What is it?
If the old Foyles was a bookish uncle in a soup-stained cardigan, the latest incarnation of the bookselling behemoth is a hip teenage cousin: ahead of the curve where apps and indie cinema are concerned, but sporting a pair of off-puttingly flash trainers. That’s to say, it’s sleek and shiny, with its finger on the pulse of the literary landscape – or, as the store staff say, 'we’ve got the books, from the one you’re looking for to the ones you haven’t heard of yet’.
What does it sell?
Over eight levels and 37,000 square feet of floorspace laid out immaculately by architects Lifschulz Davidson Sandilands, you’ll find more than 200,000 books across a ton of specialist departments. Foyles stocks everything from fiction to children’s, art to military history, and many other subjects. There’s also a huge languages department for those ready to ditch Duolingo and hit the books, and sections for sheet music, classical CDs and DVDs, British and world cinema, and a dedicated space for jazz CDs and vinyl.
Opening times:
Monday-Saturday 9am-9pm; Sunday 11:30am-6pm
Time Out tip:
In the age of the e-reader and Amazon, punters need a good reason to visit a bookshop, and Foyles has plenty. Books aside, the focus is on the social aspect of reading. A whole floor is dedicated to events, from readings by Michael Palin and Jarvis Cocker, to themed reading groups or literary tours. The swish new cafe is run by Leafi, the people behind the Whitechapel Gallery's smart bistro, so expect something slick rather than homely.