Book Cupboard: three floors of second-hand books

Book Cupboard is a second-hand bookshop at 18 The Parade, Plymouth PL1 2JW. It occupies an old building spread over three floors, with shelves covering a wide range of subjects and periods. The stock includes ordinary used books, vintage editions, difficult-to-find titles and some first editions. There is also an additional warehouse with more specialist stock, so it can be worth asking if you are looking for a particular book that is not visible in the shop.

The strongest areas mentioned by customers are fantasy, science fiction, occult books, vintage Penguins and older or unusual editions. Several reviewers describe finding books they had been searching for, including first editions at prices they considered good compared with other sellers. That said, prices are not consistent across the shop: some visitors felt that many books were expensive, with examples of titles priced above £20 when similar copies could be found elsewhere for less. The layout is packed and not always easy to browse, but that is part of what makes the shop useful for anyone who enjoys searching through older stock rather than looking for a neatly curated selection.

The owner, Andy, is described in some reviews as knowledgeable, helpful and happy to discuss books. Other customers report a much less comfortable experience, particularly around bags, phones and the way they were spoken to in the shop. Visitors may be asked to leave bags downstairs or outside the browsing areas, and this policy has divided opinion. There are also reports of the shop being closed before the advertised time, so it is sensible to check before travelling. The listed hours are Monday to Saturday, 10:00–16:00, and Sunday, 10:00–15:00. Card, debit card and contactless payments are accepted, and the shop is described as dog-friendly. With a Google rating of 3.8/5 from 119 reviews, Book Cupboard is best approached as an old-fashioned, densely stocked bookshop: potentially rewarding for rare and specialist finds, but with prices and customer service that may not suit everyone.