100 TOP BOOKSTORES FOR PHOTOGRAPHY

by: Photo Start Sheet

ARTICLE & DIRECTORY: Best Bookstores for Photography

In UK, Europe, USA, Latin America, Australia, Japan and elsewhere

El Ateneo
Photo: Niels Mickers, El Ateneo Grand Splendid, Buenos Aires."

ARTICLE: Scroll down for directory

INTRODUCTION: "The Pleasure of Browsing in Bookshops"

Are real bookstores redundant in the Age of Amazon? Please take a look at some of the stores listed on this page before you answer.

There is, obviously, a lot to be said in favor of buying books online, from Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, secondhand from Abe Books, or wherever. You get a huge choice, sensible recommendations, and prompt delivery to your door.

Yet I, for one, love the experience of examining and purchasing books in a real-world bookstore, especially if it has a unique atmosphere, places where you can sit and read, maybe even a coffee shop or bar.

Fortunately, there are dozens of such places, all over the world.

I've put together this list of stores with "pleasurable shopping experience" foremost in my mind. The other main criteria are: critical mass -- each store needs to have plenty of stock to make a visit worthwhile -- and a generous proportion of this stock should be related to photography.

Specialist Stores
I've been able to include some specialist stores that carry nothing other than photography, but they're the exception rather than the rule. A good example is The Photographers' Gallery in London, a place where you can find books on every sub-genre of the medium, together with magazines and prints.

Alas, this kind of store is quite rare. By far the majority of outlets listed are general bookstores with a photography section. Fortunately, many of them are spectacular, either for their architecture -- like the House of Books in St Petersburg, Russia -- or for their interior design, like the bookstore at Palazzo delle Esposizioni in Rome.

Breathtaking Stores
There are some real-world bookstores that are not just spectacular, but quite breathtakingly so, in the audacious way they've taken over older buildings and repurposed them into highly theatrical retail outlets. The Bookshop Dominicanen in the small Dutch city of Maastricht is such a store. It's an adaptation of a very large Dominican church.

Even more theatrical is El Ateneo Grand Splendid in Buenos Aires, Argentina (shown above). It was originally a theatre, designed in 1919 then converted some 80 years later to become a bookstore.

The Wow Factor
The two I've just mentioned may be unusual but they're not alone in their power to astonish. Some new bookstores have the "wow factor" built into them from the start. For example, how about the Kinokuniya outlet in Dubai? It fully lives up to its location in the world's tallest building. You certainly won't forget where you bought the book.

Come on, admit it! Shopping in places like these is much more pleasurable -- and memorable -- than 1-Click ordering from Amazon. Sure, you'll have to carry the books back home yourself and I realise photography books can be very heavy. But you'll be able to tell your friends: "Oh, I picked this up at El Ateneo Grand Splendid," and then you show them the photos you took of the store.

Alternatively you can just stick with online ordering, signing your name illegibly on the grubby machine the delivery guy sticks under your nose, and shuffle back indoors to go back to sleep.

No contest, is there?

- John Lewell, Editor


BOOKSTORES FOR PHOTOGRAPHY, UNITED KINGDOM

>>> UNITED KINGDOM: London

London: Artwords Bookshop

Contemporary visual culture. Has two outlets in East London: 20-22 Broadway Market, and 69 Rivington Street.

London: Claire de Rouen

Specialist fine art and fashion photography store, with mainly film-based photo artbooks. 125 Charing Cross Road.

London: Donlon Books

Not just photography, but art, critical theory, LGBT literature, music, fashion, and counterculture. Publishing, too. 75 Broadway Market, Hackney.

London: Hatchards

A British institution. Has the oldest bookstore: founded 1797 in Piccadilly; and one of the newest: opened 2014 in St. Pancras International rail station.

London: Koenig Books

Major European art/photo bookstore chain has 2 outlets in London, at Whitechapel Gallery, 77-82 Whitechapel High Street, and Serpentine Gallery in Kensington Gardens.

London: Maggs Bros.

Sells antiquarian books and has a large collection of Japanese photobooks. Berkeley Square, Mayfair.

London: Photographers' Gallery

Extensive bookstore downstairs, dedicated to photography. Books, magazines, cards, prints. 16–18 Ramillies Street, off Oxford St.

London: Waterstones

Waterstones is the biggest bookstore chain in the U.K., and its flagship Piccadilly branch in London claims to be the largest bookstore in Europe.

>>> UNITED KINGDOM: Outside London

Oxford: Blackwell's

Blackwell's is a major chain of academic book retailers. Owns Heffers, of Cambridge, among others. Flagship Oxford store opens up into the vast, 10,000 sq. ft Norrington Room. 48-51 Broad Street.

Bath: Mr B's

Twice named the UK's best independent bookshop, Mr B's Emporium offers fiction and non-fiction, including photography books upstairs. 14-15 John Street.

Bath: Topping

With another branch at 9 High Street, Ely, Topping Books is a substantial independent retailer. Fiction, non-fiction, photo books, etc. The Paragon.

Bristol: Arnolfini

Stocks over 100 magazines and periodicals on art, design, literature, film and photography, and has a fine range of books. Large café/bar attached. 16 Narrow Quay.

BOOKSTORES FOR PHOTOGRAPHY, EUROPE

>>> EUROPE: Austria

Graz: Bookstore Moser

Morawa has stores at 18 locations, including this large one in Graz, founded in 1868. Art, architecture, music, travel, photography, etc. Graz Am Eisernen Tor 1.

Vienna: Anzenberger Gallery

In former bread factory alongside many galleries: rare, selfpublished, signed and limited edition photography books. Absberggasse 27.

Vienna: Lia Wolf

Books on photography, art, graphic and industrial design, architecture and fashion. Presentations and a big web store. Sonnenfelsgasse 3.

Vienna: Koenig

Buchhandlung Walther Koenig's well-stocked Vienna outlet can be found in the Museum Quarter. Museumsplatz 1.

>>> EUROPE: France

Paris: Le Plac'Art Photo

Specialist photo bookstore with new, used and rare books. Esp. strong on Japanese photography. 12 rue de l'Eperon. Metro: Odeon or St Michel.

Paris: La Chambre Claire

Founded in 1980, it is dedicated to showcasing the work of photographers. 14, rue Saint-Sulpice. Metro: Mabillion or Odéon.

Paris: Le BAL Books

Rare and signed photobooks. Has own publishing imprint, newsletter, and online sales. 6 impasse de la Défense. Metro: Place de Clichy.

Paris: Mona Lisait

General bookstore with good photography section. Rare books and online sales. 211 rue du Faubourg Saint Antoine. Metro: Faidherbe-Chaligny.

Paris: Galignani

French, English, and Fine Art books, with history dating back to the earliest days of printing. 224, rue de Rivoli. Metro: Tuileries. On Facebook.

Paris: Le Gai Rossignol

Up-market books on photography, fashion design, interior design, and architecture, in 3rd arrondissement. 9 rue Saint Martin. Metro: Hôtel De Ville.

Paris: Palais de Tokyo

Walther Koenig & Cahiers d'Art joined to create a 450m2 bookstore at this location. Unique art books, limited editions, and more. Metro: Alma-Marceau. 13, avenue du Président Wilson.

Paris: Taschen

Books on photography, fashion, architecture, typography, illustration, and music. One of this publisher's large international chain. 2 rue de Buci. Metro: Mabillon.

>>> EUROPE: Germany

Berlin: 25books

Regular exhibitions of well-known and undiscovered photographers at the bookstore. Top 25 titles, updated online. Open: Wed, Fri, Sat. Brunnenstraße 152.

Berlin: Bildband

Opened by Joe Dilworth and Thomas Gust in 2015, this store carries both limited edition photobooks and mainstream books on photography. Immanuelkirchstr. 33.

Berlin: Buecherbogen

Under the arches of the S-Bahn at Savignyplatz, here you'll find a good stock of photography books and helpful, English-speaking staff. Stadtbahnbogen 593.

Berlin: Koenig

Photographic and artbook chain Walther Koenig has many stores in Berlin: at Museum für Fotografie, Jebenstraße 2, and Burgstaße 27, etc.

Berlin: Kominek Books

A publisher of photobooks, Kominek says its main focus is on documentary photography and Eastern Europe, but also covers other subjects and areas. Immanuelkirchstr. 25.

Berlin: Taschen

This leading publisher of art and photography books has a fine store in Berlin, with an internal art gallery showing frequent photographic exhibitions. Schlüterstr. 39.

Berlin: UNTERWEGS

UNTERWEGS Antiquariat & Galerie shows exhibitions on "architecture and city" and offers many books on those subjects and photography. Torstaße 93.

Cologne: Koenig

"It's almost paradise," says Hans Ulrich Obrist of this, the original Koenig store. Frequented by artists, photographers, intellectuals. Ehrenstr. 4.

Hamburg: Haus der Photographie

One of the world's most comprehensive specialty bookshops for photography, in the Deichtorhallen. Huge exhibition space, too. Deichtorstraße 1-2.

Hamburg: Sautter + Lackmann

Books on the visual arts: photography, art, architecture, graphic design, film, fashion and crafts. Now one big store. Admiralty Street 71/72.

Munich: L. Werner

Founded 1878 by Louis Werner. Visual arts: photography, graphic design, arts and crafts, architecture & urban design, garden & landscape. Türkenstraße 30.

Stuttgart: Lindemanns

Lindemanns Foto-Buchhandlung is a specialist store devoted to photography, from popular how-to books to monographs and fine art photography. Tailfingerstaße 7.

>>> EUROPE: Italy

Milan: Libreria Hoepli

On five floors, it's one of the largest bookstores in Italy. 100,000 books - and even more are available through its online store. Via Ulrico Hoepli 5.

Milan: Corso Como 10

Also in Seoul, Shanghai, Beijing and NYC: contemporary design stores with extensive book departments for the visual arts. Corso Como, 10.

Milan: Micamera

The largest bookstore specializing in Italian photography. New books, used, rare, signed, sold out and collectible. Via Medardo Rosso, 19.

Rome: P. delle Esposizioni

5 rooms of books on the visual arts, built by architect Firouz Galdo, part of the exhibition site, but with separate entrance. Via Milano 15/17.

>>> EUROPE: Other Countries

Belgium: Tipi

The Tipi Photo Bookshop sells contemporary photo art and theoretical books. 186 rue Hôtel des monnaies, Brussels.

Holland: Bookshop Dominicanen

800-yr-old church used for bicycle storage till converted into "possibly...the most beautiful bookshop of all time" (The Guardian). Dominicanerkerkstraat 1., Maastricht.

Sweden: Fotografisca

This huge gallery of contemporary photography has an excellent bookstore, with prints, posters, cards - and books. Stadsgårdshamnen 22, 116 45 Stockholm.

Switzerland: Kunstkiosk

Specializes in modern and contemporary art "after 1960", and photography. Irregular opening hours. Limmatquai 31, Zurich.

Boekhandel Dominicanen Kerk
Photos: Sergé Technau (left), Falco Ermert (right), Dominicanerkerk, Maastricht City

BOOKSTORES FOR PHOTOGRAPHY, UNITED STATES & CANADA

>>> USA: New York

NYC: Barnes & Noble

It has to be included! The only bookstore to challenge Amazon seriously online, but if you're in the area: it's great to browse. 2289 Broadway (82nd & Broadway).

NYC: clic

Contemporary photography, books, home goods and apparel, opened by former stylist and Calypso founder Christiane Celle in 2008. 255 Centre Street.

NYC: Dashwood Books

New York City's only independent bookstore devoted entirely to photography. Regular signings. Focus is on contemporary work. 33 Bond Street.

East Hampton: Harpers

Contemporary art and photography books and original photographs. 87 Newtown Lane, E. Hampton; and Harper's Apartment 51 E 74th St.

NYC: Manhattan Rare Book Co

Specializes in outstanding books in fine condition. Art and photobooks, plus rare books on many other subjects. 1050 Second Avenue.

NYC: Kinokuniya

New York outlet of the great Kinokuniya chain. Very strong on the visual arts, including photography. 1073 Avenue of the Americans (between 40th & 41st St).

NYC: Rizzoli

Visual arts: fashion, interior design, art, architecture, photography & design, + literature. In new location after 50yrs. 1133 Broadway (between 25th and 26th Street).

NYC: Strand

18 miles of books. One of the most famous bookstores in the U.S. New & used titles in every genre, as well as rare books. 828 Broadway (corner of 12th street).

>>> USA: Chicago

Chicago: After-Words

70,000 new and used volumes on two floors. Fiction, literature, poetry, and children's books, together with art and photography. 23 East Illinois Street.

Chicago: Art Institute

The Art Institute of Chicago's two museum stores sell books on art, design, architecture, and photography. 111 South Michigan Avenue.

Chicago: Powell's

The Chicago area's largest independent dealer in used, bargain, antiquarian, and out of print books. Photography books galore. Main store: 1501 E 57th St.

Chicago: The Book Cellar

Located in a neighborhood once known as Germantown, this great bookstore offers wine, cozy couches, and coffee. Photography books, too, 4736-38 N Lincoln Ave.

>>> USA: West Coast

LA: ARCANA

ARCANA Books on the Arts, Culver City, has 100,000 items and a strong online presence. Photography, art, design, fashion, cinema, and more. 8675 Washington Blvd.

LA: Art Catalogues

Independent art bookstore, at Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Subjects are modern art, architecture and photography. 5905 Wilshire Boulevard (Ahmanson Building).

LA: Book Soup

"Bookseller To The Great & Infamous!" Art, film, photography, music, and literary fiction. Author events nearly every day. 8818 Sunset Blvd.

LA: Hennessey + Ingalls

"Best Books on the Visual Arts." Largest art, architecture and design bookstore in the western United States, strong on photography, too. 300 S. Santa Fe Ave.

LA: The Last Bookstore

Josh Spencer's cavernous, mainly secondhand bookstore in downtown LA: 22,000 sq. ft., but it has a webstore, too. 453 S Spring St.

Seattle: Elliott Bay Book Co

Fabulous bookstore with 150,000 titles. Founded in 1973, opened Seattle’s first bookstore café. All subjects. Many events, inc. photo shoots. 1521 10th Ave, Seattle.

SF: Park Life

Independent retail store and art gallery. Has a photobook section with many, well-chosen titles. 220 Clement Street.

SF: William Stout

As its name implies William Stout Architectural Books specializes in architecture, but it carries many photographic titles also. 804 Montgomery Street.

>>> USA: Other States

Florida: Books & Books

Founded 1982 by Mitchell Kaplan and now with several stores, Books & Books holds 60 author events a month. Many photography books. 265 Aragon Ave, Coral Gables, Miami.

Massachusetts: Brattle

One of America's oldest and largest used book shops. Founded in 1825 it now carries over 250,000 books. 9 West Street, Boston.

Massachusetts: MoFA

The Museum of Fine Arts' bookstore covers art, photography, architecture, design and travel, and has an antiquarian section. 465 Huntington Ave., Boston.

New Mexico: photo-eye

Specializes in all books related to photography, part of the Art Photo Index enterprises. 1300 Rufina Circle, Santa Fe.

>>> CANADA: Calgary, Toronto, Vancouver

Calgary: The Camera Store

More than a hardware store! Famed for its YouTube videos, TCS has a photography book department in its vast premises. 802-11th Ave SW, Calgary, AB.

Toronto: Ben McNally

"Toronto's Most Beautiful Bookstore" - and they're not kidding. Ask Ben for book recommendations. 366 Bay Street.

Toronto: BMV Books

With four locations in Toronto, this firm has a huge stock of secondhand books on all subjects. See what you can find! 471 Bloor Street West.

Vancouver: Indigo

Spacious store, huge selection, all subjects. Indigo has even published a coffee table book called "The World Needs More Canada." 2505 Granville Street.

BOOKSTORES FOR PHOTOGRAPHY, FAR EAST

>>> FAR EAST: Japan

Osaka: Book of Days

Sells both foreign and Japanese illustrated books on photography, art, design and fashion. 202, 2F Nishi-Honmachi EIGHT Bld., 1-10-2, Awaza, Nishi-ku.

Tokyo: Bibliophile

Large collection of imported books on design and the visual arts. Now part of Living Motif. Minato-ku, Roppongi 5-17-1, AXIS building B1F/B2F.

Tokyo: Libro

Very large chain of bookstores in many cities. Art, photography, and books on other subjects. Tokyo Ginza: Tsukiji 4-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo.

Tokyo: Komiyama Shoten

One of the best places in Tokyo for art photography books and prints. Vintage photo collections, events, poster sales. 1 Chome-7 Kanda Jinbocho.

>>> FAR EAST: Singapore

Singapore: Basheer Graphic Books

Specialised bookstore for design books and magazines, inc. fashion, photography and graphics. 231 Bain Street, #04-19 Bras Basah Complex.

Singapore: Kinokuniya

One of the largest bookstores in S.E. Asia with 400,000 books. Plenty on photography and the visual arts. 391 Orchard Rd., Takashimaya Centre, Ngee Ann City.

Singapore: Popular

One of the largest bookstores in the city, with a good section on art, architecture and photography. Online, too. 231 Bain Street, #4 Bras Basah Complex.

Singapore: Times Bookstore

More than one! This chain has many outlets in Singapore, in places such as Marina Square, Plaza Singapura, Jelita - and Orchard Paragon, 290 Orchard Rd.

>>> FAR EAST: Other Countries

China: The Bookworm

Alas, The Bookworm has been forced to close. After 14 years, it has fallen prey to what is described as an ongoing cleanup of "illegal structures." There is still info online.

Malaysia: Kinokuniya

"Definitely the best bookshop in KL," says one reviewer, and she's right. 300,000 titles, four languages: Chinese, English, Japanese and Malay. Level 4, Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur.

Thailand: Kinokuniya

Three fabulous Kinokuniya stores, with huge photography and visual arts sections. Main store: Siam Paragon, also CentralWorld and EmQuartier, Bangkok.

Taiwan: Artland

Has imported art books since 1985. Art, architecture, design, fashion, photography. Has cafe and gallery. B1 #122 Jen Ai Road, Sec. 3, Taipei.

Kinokuniya, Siam Paragon
Photo: "Wpcpey," Kinokuniya, Bangkok.

BOOKSTORES FOR PHOTOGRAPHY, OTHER COUNTRIES

>>> AUSTRALIA: Sydney & Melbourne

Sydney: Abbey's Bookshop

General bookstore with large visual arts section. Founded in 1968 by Eve & Ron Abbey. Now just across from the landmark Queen Victoria Building. 131 York St.

Sydney: Kinokuniya

Spectacular, like all Kinokuniya stores, it carries extensive stock on all subjects, inc. photography. Has a bakery, too. Level 2, The Galeries, 500 George Street.

Melbourne: Metropolis

The Metropolis Bookshop is great for books on fashion and textiles -- and for photography, architecture and graphic design. Online, too. Curtin House, 252 Swanston St.

Melbourne: Readings

It all started in 1969 as a tiny stand-alone shop in 1969, now grown to become "a Melbourne icon." General bookstore, with photography section. 309 Lygon St., Carlton.

>>> LATIN AMERICA: Argentina, Brasil, Peru, Mexico

Argentina: Dain Usina

"Books, Art, Caféteria": Dain Usina Cultural is highly rated by customers, not least for its lovely roof terrace. Photography books, yes. Nicaragua 4899, Buenos Aires.

Argentina: El Ateneo

On everyone's list of spectacular bookstores, this one occupies a former theatre, designed in 1919. It still has all the trappings of the theatre, even the curtains. Plus books. Av. Santa Fe, Buenos Aires.

Argentina: Eterna Cadencia

Widely rated as one of the best bookstores in the capital, Eterna Cadencia is strong on literature and carries non-fiction, too. Honduras 5574, Buenos Aires.

Brasil: Martins Fontes

Founded 1960 in Santos and now with 10,000 sq. ft. of books, Martins Fontes Paulista is a top destination for book lovers in Brasil. Av. Paulista, 509, and other locations in São Paulo.

Brasil: Livraria da Vila

At 7 locations throughout São Paulo: Av. Higienópolis, 618, and 6 other major stores. Has full schedule of events. São Paulo.

Brasil: Livraria da Travessa

7 stores throughout Rio de Janeiro, each with a coffee shop or restaurant. Founded in 1975 in Ipanema: a cultural institution. Rua Visconde de Pirajá.

Mexico: Pendulo

Cafebreria El Pendulo has 6 major outlets in the Mexico City area, combining coffee, greenery and books. Massive stock. Alejandro Dumas 81, Polanco, etc.

Peru: Arcadia Mediatica

If you're in Peru: drop by for books on art and culture, inc. photography and music. Two stores: Alcanfores 295 tda 17, and Rufino Torrico 885, Lima.

>>> MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA: Lebanon, UAE, South Africa

UAE: Kinokuniya

One of this chain's most magnificent stores: in the Burj Khalifa. 68,000 square feet. Photo books? No problem. The Dubai Mall, Level 2, Dubai.

Lebanon: Papercup

Specializes in the visual arts: art, architecture, design, photography, and fashion. Agopian Building, Pharaon Street, Mar Mikhael, Beirut, Lebanon.

South Africa: Clarke's

In the centre of Cape Town: a major bookstore selling a large selection of second-hand books, esp. visual arts. 199 Long Street, Cape Town.

South Africa: Exclusive

Exclusive Books is a major chain of bookstores in the Johannesburg area. Main store: 117 Oxford Service, Rosebank, Johannesburg.

>>> RUSSIA

Moscow: Garage Museum

Founded in 2008, the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art is a radical redesign of the Soviet-era Vremena Goda restaurant. Has outstanding bookstore. 9/32 Krymsky Val.

Moscow: Lumiere

The Lumiere Brothers Center for Photography is a specialist gallery and bookstore devoted to photography. Has library & cafe, too. Bolotnaya Embankment, 3.

Moscow: Pioner Cinema

The Pioner Cinema has a delightful bookstore, carrying titles suited to the film-loving clientele. Lectures, presentations. Kutuzovsky pr. 21.

St Petersburg: House of Books

On three floors of the Singer Building in St Petersburg. 150,000 books: art and culture, fiction, etc. Russian website (tr. with Google!) Nevsky Prospekt 28A.

Lumiere Brothers Center for Photography
Photo courtesy of: The Lumiere Brothers Center for Photography, Moscow


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