squeezed in every corner of the shop. Their ethos is all about championing the beloved second-hand book and they offer a wide range of genres from fiction to travel. Their books are very reasonably priced, encouraging the circulation of second-hand books and allowing them to find new homes again and again.

As everything is second-hand, this is a great place to find rare editions, out-of-print works or discover little-known writers. Exploring the shelves is a joy in itself and makes it even more satisfying when you find a hidden treasure.