Reid of Liverpool

Phoebe Hurst
Reid of Liverpool, independent book shops, Liverpool shopping

Look past the offbeat cataloguing system; Reid of Liverpool is a Hope Street bookshop that brims with intriguing paperbacks and rare finds.

Bookended by two cathedrals and minutes away from a Grade II-listed college of art, two theatres, a Philharmonic Hall and a performing arts school founded by Paul McCartney, Reid of Liverpool stands on (or at least nearby) the shoulders of cultural giants.

But the Hope Street bookshop is a historic landmark in its own right too. As the city’s only surviving, purpose built Georgian retail premises, Reid’s has been supplying Scousers in antiquarian and second hand books for more than 25 years. Yet the shop’s functional exterior belies none of its neighbouring grandeur and, inside, browsers casually peruse the shelves without fear of any Bernard Black-esque inquisitions. Reid’s rammed, ceiling-high bookcases focus on a fireplace and cash register poised regally on a makeshift desk.

Despite the pack-‘em-high approach to store design, the independently owned bookshop’s stock is decidedly well chosen. Reid’s website (it seems even the Georgian store proprietor must enter the 21st century) rather generally states that it sells “books on most subjects.” It’s not lying: alongside over 40,000 titles, you’ll find Ordinance Survey Maps, comics, the odd print – and a friendly shop cat. A selection of used textbooks caters to Liverpool’s substantial student population and a bookshelf at the shop front proffers a selection of cheap paperbacks, poised to catch those heading towards Lime Street Station without a good train read.

While Reid’s exact system of cataloguing is slightly questionable (something along the lines of general fiction, sci-fi, conspiracy theories, children’s literature… and back to fiction), the stock is all fairly reasonably priced. We picked up a coffee table read on British folk art and a recent Roddy Doyle novel for under £15, and serious book collectors are catered for with several rare finds and first editions. And Mr. Reid himself? Sadly, he’s as fictional as the contents of the shop’s rickety shelves. Real owner, Gerry Fitzgerald swiped his mother’s maiden name when christening his shop but that doesn’t bother us too much. The combination of second hand books and quietly clever puns is too good to pass up.

105 Mount PleasantLiverpoolL3 5TB View map
Telephone: 0151 709 2312 Visit Now

Admission Charges

Free

Services and Facilities

Second hand and antiquarian book shop

Opening Hours

  • Monday10:30am - 5:15pm
  • Tuesday10:30am - 5:15pm
  • Wednesday10:30am - 5:15pm
  • Thursday10:30am - 5:15pm
  • Friday10:30am - 5:15pm
  • Saturday10:30am - 5:15pm

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

What's on near Reid of Liverpool

Until
ActivityLiverpool
Old Dock Tours, Liverpool

The Old Dock tour is a treat for younger and older visitors alike, fans of Liverpool’s maritime past, and anybody curious about local history.

£8.50 with concessions

Where to go near Reid of Liverpool

Liverpool
Restaurant
The Reader Bar & Restaurant

The Reader Bar & Restaurant offers diners a bistro-style menu, inspired by continental European flavours and created using locally sourced seasonal produce. 

Liverpool
Event venue
Zap Graffiti

Liverpool’s unique Graffiti encompasses a shop, studio, gallery and spaces for artists, and hosts workshops, murals, kids parties and classes.

City Centre
Shop
69A

Junk emporium 69A in Liverpool is the shop that time forgot. It has been peddling vintage wares since 1976.

City Centre
Theatre
Grand Central Hall

First opened in 1905, the hall has been a cinema and home to Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. More recently, it has been a nightclub, home to independent traders and – with recent further refurbishment – a 1,200-capacity multi-purpose theatre.

Liverpool
Gallery
LJMU Exhibition Research Lab

Exhibition Research Lab is the first academic centre and art gallery in the UK dedicated to the interdisciplinary study of exhibitions and curatorial knowledge.

Liverpool
Gallery
Arts Bar Baltic

A safe and creative space, with a mission to help support and develop Liverpool’s artistic scene.

City Centre
Café or Coffee Shop
The Egg Café

The Egg Café in Liverpool is an unpretentious vegan and vegetarian restaurant that does simple food, very well.

Photo of wooden tables and a green leather sofa
City Centre
Restaurant
Bretta & Co

Comprising of a deli and a small restaurant, Bretta & Co looks minimalist, modern and tasteful – the kind of place that puts you in mind of lazy brunches and ladies who lunch.

Liverpool
Restaurant
Maray

Much-loved Liverpool restaurant, specialising in forward-thinking small plate dishes.

Culture Guides

Music in Manchester and the North

From post punk legends to the leading lights of modern shoegaze, read about the most exciting artists playing in Manchester and the North this autumn.