Village Books

Few things in life are more satisfying than spending a lazy afternoon browsing the shelves of a non-corporate book shop. Welcome to the Village Books, hidden away in Thornton’s Arcade. 

An indie bookstore curating a selection of contemporary books and magazines covering fashion, art, food, design and everything in between, here you’ll find a huge range of self-published zines sourced from artists around the world, as well as a mighty stock of arty and photography books. What’s more, it’s conveniently located in the same arcade as OK Comics, another great spot for picking up some unique reads.

Village Books gives a platform to emerging artists and photographers in the city

As well as stocking a huge variety of interesting books and magazines, the shop also serves coffee and supports a not-for-profit art gallery, which hosts regular book launches, exhibitions, and artist talks. Through the gallery space, Village Books gives a platform to emerging artists and photographers in the city, as well as bringing in more established creatives from further afield.

First established in 2012, the book shop and gallery was co-founded by a couple of university friends with a passion for print who wanted to bring the gems they were finding in London directly to Leeds. After starting off with zine fares around the area to gauge if they had an audience, they took the plunge and opened the shop – bringing something entirely new to the city. 

Home to a carefully curated collection that shows print media at its absolute best.

Run on a shoestring and a dream, they began by stocking northern publishers like Preston is my Paris and Café Royal (Southport)  they’d met at zine fairs, before going on to add self-published photo books, magazines, and more into the mix. Today, the shop is especially popular for its photo books showcasing the history of areas of Leeds. If you visit, look out for its books by Peter Mitchell, who famously photographed the Quarry Hill flats area – a large former social housing complex built in the 1930s, and later demolished in the seventies.  

With topics spanning illustration, photography, music, literature, lifestyle, art, fashion, subculture and more, Village Books is home to a carefully curated collection that shows print media at its absolute best. A great place to discover a new independent publisher, and to pick up a gift for yourself or someone special, make sure to take the time to delve a little deeper if you decide to pay them a visit and you’ll uncover some rare and signed gems too.