Kirkdale Bookshop is probably the oldest independent bookshop in South East London, having opened in 1966! We have gradually expanded over the years and now have an extensive range of new and second-hand books over two floors, as well as a children’s section at the back of the shop. Apart from books, we have a beautiful range of greetings cards and wrapping paper alongside an excellent and ever changing selection of gifts, including candles, bookmarks, mugs, soaps & hand creams. Our book selection caters to all readers and we try and keep it well stocked with books that reflect the world around us by supporting and stocking works by authors of colour and LGBTQIA+ authors. We also run a loyalty scheme at the shop! If you spend £9.99 or more, you will receive a stamp on one of our yellow cards. Once you reach 6 stamps, the card becomes a voucher worth £5 against your next purchase (of £9.99 or more). You can earn stamps by spending on everything in the shop, except for book tokens, other vouchers & postage stamps.
Kirkdale Bookshop has become a focal point in the community, hosting many cultural events, including author signings, local artists’ exhibitions and children’s events. We run two book groups every other month, including an open book group, where we read both new and old fiction and an LGBTQIA+ group with a focus on queer narratives and experiences. You can find more info on these, including when the next meetings are taking place and what books we’re reading, in our book group pages by clicking here
Our friendly staff are always on hand to advise and help you find just the right book or gift for your needs. If we do not have the book you need then we will happily order it in for you – we are able to get most books by the next day!
