It’s been a hot minute since we talked about bookshops on this blog, so how about another second hand bookshop? The last one, in Notting Hill, had a cool grungy vibe. This one, in Chelsea, could not be more different.
At a glance...
What you’ll find at the Worlds End Bookshop
The Worlds End Bookshop specializes in art books, first editions and modern classics. It’s a compact space, with books neatly arranged on lovingly labelled shelves (very different from Crofton Books in that respect!). You’ll see antiquarian books alongside Harry Potter first editions. The children’s section is full of delightfully old-fashioned hardbacks with pretty covers. There’s an extensive selection of art, design and photography books (if you’re looking for second hand books by Maison Assouline, this is probably the most likely spot to find them). It’s a good place to find the Penguins orange classics, too.
Is the Worlds End Bookshop expensive?
Well, prices for the hardbacks (which make up most of the stock) mostly start between £5 and £10 (and can go up to the hundreds). There are usually a couple of trolleys with a selection of books at reduced prices, too. The aforementioned orange Penguins are an absolute steal (in the range of £2 – £5 for most of them).
Visiting Worlds End Bookshop: useful information
Website: https://www.worldsendbookshop.com/
Opening Hours: closed Mondays, Tue to Sat 10:30 am–6:30 pm, Sun 11 am–5 pm
Address: 357 King’s Rd, SW3 5ES
Worlds End Bookshop on Google maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/qfh34yKfQ8A9RMmw9
How to get there:
By Tube: the closest tube stations – which are not that close – are South Kensington (20 mins walk; Circle line, District Line, Piccadilly Line), Fulham Broadway (20 mins walk; District line), or Sloane Square (25 mins walk; Circle line, District Line), though buses will get you closer.
From Sloane Square tube station, you can take the following busses:
11 towards Fulham Broadway.
22 towards Putney Commons
319 towards Telford Avenue /Streatham Hill.
19 towards Battersea Bridge. On the route: clerkenwell, st james,
From Kensington tube station, these are the buses to take:
49 towards Clapham junction
345 towards Peckham
Where to go from there?
You could stay in Chelsea and visit the Conran Shop and then treat yourself to a cinnamon bun.
Or you could go west and check out Notting Hill book exchange, a second hand bookshop too, but a completely different atmosphere. It’s a direct route if you take bus 328 towards Golders Green (click here to see the route for bus 328 on the TfL site).
Or hop on bus number 11 towards Waterloo and visit Lower Marsh and the street art in the Leake Street Arches (click here to see the route for bus 11 on the TfL site).
Or maybe you’d rather take the number 319 bus to go and visit the Battersea charity shops? (click here to see the route for bus 319 on the TfL site)
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Or simply walk down the King’s Road road: a few minutes’ walk will take you to the pub that gives this little corner of Chelsea its name: The World’s End. The facade is magnificent. The current structure was built in 1897, but a tavern of some sort has stood in that general spot since 1795. And back then, it very much stood at the end of the (London) world.