Melbourne Streets - the Bookshop Count

Darlene's got a post up on her blog naming some of the fancier streets in Melbourne, but what hasn't been mentioned so far is something of vital importance - namely, the BOOKSHOP COUNT! I thought I'd rectify this oversight by listing the bookshops on some of the better-known Melbourne Streets.

Sydney Road - one and a half, a very unfortunate state of affairs. (Brunswick Books closed down a few months ago). There is, however, a rather ramshackle 'artistic' bookshop on Albion Street, just a block away from Sydney Road. Also a comic store that never seems to be open in Moreland. You can buy a comic, and then drive off down Sydney Road and the Hume Highway until you hit Sydney!

Lygon Street - Three. Borders and Readings, opposite one another. There's that gigantic bookshop on Rathdowne Street which is worth mentioning, and there's another bookshop, right down the end of Lygon Street, which is usually run by pasty-faced Goths playing classical music. You can pick up some nice poetry and SF volumes in that one.

Chapel Street - 2 and a half. Angus and Robertson sometimes set up a 'bargain' store at the Yarra end of Chapel Street. 'Penny Syber's Books' is an excellent, traditional second-hand bookshop just a few stores down from the Astor Theatre. You can go bookshopping, go to the Astor museum, then see a movie! (Penny's husband* David Syber also ran an off-again on-again bookstore in St Kilda - apparently he keeps on re-opening his failing business in different places. They both specialise in sf and fantasy, but aren't limited to that.) Also a good graphic novel/comic bookstore on Chapel Street. Oh, and Borders right down the South Yarra end.

Fitrzoy Street (St Kilda) - Two bookstores, one a very good second-hand bookstore at the end of the Street (I once picked up an excellent collection of Aubrey Beardsley poetry and art there, as well as several Raymond Chandler's and 'Father Brown' stories). The other is a slightly wanky one right in the middle. It's tiny and has several political mags displayed prominently in the window out front. Seems to specialise in left-leaning authors like Monbiot.

Brunswick Street - three-and-a-bit bookshops. One a swanky new store called 'Brunswick Street Books' with two levels and a great range, if you like new books. The others a second-hand store a bit further along, which I think specialises in first-class second-hand books, if that makes sense. They have several weird alcoves. There's also a (clothing?) store that has a table out front with books on it. Polyester Books, of course, is awesome. And there's another record store which has a couple of mags and comics (I picked up a copy of the American 'National Lampoon' there). I think there used to be ANOTHER second-hand bookshop on Brunswick Street, but they closed down.

Smith Street - two-and-a-half bookshops. There's one right at the start, which I think metamorphosed from a second-hand store to a 'new edition' store. Quite small, some interesting books. There's also a second-hand record store which has a good bookshelf (SF, but I think there's even some poetry there). There's a specialist Travel bookstore that sells mostly Lonely Planet books, too.

For those in the Fitzroy area, Gertrude Street also has a good bookshop just on the corner with Brunswick Street. You can get a new book there and saunter across the road to the French Creperie, (A place where they sell pancakes, not a place frequented by sleazy Jacques Chirac types). Elizabeth Street in the city also has several interesting locations, one of them being Magnation on (I think) the Collins Street corner, a two-storey shop devoted solely to magazines.

*'Husband' - not sure about that, he could be her brother!