VILLAGE BOOKS STORY

Village Books is a long-established, award-winning independent bookshop that started life in the 1920’s as the Gallery Bookshop and Lending Library. Hazel, our current owner bought the shop in 1996 and has run it ever since. We are exceptionally proud of our bookshop and were honoured to win Independent bookshop of the year in 2000, and get nominated for best independent bookshop in London in 2024.

Julian (Hazel’s old business partner) outside the shop in 1999.
We can still just about see Harry Potter books in the window.

A postcard of the original frontage of the shop in the 1930s.

Our focus as a shop is to have a curated selection of everything we love, and while we can’t read absolutely everything we have in the shop, between all of our staff members we can always give you a recommendation for whatever you are looking for. We have a large selection of children’s books for all ages, including a large young adult section upstairs. We also have a large amount of signed copies in store and on our website, and often get gorgeous independent bookshop editions, with stunning sprayed edges.

Before it was a shop this site was home to the village Blacksmith.

Below are a few lovely quotes from some of regular customers;

  • “What I personally value above all is the knowledge you all have, both about books and about your customers. You know your customers. You know our taste, and recommend new books that are perfect for the recipient. This has been invaluable over the years, introducing us to new writers and new genres as well as old favourites. No wonder we keep coming back!”
  • “Over the 38 years we have lived in Dulwich your wonderful shop has been an integral part of our lives.  Whether it be a visit to choose books with our children as they have grown up, popping in to pick up a suitable present or just to get a recommendation for holiday reading browsing through your wide ranging stock aided by your expert help and guidance has always been a huge pleasure.”
  • “I’ve been going to village books for 23 years now, and the shop has remained my favourite all my life. I can remember being taken in a pushchair and picking out books about unicorns, and I’ve gone after school for books on ya fantasy. As an adult I still go and there’s even more for me to choose from, that I’ve spent hours looking. The staff have always been warm, friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. It’s my favourite place in London and I’m glad I’ve had it there my entire life, hopefully it’ll be there for the rest of it.”

Hazel, our current owner

We have a large selection of children’s books

We can always give you a recommendation