From Issue Thirteen of Hidden Scotland Magazine

16 Bookshops to Fall for this Autumn

Sixteen independent bookshops across Scotland.

Words by Emily Rose Mawson · Photographs by Simon Hird

Printed in Issue Thirteen of Hidden Scotland Magazine, Autumn and Winter 2026–27.

With the number of independent bookshops soaring across Scotland, Emily Rose Mawson reflects on the thrill of browsing in beautiful places. And as she opens the door to 16 of our favourites, she discovers that these are much more than places to buy books.

I was recently reminded of the magical sense of promise that bookshops gave us from an early age, as I watched a young girl tug her father towards the entrance of my local bookshop. With her foot already through the door, she said “I’ll just pop in and have a look!” Her voice was laced with hope and excitement.

I'm familiar with that frisson – the prospect of unknown titles waiting to reveal themselves. One of my fondest memories is my first visit to a bookshop, though it's less what I bought than how it felt to choose it. I can still hear the click of the door as it opened, releasing that sweet, musty, gorgeous smell of paper. Inside, shelves full of colourful spines, each one promising new worlds to discover, characters to get to know, and knowledge to gather.

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