Bookshop Row - Grass Market

The owner of Armchair Books looks and acts like an old anarchist. He was sitting in the back unabashedly smoking, surrounded by his alternatype employees who were sitting on the floor, sorting books. When I asked him the price of a book, he admonished me to barter with him, then gave it to me for an even lower price.

Gay's the Word - Russell Square

One of the few independent gay & lesbian bookshops left in London.

Gay's the Word
66 Marchmont Street
London
WC1N 1AB

Hatchards - Piccadilly

Official bookseller to the Queen. Now owned by HMV.

187 Piccadilly
London, W1J 9LE

020 7439 9921

Magma - Clerkenwell

Magma stocks magazines and books on art, photography and design. Art is subjective here. One book that caught my eye focused on people standing in line, another showed a series of empty plates with vestiges of the meal that was just on them. The strength of the shop is the magazine and journal selection mainstream favorites share the shelves with a nice selection of indie publications.

117-119 Clerkenwell Road
London, EC1R 5B

R.D. Franks - Westminster

London has everything, if you know where to look. R.D. Franks is a prime example. Almost every magazine relating to fashion is sold here, from mainstream offerings like Vogue to the more obscure, such as Street, Fruits and Fantastic Man. There's also a good collection of pattern making and textile books and publications by Gap press. Surprisingly, though, Japanese look books are not sold here.

5 WINSLEY STREET
LONDON
W1W 8HG
020.7636.1244

Forbidden Planet - Shaftsbury

Forbidden planets is a superstore for nerds with well-paying jobs. I use the term "nerd" in admiration, especially if they are paid enough to be able to shop here.


The basement houses comic books, graphic novels, sf fantasy, dvds, videos and games. Stock includes a fairly good range of new comics, and a few back issues, both American and UK issues. Unlike many comic book stores, they don't bag most of the comics. Books include trade paperbacks, graphic novels, as well as art books and sci-fi and Fantasy. From easy reading choices like Terry Pratchett to more literary, non-formulaic sci-fi and horror. A good selection of Manga includes Japanese-language selections.


The ground floor lures customers in with pop art, designer vinyl, limited distribution direct market toys and mass-market goods, such as Simpsons and Nightmare Before Christmas collectibles.

FORBIDDEN PLANET
179 Shaftesbury Avenue
London
WC2H 8JR
020 7420 3666
info@forbiddenplanet.com

Hours: Mon to Weds and Fri to Sat 10.00am to 7.00pm, Thurs 10.00am to 8.00pm, Sun 12.00pm to 6.00pm

179 Shaftesbury Avenue
WC2H 8JR
020 7420 3666

Giant Robot - Haight Ashbury

Giant Robot is part gallery, part gift shop, and don't they have a magazine too? Toys, clothing, art, books, comics, this store is dedicated to Japanese pop art. If, like me, you love Tokidoki, this place is heaven. Of course, not everything is Japanese. Many books on street art, modern, fringe-type artists and architecture that meets the Japanese sensibility of the small perfect thing are sold here. The small, perfect thing is likely to be a tennis shoe, a clapped out kitchen in Hackney, a monster doll or an exquisite piece of art.

622 Shrader St
San Francisco, CA 94117
415.876.4773

A Different Light Bookstore - The Castro

Lady Godiva was a freedom rider....

Who knew that Bea Arthur had a big following among drag queens? Come to think of it, there is that drag show that recreates episodes of the Golden Girls verbatim. And Bea does sport a look that look that most men could adopt fairly easily, with the right flowy caftan or slouchy boot. Nevertheless, it was a sad day when I realised that I had missed my opportunity to see my idol at A Different Light Bookstore.

In addition to great celebrity appearances, A Different Light sells mostly books and videos that could possibly be of interest to the gay community, but don't expect all gay porn and overwrought lesbian love stories. Shoppers are just as likely to find a book on carpentry or child rearing as they are to find the latest Bear of the Month Calender. It's got a broad magazine selection and quite a few videos. Despite the range of the book selection, the book section seems to be shrinking a bit as the video section expands. Doesn't anybody read anymore?

489 Castro Street
San Francisco, CA 94114
415.431.0891

SFMOMA Store - San Francisco Airport

With the additions of the SFMOMA store and Sephora, shopping is improving considerably at the San Francisco Airport. The restaurants are improving too, but that's another blog.

The SFMOMA store has lots of cute toys, books and decorator items. It's a good place to spend your last US dollars or to buy last-minute gifts for arty people back home. Most of the things are designer-inspired & certainly beat a key chain or t-shirt grabbed on the way the the gate.

The V & A - South Kensington

Just visiting the exhibits at the Victoria and Albert museum is a form of shopping. I suppose you could call it window shopping, or as the French say "licking the windows." It's such a giant warehouse of fashion for the home and body, that I am seriously skeptical of those who say they can see everything in one day.

If shopping is only satisfying if you actually lay out some money, visit the V&A gift shop. It sells the requisite postcards, note cards, and history, art and design books, but it's also a nice representative of good British design. Whether your preference is Urban Outfitters or Harrods you can find clothes, accessories and nick knacks to suit your taste. I still regret not buying a purse I saw there a couple of years ago. I don't remember the designer, but it was made of many different labels sewn together, similar to the technique Fake of London uses. "I'll find it online," I thought, trying to be fiscally responsible for once in my life. Sadly, it was not available online. It was one of a kind. I lost my chance to support the arts and to own a thing of beauty.

Victoria and Albert Museum
Cromwell Road
London SW7 2RL
020 7942 2000