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Secret Book & Record Store
Categories: Shopping Books, Mags, Music and Video Book Shops Shopping Books, Mags, Music and Video Vinyl Records Shopping Books, Mags, Music and Video Music & DVDs Book Shops, Vinyl Records, Music & DVDs [Edit]
15A Wicklow StDublin 2
(01) 6797272
- Hours:
Mon-Wed 11:00 - 18:30
Thu 11:00 - 20:00
Fri-Sun 11:00 - 19:00
- Price Range:
-
€
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
12 reviews for Secret Book & Record Store
12 reviews in English
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Review from Annie L.
11/12/2010 1 Check-in Here
I just read Shane K's review prior to writing and found myself nodding in agreement but whereas Shane's review is negative I find all those qualities so endearing.
Yeah it's a bit tattered and battered but like the cynical eyes of someone that has been burnt more then a half price crematorium it still has the dewy spark of possibility when the right person comes along. It still holds that hope that someone will come and fall in love with it... And that's what I did.
I saw past the yellowing books, the cramped layout and the eccentric staff. And what I saw is a place that is willing to be found and appreciated by the right person. It's not like the chain stores with their shiny, glossy, try too hard to be cool vibe.
It's the girl at the bar that is in the corner pretending to text and hoping no one will notice her. It's not the girl with her know it all laugh and domineering conversationalist tendencies. When she talks it will be interesting and you should pop along and search for something that this place has that will turn you on. -
Review from Jordan M.
Dundalk, Co. Louth
22/4/2012
I came here for the vinyl. While the actual store is very cool with it's secret aspect; and posters and notes posted up everywhere there's a very warm atmosphere.
There's LOADS of books, but the vinyl section is disappointingly small. Worth a visit though. -
Review from Alison C.
13/12/2010
I kind of liked the 'hidden' aspect of it all.
When I arrived though, the used record section was rather small. I only buy ABBA and old Western albums so the pickins' were extremely slim here. Not even a Loretta Lyn or Conway Twitty to be found. Feel free to judge me.
I was surprised by a large CD area. Maybe they should call it Secret Book & CD Store? I dont even buy CDs anymore except at live shows. Anyway, I also liked how the books were arranged by theme and the large section of philosophy books. It felt like the college bookstore that I never had. -
Review from Rónán C.
Dublin
2/7/2009
My favorite bookstore by a mile. This place has educated me. A great selection of books from a wide range of fields organised in a manner which, even after the past five or six years of custom, I simply cannot comprehend.
Plus you gotta love second hand books. A well thumbed novel is probably a good read, so a quick look at the spine will tell you more than the blurb on the back. They're cheaper too.
The hidden record and bookstore specialises in that thing big chain bookstores don't have, soul. Yes, it makes me feel that cheesey. -
Review from Shane K.
Dublin
24/5/2010
I happened upon this place on one of my little exploratory walks through Dublin about eight years ago. Back then in my less cynical youth I found it really cool and quirky.
I recently revisited it to see how the years had treated this strange little shop. I was not impressed. In fact I found myself wondering why I ever liked it in the first place. It's depressing, disorganised and almost always smells like stale bread. The kind of smell you get when you have a tiny but persistent plumbing leak that doesn't get noticed for months until you have to rip up the resulting mouldy carpet.
The shops humble aspirations are something I can normally get into. I'm all for the little guy and it's great to see small business still plugging away but that doesn't mean you can't run the hoover around once in a while. You'll maintain your street cred even if you do break out the Mr Sheen. The staff always look a bit down as well. I feel like going up and handing them a sandwich to lift their spirits some.
The place gets a second star for the mad range of CD's they have. I've seen some seriously obscure stuff in there. Top marks for effort on that. -
Review from Bridget R.
13/12/2009
Yes, the Secret Book & Record store is hidden down a long and narrow hallway, sandwiched between chain stores on Wicklow street -making it less than immediately accessible.
Yes, there are stacks and racks and rows of used books from all eras of publishing, all priced to move onto your shelf. And there's an amazing selection of vinyl on sale, the kind that would make any self respecting music-lover giddy.
But that's not the real secret -it's the love, the genuine appreciation shared by staff and loyal customers for the books and music that's on sale here. Feel free to break into a big smile when you see the spine of an old favourite ready to come home with you for a fiver; everyone here feels the same way.
The cataloguing can be a bit of a mess, but it makes the hunt even more fun (if you have the time). -
Review from Cathal C.
Dublin
3/7/2009 1 photo
The Secret Book & Record Store is very aptly named, as I must have walked past the place hundreds of times over the last number of years without noticing it (and I tend to keep my eye out for secondhand bookshops).
I eventually discovered its existence on the recommendation of a friend, so I took myself along one day to get the 411, as it were.
And I haven't looked back since. The Secret Book & Record Store is how you would make a shop of this type look like if you were making a film about a cool shopkeeper and the problems he has with his idiosyncratic love life (whoops, just checked IMDB and 'High Fidelity' has already been made. Ah pooh).
If you have a particular book in mind and think you might go to SB&RS on the off-chance that they might have it: don't. This one is strictly for the rummagers, but a rummagers dream it certainly is, with piles of books stacked any oul' way.
I don't go in for records much meself but they have them too.
Tip-top shop. -
Review from Jo M.
30/6/2009 3 photos
I love hanging out in this shop... Millions of books and records all over the place, and interesting ones at that. My friends and I often come here to browse for extended periods of time.
We've picked up some gems here, not your usual Celia Aherns... A friend managed to find a book with a title to the effect of 'If you think your life's shit read this book...' Hilarious!
The other day I found newspaper clippings from a Dublin newspaper in the 1800s... there are treasures to be found here, I tell you!
Books are quite reasonably priced, around a fiver for a decent read, and there's a one euro bargain bin at the entrance to the shop.
The shelves are topped with some interesting ornaments. Look for the freaky dolls heads, and the doll pushing a shopping trolley filled with Guinness. Class!
To get there look for the sign in Wicklow St. Follow along the white corridor (there are yoga studios and maybe even a chiropractor here). -
Review from M M.
Dublin
4/7/2009
I love places like this, you feel really cool for having discovered it and think that only you and a select few 'hip cool' people will be in here looking for those rare Sly & Robbie or Hendrix vinyl pieces of gold. However, the truth is this is a well known and loved record and bookstore, that even my mum loves.
They have a super selection of both records and books and the collection is really eclectic and exciting! You never know what you might find and what you do find usually leads the bloke serving behind the counter to recommend something else which in turn leads the customer standing beside to pip up and show you another fab item that you just can't pass up and you walk out of the store broke, but ultimately happy with lots of super cool purchases! -
Review from Alexandra M.
Dublin
20/5/2011
I felt pretentious walking in. I was unable to find anything because of the way it was organized and the staff made me feel as though questions were not welcome. They do have A LOT of books and records though...and priced pretty cheap from what I saw!
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Review from Dave D.
Dublin
21/2/2010
As the name implies, this is actually two separate shops: the book shop and the sole surviving Freebird Records outlet - as far as I can tell, the tills aren't mixed.
The record shop portion of the store is what first attracted me, music fiend that I am, and particularly the promise of second-hand CDs, given my general lack of money as a teenager. Back in them days, they had some excellent deals on CDs for a euro apiece - I picked up a couple of Nirvana records and the Fugees' Ready or Not one day and managed to lose them all. Easy come, easy go, I guess.
Later, I became interested in the book shop, mainly as a result of its total lack of respect for anything resembling order or ease of access. There's no real explaining why the books are shelved the way they are. There's a large "literature" section along the wall, which seems to mean only fiction, while the non-fiction items are laid out on tables across the shop. They're all priced well down on the list price - sometimes 1/4 or less of the price, but more often around the €6-7 mark.
Today, the shop is a bit more well-known and moderate their prices a little bit - there's not so much new stock anymore, and most prices are now fixed around €5-7 for a used CD, although there are some terrific bargains to be found if you have the patience to sort through the loosely-bundled rock & pop section. -
Review from Eóin Ó.
26/8/2010
This place was always on my 'to-do' list when I was visiting friends at Trinity. I found three hard to find books that I have searching everywhere for. Freebird once again was a fountain of some old punk albums I was looking for. Last time I was there, there was the most amazing older gentleman with whom I spoke with for an hour, mostly about his travels and wanderings around the world. The staff are friendly and shopping here and spending 75euros is pleasurable.
