posted on 09 Jun 2016

R & R Books, Stroud

Situated in Nelson Street at the top of the town, R&R Books can be found just around the corner from the Black Books Cafe. The shop has a very satisfying large plate glass front window which allows for interesting display and also lets you get a sneak preview of the layout of the inside of the shop. Inside, it's quite a tradition second hand set-up but, thankfully, without the usual chaos that goes with it. There aren't mounds of books on the floor and so moving around and access to the shelves is easy and there's definitely a feeling of space and light.

Most of the usual categories of books are represented and I wouldn't say that there was any particlar specialism here. Equally, you probably wont find anything much that's particularly rare or collectible - unusually for most second hand shops there doesn't seem to be a 'rare' or 'collectible' cabinet or section. I'm personally most interested in fiction, literature and children's books and on our last visit it seemed that the first two of these sections had been reduced in size ( or if not in size, then in prominance) and I'd say that the fiction section is distinctly ordinary. This might be a sensible reaction to what they know sells but it is a disappointment all the same.

Solid and servicable are probably the best words to describe this shop. It would be perverse not to pop in if you're doing the rounds of Stroud because if you are looking for reading copies or you want to try something that's not going to cost an arm and a leg, this might be the place to find it.

 

Terry Potter

June 2016