The Secret Book and Record Store

Dublin is one of those cities that must be explored on foot. The relatively small size of the city centre make is very approachable for those who like to walk and there are many interesting nooks and crannies of the city that can only be discovered on foot. I don’t have a car therefore I am forced to walk around the city or use public transit. It amuses me that even after having been living in the city for more than three years and having a habit of exploring the city on foot almost every weekend I still find new and interesting places.

Some times it seems that certain shops are deliberately designed to be elusive and their treasures are offered only to those who dare to walk around the city and take notice. I came across one such shop recently. It’s called The Secret Book and Record Store and as the name suggests it’s not particularly obvious when you walk by it. The small door leads to a hallway that ultimately leads to the shop in the back of the building. I was surprised to find it for the first time even though I have walked by it hundreds of times but I was glad that I did. It is certainly a great place for used books, CDs and records though it’s not a place where you would go to find something particular. The books are somewhat organized by category but besides that there isn’t any sort of arrangement or order. I found this to be a good thing because it made me browse and read books that I would not otherwise consider when I usually go to a bookshop with something specific in mind. It’s not a shop for everyone but if you are one of those who loves books and that certain smell and charming chaos that goes along with used book shops you should definitely consider this shop. You will find various eccentric characters lurking around the shelves and exploring the goods. I ended up picking up a copy of Andalus by Jason Webster which is just the sort of book that I was looking for but didn’t find it until I stumbled upon it in my new favourite book shop in Dublin.