Explore Oxford’s finest bookstores—the classic, the academic, and the independent. Each has its own charm, embodying the city’s rich literary spirit.
Oxford is legendary in the world of academia, so no surprise that it has an abundance of high-quality bookstores to choose from—here are nine to get you started.
Blackwell’s Bookshop
Founded in 1879, Blackwell’s Bookshop is a staple not just of Oxford, but of the United Kingdom in general, with 30 locations across the country. Its Oxford location also just so happens to be one of the most beautiful bookstores in the UK, blending historic architecture with lush, modern design.
It’s not just a pretty facade, though. It carries an overwhelming number of titles, catering to students, scholars, and your average reader alike.
Address: 48-51 Broad St, Oxford OX1 3BQ, United Kingdom
Opening hours:
– Monday to Saturday: 9AM – 7PM
– Sunday: Closed
Last Bookshop Jericho
The Last Bookshop Jericho sells new and used books across fiction, poetry, politics, philosophy, and more, often at bargain prices. And let me tell you, this place is absolutely packed with books: on shelves, on tables, on the floor—everywhere. Basically, a book lover’s dream come true.
And it doesn’t end with the ground floor offerings, either. Last Bookshop also has a spacious basement level downstairs where you can find even more titles awaiting discovery.
Address: 25 Walton St, Oxford OX1 2HQ, United Kingdom
Opening hours:
– Monday to Saturday: 10AM – 6PM
– Sunday: 9AM – 5PM
Gulp Fiction
With a name like “gulp,” you get three guesses as to what this bookshop does in addition to selling books. Tucked inside Oxford’s historic Covered Market, this bookshop-café-bar sells coffee and beer alongside a selection of secondhand books. It has a casual, relaxed atmosphere, encouraging patrons to linger and chat while browsing.
The shop hosts events such as quiz nights, clubs (both for books and writing), and more. Note that tickets are required for many events, which can be purchased ahead of time from the website.
Address: Unit 28-29 Covered Market, Oxford OX1 3DU, United Kingdom
Opening hours:
– Monday to Wednesday: 10AM – 5PM
– Thursday to Saturday: 10AM – 10PM
– Sunday: 11AM – 4PM
Daunt Books (Summertown)
Part of the London‑based Daunt Books chain, this branch is relatively new, having opened in August 2020 in a former bank building. You wouldn’t know it from the outside, though, what with the wood-and-glass storefront that makes it seem like it was born to be a bookshop.
The shelves are filled with a discerning mix of new fiction, history, biography, and poetry, plus a strong children’s section and Daunt’s signature travel‑focused, country‑by‑country layout. The shop also advertises regular cultural events, notably book discussions and author talks, tickets for which can be purchased on the website.
Address: 247 Banbury Rd, Summertown, Oxford OX2 7HN, United Kingdom
Opening hours:
– Monday to Saturday: 9AM – 6PM
– Sunday: 10AM – 5PM
Oxfam Bookshop (St. Giles)
Oxfam is a confederation of 21 separate organizations, and is best known for its charity shops selling fair-trade and donated items, with proceeds going to poverty and famine relief work across the globe. The Oxfam Bookshop is a popular variety among these charity shops, with two in Oxford alone.
The Oxfam shop on St Giles’s stocks a wide range of donated books and music, including strong academic and foreign‑language sections that appeal to the local college crowd and local residents.
Address: 56 St Giles’, Oxford OX1 3LU, United Kingdom
Opening hours:
– Monday to Saturday: 9:30AM – 5:30PM
– Sunday: 10AM – 5PM
Oxfam Bookshop (Turl St.)
Over on Turl Street, we find another Oxfam Bookshop. The main difference here from the St Giles branch is that it doesn’t carry music—this here is books-only territory. And with two floors, it can cram a lot in there, from politics and religion to crafts and language.
Visitors have noted that pickings for fiction tend to be fairly slim at this outlet, but it’s a great place to find bargains for nonfiction and academic works while simultaneously supporting a good cause.
Address: 15 Turl St, Oxford OX1 3DQ, United Kingdom
Opening hours:
– Monday to Saturday: 9:30AM – 5:30PM
– Sunday: Closed
Bodleian Weston Library Shop
Tucked inside the Weston Library, which itself is part of the historic Bodleian Libraries in Oxford, you’ll find the Bodleian Weston Library Shop. This is the library’s official gift and bookshop, offering a curated selection of scholarly and general‑interest books, many linked to the Bodleian’s collections and current exhibitions.
And, of course, since it doubles as a gift shop, you can expect to find plenty of gifts, stationery, and souvenirs inspired by Oxford’s literary heritage. The interior has a very classic, elegant feel without feeling old or outdated.
Address: Broad St, Oxford OX1 3BG, United Kingdom
Opening hours:
– Monday to Friday: 9AM – 5PM
– Saturday: 10AM – 5PM
– Sunday: 11AM – 4PM
Arcadia
Arcadia is a small, independent book and stationery shop known for its vintage, whimsical atmosphere. Of course, just saying that might not prepare you for the reality, which is that it is an equal blend of fairytale forest and bookstore, replete with delicate antiques, plants (both fake and real), and aged wooden shelves painted in pale green.
The store specializes in secondhand, rare, and unusual books, with a pleasant selection of stationery, cards, prints, and more as a bonus.
Address: 4 St Michael’s St, Oxford OX1 2DU, United Kingdom
Opening hours:
– Monday to Sunday: 12PM – 6PM
St Philip’s Books
Housed in an old medieval building opposite Christchurch gardens, St Philip’s Books is a small, independent specialist bookshop focusing on rare and secondhand books. It has especially strong sections on theology, philosophy, literature, and art, so if any of those pique your interest, this’ll be an absolute gold mine for you.
The interior definitely gives an old-world feel, with mosaic wooden flooring and bookcases piled with books (both on the shelves and atop the cases). With narrow aisles, it gives almost the impression of a maze, one any book lover would be happy to be lost in.
Address: 82 St Aldate’s, Oxford OX1 1RA, United Kingdom
Opening hours:
– Monday to Saturday: 10AM – 5PM
– Sunday: Closed
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K Lou
K. Lou is a writer born in the U.S. who found her way to Japan through a spiritual calling—or, more precisely, better access to tea. She writes about travel, culture, and the occasional creative piece, inspired by her enduring love of books. This love began in high school when K. Lou carried books around to avoid seeming odd while lost in thought. Once she started reading, she never stopped. With zero regrets, she continues to explore the written word and invites others to join her in celebrating its varied forms.
