Melbourne’s quirkiest bookstores revealed
The famed cultural capital of Australia, Melbourne has some classic bookstores hidden away — and they are just waiting to be explored.
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From old candy bars to free-roaming cats, Melbourne vast array of quirky bookshops are unique in their own special way.
Here are five of the quirkiest bookstores Melbourne has to offer:
Hill of Content – 86 Bourke St, CBD
Claiming the title of Melbourne’s oldest bookstore, Hill of Content is a treasure trove waiting to be plundered.
When opened in the 1920s, the top end of Bourke St was an area frequented by gangsters, and it was not uncommon for gunshots to be heard echoing through the streets.
Despite this, the two-storey bookstore thrived, and has retained its popular Bourke St location.
The lower level is largely dedicated to new releases and fiction, while the second level hosts classical literature, art, philosophy and travel genres.
A well-loved spot for book lovers in Melbourne, the store continues to thrive almost a century later.
Hours: Monday to Thursday: 10am-6pm, Friday: 10am-7pm, Saturday: 10am-6pm and Sunday: 11am-6pm.
The Paperback Bookshop – 60 Bourke St, CBD
First opening in the early 1960s, Paperback Bookshop was a place avid readers would go to find rare books that weren’t available anywhere else in Australia.
Now a Victorian institution, the labyrinth of shelves housed in the Paperback Bookshop hold titles of all genres.
In great company with Pellegrini’s next door and the Palace Theatre a short walk away, Paperback takes advantage of the extra foot traffic with its opening hours extending later than the usual bookstore, allowing browsers to come in for a post-dinner or pre-show shop.
Hours: Monday to Thursday 10am-8pm, Friday 10am-9pm, Saturday 10am-9pm and Sunday noon-7pm.
The Sun Bookshop – 10 Ballarat Rd, Yarraville
Sweetly nestled into a spot inside the Sun Theatre in Yarraville, the Sun Bookshop might be small, but it packs a punch in reading material.
Located in what was the old theatre’s candy bar, the Sun Bookshop has maintained its charm inside the art deco era location.
Opened in 1998, The Sun Bookshop is still run by manager and owner Deb Force, who carefully curates the titles that burst off the shelves.
The Sun Bookshop doesn’t just sell books, but also regularly hosts events in store, keen book lovers can find out more here.
Hours: Monday to Friday 10am-6pm, Saturday 10am-5pm and Sunday 10am-4pm.
Hares & Hyenas – 79 – 81 Fitzroy St, St Kilda
Previously calling Fitzroy home, Hares and Hyenas recently moved to St Kilda, its new residence within the Victorian Pride Centre.
Opened by Rowland Thomson and Crusader Hillis in 1991, Hares and Hyenas was not just a location for books, but also for book clubs, literary meet ups, and over its 30-year existence, has put on hundreds of spoken-word events.
Housing titles inclusive of and written by the LGBTQI+ community, the bookstore explores and celebrates queer culture.
The original venue in Fitzroy is now a venue called Hare Hole, a multipurpose space — part community space, part cafe and part retail store.
Hours: Monday to Saturday 10am-5.30pm and Sunday 11.30am-5.30pm.
Syber’s Books – 227 Glenferrie Rd Malvern & 666 Glenhuntly Rd Caulfield South
First opening its doors in Windsor in 1991, Syber’s Books boasts a huge collection of rare and out of print books, with a particular emphasis on military history, children’s books, science fiction and crime.
Previously calling Chapel St home, Syber’s books has hundred of preloved titles waiting to find their new homes.
Now operating out of Malvern and Caulfield, owners David and Penny Syber are accompanied in store by both books and cats.
Hours: Tuesday to Friday: noon-5pm.
gemma.scerri@news.com.au
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