The Margate Bookshop

My mother and I are familiar faces here at our local book bop. I deeply enjoy the excellent curation of mountaineering literature while my mother is a big fan of the incredible children’s books collection! I am often only reminded when I leave Margate just how lucky we are to have such a place! A place is made by the people existing within it - aly and Fran are always just so wonderfully well read and helpful! I never know what I am looking for but somehow they do! I have attached a photo from last summer when the duck egg green was looking particularly sublime!

Fantastic selection of books and lady took the time to recommend and suggest books tailored to our needs, as a group of four we had purchased over 10-15 books at the weekend and at a good cost!

This tiny bookshop is so well-curated, I went back twice in one weekend to pick up another round of books! The staff were lovely and helpful with recs. It’s a must stop-in when in Margate.

My favourite shop anywhere in the world; The Margate Bookshop might be small but it offers both an incredibly well curated and presented selection of classics and contemporary fiction, as well as a wide range of thought-provoking non-fiction, poetry and children's books, too. The staff are always engaging and attentive, warm, friendly and funny, and are quick to help with a suggested title or else to order in a book for you when they don't already have it. Thanks to the welcoming atmosphere, amiable staff, frequent author talks, local events noticeboard and book club, this is more than just a great bookshop but a vital part of the wider local community, as well.

I have been a loyal customer for 3 years now. Every time I go in, I need help with a book recommendation. I usually say something vague like, "my friend likes a page turner that's not too airport but not too literary" or " my mother in law likes medieval stuff" or "I am looking for a book to read on my first night in my new house and the heating isn't working". Every time, Aly has the perfect recommendation for me! You don't get that kind of service on Amazon. Long live the independent book shop!

Margate Bookshop is the quintessential independent bookshop — welcoming, colourful, and packed with the full spectrum: classic, children’s, history, art, cutting edge fiction and everything in between. If you’re looking for something specific (or you’re overwhelmed by choice), Aly, Fran and the rest of the team are great to chat with either speculatively or on the minute details of titles. It’s also a satisfying sensory treat: bright covers everywhere, that old-school doorbell ding as you walk in, and a gentle hint of incense in the air — and if you’re as lucky as me, you’ll even get your teeth into a book you can’t put down. The children’s section has had a great upgrade too — thoughtful, sturdy shelving and a much more inviting space that’s clearly well loved. (6 STARS for this). They also run a monthly book club (hosted at Forts Hotel), which is a lovely way to meet people and talk books without pretension — just good conversation and well-chosen reads. Sometimes nipples… Long may the pages keep turning in time with the tides.

Somehow every time I come to this store, I'll lose track of time and spend at least an hour reading the blurbs and deciding which books I should buy. The store manages to handpick the very best- most interesting books- every book has substance, even the light/easy reads are certainly going to be something you can't put down. I'll return to this place again and again !

I feel really sad about this one because I have been waiting a long time to go to this book shop. Only to enter and feel very uncomfortable in there. I got a hello when I opened the door but not a very warm welcome. Two sales assistants and not one of them asked if there was anything I was looking for. No acknowledgement that I was even there. Just talking between themselves about other people. Unfortunately very uncomfortable vibe. I guess I’m just a local person and not someone from ‘London’ I don’t get the same welcome as others probably would. Very disheartening and won’t be going again.