The best secondhand bookstores in Hong Kong

Tucked away from the noise-filled streets of Mong Kok, Hong Kong Reader silently sells a colourful variety of books centred on humanities and social sciences, ranging from reputable literary classics to local artistic endeavours. Clamped to the door side is the bookcase where readers can dig their hands through the vault of secondhand books. There is also a seating corner where you can crack open a new read and pore over the pages. Both Chinese and English titles can be found at the store, with their generous membership discount to spur our city's reading habits further.

Lily Bookshop is an independent second-hand bookstore that opened in Sheung Wan in 2017. There are countless books lining the shop from shelf to shelf, most of which are in English with a special focus on antique books, first editions, and out-of-print books. Bibliophiles can meander through the modest shop and hunt their way through books of all genres, including novels, cookbooks, travel guides, textbooks, autobiographies, and many more. 

Amidst the bustling Tai Po wet market, The Book Cure stakes out a tranquil reading corner. Inspired by the novel, The Miracles of the Namiya General Store, the founder, Phyllis, hopes to cure the heartsick and the troubled minds in the form of a book, thus the name The Book Cure.

With books bought and donated over the years, the shop offers a variety of genres, from must-read literary classics to manga series, alongside a secret treasure trove of first editions and out-of-print copies. There is also a bookcrossing bookcase where people can continue circulating their beloved reads within the reading community. 

Just a stone’s throw from Sai Ying Pun MTR station, Books & Co is a secondhand bookseller and a secluded reading hub. Upon its inconspicuous facade, the book store is decked out in brick-block and vintage lamps, evoking classical sensibilities. On the inside, however, are the towering stacks of books with coffee cables interspersed in between, allowing readers to read, rest, and refuel from their day-long set meal. The picturesque bookshop has appeared on the famous ViuTV drama Leap Day and counted Anson Lo and Joyce Cheng Yan Yee among its stellar clientele. Aside from being a reading corner, Books & Co is a picture-perfect spot as well.

Tucked behind a sliding glass door and drawn drape, Dionysus Books is a hidden gem stapled in the neighbourhood of Sai Kung. Centred around literature and history, the bookstore stocks a mix of new arrivals and used books, with all the fittings and furnishings tirelessly collected by the friendly neighbours within the Sai Kung community. Inside the store are rows of books sorted around different topics, which will help you start your reading journey through different genres, eras, and more.

Established in 2019 by a group of aspiring university graduates, Jisaam Books conjures up the city’s young, creative, and passionate spirits. Overlooking the pulse of Nathan Road, the secondhand bookseller shelves titles related to literature, philosophy, and fine art. They also organise regular workshops and talks where people gather around the hearth and exchange their intellectual feeds. Keeping knowledge circulating within the city’s network, Jisaam Books welcomes donations from readers, who may trade in their used books and be rewarded with book tokens.

Established in 1964, Sam Kee Book Company has preserved its unique sensibilities against the changing tides of time, with a bevy of street cats calling this book-filled corner home. Its kaleidoscopic book collection contains Wu-xia novels, detective stories, modern and classical masterpieces, manga series, and more. New arrivals and book recommendations frequently appear on its Facebook page, with snippets of the bookstore-dwellers and shoutouts to generous readers who donated books (and canned cat food) to the stalwart bookstore.

Established in 1964, this store is not your ordinary second-hand book shop, it’s also a stray cat sanctuary. Many of the books here are in Chinese, but it’s worth a visit if you’re interested in books in other foreign languages, from Nordic thrillers to Japanese manga, or if you like cats too. Remember not to pet the cats though, as they’re used to being left alone.